The Great Golbal Warming Swindle.

The video is 1 hour and 15 minutes long, but is worth every minute. It was originally aired on British Channel 4. Truly fascinating.

Hat tip: Samizdata.

Push De Button!

I meant to look for it on Youtube, and kept forgetting. I was reminded, however, at quite an unexpected place - thanks, Julian

This is Israel’s notorious entry to Eurovision. BTW, the correct name of the band is not Teapacks, but Tipp-ex. Follow the “Misuse” link on the Tipp-ex Wiki entry for a, um, tip on the possible reason for that particular name for the band, and also for the possible reason why it may be deliberately misspelled in Europe.

Free Ballista Plans! - Revisited.

Thats it I give up. Every damn day I get pinged with free loaders looking for plans. Well fine! There you go, fill yer boots.

WHAT?

Full size? That’s as big as it’s going to get. What do you think this is, freaken gift week?

Update - This is now my most popular post and its managed to cement its place in google due to the attentions of a number of people who get very bitter and twisted about me not handing over several years work to them for the bargain basement price of zippidy do dah.

Well since it’s so popular I’ve punted it back to top for all my regular readers to take another look. Feel free browse the comments and see if you can pick which of the three are now in either in possession of free copies of my table top mangonel or trebuchet plans or will have theirs soon. Yes thats right in fact I DO give away free plans under certain conditions.

1. I’ll give you help with a school project including the free plans and assistance with fixing the problem which resulted from you not following those plans. I do like to encourage people to learn about their history, destroy things in a technical culturally appropriate manner and hope to sell some of them something really destructive (and expensive) at a later date.

2. They ask nicely.

Please note I have no intention of justifying my not giving you freebees any more and comments like jacks - jack@iafrica.com - which amount to “you’re a big poopie head” will no longer be permitted to get through moderation. Jack was emailed and asked to offer an explanation but did not avail himself of the opportunity so he gets some free advertising.

A lot of younger people find their way here and while you may fall out of chair at the concept I do not approve of that sort of language being used in front of minors. Some comments will be deleted in a few days for this reason. (If you’re under 18 or your parents are democrats you probably shouldn’t read anything else on this site.)

Also worthy of not is that my new website - 22AD - is in production and will be up in about a weeks time. Amongst all the fun stuff posted here you will be able to buy plans, parts and small kit sets. There will also be details on the upcoming WMD End of Season Fling for locals and I’ll even be hosting one set of free plans so even obnoxious poorly raised little maggots like jack will be able to use them.

UPDATE 2: FREEBEES! As a special treat for those of you with school projects I’ve done half your homework for you.

Ok first up we have this very nice Medieval Trebuchet paper model by Sheila Mertens. Click on the image to go to her site. It makes a detailed and functional model but it is paper so don’t expect it to throw bricks.

Secondly these plans are all over the place and you’ll find them by doing an image search for trebuchet plans in about 30 seconds just like I did.

While I approve of kids learning about siege engines in school I am concerned that the concepts of initiative and self reliance seem to be neglected for some of you.

If neither of these will do what you need and you have a school project then email me and I’ll see what I can do.

This post now carrys a PG rating. If you’re over 12 you can read the comments but your parents may object.

Email addresses that include profanity probably shouldn’t get published Fjord, even if you use Professor Spooner to do your dirty work.

And for Oswald…

 Finally why not stop by Ron Toms and buy something?

UPDATE: Heres you’re very own free Trebuchet plan. I sugest you read the post carefully.

UPDATE: Go here if you’re looking for a ballista plan and want to answer some questions on the subject.

We don’t answer to you. You work for US!

Press release from SmackingBack

“Government of the people, by the people, for the people.”

Abraham Lincoln once used these golden words to describe the purpose of politicians in a free society. Yet with polls now showing over 80% of New Zealanders in opposition to Sue Bradford’s proposed anti-smacking bill, it is clear that our current government no longer understands why they have been elected. In accordance with another cornerstone of a free society, freedom of speech and freedom to dissent, Coalition Against Nanny State’s Anti-Smacking Law (CANSAL) will be staging a peaceful march on Parliament to remind our politicians just whom they are elected to serve.

Friday Night Free For All

Damn, I did this already but it didn’t load. Never mind, here we are!

Don’t forget to stop by the store and pick up something to wear on the 28th.

Just say no day.

Wednesday March 28th… be there or hand over your rights to a fanatic.

Full sized PDF to share with your friends and wallpaper Wellington with.

Lets roll.

TPF has bought us some time now its up to us what we do with it.

We can be deer in the headlights or we can tell all those MP’s who are against this socialist home invasion that they can vote what they believe or we’ll be reviewing their continued employment.

I’m opting for door #2.

So why not join a small group of like minded people to drop by that boob shaped building for a little chat with our employees next Wednesday.

Remember please do not assassinate Sue Bradford while you’re there.

It would increase your carbon footprint.

Help me before I blackout another suburb!

I need to technical help wiring up a transformer to a nicrome wire to make a hot wire foam cutter. I don’t have the luxury of shelling out for a dimmer switch so I need to know where I’m going to solder what that will make the wire hot but not glow red like it is at the moment.

Helens Mastercard Moment.

Stealing tax payers money to buy an election - $800,000

Raping the taxpayer and flushing their money for no noticeable result - $20,000,000,000

Pissing off a talkback host with access to audio archives?

Absolutely PRICELESS!

During WWII my grandmother knitted 234 pure wool seamans jerseys for Commonwealth sailors and merchant seamen. About one every week. It helped keep her busy while her husband was off playing in the North African sun.

As did raising one brat of a child who was always off climbing cliffs, winning sports trophies and peeing out his bedroom window because he was too lazy to go the privy in those high country winters.

In 1953 she knitted #235 and that son wore it after he decided joining the navy sounded like more fun than actually turning up to his school cert exams and she got to relive her worrying through Korea, Malaya & the early part of Viet Nam. Suez was a crisis confined to my mother.

Later I wore that jersey myself and even thought it not longer fits any of us, its still in my wardrobe.

My grandmother was of a very special breed of woman, she was a service wife and mother. The matriarch of a military family. For those who know them we respected (and feared them) more than any NCO and when they passed we came to realise how much they had actually done to hold things together while we were off doing other things and frequently doing things they definitely would not have approved of on several levels.

Consequently my understanding of the following is probably different to most peoples.

Elizabeth Ann Meriwether Donovan, mother of my good friend John, another army brat turned soldier passed away just a matter of hours ago surrounded by her family and I hope with a great deal of satisfaction for the life she lived and that family she raised.

Go and read what John has to say about his mom and be awed by these ladies as those of us fortunate enough to be descended from such remarkable people have been on a daily basis for generations.

Elizabeth Ann Meriwether Donovan,
7 Oct 1930- 13 March 2007