SPOILERS The Last Continent Discussion **Spoilers**

[Tonyblack]

But everyone agreed with you on the Creationism aspect of the book. Indeed, your recent sparring with captainmeme made my reading of this book take on a fresh perspective. So we don't automatically shoot down your original ideas.

By the same token, if we don't agree with your ideas then we should be able to say so - shouldn't we? Why be so sensitive if people don't agree with you?

 

[poohcarrot]

I'm sensitive because I'm having a bad day today.

Although I can now buy petrol, bread, water, batteries and toilet paper, I can't buy the cigs I usually smoke, so I'm stuck with US crap. The filters for Mild Seven cigs are made in Tohoku and currently Japan's most popular brand of cigs can't be bought anywhere.

My apologies.

 

[Tonyblack]

I'm really sorry you are going through this Pooh. And I apologise if I've been insensitive.

 

[pip]

good time to give up the smokes then pooh

 

[Dotsie]

It's never a good time to give up the smokes. I felt miserable for about seven years (not true, but it was about this long before I could really say I was over them). Not smoking when you want to makes a bad situation worse, so you have my sympathies on this pooh.

 

[pip]

It's never a good time to give up the smokes. I felt miserable for about seven years (not true, but it was about this long before I could really say I was over them). Not smoking when you want to makes a bad situation worse, so you have my sympathies on this pooh.

He is smoking though. Just the wrong brand. Which is understandably annoying as some american cigarettes taste like crap and catpee mixed. Better none than them.

 

[Anonymous]

Puffin.
(had to *dodges*)

 

[Bouncy Castle]

Can you not get roll yer own over there?

 

[deldaisy]

Oh PLEASE please please please let me share with you comments from the Health Minister on TV here last week.......

After years of waiting FINALLY the NHS has put nicotine patches and aids on the PBS (Pharma Benefits Scheme... Instead of paying full price for meds you pay a set fee of $5.50 if you are on a pension or benefits) God.. so now nicotine patches are $5.50 not $35 to $40.... if you are on benefits.

The budget is about to come out..... they have just said that they are now planning to raise the price of cigarettes by 25%..... ($16 for 25 now).. and the minister says something like....

"The people least able to afford the money to be able to smoke are those unemployed, or pensioners, or on benefits... and this flow on effect often shows in the type of people they are and how it affects thier lifestyle... Obviously aged pensioners or people on sickness beneifts shouldn't be smoking for thier health and finances... and single parents could be putting that money towards their children... and we DID put patches on the PBS so there is really NO excuse for them not to be smoking now. They can now put that extra money towards better choices in alot of things, lifestyle, better food, entertainment, education."

Interviewer: "So this IS aimed at the lower levels of society to price them out of the cigarette market and ensure a better standard of living?"

HM "Yes"

WTF?

So they are saying that smoking is for the rich? I smoke.. I know I need to stop... but I am not killing babies here... I smoke! My children eat VERY healthy food... they don't actually like takeout food, they love their veggies too much. They even get fresh salmon steaks on a regular basis. So what am I supposed to do with all this extra money? I KNOW it will be great for bills etc, but.. entertainment? What? Stage shows? Capacinno with the girls on the riverbank while my little darlings skip through the daisies? I can suddenly afford $25,000 a year for a private education?

Gee all those poor old dears with a few years left can suddenly give up and afford their meds!

If they are serious about this.... WHY isn't the same rule applied to alcohol that causes many more deaths and damage to peoples lives than smoking a cigarette.

Suppose I am off to get some patches... Oh wait.. last time I tried them they blistered my skin so badly I bled.

 

[Anonymous]

Have you ever met any politician who lives in the same reality as we do?
(on how many pages have we actually talked bout the book by now?)

 

[Tonyblack]

Have you ever met any politician who lives in the same reality as we do?
(on how many pages have we actually talked bout the book by now?)

Most of them actually.

This may sound stupid, but every time I read this book I curse Mrs Whitlow for closing the window after her. It's not like she's going to do it any different the next time I read the book.

 

[Anonymous]

Have you ever met any politician who lives in the same reality as we do?
(on how many pages have we actually talked bout the book by now?)

Most of them actually.

This may sound stupid, but every time I read this book I curse Mrs Whitlow for closing the window after her. It's not like she's going to do it any different the next time I read the book.

Hey, there are people rewatching thelma&louise hoping they'll make the jump this time

 

[meerkat]

Well, I live in hope that the butler might drop the dressing gown in the bath scene from 1995 Pride and Prejudice! I replay and replay and does he? Noooo!

 

[deldaisy]

Have you ever met any politician who lives in the same reality as we do?
(on how many pages have we actually talked bout the book by now?)

Most of them actually.

This may sound stupid, but every time I read this book I curse Mrs Whitlow for closing the window after her. It's not like she's going to do it any different the next time I read the book.

I admit I hate that part SOOOO much I read it out the corner of my eye.

 

[meerkat]

I could slap her, I know that! You expect the Bursar to do that sort of stupid thing!

 

[deldaisy]

But what I want to know is..... did noone MISS them.... even if not the wizards.... wouldn't someone have missed Mrs Whitlow? Go looking for them? I know the uni is vast... and where would you start.... but did noone know? at all? Wasn't she bringing them some food or something? Wasn't there evidence left behind?

 

[Tonyblack]

But what I want to know is..... did noone MISS them.... even if not the wizards.... wouldn't someone have missed Mrs Whitlow? Go looking for them? I know the uni is vast... and where would you start.... but did noone know? at all? Wasn't she bringing them some food or something? Wasn't there evidence left behind?

I wondered that as she seems to have left people behind in the room. But it does say that once the portal is closed it probably won't open in the same place again. So even if they had opened the window, chances are they'd only see the university grounds.

Oh yes - I spotted another song reference. Once the Wet arrives we get this bit:

'Can you hear that thunder? said Ridcully, as a rumble rolled across the city. 'We'd better take cover . . . '

This song.

 

[deldaisy]

Yep! Got that one.

I was looking through my pics on my phone today with a g/f adn I came across some I took in the Koala Park up the road... we drive through it if we have to waste 15 minutes on a hot afternoon before going somewhere else for something; its way cooler in there. (Looking for fairies, but usually only finding kangaroos)....

Its National Park. I have pics on my phone of the "red trees"... the trees are usually very black.... then they pop thier bark and the trunks are bright red to deep red.... gorgeous especialy as the rest of the forest is green, gray, black and then the red POPS (image wise... they don't explode)

Oh yeah... I thought.... the trees where the bark drops off! But.. thats... normal for those.

Some trees can tell you the weather... if a VERY big storm system is coming... and I don't mean one storm.... trees that don't normally drop thier bark... suddenly pop the bark and drop it over a few days.... ohhhhhhh.... bad bad summer coming.

Other things I take for granted... Silky Oak trees won't bloom if they aren't in drought conditions. And alot of trees, the seeds won't germinate unless they go through bushfires, then they use the ash to grow in (and conditions are better because they have more light because the overstory of leaves and tall trees is missing.... amazing huh.... that nature stuff.

 

[Quatermass]

Have you ever met any politician who lives in the same reality as we do?
(on how many pages have we actually talked bout the book by now?)

That's an interesting question. We need a study involving a schrodinger quantifier, a relative dimension stabiliser, and a cucumber.

I'm guessing that the amount of politicians living in what we think of reality is less than 1%.

Now, back to The Last Continent, hopefully without seeing connections that aren't there. Dibbler is homophobic, but that's also the way Monty Python's Bruces saw the world. And I quote from the Woolamaloo University faculty rules (which is also racist, so be warned):

1. No poofters.
2. No member of the faculty is to maltreat the Abos in any way whatsoever—if there's anyone watching.
3. No poofters.
4. I don't want to catch anyone not drinking in their room after lights out.
5. No poofters.
6. There is no... rule six.
7. No poofters.

See? It's about how people in England see Aussies, or rather, country Aussies. Python and Pratchett merely play around with those preconceptions.

Australia tends to get the wrong end of the stick in some British humour. In the very first episode of The Goodies, when Graeme demonstrates his rent-a-view picture window, he shows three locations with appropriate muzak. London gets approval, to the backing of 'Any Old Iron', and Paris, with a backing of some stereotypically French music, gets a giggle from Bill. But as soon as Sydney comes up to the tune of 'Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport', Bill Oddie howls "TURN IT OFF!"

 

[The Mad Collector]

But that was part of the long running send up of Rolf Harris rather than Australia.