There is a great saying "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans...
Somehow, it seems like the whole world is in on that joke. My 2019 was supposed to be "That year" but:
Donald Trump changed the rules in the Middle East and what seemed like a good idea in 2004, when we went to Qatar, doesn't seem so clever - cost $10 million
Working on $100 million deal goes off the rails as building industry collapses... who doesn' want a low interest loan - thousands apparently.
Did you check the bores work - mmmm those rotten drilling cpontractors nicked the submerged pumps - someone should have paid the bill!
Talk on cruise ships, must be the perfect job! Aaah,well not really, you are actually a distraction in God's 1st class waiting room.
So 18 months into the third life [you know when you are retired at 65] it has all gone to shit! {Anyone her the call of Rebootology] But we all live to be 80 plus... well that is a long, long time doing next to nothing and I refuse to take Government handout [the aged pension] so it is Project 2025 where for 3 years all the work is done and the last 2 years is about getting a payot. Let's see how that goes??
I am tapping into the Wisdom of Dan Pens and Dan Lok - both seem very angry but that aside, but Lok is mellowing and Pena claims a mentor was Jim Newman. Jim is someone I stayed with in Studio City Los Angelos way back when the kids were small - he actually took us all to Disneyland TWICE.
So, as John Lennon says, Life is what happens when you are making other plans.
In the last few days, General Motors Holden, announced that the Commodore nameplate would be retired this year. Sales would be about 3,000 for the year from an all-time high and Number 1 spot [ one year 95,000 Commodores were sold]
It came time for me to process that information - and so many number 1's have gone and a few have reinvented themselves.
I am having an issue with the Westpac about redoing my 100 point score to prove who I am for an account at the time of writing had less than $100 in credit... and they were threatening me with closure of the account.
Our local newspaper ran this story
Apparently, on at least 23 million [ yes million] times, Westpac allowed money laundering to happen with much of it to do with child exploitation in Asia. and the guys at the top are to keep their jobs, get bonuses because this type of business is highly profitable and they are after me to ptove I am me... [the top brass have known for 3 years]
#WestPac #SMM2019 #WayneMansfield Wayne Mansfield #SocialAdvocate
With drought and bushfires, times can be tough but all I have had to contend with in the last few days has been an early summer - two days of 39.5c [about 103F which is HOT] but t his [see picture] is what I walked out into this morning. A Haze that smelled of smoke and my trusty BOM app says the temperature is just 17.6 which is a massive drop of 22 degrees from the peak from yesterday.
oops BOM means Bureau of Meteorology - the Official weatherman.
In general, drivers are required by law to give way to pedestrians in the following situations:
· At pedestrian crossings and in shared zones.
· When the driver is entering or leaving the road. For example: when driving into or out of your driveway at home you must give way to pedestrians on the footpath.
· When the driver is turning left or right at an intersection the driver must give way to any pedestrian at or near the intersection who is crossing the road the driver is entering. This provision does not appear to apply to roundabouts, perversely.
· When the driver is doing a U-turn.
Rant:
Today as I was walking, a loud horn noise broke my concentration when a lady turned left across where I was walking and nearly ran me over. I am sure... and I looked it up, if you are turning left off a main road you need to give way to Pedestrians... her excuse was the guy behind her was too close and I was easier to scare than him behind.
Scare me she did and as I avoided her I dropped my wallet which some kind soul returned to me at my home later in the morning.
I am sure you have all experienced this: Ringback tomorrow and we can help you!
On November 1st, my trusty credit card stopped working due to the card only being good until the end of October. I have been reminded countless times to update it but my coffee app from M's just stopped working... and wanted me to fix... and promptly charge me at least 7 times but kept saying it hadn't processed the sale, therefore, no Coffee!
The ladies at Maccas Morley said "we will give you a free coffee but we can't fix the charges... your bank can."
I rang the bank at 6.30 WST which is 9.30 ASST Sydney and got the usual message "As you have called outside our normal times we can't help" Not to be deflected, I turned my card over and rang the overseas number and sure enough the phone was answered - strange that... better service for overseas than Australia! Ah well, you get used to that in Perth.
After explaining the situation and the bank seeing 7 charges in 3 minutes so obviously a problem I was told if we try and fix it will take up to 8 weeks or you could talk to M's [who you will recall sent me to the bank] So, I asked could they please start the process and then the machine said "No you can't" and I was told "Ringback tomorrow and we can." Not to be deterred, I asked for a Supervisor who gave me the same script.... "If I could I would help but ring back tomorrow and I will start the 8-week process...
"Can you send me an email outlining all this?" I asked! "No" he said "We can't send emails in case it is fraud but if you RING BACK TOMORROW I can help but not today."
So off to the official place to complain [AFCA] "110% your right to go to the ombudsman" my unhelpful W Supervisor said... and I did that but they give the bank 80 days [ more than the 8 weeks to bank said it would take to a fix] to respond!
I will start a campaign today to have a $10,000 fee/penalty that makes banks actually care about their customers rather than just tell them to "Get nicked"
The great James Rohn has this saying which is very true and you should consider when getting that fancy car, going on that expensive cruise drinking that fantastic wine:
The appearances of wealth often deny wealth its self
As you do a Friday when you have leisure days, I walked to the local $2 coffee shop in Coventry Square Shopping Centre.
On starting my walk home I noticed the traffic backed up into Walter Road and I went to investigate. It was a Lynfox Armaguard vehicle parked [correctly] but the right indicator was flashing as if he wanted to exit the parking space and drive off. With no visibility vehicles in the lane he was "trying" to enter had stopped to allow him to do that BUT the driver, in a uniform, busy on his phone was oblivious to the situation he was causing.
I attracted his attention but all I got for my trouble was an impolite FOff and he went back to his phone and the traffic problem continued - but hey he had a uniform and a gun.
So, if you are that Lynfox Armaguard Driver, get a life mate and be considerate of other people. I know what you do is a dangerous job but a little common sense and courtesy doesn't cost much and gets you goodwill.
I was so insensed I phoned Linfox Armaguard and was nearly choking on the repeated message about how they were an iconic successful Australian business who took their responsibilities seriously.
Maybe the driver need to listen and maybe he will get the message... or not
The Federal Government has just announced a first home buyers grant and people earning up to $125k for singles $200k for couples qualify. Heck, a dollar is worth much anymore.... $200k a year and they can't get by... why not learn to cook instead of UberEats.
Never for "the sake of peace and quiet" deny your own experience or convictions.
Dag Hammarskjold
I have sort comfort in the position - if it doesn't affect me, it's OK BUT, I now need to say "But don't ask me to celebrate it"
A recent example is the Sydney Anglican Church taking a stand on "inclusiveness" They are saying... go and form your own church, as we don't want to change our beliefs on that.
Write. Write more. Write even more. Write even more than that. Write when you don’t want to. Write when you do. Write when you have something to say. Write when you don’t. Write every day. Keep writing.”
Keep the Spuds The Plastic is Stuffing up the world!
Tony Galati - Mr Spud Shed
Don't ask me why but when I was at The Spud Shed today everyone at the registered was asked "Do you want to help the kids by donating to Telethon?"
A young man said "Sure - make it $5 but keep the spuds - they come in plastic which won't break down for 100's of years. We help the kids but kill their world!"
According to Seth Godin, Guru of everything, rating means very little. In fact, all of his blog entries have comments [ feedback ]turned off. His logic is that the only person upset by poor ratings is you but really a majority could be favourable but we focus on the negative.
so here is how I am conflicted... for my sessions I have feedback forms and for the session on Tuesday there were 17 attendees and we [ I ] got back 15 rating sheets with the lowest rating being 7/10, most 9/10 and many 10/10 and the 2 who didn't complete a review form - they said it was shit, the worst they had ever been to - give me back the money.
I tried to recall why we get the forms... to address the pressure on people to give feedback to their boss "What did you learn?" and when put on the awkward spot of speaking in front of a group it is easier to say "I learnt nothing" than to talk in front of the group.
So, the conundrum - no refund terms are offered in fact the terms say ALL SALES ARE FINAL... do I stop worrying?
The Society which scorns excellence in plumbing because plumbing is a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy.
I am from an Australian Rules Football state but we get Eastern States news services networked in... so this morning we are plastered with Australia's failure in the RWC in Japan and the fact the coach has "fallen on his sword" while his best [ and maybe the world's best ] player is taking the Code to Court for unfair dismissal over an Instagram quote.
In Perth there is a collective yawn - does anyone really care?
I am giving the game away here - my morning coffee is at the McCafe in Morley - three days ago the sign in for the FREE wifi was changed and it now requires the completion of a captcha HOWEVER it doesn't show up on the screen so you can't log in - do you think that is on purpose?
I was on a cruise in May on the Spectrum of the Seas - you know where you need a second mortgage to afford the wifi so when it berthed in Aqaba everyone head for the closest Maccas for the renowned FREE wifi. After trying to log on a couple of times, I relented and asked one of the staff if there was a password and she said NO but "we disable the wifi when cruise ships are in!"
Do you think Macca's in Morley is doing this?? I wouldn't put it passed them!
That’s Oh my fucking godand for the fucking win, for the uninitiated. Sweary acronyms and initialisms are a BFD (big fucking deal) on the Internet. It’s hard to imagine everyday online discourse—especially on social media—without frequent encounters with, or use of, WTF (what the fuck), FFS (for fuck’s sake), and their semi-encoded ilk.
Concision is an obvious advantage: STFU and GTFO take far fewer keystrokes than the full phrases shut the fuck up and get the fuck out, saving the (ab)user time, effort, and—perhaps most importantly—the appearance of giving a shit. Sweary abbreviations also play a role in signalling group identity, expressing personal style, and so on, FYFI (for your fucking information).
WTF normally means what the fuck, but it can also mean why, who, when,where, or even whatever the fuck, because WTF not, and WTF would insist otherwise. (WTF it can mean whether the fuck is hereby resolved.) These alternative uses are less immediately intelligible but usually obvious enough in context. Besides, ambiguity comes with the territory: FTW, normally for the win, can also be fuck the world or for those wondering, FTW.
As Ben Zimmer’s post above shows, WTF has gained nominal and attributive uses, extending its reach still further. Its popularity has led to expanded forms such as WTAF( what the actual fuck), WETF (what even the fuck), WTGDMF (what the goddamn mother fuck), and WTFO (What the fuck. Over.). It’s also commonly intensified, normally by repeating the F —search Twitter for WTFFF, WTFFFF, WTFFFFF, etc. for a flavour.
There’s a downside to its familiarity, or at least there was if you worked at the Wisconsin Tourism Federation (now Tourism Federation of Wisconsin) a few years ago, before it changed its name and logo. If you ask me, the marketing department missed a trick by not embracing this happy coincidence. They could have been all like LMFAO DILLIGAF? IDGAF (Laughing my fucking ass off. Do I look like I give a fuck? I don’t give a fuck). Instead they went FML (fuck my life) and rebranded:
via Strong Language
The internet may have supercharged the spread of sweary abbreviations, but some are already generations old. Fubar (fucked up beyond all recognition) and snafu (situation normal, all fucked up) arose as military slang in the 1940s and soon spread to wider use, as Jesse Sheidlower’s The F-Word details. T&A (tits and ass) appeared a little later. OMFG (oh my fucking god) didn’t emerge until the 1990s—at least nowhere there’s a record of it—but OMG is almost a century old. JMJ (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph), an Irish exclamation that typically marks exasperation or surprise, is a recent innovation, as is MILF.
Fubar, milf and snafu (and snefu, with everything in place of all) are unequivocally acronyms, pronounced like ordinary words as opposed to a series of letter-names. Others vary in this respect. Some people pronounce WTF as an initialism, whereas in my mind’s ear I tend to hear the full phrase: what [or whatever] the fuck. Gretchen McCulloch has heard “dubs-tee-eff,” while Language Log reader kip says “dub-tee eff.” Gretchen also cites “ohm-fog” as a pronunciation of OMFG. Upper or lower case is a further source of difference.
Swears are abbreviated in lots of other ways too, like dafuq, effing, mofo, and fuxache, but we’ll leave that for another GDMF day. AMF!
The wrong question to become more effective is "How can I be more effective?" The fundamental question for all of us should be: "What is my life's purpose?" If you can answer that question is, all else falls into place quite nicely. Effectiveness remains empty in the long run without an overarching purpose for one's life.
“I always advise young people to become good public speakers”.
Anyone can do that, he says, with practice.
“Suddenly you’re in charge or maybe you are starting your own company. Capitalism rewards things that are both rare and valuable.” If you are good at public speaking and one other skill, you make yourself more rare and valuable.
Before Warren Buffett made one dime of money, he took a Dale Carnegie course on public speaking.
Journalists losing jobs but hey how about some good car news!
Different but the same!
My little pleasure on the weekend used to be reading the car sections of the Saturday and the Sunday papers but with the 7West Group buying the Sunday Times the motoring stuff is the same and to add insult to injury, written in Melbourne so test drives bare no relationship to West Australian conditions... and before you say Australia is Australia, the eastern part of Australia has been ion drought for 7 years and WA is in boom times on the farm.
A more practical example is that the snowfields of NSW are bigger and better than those in Switzerland but I had to journey to Colorado to see snow for the first time...
History - the records are written by the winners...
Captain Cook - hero or villain?
I am sure some of our history is gruesome and unspeakable but it did happen. What is the purpose of whitewashing it?
There is a move in Australia and I am sure in all countries which were invaded in colonial times, to rewrite history and rip down any reminder of our dark past. My simple question is why??
History is written by the victors - the narrative of World War 11 is startlingly different in the US [ the victors] to Germany or Japan [ the vanquished ] The truth? Who knows but to rip down the statues to the conquerers serves no purpose - what will go next Nelson's Column in London?
After a few years, the press starts a campaign to change the clocks to Summer Time in Western Australia eve though a few referendums have confirmed we like the time the way it is.
Here are a few things to contemplate:
1. China has one time zone for 1.5 billion people and a huge country
2. Europe is in the process of scrapping Daylight saving 3. Before clocks, we didn't have time zones
4. Young people don't use clocks any more... they observe the time on their smartphone.
5. Watches are just fashion statements - often showing anytime at all that is on face
Please leave the clock alone.... what happens in Sydney isn't necessarily good for everyone - consider evening curfews, greyhound racing, water use...
Have you seen in the popular press that the average family couldn't handle a $400 emergency?
Well yesterday the heat arrived and hit 33c [ about 91F ] and I thought I would try the aircon... first challenge was the remote control needed new batteries and I needed to go to the local IGA - they are expensive those AAA batteries so there was a decision to be made - well know brand [Duracell] or same brand style - usually Duracell is more expensive but they were actually $1.40 each against $3 for "same" brand - Duracell won.
At home, I replaced the batteries and spent 1 hour getting the clock to show the right time... but other than that no joy. Checking how much to get someone to come and see... "$200 call out PPLUS parts if needed then $25 per 15 minutes" did I really want to be cool? The $400 problem?
I quick phone call to a service centre who said that probably the remote had broken - I could use my smartphone camera and check and according to the guy on the phone, they no longer had those remotes [ system was older than 5 years ] but a universal might work... $200 call out plus $100 Mmmmm
I spoke with my chook man friend David who said for $2 to $5 may be the "tip" shop might have one. I had never heard of a "tip" shop but apparently every tip has one and lots of stuff in good working order is junked but resold at tip shops... but he had another suggestion - send a pic of the remote and he would trey eBay where, sure enough, they were available from $13 to $17 including postage and would arrive in 48 hours.
Today will see if that advice is worthwhile David! I have to go and collect "Business Cards " [Remember them] and I need to drive by the Stirling Tip so the journey commences.
A major Bunbury Motor Dealer is fighting for survival after its' total fleet has been seized by its finance company. [As reported in West Australian Newspaper October 8th 2019]
Recently I did a series of seminars in Bunbury and was struck at how many shops were for lease... 30 in a very short strip in the CBD... today's paper [The West Australia] has more bad news with a big local motor dealer having issues that will be difficult to solve.
Maybe the guys in Canberra might take notice? Nah... it's a bubble over there!
PM is on $500k CEO of Qantas earned [?] $24 million!
Tony and Bill running the country [NOT!]
ALP doesn't get WA
The lead story of the local newspaper The West Australian is that the Australian Labor Party [ALP] misread the swing states [WA and Queensland} at the last Federal Election. They were expected to win easily but didn't because they didn't get traction in those two states.
Of course, the polls had them winning in the large cities of Melbourne and Sydney and those who run the show took that as Australia and really that was only the Liberal left leaning city dwellers - so the Polls don't get WA and Queensland either.
Painful loses will get them to navel gaze for a while but eventually, they will be swayed by the noisy touchy feely city dwellers and hopefully, their ignorance will keep them out of Government again- yes please Bill Shorten, stay in politics for another 20 years and stay in the wilderness. The conservatives have Tony Abbott cause chaos, the ALP can have you!
