Jerry_Atrick

Look up behavioural economics.. It isn't really economics at all; it is a term, I imagine couched to hide its true intent as some academic branch of economics, that is about using psychological techniques of marketing to maximise selling people stuff they don't need or really want. It wouldn't do to call that branch of marekting, "manipulative marketing", now, would it?

I think you are being paranoid

Why can't Australia make cars? OK, Slovakia probablky has a lower wage.. But you really don't need an army of people to make cars anymore.

FFS! Despite spending an amount that would materially add to my pension on the heating in this place, it has bloody well gone again, just when we need it most (so far this winter). In the 7 years we have been here, we have had two winters without any heating; and 4 with a decent interruption to it. This time, there is something wrong with the boiler and it is blowing fumes back into the house. The CO2 detectors aren't ringing, but there is that smell of burnt jet fuel (they are oil burners). A plumber came out and issued a safety notice, so it is illegal to ignite the boiler until it is repaired and signed off.. and he can't come out until the end of next week! Marble Bar, WA, here I come!

It is a great video..

Looks like Albo has started a trend to resuce u/16s. https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/22/house_of_lords_votes_to_ban_under_16_socmed/?td=rt-3a Good on him.

I have had a bit of experience on trail bikes.. mainly Honda XL's (75, then 250) In time for the lad, as we want to do a fairly decent adventure.. DR650s (Suzuki) may be the order of the day.

Although my phone as no real links to my social media, I am hesitant to visit the USA, which pains me a bit because a good mate has recently contracted Parkinsons and I would dearly like to visit him.

Well, I still can't ride the CBF, but I can ride the little Yamaha YZF-R125 that belongs to the boy. The reason is it is a hell of a lot lighter than the CBF, and I can support the lean on my right leg to get the leg stand down. Unf, I took the rain cover off the CBF to show the boy something or other, and by the time we finished, it started raining and hasn't stopped since (crikey, it's wet!) So, the poor bike has been rained on for about three days now. As soon as the leg is better enough, I will get it into the garage, which is at the bottom of our steep drive. In the mean time, the lad's confidence is growing and we are planning our first weekend ride to Exmouth, which isn't far, but has some great twisties. Hopefully in two weeks time we can do it.

OK.. Back to the thread.. though this is more the effects of what el Chumpo has done. Mark Carney, distinguished economist, ex governor of the Bank of England (RBA equivalent) and now Canadian PM has made a candid speech at Davos: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-21/carney-blasts-trump-canada-davos-world-economic-forum/106252354 OK, he has struck deals with China and Qatar, both not high on the human rights records, but importantly, Canadian pension funds are invested heavily in US government debt, and if they offload it and stop buying it, el Chumpo may need to increase those tariffs a little more anyway. Lucky Canada has successive governments that have taken a fairer slice of the wealth from the resources, unlike successive Aussie givernments that seem hell-bent on giving ours away for almost nothing in comparison (then compare to Qatar, Norway, and even Alaska, which are even better at retaining wealth). Imagine the leverage we would have if we accunulated the wealth from our resources properly. Anyway, Carney's speech I think officially heralds the beginning of the end of US domination.

Leave lovely Susan alone. She is a pilot - didn't succeed commercially, which I guess is why she went into politics. (I haven't watched this, but I remeber reading an article in The Age about it).

I resisted the urge to answer to avoid thread drift... Ahh, it's not just me 😉 I guess sooner or later the orange one will grace this thread without the drift. I know some want sooner, but I don't with that on anyone until their time has come to a natural end. Out of respect to those listed above on this thread, I will leave it there. (Also out of respect to those listed above, I would prefer a separate thread when the oramnge one kicks the bucket).

He's grown some man-boobs in the process

I think you mean in vino sunt ineptiae 😉

The joke in the kitchen is where I stopped watching, but it was funny (in my childish mind, anyway):