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The Moon Photos from Artimus II

Here's the Moon in 1969. I have a set of slides given to me by a photo lab for professional photographers in Sydney CBD. I've kept them all this time and only scanned them in Sep 2024. I can post more If you want to see them, there's 19 all up, different scenes.

Trump is an economic moron with zero maths skills, zero personal skills, zero diplomacy skills, and no training or education in economics. His primary aim is to get fabulously rich, get his rich supporters even richer and become King of the World. He's so full of BS and hot air, it's a wonder they don't have to tie him to the ground to stop him from floating away. He promised to Make America Great Again. He's done nothing like it. The U.S. national debt has soared under his Presidency. Inflation is taking off again in America, thanks to all of Trumps "economic policies", and his major decision-making directional changes that change by the minute, not by the day. Fuel prices have doubled in the U.S. (despite the fact he reckons "America doesn't need ME oil", the price is governed by oil futures traders and pure speculation). So much for stability in energy prices. He says, "Drill baby, drill", like that is going to yield a "GREAT" benefit to America. He's so thick, that he doesn't even understand that oil companies only live to make HUGE PROFITS for themselves, and f*** everyone else! When was the last time America had an "oil-company-led, economic miracle"? There never has been one. America got rich on dirt cheap oil in unlimited quantities in the 1920's and 1930's, and even at that, the oil companies were making huge profits. Nowadays, there's no cheap, plentiful oil - and even fracking is high cost - and lots of fracking wells are currently on care and maintenance. Look at Trumps tariffs - on-again, off-again, on-again, off-again - like a teenage girl changing outfits. His tariffs have only caused reciprocal tariffs, so Americans can't sell half the stuff they used to. He buggered American farmers more effectively than any President in history before. The Chinese simply refused to buy American soybeans and went and got what they wanted from Brazil. Now American silos are bursting with soybeans they can't give away. So he had to bail out American farmers with American TAXPAYER-PAID subsidies, to the tune of $37 BILLION!! "As of December 2025, the Trump administration announced a $12 billion aid package to assist American farmers affected by low crop prices and trade-related tariffs. This includes $11 billion in direct payments for row crops and $1 billion for other crops to provide financial relief for operating costs. Key details regarding the aid: Purpose: The aid is designed as a "bridge" to assist with financial losses stemming from ongoing trade disputes and tariffs. Funding Source: The administration stated the funds are generated from tariff revenues. Distribution: The funds are expected to be available by early 2026 to help farmers prepare for the next season. Additionally, it was reported that farmers had previously received $23 billion in separate assistance to manage trade tensions with China" And this is the MORON you want running your economy?? Give me a break, the bloke would go broke running a lolly shop outside a girls school. He'd put all his clients off buying anything, by abusing the s**t out of them first, then suing them for not buying anything off him!! This imbecile is the greatest embarrassment the world has ever seen, running the worlds primary superpower. He selects all his people by demanding absolute loyalty to him and no-one else, with no requirement to show any credentials for the job. He demands all foreign dignitaries stay in Trump-owned hotels, thus making him one of the most corrupt Presidents ever. He's turned graft into an art form. He ignores Congress at every opportunity, claims every decision he makes is based on some fabricated outstanding emergency, and only appoints judges to the Supreme Court that will make decisions in his favour every time. He is the biggest oxygen thief on the planet. Trump is going to go down in history as the President who brought America to its knees, economically, and morally and ethically.

We had a reverse mortgage for quite a while. I think the maximum we went to was about 20k. The thing is, most of this was used to make home improvements, which more than paid for itself when we sold the house. The other thing that worked in our favour was the fact that during the 10 years we had the reverse mortgage, the value of the house increased at a greater rate. Of course, for those undisciplined, you could conceivably burn through the value of your house. I know of elderly people who are struggling but live in a huge house, which is both too much for them to maintain and just too big for 1 or 2 people. At 80 or 90 you would have to be pretty irresponsible to blow through $500 000. We sold our 44-acre property and now live in a nice unit. The profit from selling the property allowed us to retire in our mid 50s whilst we are still fit enough to travel, bushwalk, kayak and cycle. Too many people (in my opinion) hang on to an overly large house whilst spending their remaining years in poverty. Although we do not need one at this point, I would not rule out another reverse mortgage. Here is an interesting article. This little‑known government scheme can help retirees tap into $3 trillion of housing wealth

And for all the Trump and Netanyahu fanbois... Tell me again what "the master of the deal" has done for America? https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-08/donald-trump-cedes-ground-to-iran-before-negotiations-even-begin/106541368 After being fooled into this war by a war criminal, Trump has: - caused devastation to life and infrastructure in Iran - spent billions of US taxpayers money on a war they didn't want or need - depleted the US armory - caused mayhem around the middle east - raised prices around the world due to fuel and transportation costs, along with associated shrinking of tourism etc - trashed America's reputation even more - put money back in Putin's coffers enabling him to continue the Ukraine invasion. And in return for all this pain, felt worldwide, what has he accomplished? Nothing. If anything, the Iranian regime will come out of this with more than they started with. Not only will sanctions be removed, they will be making money, Mafia-style, from any ship using the Strait of Hormuz. No regime change. No democracy. No stopping of their nuclear program. And you think this pathetic creature is doing right for the US? Don't make me laugh.

I think they should be banned & all political advertising taken down on election day. I was in NZ for a wedding last month & there were differing opinions of Jacinda Adern. She won a landslide victory in her second term but had become a victim of the very left and resigned early. She handled the Christchurch massacre and Covid very well and became well known around the world. She was a great leader when NZ needed one. The current PM is not a leader at all & the NZ economy is not doing well. Of course it is all Jacindas fault.

The Planets New photos downloaded from Facebook.

Well, there already is. For any homeowner that has more than two hectares. According to our accountant my mother-in-law pays CGT on the majority of her land. Her 100 acre 'farm' is in a rainshadow and never produced an income. Due to urban sprawl it now seems closer to town so it has been revalued as an asset which precluded the age pension (lost that a couple of yrs back) and now around 70k will go as CGT. You might think that's small bikkies as a % of 1.6 million (less commission), but matters - it is costing 650k to get her in the door of a nursing home. The nursing home still charges substantial monthly costs, so the rest of her wealth will be whittled away by that. Her present temporary residential care is costing about 1.5k per week until the property sells and the market is flat so that might take a while. Some people have to take a mortgage on the home to tide them over until the home sells. Aged care is a different issue but CGT comes into it. So CGT is not a simple thing. Tax reform isn't either. But successive governments have dragged their feet on that.

Would Canavan really be any worse than any of the others. Looks like he would get some industry going, eg making fertiliser. Phosphate Hill may be going down the tube. We are trying to go green but buying are fertiliser from country that is putting industry first. Jobs for our kids. It would be good if we did the same, we have all the ingredients and don't have to transport it on dirty bunker oil burning ships, so it is greener than what we are doing now.

They're not rants, just long posts putting forward a lot of points that can't be squeezed into a one-liner like a lot of replies on the forum are. I've seen rants on this forum in the past but none with Jerry's signature. And to clear one thing up, I'm not defending Jerry because I'm pro Israel, I'm not. I'm not pro either side and personally couldn't give two hoots if both sides battled it out to the end, as long as they don't bring their hatred here to our country.

A prodigee of Abbott? Be careful what you ask for.

Shy Cancels are a good example of the failure of the Democratic Process. . Nev

The idea that our present government is socialist is a little hard to fathom. I looked up the definition of socialism. Socialism is an economic and political system based on public or collective ownership of the means of production, rather than private ownership. It aims to reduce inequality by controlling resources and distributing goods based on societal needs rather than profit accumulation, often managed through state planning or worker councils. Key aspects of socialism include: Distinction from Capitalism: While capitalism is built on private ownership, free markets, and profit, socialism challenges these by proposing collective management to eliminate class disparities. Ownership: Major resources, such as factories and natural resources, are owned by the state or cooperatives. Economic Goal: The focus is on distributing wealth equally among workers, as opposed to capitalist systems which allow for private wealth accumulation. Role of the State: Socialism is often seen as a stage where the government or working class takes control of the economy and planning. Distinction from Capitalism: While capitalism is built on private ownership, free markets, and profit, socialism challenges these by proposing collective management to eliminate class disparities. Australian Communist Party +6 Socialism varies from democratic forms that work within market economies to more centralized, planned systems. While sometimes conflated with communism, it is often viewed in Marxist theory as a lower stage of development preceding communism. I can't really see how our government fulfils these criteria. Businesses are not being nationalised, and the rich are definitely getting even richer. Wikipedia +4

YOU have the right to cast a secret Ballot vote Here.. Plenty of other Places DON'T HAVE that, Where else would you rather Live? Communism and democracy are Mutually exclusive but communism is not practised here. You are really putting forth a lot of Bullshit on this. Have you recently become attracted to some form of Politics as I cant recall you being interested before. Trump BLAMES so called Lefties for everything but I Hope you are Not an admirer. Try telling an educated Audience here that WE do not live in a Democracy Why use words Like SPEWING? Parties develop Policies that they Pretty well stick to OR they are Gone. Nev

And what did the IRON LADY achieve? She said there is No such thing as SOCIETY. People expect the government to wipe their Bums for No cost or a thank you. Tories believe in gov't by the Filthy Rich by entitlement. . Democracy is by the PEOPLE for the People . AS Churchill said Democracy is the worst form of Government EXCEPT for ALL the Others. Nev

Kyle, my post simply pointed out that your statement, "They have literally NO wind turbines to be seen anywhere" is not quite right. Having said that, I understand that there are other ways of replacing spinning inertia, such as grid-forming batteries and synchronous condensers. These technologies get better every year. I watched a video this morning regarding someone called Karl Rabago, who has a long history in the power grid industry. He talks about the "internetization" of the power grid, which means instead of a dumb one-way grid, we have a smarter grid that works more akin to the internet. The internet seldom goes down over a large area. He talks about islanding, whereby smaller areas, say a suburb, have their rooftop solar and a community-level battery. Yes, they are still connected to the grid, but are able to be disconnected when it suits the grid. Technology is moving fast. It seems unlikely that the old grid would be the best system for all time. Just as the communication system has revolutionised, so will the grid.

" The problem with socialism is you eventually run out of other peoples money"- Margret Thatcher

We went through the capital gains tax on our house on 44 acres. The process involved valuing the property. We did this ourselves (which is legal but unusual). I think we ended up paying around $1500. The important thing to remember is that the two hectare area you are allowed to exclude does not have to be in one area; it just has to total 2 hectares. In our case, we included a tight area around the house. We also included a small dam and our river frontage. This meant the balance of the land to be included for GST was relatively low value. This is perfectly legal and satisfies the tax department. We spent many months doing our research, and we adopted standard industry valuation practices. Note this was done in 2017, so I can't be sure things haven't changed since then.

Since when does what the rest of the World does Mean it's correct. IF People don't CARE they take the easy road. Expensive and often with Kickbacks for the Individuals involved. Like with Submarines. CHINA Is doing BEST with renewables and Australia is One of the BEST Places for them THAT Has to be taken into account...Nev

Thanks Pete, I know well the two hectare ruling and have been through it all with accountants back when I was thinking of selling a few years ago. I was referring to the idea of taxing those under two hectares as well, which would make every suburban house up for CGT. That idea was floated recently by someone at the ANU but I haven't found any reference to Labor looking at the option. All I couldd find was some older stuff about the unrealised capital gain issue that was newsworthy a while back. With the CGT ruling on blocks over two hectares, I'd be happy if they bought in an exemption if you've lived there for more than twenty years, hadn't run a business on the property and used it as your primary residence. That should be proof enough that you're not an investor and speculator. They have that twenty year exemption for pension eligibility. No tax system is ever equal. If I sold here, I would be up for between 50 to 300 thousand in tax depending on some details. A mate just recently sold his farm for six million and didn't pay a cent of CGT because he owned it before the CGT introduction date.

So Nev if your statements are correct about nuclear how about explaining why there are so many operating around the world now and look after that to how many are currently under construction If they were so expemsive for ROI and they are so unsafe..show me how many nuclear accidents there have been since they started. Other than Chernobyl and Three Mile island...all many many decades ago there seems to nbe a big push for nuclear everywhere except of us knobs here I am not against any renewables at all and I am not a climate change denyier. I want to see less emissions but the road to get there must be sensible for our country and economics not unhinged pushers of the green dream. I am a practical man not a idealogist Some facts to digest below..make sure everyone reads the lot before coming back with any comments off the cuff. All the information below is sourced from Grok As of early 2026, there are approximately 421 coal-fired power plants (or major units) currently under construction around the world, according to compiled data for 2024 that remains the most recent detailed country-level breakdown available. Note that "plants" here often refers to distinct facilities or generating units ≥30 MW tracked by sources like the Global Coal Plant Tracker (GCPT) from Global Energy Monitor (latest full release January 2026). The exact number of individual units can be higher, as some plants have multiple boilers/turbines. Almost all new coal construction (over 90–95%) occurs in Asia, especially China and India. Globally, the pipeline for coal has shrunk dramatically outside these two countries over the past decade, but new starts in China have rebounded strongly in recent years due to energy security and peak demand concerns. Many projects are "ultra-supercritical" or more efficient designs, but they still lock in long-term coal use (plants typically operate 30–50+ years). For comparison: The world has ~6,500+ operating coal plants/units, with total capacity around 2,100–2,200 GW. As of April 2026, there are 415 nuclear power reactors currently in operation (connected to the grid and generating electricity) around the world, according to the IAEA's Power Reactor Information System (PRIS) database — the most authoritative official source. Other reputable trackers report slightly higher figures (typically 437–440) because they use the broader term "operable," which can include reactors that are temporarily offline for maintenance, refueling, or regulatory reasons but are still part of the active fleet.Key Latest Figures IAEA PRIS (as of 7–8 April 2026): – 415 reactors in operation – Total net installed capacity: 379,471 MW (about 379.5 GW) – Additionally, 23 reactors in suspended operation (long-term outage, e.g., some in Japan) with ~19.7 GW capacity. World Nuclear Association (recent 2026 data): Approximately 438–440 operable reactors with total capacity around 400–400.7 GW. world-nuclear.org Other sources (Statista, various reports in early 2026): Often cite 437 in operation as of February 2026. The small differences arise from: Timing (new connections vs. shutdowns). Definitions: "In operation" (strictly generating) vs. "operable" (licensed and available). Top Countries by Operating Reactors (approximate, latest data) United States: 94–96 reactors (largest fleet by far) France: 57 China: 57–58 (rapidly growing) Russia: ~37–38 South Korea, India, Canada, Japan, Ukraine, and others make up the rest. These ~415–440 reactors supply roughly 9% of the world's electricity while producing low-carbon baseload power. In 2024–2025, global nuclear generation reached record levels despite some retirements.Note that the fleet is aging on average (~32–34 years old), but many countries are extending lifetimes to 60–80 years, and new reactors (including the ~72 under construction) are gradually coming online. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Now lets see how many nuclear plants are currently under construction around the world? As of April 2026, there are approximately 72 to 79 nuclear power reactors (individual reactor units) currently under construction around the world. The most authoritative sources report slightly different numbers due to timing and definitions (e.g., when construction officially starts or whether delayed/suspended projects are included): IAEA PRIS database (updated as of 8 April 2026): 72 reactors under construction, with a total net capacity of about 75.5 GW. pris.iaea.org World Nuclear Association (updated early April 2026): Around 79 reactors under construction (total ~85–86 GW gross capacity) in 15 countries. world-nuclear.org Other recent reports (Statista, Visual Capitalist, etc.): Figures range from 74 to 75 active projects. Top Countries Building Nuclear Reactors (approximate, latest data) China: 29–38 reactors (by far the leader, accounting for roughly half of global new builds) India: 6 Russia: 4–6 Türkiye: 4 Egypt: 4 Others (smaller numbers): South Korea, Bangladesh, UK, Ukraine, Japan, Pakistan, Iran, Slovakia, Brazil, Hungary, Argentina Most construction is happening in Asia, with a strong focus on Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) like China's Hualong One and Russia's VVER designs. A few projects involve other types (e.g., PHWR in India, or first-of-a-kind designs).Key Context These figures refer to large-scale commercial power reactors. Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are mostly still in planning, licensing, or early demonstration stages (a few are starting physical construction, like in Canada or the US, but are not always counted in the main totals yet). Many projects, especially in China, are progressing relatively quickly. Others (e.g., in Europe or the Middle East) face delays due to regulatory, financing, or supply-chain issues. For comparison: There are currently about 415 operating nuclear reactors globally. The exact number can fluctuate month-to-month as new construction starts or projects reach grid connection. The IAEA PRIS database is generally considered the gold-standard official tracker.

Albo doesnt foster self suffiency at all..All he does is pour public money in to big industry to keep it afloat this is his solution to self reliance..and why are these big operators going down?...POWER and ENERGY prices are killing them all. We want LESS govt involvement...We are just becomming a socialist communist country just like Russia. The govt want to have a finger and control everything. The only way to get GDP and prosperity is to get private investment into more larger operations just like we used to have. The private sector is dying due to these major costs you see it every day. Canavan was right about the aluminium smelter now about to be subsidized to stay afloat..and why cant they stay afloat???..energy costs. This is the crux of the matter everywhere here. In a countyr with so many resources we are strangling investment and employment and development because its too expensive to operate. Why did our only urea plant shut that was here in Brisbane....POWER costs Why was Wyalla steel failing?..POWER costs Private companies drive growth and GDP not governments. This government does not foster that at all like Trump does. last time I did maths 1 + 1 = 2 Trump wants investment by private companies he will not subsidise companies to keep them afloat private companies need to stand on their own 2 feet. They cant do that if they are not profitable. Trump makes the conditions to allow this by making the USA energy self sufficient. Energy costs for any business is a huge part of your operating costs. No matter what Bowen and his renewables scam say the sun goes down at night and the wind doesnt always blow. You cant build enough batteries...let alone the cost for them to power a country at night. I have just come back from NZ and their power prices are half the cost of ours. The reason why is 53.5% of their power comes from hydrol power stations and 20% from hydro. They have literally NO wind turbines to be seen anywhere but apparently there is 8.9% attributed to wind and its always windy in NZ. Solar is 1.4%, Natural gas is 9.3% coal oil and diesel generation is 5.2%. They use the most cost effective resources to generate their whole power system accross the country The biggest issue was hydro was much more previously but its been very dry in NZ in the last 10 years. We dont have the luxury of Geothermal or Hydro here in OZ. The kiwis are NOT putting in huge amounts of wind especially considering they have lots of wind and solar is basically negligable. This govt are pouring OUR money into soalr and wind that is intermittant we need a far better balance and coal and gas is the answer for BASE LOAD the intermittants are fine but will NEVER be able to be even close to 60% of our power needs. Trump also aspires to the same facts this is why they are pushing their fossil fuels but also nuclear. Nuclear here is apparently the most disgusting unthinkable notion according to Labor. Germany shut down their nuclear..well whats happening now is they are powering them all up. Now most other countries are pushing that way to get rid of coal and gas. This is how we should be travelling as well. Its clean it is safe despite what all the greenies say. I want clean power and I am sure everyone with a brain does but the current track we are on is decidely wrong Albo and his far left mates are just a softer Putin both are raging commos they want to be in total control of how we think, live ,eat and shit.

The Biggest Coal exporting Port is Newcastle and we are one of the Biggest LNG exporters also We were locked into these contracts. You Downplay the risks of Nuclear waste and storage Nuclear Reactors are Prime Military targets and need lots of Cooling water and the Power generated is Highly expensive, and concentrated so much so that Dutton Proposed the Cost and risks be shouldered by the taxpayer as private Enterprise would not engage in such a risky and poorly thought out Proposal. Dutton lost the election AND His own seat. Nev

95% yes, Australia's contribution to it is that small it is not worth sending the country broke going hell for leather at reducing our part. Lets do it sustainably. Our rules for industry enviromental compliance is also a lot more stringent then other country's we trade with as well. The best thing Australia can do for climate change is export uranium!

All the countrys we are trading against use coal. Personally I haven't got a problem with it as long as we head to not using it in an orderly fashion. (like China and India- India has jut started a fast reactor in the last couple of days)One of the things that is sending our remaining industry overseas is the price and perceived unreliability of our weather dependent intermittent electricity generation.

"Tradie" CANAVAN is for Coal. Never forget it The rest is Just an act where he Plays to Naive People. Albanese is and has been for quite a while attempting to Be More self sufficient and Value add Overseas Refining is Cheaper and of a high standard. IF we do it Ourselves it will inevitably cost More so THAT may be the future OR electric. It would be Hard to Predict the Vagaries and excesses of Trump and the Incredible damage that has resulted to TRUST and ORDER. and be able to Avoid being affected. Storage has risks and costs. AUSTRALIA hasn't caused what is Happening in the ME, and is NOT Pro war,. nev

I am very aware of that, There's nothing better than views of Natural Phenomena Including the Universe itself What a Colossal amount is available to us at the Moment but We Get Karl and Jackie O and Views not News. TV could have educated Millions instead of Creating Division and HATE. . Nev

I didn't see Planet "B" there, There's also an Asteroid Belt. 7% of Americans "think" the earth is FLAT. More cratering happens when there is No atmosphere. Just Imagine the State of your Mind IF you didn't believe in Science? Nev

I think my post went straight through to the catcher. My bedroom window is 3m wide and faces east. I don't need a TV.

Marty, that's fine whilst you live in the sweet spot of having good income and totally owning your property. Do you really think that reverse mortgage is great? What if you outlive that mortgage? Do you lose your home? It sounds like a way of bleeding the ownership away. Then what? Are you expecting to die before you need to sell up to pay for your aged care expenses? I will more likely drop off my perch before needing to liquidate my assets to pay for aged care. My mother-in-law thought that too.

Silent p, as in swimming.

Yes, I'll give you that, but E is the most common letter, and often used to change the pronunciation of the the word, as in ton/tone. But there are other letters which appear to have no purpose and could be omitted without changing the word. eg. P in Psychology.

Canavan is a nut job. Anyway isn't this a bit off topic? There's another thread about Australian politics.

Actually Canavan does not like Trump or the Iran war at all.

Here's something really random. My son works from home 3 days a week and goes to the office on the other two. When he works in the office, he usually gets home between 7.15 and 7.30 pm. The dog starts barking at the door from 7.15, and yaps till Andrew walks through the door. Andrew is currently on 10 days holiday in Thailand with a couple of mates. The dog still barks at the door from 7.15 till we reprimand him.

Litespeed, just a suggestion, maybe tone down on the insults to posters you don't agree with and try posting on your position without playing the man. It's a bit disrespectful, and I've really noticed this forum getting quite toxic lately. Forumites can be polite and still disagree.

Well, I hope to stay here full term Marty. Getting rated off the place would be the only thing stopping me, but at the moment it's affordable. And it suits me not living like a king. I've got a lifestyle here kings could only dream about.

Equity is equity. If you're sitting on a property worth $3m then you're not a "pensioner with the arse out of your pants", you could get a reverse mortgage and live like a king for the rest of your life. If you choose not to, that's fine, but you do have that option. On the other hand you have people who, often through no fault of their own, didn't end up owning a house. They don't have that option. Don't get me wrong, I think it's fantastic that you still live on the property you bought 38 years ago, I hope to do the same. (On my property, not yours 😄)

Specifically to get a bite from you Nev.

Indeed.. It looks like the "other alliance" is a bit stronger than ours: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-supplies-iran-with-cyber-support-spy-imagery-hone-attacks-ukraine-says-2026-04-07/ That't thank thanks Chump gets from Putin.. Of course, Chump won't see it that way.

Murdoch Equals Fear and Hate in a fact free Package, There should be a Law against Printing falsehoods for Personal Benefit , Bring on a Functioning Factchecker and we get Better Democracy. Nev

The Courier Mail has a Monopoly in Queensland. Such a situation should not be Permitted, anywhere. Nev

You are right. The pref system here is very flawed Everyone I spoke to in NZ and that being the people I know and a lot that I didnt know and was just talking to all said they were so glad to see the back of Jacinta Ardern. She now lives in Melbourne. I said we will send her back and they all said no thanks we couldnt wait to see the back end of her. Albo probably has her on speed dial This is why they got in because the majority of the population vote with the handout sheets at the polls. They dont know how the system works or have any idea how it works not to mention at more than 2,600,000 work for the government. Are you going to get rid of the government that hired you and pays your wages? There are over 5.3 million people on govt income support payments this does include 2.671 million on the old age pension. There is 65 to 75% of the population live in the cities the rest is rural or remote. Thats a pretty big voter base. Where did all of labors seats come from...not the rural areas thats for sure. I wonder why that is?..The majority on benefits are in the cities of course. Thats a pretty big chunck of the population who want to keep the handout coming.

It will free us from industry, we don't even make intermittent generators here.

Nev there is a oxymoron when it comes to socialism and democracy. The 2 are mutually exclusive Currently we have a socialist government and I certainly wouldnt call it a democracy. All of these parties vote long party lines NOT in the interest of the individual politicians electrorates. They are all too frightened to vote how the majority of the districts they are in want to vote. This then makes the ruling party effectively a dictatorship spewing their own ideas to make the whole country comply We do not really live in a democracy.

hahahah Nev. I think I know when a commie is trying to bend me over the kitchen counter

I think there are a lot of us in the same boat. I did have partial pension until recently. My once affordable rural bushland block is now a financial burden. So after some expense and 3 years dealing with state titles office, getting a full survey, we got a archaic property boundary reinstated. We just sold that bit for what our whole block initially cost. Hurrah - money to sustain us. But then our remaining land theoretical value went up. And combined with our new bank balance, we will never get a pension. So when the cash runs out, we will sell up. By then the sale won't buy a little townhouse in suburbia. What then? The system is already set up to remove any accumulated wealth of the average wage earner. The elite live in a different financial world. If you think there is a safety net just take a look at the average pensioner. The social obligation to the aged has been eroded.