Archive for March 18th, 2008

Killing Whales vs Killing Tibetans, which is worse in the land of Rudd?

I can’t help but agree with Andrew Bolt on this one:

Kevin Rudd: “I don’t have a magic wand, but the Australian Government will do everything within our power to put pressure on the …. …. to bring this slaughter to an end.”

Fill in those missing two words. Did he damn the:

A: “Chinese Government”, now killing Tibetan protesters.
B: “Japanese Government”, now killing whales.

Now contrast those fighting words with this mild caution:

“…from my point of view, I would call upon the … … to exercise restraint.”

Again fill in the missing words. Was Rudd tut-tutting the:

A: “Chinese authorites” (sic), for killing people protesting its occupation of Tibet.
B: “Japanese authorites” (sic), for killing animals for food.

The answers, “B” and “A”, respectively.

I can’t help but feel that in a country where human life is generally considered to be the most valuable resource of all, the fact that our government is more than willing to lambaste the Japanese government for slaughtering whales, but won’t extend the same courtesy to the Chinese government for a greater travesty, is downright strange and lousy, especially from a governing party that are happy to try and prevent our drug smugglers from being executed.

Samuel

2 comments March 18th, 2008 at 02:44pm

The working day to start on public transport?

There’s an interesting proposal from the unions doing the rounds of the media today.

SYDNEY workers should have commuting time included in their official work day because public transport and traffic troubles make journeys so lengthy, a union boss said.

New technologies mean many employees are able to start their working day while in transit, Unions NSW secretary John Robertson said.
[..]
Mr Robertson takes his argument as far as to recommend wireless internet connections be installed in trains, until the state and federal governments introduce fast trains to transport workers from regional and outer suburbs into the city.

I can’t see the proposal working, mainly because of the many inequities in it. For example, this would only really work for people who have office jobs which don’t require much telephone contact with colleagues, let alone the public (it would sound rather unprofessional having a telephone conversation with a customer while a baby screams next to you and it’s announced that “the next station is Redfern”). This would not work for people who have to be physically on-site to perform their duties (cleaners, builders and plumbers to name a few) and would only be viable for people on public transport, as you can’t really write a detailed business email while driving through Sydney’s CBD.

I also don’t understand why he only wants to apply it to Sydney.

Ultimately it might work as an option for a few very select people, but I can’t see how anybody can be as productive in a moving vehicle as they can be in an office when it comes to the type of work which could be done in this manner.

It’s nice to see Unions NSW secretary John Robertson thinking about things, but this really sounds like a case of “I need to say something so that my name can appear in the media today” to me.

Samuel

March 18th, 2008 at 11:28am

Proof that Weston Creek is the centre of Canberra

It seems that Stephen has managed to convince himself that Weston Creek is the centre of Canberra, and spent a bit too much time coming up with a theory to prove it.

The theory seems to revolve around the ACT government selling a mis-spelled and possibly discounted and uninhabited version of Gungahlin to the New South Wales government. Based on the fact that Queanbeyan is on the diagram of “important parts of Canberra”, I assume that the theory involves the ACT government purchasing Queanbeyan and turning it in to a suburb of Canberra, possibly as a straight-swap for Gungahlin.

The article is well worth a read, for entertainment value if nothing else.

It reminds me of the endless stream of studies, surveys and theories that get released by various universities, seemingly for the sole purpose of making us all ask “who paid for that, and what substance did they inhale beforehand?”.

Samuel

2 comments March 18th, 2008 at 09:10am

Samuel’s Footy Tips: Results

I’m doing things a little bit differently this year, in that I’m not only trying to correctly tip more than 50% of the matches, I’m also trying to tip a positive points difference. Read on and I’m sure it will make sense.

NRL Round 1
Broncos V Panthers -36
Eels V Bulldogs -8
Knights V Raiders +16
Rabbitohs V Roosters -14
Sea Eagles V Sharks +6
Storm V Warriors +14
Titans V Cowboys +18
Tigers V Dragons -8
Total: 4/8 (50%)
Points: -12

The tips for the rest of the year in both AFL and NRL will be online in the early hours of tomorrow morning.

Samuel

March 18th, 2008 at 08:06am

The next reason for a petrol price rise

Yesterday afternoon Glenn Wheeler asked his listeners to pre-empt the inevitable rise is the price of petrol over the Easter long weekend by guessing the next ridiculous excuse that the petrol companies will come up with. I called Glenn to submit my entry:

We have to cover the cost of our insurance premiums, which have gone up due to all the people who faint when they see the price of petrol.

Glenn had a few good entries and it will be interesting to see if the Petrol companies ever use the excuses he received. Would anybody here like to come up with a reason?

Samuel

March 18th, 2008 at 05:53am

Superannuation Insurance

Good morning Jim,

I was listening with interest to the story you read about the superannuation firm signing up their customers to an insurance policy simply by sending them a letter.

It may be perfectly legal, but it sounds to me like a legal form of fraud. Whoever thought up the law which allows superannuation funds to assume that they have the permission to do virtually whatever they like with the compulsory contributions must have had a screw loose, as it makes it just a bit too easy for the people in charge of the super fund to siphon off a few percent of the takings to their cousin's company, or anywhere else they like.

I have to admit that if my super fund had done this, I probably wouldn't have noticed because my statement arrived about a fortnight ago and I didn't open it until I noticed it beside me while an ad break was running on the television a couple days ago.

It's sad to think that we've reached a point where you almost need a lawyer to read through the gibberish in the fine print before you sign anything, for fear of giving your life's earnings to the director of a super fund, or a bank, or any other institution that makes you sign something.

Regards,
Samuel Gordon-Stewart
Canberra

Article: Opt-out Insurance Becomes a Super Trap: Sydney Morning Herald, March 15

March 18th, 2008 at 04:00am


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