Jerry_Atrick

Blimey! What has happened to yhe Dingo Dollar? It's howling, certainly not growling. Last time I looked, it was $1.92 to the £.. now $2.07! I don't mind it going lower when I move out, but would want a reverse very quickly

Or a knighthood.. Lady Spacey does have a ring to it

Looks like Elons days at Doge are numbered. Despite pouring $25m into campaigning for a Republican judge, every County in Wisconsin swung to the Democrats and against the polls, a democratic judge won. Small win, but a signal was sent the midterms can't be counted on. Trump has apparently signalled Musk may fa e an early exit Elon Musk’s role in Trump administration under pressure after Wisconsin loss - https://on.ft.com/3FTdCL4 via @FT

Congrats, Spacey.. you've both achieved something very few even live to, let alone enjoy that long with the right one

For the UK, Hunan Rights Act 1994 and European Convention of Human Rights For Australia, it is not de nada, but it is what the courts are willing to interpret from the federal and state constitutions, and one such case is Dietrich v The Queen 1992, where the court found the constitution does confer the right to a fair trial (in that case, the Victorian government withheld legal aid where Dietrich was charged with a serious crime unless he pleaded guilty). In the Australian Capital Television case, the High Court held there was an implied right to be informed of policy due to the legal requirement to vote. And of course, the high court's creation of the doctrine of native title is if effect a recognition of first nations qualified rights in the case of disposession. But yes, Australia should have had a bill of Rights years ago.. I fear framing one these days would be rigged like the NACC.. And a bill of rights is only as good as the enforcement mechanisms is place and we can see at the moment when they are very much needed, they are fragile

Surely you were able to get it back?

It's not unique to the Englis at the moment.. Look st what happens in Australia to whistle-blowers or YouTubers who mount constant challenges to givernments or big corporates, while alleged war criminals walk free without trial despite the damning evidence. It may be a reason the lurch to the right is happening all over. The fact Dutton even has a look in speaks volumes

Cheaper than paying a fine to the electoral commission, I would think. I don't know your situation, but if you have a car, a 37 km each way trip will cost you say $40 (I would guess) in fuel and wear and tear. Even at $60 or $80, it would be cheaper than the fine. And assuming the roads are OK, it would be about an hour of your time. As I said, I don't know your situation, but if even postal voting is genuinely hard, or disproportionate in cost or time, then speak to the DRO (not derro); They can give you advice. But if your simply making a principled decision, then you're not at a disadvantage despite it being more inconvenient than someone living right next door to the post office. In that case, you are intentionally breaking the law.. and a fine will be coming your way. This is despite you being forced to live where you are - again I do not know your circumstances or, unless it was a prison, why you were forced to live there. By the way, there is something in the reasonableness test I don't like... It is a reasonable excuse if you don't vote on religious grounds. Surely, religious grounds are simply principles and one is making a principled decision not to vote - which is not a reasonable ground..

Jeepers.. ex AFL players have been dropping like flies, lately...

It is not a head in the sand approach.. .Just because one doesn't wear a provocative T Shirt does not mean their head is in the sand.. It means one isn't going to be a disrespectful dickhead, basically (well, in they way you were suggesting it). I am sure if people engaged Marty in discussion, he would not shy away... and not just agree with everything they said to keep his head in the sand.

Hmmm.. I don't know if they are formally responsible, but my uncle lived on on a farm abour 30ks from the nearest post box in a small town, last time I was there, which was about 10 years ago, I saw him hand letters to the postie to be posted.. So, it can be done..

Last financial year in the UK, I was a month late putting in my personal tax return. It was previously no big deal in the past, as if you were late with a tax return and you owed no money, or were due a return, the late filing fee was waived as they had lost nothing. I don't know when, as I have only been late once before, about 5 years ago, they brought in a change, where they would no longer waive the late filing fee, and for every day late, they would charge you penalty interest, compounding. Of course, muggins here didn't know about it, and as I received the late filing penalty of £100 before I submitted my return, I assumed it was duly waivered. Well today, not even a year after receiving the first penalty notice, and none in between, I received a message saying it was noe alost £1,000. OK.. I understand if I had a balance outstanding, but to impose such harsh penalties that compound when you don't owe them anything, is a complete scam, especially when you don't send intervening letters. For the first time today, I will just suck it up and pay after my accountant advised challening it is a waste of time around the new penalty systemj was introduced to make more money and nothing else. To be honest, it will hurt due to the cash flow being ou the red side fo the ledger thanks to this house refurb... But for others who have been caught out, it will be a lot more worrying.. and cause a lot of despair. For the first time, I thought, I just may vote reform at the next election as they have vowed to do away with this sort of thing as well as a tax changed made that rendered small independent contractors' business model obsolete overnight. And they wonder how these more extreme parties get a bigger following.

This one is a little crass... but...

Well, it was mothers' day here today.. and so I resisted putting on the box set of Benny Hill... 😉 Shes gone off antipodean whites lately - a little too raw compared to their European cousins, and normally tucks into a Co-Op select Pinot Girgio that is about £7 (Co Op is sort of a mid - down market store, but I like a lot of what they do, to be honest). But today, it was off to Waitrose, which is one of the high end supermarkets here (the meat would rival any decent butcher in Aus). And, a bottle of Sancerre (pronounced sonserr) . So it wouldn't pollute my other stuff, it had to go in a separate bag (just kidding!) It wasnt cheap, but there were a couple there in the well over £70 range, so it was a bargain basement one. I decided I would cook today and not my usual chicken pasta, or steak, or pan fried sea bass. My partner loves Mediterranean food, so I found a few recipes of a Mediterranean main, and a couple of side dishes and went to work. I can tell you, I am no cook.. if I lived by myself, I would probably get a roast chook from Safeway and have a basic salad with it for as long as it lasted. Bugger me, it was hard to get timings right, and of course, the times they put in the recipe are never right.. But, somehow, although it wasnt Michelen Star or Rosette quality, it sort of worked. And, as I am cleaning up (normally whoever cooks, the other cleans), massive Brownie points have been earned. I may do my medical and go for a fly.

When I broke my ankle on the motorcycle over here, I was amazed at the conditions under which dedicated staff worked. The doc asked if I minded having the thingy to attach the drip to inserted into my right hand. My response was I preferred not to know about it, as I am queasy (it took over a week for me to read the first chapter of Human Performances and Limitations for the PPL here - it wasn't a requirement in Aus when I got my license). His response was if he didnt tell people he was doing it, 99% of the time he could expect a right hook to his jaw. A week alter, I was readmitted to casualty (ER is another American import) with suspected compression syndrome.. they didn't fart around, but for the short period of time I had to wait on a stretcher (it was later on a Friday or Saturday evening) in the tick of the action, all I can say is it was a real eye opener of the continual stress and security threat they work under. At sone stage, they had this huge bloke - over 6'6" and full of muscle, coked off his head, threatening abusing the staff because they were trying to treat his badly cut up knees from glass of broken bottles. He wasn't letting them get near him and he was a real challenge to the numerous security staff on shift. Eventually, they got his mother in to calm him down, and I had to laugh - she was 4' nothinh and petite and diminutive as they come, but jeez she packed a ferocious bark... He eventually settled down... The doc came to see me and I remarked to him he is a better man that I and that if it we me, after his second intensive remonstration, I would have just let him get gangrene or have the issues of glass lodged in his body. These people generally deserve our respect and a bloody lot more money than most of the get.

Heading near the UK, @Marty_d?

Request, dear chap; risque

Maybe the couple of times I went were v busy...

Oh you mean not like comedy greats from Australia, such aas Fast Forward, where one show was a bunch of blokes dessed up in rugby kit walking through different settings singing "Show us your tits!"... At least Benny Hill has classy ladies and genuine wit... and was produced one or two generations prior, when the worlds PC standard arent what they are today, nor when fast forward was produced.

If you're on a delivery route, the postman will collect your mail to post. Given the only way to receive a fine is by post, and I am assuming you have been previously fined, it stands to reason you are on a delivery rpute. But, hey, you want to be a financial martyr.. be my guest. This page provides some guidance on acceptable reasons for non-voting (notice, the case judgments state that one must actually vote, but that is totally unenforceable: https://www.aec.gov.au/about_aec/publications/backgrounders/compulsory-voting.htm). Maybe you should email the nearest divisional returning officer and ask up front if it is reasonable to labour under such long distances to cast a vote.. Only trying to help you, not asking you to vote.

How could you sack them all.. where would you get the qualified staff to take over all of the sacked hospital staff? They aren't childish and immature - they are part of the system - what you are proposing is childish and immature - a bit like DOGE (doge-bags - pronounced doosh-bags); sack a lot of people and the next day spend more hiring them back. Or do you have a secret reserve of medical oompah-loompahs you can deploy at a moments notice? The front line people are doing what they are paid for.. it is the managements responsibility to make sure it is fit for purpose... and it is the politicians responsibility to set the agenda and put the systems in place to monitor and tweak performance... You're going after the wrong people..

I know it is a pain, but why don't you get a postal vote (https://www.aec.gov.au/faqs/postal-voting.htm) and send it in blank? That way they pay for you to avoid the fine.

(Oh, and a chemistry teacher)

That's fair enough.. I am in the same organisation with respect to the English Premier League over here. Well, I did see what I thought was a mispriced game today. My beloved Hawks were at £1.53 and Greater Western Sydney were at £2.40. Yes, the game was to be played in Tassie, which is sort of a cauldron for the Hawks. But, GWS was at full strength with their list, and it is an ominous one. The Hawks have only one key position forward - Marbor Chol, who is at best, B grade - otherwise they only had smalls. So, down two key position forwards due to injury. a key midfielder out also due to injury., and a running defender out on a suspension, on paper, GWS had the firepower to beat the Hawks. However, I was stuck on this refurb (more about the room I am working on later, suffice to say there is barely a patch of the walls that doesnt have filler, and there was an emergency plastering job required), and combined with not really caring too much about the betting this year, decided I had better things to do with my time. Well, at the end of the first quarter, GWS up by 30 something points, with the Hawks having only scored a solitary point. I got the score of the AFL website.. and I have to say, at that time, I was kicking myself for not putting a bet on. As it turned out, there was a hooley of a wind blowing straight to one goal.. The Hawks ended up winning by 2 goals in the end, and with a lot of wayward shorts at goal, it probably should have been a lot more. Thankfully I didn't put the bet on.

Hmmm.. Would OME want to kiss frogs in the hope of a prince?