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Last weekend I took Friday off, we deserted the kids (hey the eldest is 18 so there was theoretically an adult in the house) and the missus and I went to Swansea. I took the bike and she took the EV - strange, I know, but with Tassie you need to be prepared for any weather. As it was I was rained on every day of the weekend, but there was enough fine weather between the showers to make it worthwhile. We rode into Coles Bay on Saturday, had an excellent lunch and dropped in to Devil's Corner vineyard on the way back. On the way home the main tank ran dry 40km from Richmond. I wasn't too concerned because my wife was somewhere nearby, but as it was the reserve got me there. I was taking it very easy on the wet corners - but even so, at one point I touched the rear brake and felt the back end give a little. From then on I took it even easier. Very relaxing weekend!

They really are an ebarrassing couple of d*cks.

Saw my first snake of the summer today - just avoided running over him on the bike, which could have been nasty for both of us.

I am not meaning to be a sinophobe, but China is positioning itself to be a global superpower like no other. Like the many countries but more recent stark examples such as Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, they start with a cheap labour force and other factors of production and start manufacturing the basic goods.. almost commoditised types of goods. It is cheap, breaks and generally OK to throw away after a while But then they invest in technology and manufacturing processes and their cheap goods soon become durable and relatively high quality. You only have to look at the Chinese car manufacturing industry to see how that has come leaps and bounds in a very short period of time - about 10 years in major exports (yes, they have had a domestic car industry for much longer time and they have been exporting cars for a longer time, too.. but not at mass scale as today). Certainly in my life time, Australia never really enjoyed comparatively lower costs of labour or other factors of production. So we are always going to struggle to compete. Although there was a vibrant manufacturing sector, it was largely domestic.. Now, China is advancing into the high tech manufacturing and doing a good job of it. But unlike the other countries named, there are two major differences: the population and size of the economy as its wealth from exports increases.. and the government still has largely autocratic control and it decides on the allocation of resources, unlike western type economies where managers focusing on the short term share price and bonuses as a result decide the allocation of resources. And the Chinese government plans for the long term. With a cashed up government thanks to exports and control over industry, China is perfectly placed rise to be the (not a) global superpower. That is a little dramatic but not improbable. Sorry for the thread drift.

I doubt you would give them any credit for where we are no matter what, but Plenty of those contracts were done Years ago. Don't Open cut Mines damage vast tracts of Countryside and Wreck water tables? Solar doesn't damage the Countryside. You can farm or graze under it. Wind pays farmers who allow it and it provides them with a stable income. Batteries when installed benefit everybody. Nev

If the Landcruiser had not pulled out the accident would not have happened. Any rider with a fair bit of experience knows that many tin-top drivers make right turns in front of you and Hit you on roundabouts when you are on their right,and pull out from the side of the road without looking carefully. They ALL say "I didn't see you" as if that's a legitimate excuse. Yeah the rider was going too fast, but YOU are supposed to LOOK.

Qantas has been a very privileged and protected Airline many times during it's long History. Also some questionable management. Nev.

china may end up being a more stable superpower especially since they rely so much on global trade. look at the lunatics running the other 2 super powers, who would you prefer.

Ouch, Excessive speed definitely a factor. If it's a t bone, likely the cruiser pull out in front of bike. Sad. Generally it's biker dies and car driver is unhurt.

This is why I don't want to drive to Sydney anymore. If I did, I have to use this route and I can tell you, it's rooted.

The ex colleague I had lunch with yesterday who has been unemployed for some time. She works at the coal face in IT and says at that level, it is now who you know and not what you know. Her last three gigs were as a result of contacts. Some of it is displacement by AI. Some of it is offshored. In the absence of a complete tax overhaul so mega profits can be taxed to support s population for which there will be very few jobs at he coal face, I suggested a tax on jobs offshored (so not technically displaced by AI). If a company has operations in Australia and a job is being performed overseas in direct support of the Australian operations, then the firm should have to pay a tax to cover the displacement of the local working population. For new foreign start ups, they have a year to ramp up their local employment after which the tax will apply. Of course there are some pragmatic hurdles that have to be overcome such as identifying the roles overseas, but governments have put in "solutions" for trickier issues.. I am sure the right brains applied could come up with something no matter how imperfect

Tell me about it! People bring in all sorts of things to the Op Shop - bags and bags of clothes, shoes, bags, bric-a-brac like crockery. We go through it all and sort the saleable from the rubbish. We end up sending unwanted clothing to go to Africa (allegedly). Yesterday I sent away 220 kgs of clothing. That was after I had taken a ute load of solids to the tip to go into landfill. We are lucky in that our local tip does not charge us for that. Getting rid of this stuf costs Lifeline and Vinnies thousands of dollars each year. On the bright side, our Op Shop has distributed over $100,000 within the community over the past three years and still has a helthy amount of funds on hand. It is marvellous how much money an Op Shop can make selling just about everything at less than $5 each. It helps that it is fully volunteer run with no wages, but rent and consumables do take a bit each month.

Beautiful day in Melbourne, today. Life is good.

Geez you guys have short memories. SFM and Duttons hot Mike gaffe about our Pacific islanders losing thir countries was far worse.

Two weeks to go and just about everyone has written the Carroll government off. Most of the talk is not if they lose, but by how much. Now that they've pissed the Greens right off and lost Green preferences in a lot of seats, the hurdle just got bigger. But you never know until it's over and stranger things have happened. I'll never forget the Shorten election loss. He had opinion polls indicating that Labor was home and hosed to the point where Labor faithful at the election function room were cracking the champagne at close of polls. An hour later, those same people were a sad and sorry sight wandering around shellshocked. So anything can happen on the night. A surprise win for Victorian Labor would be a godsend for Federal Labor, but the reality is without a Labor win in Victoria, the best case scenario for the Feds is a Coalition minority with One Nation support. That gives them the hope of a chaotic, unworkable government making Labor look good for a return next time. It would also give the Feds more validity to their looming battle against One Nation and the Coalition in eighteen months time. On the flip side, the worse case scenario for Federal Labor is a Victorian Coalition majority that doesn't need One Nation. Especially if it goes on to be a stable, popular government. In that case, it would be a big negative for Labor's federal campaign. Certainly not your average state election; the whole country will be watching this one.

Where you read these things Matters. Is it the TRUTH OR Did you read it in the Murdoch Press?? Nev

it might not be fake but would you be happy to wreck our economy and a lot of farmland when australia barely makes any pollution compared to the big countries. you are happy to send our coal overseas to be burnt . bowen and albo are an embarrassment and should not be representing us overseas.

So you are an expert on wind turbine placement now, You said before they site them in high wind which is wrong,constant wind is what is needed. Turbines in Aust are starting to sit on 150m towers, they would be higher than most industrial buildings. As far as city slickers go,we cant even get decent height buildings in SA without North adelaide or the city council kicking up a stink. It is already ugly being a city. So yes a lot of city slickers have yhe old not in my back yard syndrome!

Didn't the taxpayer gift QANTAS well during COVID and they illegally fired a bunch of people anyway?

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1946421859355369

To look is to use sight to perceive an object. To see is to notice or become aware of objects and surroundings using your eyes. To perceive means to become aware of, to notice. Perception means coming to an opinion, interpreting a situation, based on on i the inputs of looking. There is a great deal of practical difference between looking, seeing and perceiving. You can look and see something, but be unable to perceive what the thing is doing. In my opinion, based on learning and experience, I conclude that the driver did not perceive the situation due to the speed of the bike being something the driver could not perceive due to an inability to form an opinion based on lack of experience of that partcular situation. When I was performing traffic law enforcement using radar, I would observe the approaching vehicle and, based on experience from watching vehicles approaching at speeds below the speed limit, would form an opinion as the whether the vehicle was travelling above the speed limit. Initially I never put a numerial value to that speed. The vehicle ws either 'up it', or not. Then I would release the beam of the radar and the instrument would calculate the speed and provide a numerical display. The number in the display window (if it was above the signposted speed limit) determined the penalty amount indicated on the infringement notice. I never could accurately determine the speed of a vehicle. The instrument did that for me. All I did was decide whether or not to take a shot with the beam.

How many jobs can you go into like they do without being accused of conflicts of interest or maybe insider trading. I also don't believe they are overpaid. Corporate type positions aren't really known for job security. My last 2 employers had several "clean outs ". A lot of wandering about weather people left or were pushed. I never said Snowy 2 is not a good concept. Who would have thought that that digging tunnels wouldn't have had issues.

The government doesn't own the buildings in industrial areas. I fully agree that the businesses that do should cover their roofs with solar, it would be economically good for them in most cases.

Not so much high wind areas but consistent wind. The turbine is then sized with rotor diameter and power output to suit. Could use the plains north of Adelaide as they get a sea breeze most summer evenings when the peak is. I would say that to many votes to lose though. Could see a V47? type size turbine from the London Eye. Several V90 3MW and what look like a Vestas 4MW (112 to 115m rotor) or Enventus (162-182m) platform in Amsterdam. Turnbull is slimy because as with all politicians they go and get cushy jobs with company's that they work with during their time in politics. He was a big influence on the snowy 2 project. In the real world away from politics this would be a conflict of interest. I know some people will say they need to do something when they leave politics which is fair enough but maybe the could lose their politicians pension if they do. I believe the pensions were when people use to put their lives/ careers on hold during their time in politics. People use to stay in the same job their whole lives.

I wonder how they determined that the bike was traving at 200 kph? At a speed of 200 kph the bike would be coveing 55.4 metres per second. I know that the specialist crash investigators will be involved, but that collision only happened a few days ago. There's not enough time for them to calculate speed at impact. I guess that the "200 kph" came from a witness who was passed by the bike and formed the opinion that it was going like a shower of sh!t. I won't deny that the bike was flying. Also, for a bike to be capable of a very high speed, it would have to be a modern bike, with electronic speed display. Anything displayed on the instrument cluster would disappear with the loss of power at impact. Another factor relates to the ability of the driver of the motor vehicle to see the bike. Wwe know from our flight training that it is difficult to determine the speed of an object approaching from abeam. Further, the frontal area of a bike is small and often dark in clour. If it is dark, it would blend with the colour of the road surface, making it still more difficult to see. Then there the environmental factors such as light and theposition of the Sun. Were there clouds creating a dull background. Unfortunately, the strict liability of the Law places the blame on teh driver of the vehicle, but commonsense says that the cause was the bike rider.

why haven't the government covered every major industrial are in solar panels instead of transporting power hundreds of km with the associated power losses that brings. is it because there is more money in carbon credite for large windfarms. not to mention all the snouts in the renewable trough. even slimy malcolm turnbull is destroying prime farmland with a project. why couldn't you have wind turbines in an industrial area also.

love that area.

Country intersection Narre Warren. A bike hitting anything at 200k/h would demolish anything. Rush on wise guy, Hell ain't full yet. The intersection.

Actor Stacy Keach has passed away at the age of 85.

They don't all run around pretending to be the Spirit of Australia. Nev

i have asked for this post to be removed. i don't want to get into another shitfight with a left loony

Yes, that's a type IA-double here, commonly just called a double.

vicroads will only pay claims if they are over $1600 and even then i don't think anyone gets paid, they just drag it out for years.

The management is using AI as an excuse/scapegoat but the biggest driver is executive bonuses tied to profits. Short term decisions for personal gain. Spirit of India would be a better logo. They've lost me.

Actuyallk my gripe about the route over the Blue Mountains relates to the fact that the Minns government sput the stoppers on the tunnel, yet they will spend billions on roads criss-crossing Sydney. I can bitch and carry on about time taken to do the trip, but after nearly five years doing it, I know how long the different sections take to travel and where I can stop for refreshment. But I'm not counting the economics of teh delays that poor road causes. I should really be bitching about what those delays cost me when I go to my local supermarket to buy my Weet Bix and frozen veggies. Not to mention the extra cost for other goods that have to be transported from the coast. Those costs must be playing havoc with the viablility of so many businesses west of the Divide. In that video it mentions the multi-lane road on the western side of Mt Victoria which was supposed to form the exit to the tunnel. The road bypasses the locality of Little Hartley. A few years ago a business started there selling lollies. It did alrigh until one night it was struck by lightning and the shop burned down. So the owners rebuilt and re-opened, still doing a good trade. The the bypass opened and traffic no longer goes past its door. I believe the business now gets a lot of its sales on line, as well as from the trade of people who knew it before the bypass and are willing to pull off the main road to shop there.

There is an alternate route. It means going on the Golden Highway towards Newcastle, then down the M1 to Hornsby then the M2/M7/M5 to my journey's end. Accordning to Google Maps that involved 6 h 31 m drivng time. which is about an hour more than what it used to take me when the route over Mt Victoria was open. That time also depends on traffic flow on the M2/M7 stretch which can be a bitch in the afternoon when I would be going through there. I suppose I should go that way next time. I'm bored shitless going down through Mudgee and Lithgow. But that route takes 5h 30m and is about 100 kms shorter (that's 7.5 litres of fuel in my car).

If you had Taipans there Marty you'd want to be wearing leather pants. They have a bad habit of rearing up and striking passing vehicles. I've had one strike at a Toyota at the top of the wheel level. Tiger snakes up here do the opposite. With an approaching vehicle they do a big aerial backflip and go in the opposite direction.

Yeah - data centre proponents keep saying that AI will increase productivity. That's great for shareholders. They never mention that this will come at the expense of jobs. What's the point of great productivity if the population is unemployed?

Ignore OME Jerry, I agree with you.

My daughter asked the garbage truck driver whether she has to separate the cardboard from the glass now that she has been given a third bin. He said do what you like, it all goes into my truck and into landfill.

Had lunch today with an ex work colleague I have not seen since 2005. When she worked with usm she was 20 years old.. She now has a family and is nice and settled. We had 21 years of catch up and it was great to see her again. We had lunch in a cafe in Dorcas street, just around the corner from Clarendon Rod, South Melbourne. Itis a lovely part of Melbourne with old architecture, but nice wide streets. Food was a little pricey, but good quality.. we strolled to a cafe on Clarendon Street and watched the world go by reminiscing about the good old days, having a moan about growing old, etc. The only rel complaint was the parking stasi.. they were in force and swooped quickly in expired motorists. I managed to avoid one but a few seconds. The $105 bill is not that big its about 80 pounds in London these days if you pay it in 14 days and doubles if you pay it in 28. But, where we were, there were plenty of spaces empty.. as there were shops as well.. so I am not sure it was because of the parking fees and fines there was so many spaces. When there are that many, they should probably allow 2 hour free parking - if you stay longer then you get the bill.

Not a good poll for Labor, an all time low primary of 18%. It puts the Coalition leading Labor on a TPP basis of 56-44. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/nov/09/victoria-election-2026-labor-mps-new-opinion-poll-one-nation-ntwnfb

That should read Monday back in England is going to be fun. I was on a phone at the time, so I can only plead autocorrect (from a typo, anyway)

Hey babe; take a walk on the wild side.

No so good for union apparently https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-09/live-updates-england-vs-wallabies-nations-championship/107351328?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=other And according to the article, England have beaten Australia 12 of yhe last 14 times. Money back in England is not going to be fun

You can see examples all over the World. China is in the best Position with a Large Population able to afford stuff. No one can Match them. Nev

Our population is too Low to support mass production Industries. We would rely massively on exporting it. We are also a long way from most Markets and transport costs are rising and are more risky. Nev

What would we do with all the money spent on defence if peace suddenly broke out?