[Kharon]

Ref: https://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/s...urbulence/ & Sandy in reply to Newton's epistle & Submission 66 & 67 - Enough Already! & Su_Spence sips from the Can'tberra Koolaid fountain

What a mind bending 15 minutes.....

Oh boy! - Two slurps of the local 'Kook-Aid' and it all started to make some sense; one could not, not without that intoxicating Canberra elixir sit with a straight face through it all- last 'Estimates' session; DUB. The hourly cost of just making a 'video' of an expensive (figure the hourly rate) 'Senate Estimates' hearing would keep an average family fed quite well for a week. When you add in the hourly cost of the Senators and 'associated' plus the hourly cost of the CASA crew - well that's probably a new swimming pool and the kids school fees for next term - an hour. A very expensive pantomime indeed. Which if, 'stand alone' had, in one tiny way, assisted the aviation (dare I say it) industry, it may well have been supportable - alas. Watch carefully children, hit pause every 60 seconds or so; and, take a long, hard look at what the tax payer is funding (without option). - HERE.....

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“Fairies have to be one thing or the other, because being so small they unfortunately have room for one feeling only at a time.” ― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

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As the doors to the chamber open and the CASA front row amble in, led by Spence - Nostrils McDolittle begins to scamper about, wagging tail and piddling on the rug to welcome Spence, the attempt to engage our 'CEO' in pleasant how-d-do's is responded to by Spence with all the emotion of a dunny seat in in a pub. McDolittle is then confronted by something which has not, in five years, changed it's frock, Surely, there must be enough money in the CASA tea and biscuit fund to buy the poor girl a new frock for Christmas. Mind you, the look of sheer poison on Aleck's fizzog would make a stone idol take a step back - not a happy camper is our Jonathan (which cannot be a bad thing). Yet one must wonder about the calling up of the moribund, constipated Mono-Hand to sit in the Crawford 'death seat'. Spence called Crawford up to display his incompetency last go-around; then fired the bugger; and a good riddance. Is Mono-Hand next? The 'Tote' is open; we have included 'Walker' in the betting. Not a bad sort - but apart from being a competent 'net worker' now promoted to his level of incompetence - its only a matter of time; his response to an eloquently phrased, no bull question has caused many a moment of hilarity and clearly defined his limitations.

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“Always listen to experts. They'll tell you what can't be done, and why. Then do it.” ― Robert A. Heinlein, Time Enough for Love

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And yet there sits the dowdy doyen of CASA; happy to acknowledge that 'she' is quite happy to work to a Ministerial (legally binding) Statement of Expectations, which is probably, 'illegal' and it don't bother her one bit. What is it in the water of Wagga Wagga? State politicians in all kind of hot Wagga water; serious ministerial documents signed when the national minister (erstwhile DPM) was 'technically' out of office (i.e. fired) and it don't concern the nanny statement writing CEO one bit? Bollocks - two options, the SoE don't matter a tinkers cuss; or, CASA was happy not to ask the new boy for directions. Farcical don't cover it Ma'am; but 'them' is the facts.

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“Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

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But then; the Estimates got ugly; the McDolittle led committee said SFA when a 'cause' old Nostrils McDolittle (NMD) was fiercely seen to be championing (now it seems nugatory) was dragged up. To wit - Angel Flight - "Oh, no problem" says Spence; "those restrictions will expire in six months". McDolittle almost wet her draws to hear this - after two years of her bullshit inquiry, the Senator is happy to await the Spence gracious decision to 'not renew'??? And; worse, to take the Spence word for it, as gospel (Bucket needed here) The duckling thing should never have been issued, but it was, and should have been repealed; day one in office, by Spence, as a sign of 'goodwill' and basic common bloody sense. But then, the wearing of the same pink jacket should give a clue about the level of Kool Aid imbibed, before, during and probably after another CASA botched safety gambit. Oh. What a bloody shambles - and the cost of it - and a minister happy to let it run on? WTD. I say this; if great political embarrassment is to be avoided the minister needs to end and put away tidy the NMD farcical twenty month inutile, expensive waste of Senate (public) time and tax payer money. Please.........!

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"You can’t do this without putting in the bad and the ugly as well as what is beautiful. Because if it is all beautiful you can’t believe in it. Things aren’t that way.” ― Ernest Hemingway

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Aye, as stated, I played this expensive 15 minute WOFTAM to and educated crew -(mark you) before any drink was allowed; they begged a repeat; just to convince themselves that it was not a comedy satire I'd jacked together to start the party; took some convincing of that. Not even Aunt Pru (liberal though she is) would countenance a third replay; blood curdling threats have also been issued to anyone fool enough to read another Spence soppy motherhood, pink, fluffy placebo.

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“When you compare the sorrows of real life to the pleasures of the imaginary one, you will never want to live again, only to dream forever.” ― Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo

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Ayup, 'tis a ramble - but, fair-dinkum - really, seriously, an em-buggered industry must pin investment and prosperity hopes on the last 15 minutes of a Senate Estimates hearing - the boys from Macquarie bank took the last flight before the lock down - and will need some encouragement to leave the pleasure domes.

I don't suppose any of this matters to the Red Back spider which decided my leg was offending it; dead now (with malice aforethought). We often forget that even in a garden there is always 'territory' and family to protect. Me, trying to complete an awkward garden bench thing with doors and stuff (120 meters of hard wood) probably stepped too close to old RB - she reacted, I responded - she had the venom - I had a hand 100 times her size. I regret her passing; and, I did start it. No matter, there's a lot more where she came from; if only we could communicate without a reflex, defensive attitude. Bloody leg still hurts; but Ale soothes; body, mind and spirit.

Selah.-.?