Jerry_Atrick

And I have just realised, even my quick response may give rise to doubt. Am I talking about your most recent comment being perfectly good or the comment you most recent comment pertains to? For the record, your original comment is perfectly good.. IMHO Should be no ambiguity now. But let me know if there is.

Perfectly good comment...

As I said, it depends on the context of the use of the word major.. In the purely written form, we only have the words (and the very occasional emoji) to go with. We don#t have inflection nor body language, which usually make up the lion's share of communicating meaning and nuance. Here are the quotes: and then and then and then And i will stop there as the rest adds little value. The very top quote appears (in my perception) in the context of OME's comments which were implying (again, as it is pure written, my perception) that the global demand for nickel will drop and the mining companies value will therefore drop. The way I read the top quote of this post is nickel has other uses... and readers of that could imply all manner of other implications - that those uses can possibly pick up the slack and not impact the valuations of mining companies (which is how I read it). Or, readers may have taken it as it is written - simply there is other uses for nickel, which appears how SISO has taken it, as his post is yeah - in nuclear power plants. But, if someone else's context remained at the global consumption level, then while SISO's statement is not factually incorrect, within the context of global consumption, it is currently minimal. This is where the disconnect seems to start. The next post to me clearly read doubting NPPs used much nickel at all.. That is how I read it.. so now, my context shifted the conversation from global demand to it's use in an NPP. Others may have perceived it differently. And, due to to use of stainless steel, it is at least currently used extensively in NPPs.. And on a scaled basis disproportionately so. (well, except for stainless steel pots and pans I guess). We all seem to get caught up in these perceived context shifts and it is probably a function of only having the written word in front of us. I know i have often bashed out a response based on my perception and on re-reading posts can see how the context it was meant may not be the context in which I perceived it to be. So, this: I cannot disagree with.. it is back to the context of global demand and current projections. I think it would be a brave person or a Putin wannabe that would challenge that. Maybe we all can improve things by rather than doggedly standing our ground, reiterating in our post the background from which our comments are made. I don't believe we are here to fight or prove we know better than the other member - we are here to share ideas, debate positions, and learn from each other. And hopefully enjoy each others company. To be clear - this is not aimed at anyone specifically... We all can do better.

Nickel is used in the production of stainless steel - so theoretically, it is stainless steel that has the lion's share of usage of nickel. Stainless steel is used in all sorts of products - including components of a nuclear plant - particularly - well most of the critical components of the plant really - and of course, beyond the critical components. The stainless steel has to be high grade from a durability and longevity basis - I have no idea of the Nickel volume but around 10% seems to be in my memory for some reason. So, a lot of a nuclear plant is stainless steel - in that sense nickel is a significant component (not the most - but a "major") of a nuclear plant based on the use of stainless steel. Is the nuclear power generation industry a major consumer of nickel worldwide? That depends on how you look at it. On a pure volume basis, no. That would probably go to manufacture of consumer and industrial goods. But on a relative to scale basis - yes it is a major consumer.. not the biggest I would guess - when the plants are being built. If the world decided to do a new build program of, I dunno, 50 nuclear power stations, the projected demand of nickel for stainless steel production would increase the futures price of nickel. I am not going to do the modelling, but it would have significant future demand to immediately impact the futures prices - especially longer dated futures contracts if the announcement was made today. As the demand picks up during the builds, the spot price will increase. But once built, they consume surprisingly little in the maintenance/operate cycle of the plant - because most of it is high grade and lasts.. So, unlike consumer/industrial goods manufacture which more or less has an ongoing constant demand, nuclear power stations - once built (or past a stage in their building) - are not huge consumers of the stuff. It all depends on the context in which people mean "major" user, etc.

Interesting: https://www.theage.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/the-shift-is-now-absolute-china-s-byd-says-australia-just-passed-its-ev-tipping-point-20260905-p60urd.html

Actually, I am the lowest paid director in my department. There are people working for me that get paid more. But that is the story of another gripe - of my own doing..

Hawks comprehensively beat the dockers in a qualifying final - in Perth. The Hawks were not given much of a chance. Bloody bewdy!

I take a day off on Friday and the software release on Thursday eve - a normal regular one - went pear shaped due to simple effing mistakes that I pay professionals not to make. So most of my day was stealthily directing the team and I have to face the music with a cackle of senior management on Monday. Nice day off!

I was wondering why Finnair were offering discount fates to Aus :-)

Fair assessment.. (except for the bean counter... but that is a personal dislike - but at least I admit it)

And the recycled pollies PHON have at the trough are different in what way, exactly? Oh, you want people with proven skills at sticking their snouts into the trough doing it. I get it.

In my case, that is true. In the 22 federal election I would have probably voted for them. Sure, PHON is a party of protest too, and they are also nutters and LNP rejects, but they seem to espouse stuff more Aussies can relate to... Not sure if that is a good or bad thing. For the record, I would vote Green before PHON, but neither would get my vote. Australia needs a party of Pococks.

Why is it a bad look to have them do what the premier is suggesting (I am assuming it is not forced)?

Did you actually read the article? "Premier Ben Carroll said if Labor won the November election, it would work with Corrections Victoria to develop a pilot program to put supervised, minimum-security prisoners to work performing roadside maintenance. The plan would include having inmates take over basic duties such as mowing lawns, controlling weeds, removing graffiti and picking up rubbish." A photo and then "Premier Ben Carroll, who served as roads minister between 2020 and 2022, said it would free up skilled roadside maintenance crews to concentrate on fixing potholes. Low-security inmates are already involved in day-release programs doing gardening, weeding and rubbish collection in some parks." So, there is no plan to use inmates to actually fix the roads... Another beat up

Go back to GON's post. They don't want to change things for the better. They want to punish the incumbents in a big way. It is that simple. Chump, Farage, PHON, and some of the right wing nut job parties in Europe are well funded and have the backing of enough of the press to make a dent. You bet it will get worse for them.. No one said it would get better - except those seeking to disrupt. Getting better doesn't factor into their thinking. Maybe it is getting even?

It doesn't matter.. The fact we are heading downhill slower than the others doesn't make it good nor excusable People are wanting things to turn around, not to be told it will turn around and then the same path continue. After at least two generations of things getting worse, people are saying how do we change this. They only have one really big lever. The problem is, there is no one to step up with the real fixes so the only alternative is to, as @willedoo put it - burn the house down and start again. A lot of people don't see Chump's actions as anything but that... Even one of his MAGA supporters said it is the bitter medicine America needs to heal and get better (I am not sure I subscribe to that way of thinking, but the reality is there are far too many being pushed to the margins and they are getting angry).

It's hardly fixing potholes: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-31/victorian-prisoners-to-work-on-road-maintenance/107096380 And it's hardly using chain gangs

I think you'll find they get their information from their bank account and what is left in them after the bills are paid.. or their crumbling health services, etc. Murdich makes it easy ti fund someone to blame and someone to use to punish the incumbents. Look over here.. a PM who finally gets it and with really tiny tweaks, the protest party, Reform and his mates are imploding in the polls

It is depressing but the reality is the incumbents won't change unless it is forced on them.. And there appears only one way they will get it.

Count Binface, a satirical candidate in the Clacton by-election included in his policies requiring anyone who denies human-caused climate change to return to school. Quite frankly, I would have voted for him if he was in my electorate on that alone. The Australian death toll from the Nepal disaster alone - which is hard not to ague was the result of climate change - was 46. Stuff will get worse.. My favourite saying is facts don't give a ship about what people think.

This post is an exemplary representation of the way many voters feel today. It is no use arguing with the post or the reasoning because the post isn't arguing for anything better, worse of different than we have today. It's a recognition that the average person is squeezed and those in power are not putting the people first. There is nothing in the post to say ON will be any better.. it is about punishing those in power who are ignoring the people - plain and simple. For a stereotypical family, both parents are working and struggling to make ends meet when in yesteryear that wasn't the case as much as it is today. There are structural reasons for it.. modern life is more complicated. It is useless a polly saying don#t have your avocado toast, because it makes little difference in the end. You're lifestyle today is busier. People are working longer hours or when in the office travelling longer to get there and back. Many people when they get back do some form of work where that was rarer in previous generations. So, they are time poor and it is less of a luxury and more of a necessity - unless you want them to eat unhealthy processed food and eventually put more pressure on an ailing public health system. Ad don the need for smart phones for virtually all the family as you just can't do some things without them these days (or it costs you a lot more), tolls, longer hours, after school activities, child care for younger ones. And to help with a far more complex family life than in my day, it costs the government more. What people don't realise is the government has little levers to pull to manage the cost of living unless it starts taking measures that people will then complain of government overreach. So in some respects, they're damned if they do and damned if they don't. To make things cheaper for example, we need denser housing because Australia suffers from diseconomies of scale. A land mass the size of the USA and 1/10th of the population. The more land with the fewer people, the more it costs to get services - especially those requiring infrastructure - to the people. So when the incumbents start to take things for granted - such as a vote - and let's face it even Labor is being a little less conspicuous in that taking for granted, people get pissed off because they can see the parties working for vested interests of the few - and themselves - and not at least trying to make decisions that are better for the people at the same time - like finding a balance. The gas excise issue is hotting up and people are now well educated on how Australia is being fleeced. This is a deal I think penned in the Howard years, but it can be fixed. The ALP consistently refuse to do it. That would add if I remember rightly $16bn to the coffers per year. You could solve quite some issues with that. The persistent morally corrupt lack of support for veterans; the Robodebt royal commission has not resulted in any meaningful change. The gambling ads report has not been implemented at all; Upping the public take of the pokies and other gambling is not being done. Approving fossil fuel leases/mining when there is clear majority opposition to it - and these never result in the promised jobs for locals; And then there was a recent bailing out of a mine or something... when was it Woodside or BHP (can't remember which one) are making massive profits?? WTF. In the last administration, they threw away a nascent market advantage by going for an early transition of energy (Yes, Siso, I know you don't approve). It wasn't until it was clear that SFM was going to lose the election and backing fossil fuel companies was costing him big time did he do a back flip. The above post says we have had enough of being fleeced. We want to send a signal to the incumbents that just because they may be the better, it is of a pretty bad bunch.. and we don't care if the next ones are worse, because until you get it through your thick brains that we are onto you, we are happy to vote in the next bunch of idiots, because in reality, for us, it will make little difference in the end... I don't think they believe ON will be any better.. they may use it to justify their actions, but when inaction is so poor with the incumbents, I agree wit the post - ignore the people and you're done for. This is exactly what is happening in the UK until Reform shot themselves in the foot; and it is exactly what happened in the USA (with the help of a media hell bent on getting an outcome for its advertisers regardless of the impact on the country). I think it is what is happening throughout Europe. People are sick of the same ol' same ol'. May as well make life hard for the "establishment".

This is a great vid.. And if they keep doing this, I will be on it:

Sadly,, not.. The tested it for about 10 minutes, and the new regulator burned out. This is consistent with what happened in my case.. I was getting positive charge, and then nothing. One lives and learns, I guess. The shop put it back on their bench regulator, and it is no longer charging like it was... They are thinking one of tow things.. the stator is, once it warms up, over exerting itself or there is a short in the electrical system. We are on a bank (public service) holiday weekend, so no one will look at it until Tuesday. F! I am in three minds now... Sell it.. I will still get about £1200 for it, because apart from this issue, it is in bloody good condition and it is a superb riding bike. But, I would have to buy another... And yes, a BMW is not out of the equation... Let the shop diagnose this issue. At the moment, their theory is the stator is surging.. they will inspect it on Tuesday anyway. But if that is not the issue, then there is a short somewhere, likely in the loom or some ancillary wiring - less likely.. Just get them to replace the loom and ancillary wiring. A new loom is is about £130.. Actually, at the same time, upgrade the stator, which is about £200. The issue on those CBFs is the flywheel behind the stator doesn't allow enough oil flow to cool it properly, but the fix for that, unles syou can find the right flywheel at a breaker (wrecker) is £500 for the part alone. I am thinking number 3.. But.. Number 1 may come into play - because the same shop have a tidy used NT1100.. but that would mean about £6K that could be better spent on finishing the main money pit (house).

I had a random thought today about @old man emu - happy wildcard round today. I can't say I would ever support a team who until the constitution of the AFL had the zone to build and the sponsorship of the old money to buy premierships, but the turnaround when they finally allowed someone who could coach to coach has been great to watch. If only because despite the old money that still flows to the club, they couldn't normally manage their way out of a paper bag... I know my team are punching well above their weight and expect them to fall in straight sets.. so, unbelievably, I find myself wishing the Blues the best for the finals. . . . . . . I thought I would add - Wolfie has returned (well, it is Mr. Wynns actually).