I recently went to an investment seminar and subsequent followup meetings. In this I was told that I should built a stock "executive, 4 bedroom" house and make a killing.
This really bugged me because I'm so tired of seeing these crap buildings (especially in our climate) because it's the current fashion in Melbourne or Sydney.
I object to this on two counts:
1. It's foul for our climate - shit, we're building low ceiling, besser block houses with no eaves and black roofs - this in a climate where Summer temps typically exceed 32 degrees! Who's the idiots building this shit?
2. It's going to be economic suicide - with the price of energy expect to rise sharply in coming years (Peak Oil, Climate Change, Carbon Taxes, etc), then it seems idiocy to be building a "stock" house made for current fashions.
On #2 alone, it would make much more sense economically to be building low impact, sustainable and energy efficient houses NOW so you can cash in when the prices start to rise. Think how much easier it will be to rent a property when you can offer a tenant SIGNIFICANT savings on expenses!
Friday, July 28, 2006
Confirmed: Israel Bombed First...
As confirmed on Democracy Now (July 14 interview with Noam Chomsky), my recollection WAS correct. Following the kidnap of the Israeli soldiers by Hezbolla, Israel conducted massive bombing in retaliation resulting in the death of some 60 people. At this point, Hezbolla retaliated - yet they are copping the blame.
Shame on us, shame on Israel, shame on the media for allowing the reverse to be peddled as truth every day...
Shame on us, shame on Israel, shame on the media for allowing the reverse to be peddled as truth every day...
Monday, July 24, 2006
Observation - Expensive Training = Lower Aussie Wages
We're seeing an increasing trend at the moment.
The right are pushing to fuck up the national training strategy (e.g. high Uni fees, stuff up TAFE, etc) and then pay scant regard to providing future trained resources. This is happening now.
The downstream impact of this is that we have a huge skills crisis in this country. So how are we fixing this? Are we providing more training? Are we subsidising areas requiring skills development? No (well, except for Doctors but that's thanks to radical Unionism (AMA)), instead we bring in skilled resources from overseas.
Why - obviously this is a planned strategy to force down wages across the board.
On ya Johhny - fuck the unions, fuck up Uni's and then start fucking with us ... you bastards!
The right are pushing to fuck up the national training strategy (e.g. high Uni fees, stuff up TAFE, etc) and then pay scant regard to providing future trained resources. This is happening now.
The downstream impact of this is that we have a huge skills crisis in this country. So how are we fixing this? Are we providing more training? Are we subsidising areas requiring skills development? No (well, except for Doctors but that's thanks to radical Unionism (AMA)), instead we bring in skilled resources from overseas.
Why - obviously this is a planned strategy to force down wages across the board.
On ya Johhny - fuck the unions, fuck up Uni's and then start fucking with us ... you bastards!
Why - Ceasefire Is Not Offered?
Okay, I can understand why Israel doesn't want a ceasefire until they've sorted out Hezbollah.
But why on earth can't our leaders ask for a temporary ceasefire - perhaps a couple of days - to allow innocents to flee the area? Once it was over then Israel could bomb the crap out of the place knowing, with some legitimacy, that they'd offered people the chance to leave safely?
But why on earth can't our leaders ask for a temporary ceasefire - perhaps a couple of days - to allow innocents to flee the area? Once it was over then Israel could bomb the crap out of the place knowing, with some legitimacy, that they'd offered people the chance to leave safely?
Who's On First?
I'd love to relive history so I can work out if Israel is telling a huge nasty. They are arguing that Israel is defending itself after Hezbollah "invaded" Israel, killed and kidnapped soldiers and started raining Katyusha rockets down on Northern Israel.
Except, my recollection (which may be wrong) is different. There's no problem with the bit about Hezbollah killing and kidnapping, but I do wonder about the rockets. I could've sworn that Israel started that by bombing the crap out of Southern Lebanon - to which Hezbollah retaliated.
I could be wrong (perhaps it just wasn't reported that way), but it would seem that they are responding to Israel's agression. Why couldn't Israel simply send in a targetted group to rescue it's soldiers?
Except, my recollection (which may be wrong) is different. There's no problem with the bit about Hezbollah killing and kidnapping, but I do wonder about the rockets. I could've sworn that Israel started that by bombing the crap out of Southern Lebanon - to which Hezbollah retaliated.
I could be wrong (perhaps it just wasn't reported that way), but it would seem that they are responding to Israel's agression. Why couldn't Israel simply send in a targetted group to rescue it's soldiers?
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
DEBUNKED - Prediction - Terrorist In Canberra
Well, what a day.
Yesterday we had former defence minister Ian McDonald make the claim of an "agreement" between Howard and Costello prior to the 1994 spill of Downer effectively saying that Howard only wanted two (2) terms before standing aside for Costello.
By morning, Howard had blankly ruled out that a deal was ever done - end of story, or so we thought. Later in the day, Costello dropped the bomb - in his opinion there had been an agreement - and frankly, he's fucked all of them.
Why? Well, Howard's credibility is shot (honest John ain't so honest after all) and, should Howard push on, Costello has just provided Labor with it's campaign slogan - "how can you trust Howard if he lies to the closest people in his own party?". But Costello is equally stuffed because he lacks the numbers to overthrow Howard and by now openly coming out and effectively calling Howard a liar, he's not likely to gain friends quickly. So, in one swift move, Costello has killed both of their future aspirations - possibly the greatest political suicide of our generation.
My guess is that (yet another) deadline for Howard to quit has passed and so Costello has realised that if it didn't happen now, it would never happen. If Howard went to another election, by then Costello would be nearing retirement so why bother? So, he's thrown the incendery in instead, deciding to take Howard out with him...
Tonite Bishop tried arguing there was never an agreement because, as it was before they'd even reached power, there was effectively nothing to offer. What a load of shite! Clearly Costello put his own future as leader ON HOLD so Howard would go up to the party room unopposed. If a deal WASN'T done, he wouldn't have held back his nomination. Clearly this means that a deal had been struck.
We've also had some comment that Costello's credibility is shot because he's repeatedly denied rumours of a deal. But clearly Costello has denied the allegation till now as part of loyality - going far beyond and putting the party's interests ahead of his own - he put the party first for 2 elections or 5 years (I'm amazed he lasted this long).
No, this is not an attempt to yeild office from Howard - it is instead an deliberate attempt to unseat Howard ... at his own demise. Who would have thought that Australia's first suicide bomber would come from the Liberal Party?
Edit (8/5/07): Well, Howard continues to amaze as does his resilience. Currently down in the pools, I still think he's a good chance for another win (question this is, who will be PM?).
Yesterday we had former defence minister Ian McDonald make the claim of an "agreement" between Howard and Costello prior to the 1994 spill of Downer effectively saying that Howard only wanted two (2) terms before standing aside for Costello.
By morning, Howard had blankly ruled out that a deal was ever done - end of story, or so we thought. Later in the day, Costello dropped the bomb - in his opinion there had been an agreement - and frankly, he's fucked all of them.
Why? Well, Howard's credibility is shot (honest John ain't so honest after all) and, should Howard push on, Costello has just provided Labor with it's campaign slogan - "how can you trust Howard if he lies to the closest people in his own party?". But Costello is equally stuffed because he lacks the numbers to overthrow Howard and by now openly coming out and effectively calling Howard a liar, he's not likely to gain friends quickly. So, in one swift move, Costello has killed both of their future aspirations - possibly the greatest political suicide of our generation.
My guess is that (yet another) deadline for Howard to quit has passed and so Costello has realised that if it didn't happen now, it would never happen. If Howard went to another election, by then Costello would be nearing retirement so why bother? So, he's thrown the incendery in instead, deciding to take Howard out with him...
Tonite Bishop tried arguing there was never an agreement because, as it was before they'd even reached power, there was effectively nothing to offer. What a load of shite! Clearly Costello put his own future as leader ON HOLD so Howard would go up to the party room unopposed. If a deal WASN'T done, he wouldn't have held back his nomination. Clearly this means that a deal had been struck.
We've also had some comment that Costello's credibility is shot because he's repeatedly denied rumours of a deal. But clearly Costello has denied the allegation till now as part of loyality - going far beyond and putting the party's interests ahead of his own - he put the party first for 2 elections or 5 years (I'm amazed he lasted this long).
No, this is not an attempt to yeild office from Howard - it is instead an deliberate attempt to unseat Howard ... at his own demise. Who would have thought that Australia's first suicide bomber would come from the Liberal Party?
Edit (8/5/07): Well, Howard continues to amaze as does his resilience. Currently down in the pools, I still think he's a good chance for another win (question this is, who will be PM?).
Monday, July 10, 2006
DEBUNKED - Prediction - GBRMPA's Demise...
Well, it looks like the right may have had a win over GBRMPA. After months of threats pre-election to close them down for bad decisions RE: the rezoning (which, admitted was pretty poor) comes a rumour that GBRMPA is about to be shutdown (or scaled down at least).
The following item on the ABC site was most concerning for the lack of support from Ian McDonald arguing that a "presence" would be maintained in Townsville and other coastal areas.
Presence - sounds like they're going to put shop fronts in and move the lot back to Canberra (where they can reign in all those rampant marxist scientists). But be warned, these sort of rumours have circulated before and some think that a report (as yet to be released) RE: the rezoning process is going to be scathing and will result in a massive overhaul.
Edit (8/5/07): Well, it's nearly been 12 months and GBRMPA is still going strong. Looks like I called this one incorrectly!
The following item on the ABC site was most concerning for the lack of support from Ian McDonald arguing that a "presence" would be maintained in Townsville and other coastal areas.
Presence - sounds like they're going to put shop fronts in and move the lot back to Canberra (where they can reign in all those rampant marxist scientists). But be warned, these sort of rumours have circulated before and some think that a report (as yet to be released) RE: the rezoning process is going to be scathing and will result in a massive overhaul.
Edit (8/5/07): Well, it's nearly been 12 months and GBRMPA is still going strong. Looks like I called this one incorrectly!
Prediction - QNI B-Double Drama's
For some reason, everyone seemed to miss the "50 b-doubles per day, 6 days a week" going out to QNI from the Port as a result of the latest expansion plans. No rail movement, it's all by truck.
I wonder if someone will wake up before they start? My guess it'll be a non-issue till people realise what 100 truck movements per days means to their roads....
I wonder if someone will wake up before they start? My guess it'll be a non-issue till people realise what 100 truck movements per days means to their roads....
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Question - East Timor's Troubles...???
I'm still having trouble trying to work out the situation in East Timor. We're led to believe there is this huge political division between East and West - but surely this doesn't come from nowhere - there has to have been a history of it to be this bloody now - but why have we never heard about it before.
We've also heard about possible peturbations from Indonesia - trying to unsettle the country. But what about Australia? I recall hearing at one point that Alkatiri was considering a socialist state which would have pissed off our incumbent government no end - particularly after all the hand waving RE: the oil and gas rights in the Timor Sea.
So, it has me wondering - who has the most to gain out of this? Indonesia - yes, as an unsettled country makes it a target for "resettlement" so that law and order can be reimposed. But I think Australia has more to gain. If it can swing in a more sympathetic government, it could:
We've also heard about possible peturbations from Indonesia - trying to unsettle the country. But what about Australia? I recall hearing at one point that Alkatiri was considering a socialist state which would have pissed off our incumbent government no end - particularly after all the hand waving RE: the oil and gas rights in the Timor Sea.
So, it has me wondering - who has the most to gain out of this? Indonesia - yes, as an unsettled country makes it a target for "resettlement" so that law and order can be reimposed. But I think Australia has more to gain. If it can swing in a more sympathetic government, it could:
- Water down the Timor Sea treaty
- Knock any idea of becoming a socialist state into touch - nothing could be worse than having a marxist government on your doorstep (akin to Venezuela) who wants to look after their citizens before it looks after the interests of capital.
Which makes this article all the more interesting. Make you wonder ....
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