Pellsons Perceivings

[zenrat]

Had a Swedish couple at work today.  My colleague who served them had trouble explaining Red Tape to them (they were doing tax stuff).  Is this not something you have in Sweden or is it a translation problem - i.e while the phrase doesn't directly translate the concept does?

[Pellson]

Had a Swedish couple at work today.  My colleague who served them had trouble explaining Red Tape to them (they were doing tax stuff).  Is this not something you have in Sweden or is it a translation problem - i.e while the phrase doesn't directly translate the concept does?

As we're the highest taxed people in the world, I'm pretty sure it's a matter of not understanding the idiom.

Re shooting - well, out here in the sticks, hunting is a very common habit and there's basically hunting rifles in every home. And, which is rather useful to know if you're considering a career as a burglar, every second home has an excavator.. 

[zenrat]

Had a Swedish couple at work today.  My colleague who served them had trouble explaining Red Tape to them (they were doing tax stuff).  Is this not something you have in Sweden or is it a translation problem - i.e while the phrase doesn't directly translate the concept does?

As we're the highest taxed people in the world, I'm pretty sure it's a matter of not understanding the idiom.

That's what I thought.  I have had a similar issue trying to explain the english phrase "Good Egg" to a Frenchman.

Re shooting - well, out here in the sticks, hunting is a very common habit and there's basically hunting rifles in every home. And, which is rather useful to know if you're considering a career as a burglar, every second home has an excavator.. 

I have a mulcher.

[Pellson]

Another upside is that I'm getting so violent Cold War vibes that I, without really putting any effort into it, has drawn up a sequence for a backstory of a band of European F-104 MLU's, bringing them all the way into the 21st century without losing the F-16's. Heck - I might even get 'round to decal up the Dutch one that's sitting on the Shelf of Doom^TM

Bringing out that Starfighter, I realise that i dont have the decals to go with in, nor ones for the also ready-to-decal NF-5A sitting next to it. Mulling on that for a bit, I also realise I'm short of any viable Luftwaffe decals for my planned Luftwaffe Norm 81 bonanza. 
Having come this far (it's now well beyond bedtime) my sleepdeprived brain suddenly realises that standard Norm 72 decals in 1/144 will do more than fine, and that the same trick will work very well for the Dutch F-104. If I had any in that scale, that is..
I will put up a L/F ad shortly.. 

As I'm finally recovering to bed, a proper blizzard is raging, blinding out the vicinity, turning the world into a white and whining blur. Quite annoying - we were almost rid of the final ice on the roads and walkpaths. Now it's covered up in a thick layer of frozen slush, turning the morning walk with the beardrat into something of an adventure. Ah, well - this is why there's a Land Rover in the yard..

[Pellson]

Have ordered Luftwaffe decals from DACO and am now very, very excited to see if anything is going to survive the transport. The Swedish postal system does have an annoying habit of swallowing foreign shipments. 

Still finetuning the Starfighter backstory, but it's getting there. I wish I was as eloquent in getting the actual models built, though.. 

[NARSES2]

Royal Mail in the UK are having a bad time in some areas with domestic deliveries let alone overseas. Still waiting for a fair few things, like magazines, I know are stuck in it 

[Old Wombat]

I don't want to get political but, unfortunately, I think that both Russia & China are going to kick off in the not too distant future & the "West", for want of a better term, are going to be caught completely off guard because they have completely failed to see the signs that have been blatantly obvious for the last decade.

[sigh] Time to buy a rifle, methinks!

[Pellson]

I don't want to get political but, unfortunately, I think that both Russia & China are going to kick off in the not too distant future & the "West", for want of a better term, are going to be caught completely off guard because they have completely failed to see the signs that have been blatantly obvious for the last decade.

Can't argue with that at all, I'm afraid..

Read a German piece today that concludes that Germany either can sell out most of its neighbours by not allowing any arms transfers and continuously block economic sanctions - but stay warm as they'll get gas - OR freeze when Putin shuts the gas valves because they resist tyranny. Not both.

It seems somewhat idiotic having built themselves into a dependency on Russian gas, and I know of a lot of people objecting to this when the idea first arose..

[kitbasher]

I don't want to get political but, unfortunately, I think that both Russia & China are going to kick off in the not too distant future & the "West", for want of a better term, are going to be caught completely off guard because they have completely failed to see the signs that have been blatantly obvious for the last decade.

Not sure it is a case of being caught off guard, more being distracted by domestic issues (which may or may not win/lose votes).  But yes, something appears to be looming. May not be shooting, rather major economic crises.

[Pellson]

NATO is preparing mobilisation of the NATO Response Force. That's yet unheard of. While I am quite confident it isn't a decision taken lightly, nor unnecessarily, I am rapidly growing more and more worried about where this is going. 

[Pellson]

Btw - I got a very nice email from Danny at DACO today confirming the order. While we haven't seen the bloody Swedish Mail do their worst yet, at least I know it's being sent off in good order. 

Oh - Mr Hobbes kindly offered to help me sort the Dutch problem. It seems I'm getting out of this in a very very good shape indeed! 

[kitbasher]

NATO is preparing mobilisation of the NATO Response Force. That's yet unheard of. While I am quite confident it isn't a decision taken lightly, nor unnecessarily, I am rapidly growing more and more worried about where this is going. 

So, are we currently going through some sort of latter day Cuban Missile Crisis, one that is overshadowed by a pandemic and domestic political issues?

[Old Wombat]

Further news on the Ukrainian front: Australians are being ordered to leave the country & the families of Australian diplomats are being evacuated, & NATO are moving forces into their eastern partners' territories. Not sounding good.

In the meantime, I'm wondering what China is up to. They've been infiltrating Taiwanese airspace rather heavily this week, often with multiple simultaneous incursions.

[kitbasher]

In the meantime, I'm wondering what China is up to. They've been infiltrating Taiwanese airspace rather heavily this week, often with multiple simultaneous incursions.

If it's just the ADIZ then (as it's 'high seas airspace') that's legal and the operators apply 'due regard' (doesn't make it any less worrying for Taiwan, though).  If it's sovereign airspace then that's a totally different issue and sparks may fly.

[Pellson]

In the meantime, I'm wondering what China is up to. They've been infiltrating Taiwanese airspace rather heavily this week, often with multiple simultaneous incursions.

If it's just the ADIZ then (as it's high seas airspace') that's legal and the operators apply 'due regard' (doesn't make it any less worrying for Taiwan, though).  If it's sovereign airspace then that's a totally different issue and sparks may fly.

So far, it's ADIZ, but to an extent not commonly seen. Also, they've flown attack profiles complete with active EW support. One should know that the ADIZ in the Formosa Strait is only a some minutes deep in high subsonic speeds.

So the Ozzies are also leaving Kiev. That's just further bad news on an awful morning. 

Upping it slightly - I've dug out a Hellcat cowling for mr Scotaidh just to find we're recently out of stamps. Cock, to quote a relatively well known British TV presenter.
Ah well - I'll find a reason to go in town and sort that any day. No rush.