[KSS]

It was residency not citizenship that was for sale, but yes it had to stop.

[KSS]

There are lots of traditions that have bitten the dust. Have any of your grandchildren in Primary school or kindy been in a nativity play this year? Have you seen a nativity scene anywhere? One Melbourne council even banned the word “Christmas” from their signs which just read “Make Merry”. All gone now in the name of inclusivity. Inclusive that is except for Christians.

[KSS]

It is just amazing that all these ‘workers’ are claiming “burn-out”, “overwork”, “work stress”, “poor rostering”, “mental health issues”, “work-life balance”, “want payback for working through COVID” etc etc etc and then demand far higher wages and suddenly all that goes away! It just doesn’t add up. Virgin flight staff are just the latest but we have endured the same from police, teachers, nurses, truck drivers and the list goes on. I am not saying any of these workers don’t deserve a pay rise but get real about the reasons. Whinging about things that will not change even with a hefty pay increase simply devalues the higher wages claim.

[KSS]

I would by far prefer people traveling with babies and young children be placed in a specified section and even more so on long-distance flights.

Before all parents and grandparents get on their high horses, consider this: babies and young children have special needs that adults and older kids do not have. Likewise, the parents or chaperones of the younger children also have different needs to the independent passengers on the same flight. How much easier would it be for the flight crew to be able to cater to all these kids and their parents if they were all together in one area? The kids would likely entertain each other thus relieving the inevitable boredom that sets in shortly after takeoff. The feeding needs of the kids can be better catered when they are all together. The parents located next to others in the same position will not have to put up with the eye-rolling, heavy sighs and side-eyes of other passengers. It would also mean that another responsible adult can watch the kids when the parent wants a bathroom visit or even just a stretch of the legs without a child in tow for 5 minutes. And if or rather when a particular child screams all the way between Sydney and London, the other nearby parents can offer their support.

We used to corral smokers to one area in the past, I see no reason not to do the same for parents and young kids. Oh and one last thing, it would mean that another child or parent would be the recipient of the hours of seat-kicking by someone else’s little treasure and would happily accept it as the price they have to pay for travelling with kids.

[KSS]

Yes but did you not know that it is only ‘white’ people that can ever be guilty of ‘cultural misappropriation’, colonisation (forget about the Spanish, French, various Middle Eastern and African tribes etc etc), ‘disrespect’ or ‘quite scary’?

[KSS]

I do wish people such as Jan Fisher would do some up-to-date research before trotting out the fearmongering citing Fukushima as ‘evidence’. In 2017 all restrictions imposed immediately after the tsunami hit, including those nearest the site of the nuclear power plant, were lifted. The WHO has determined were no acute radiation injuries or deaths among the workers or the public due to exposure to radiation resulting from the FDNPS accident. ONE person died of lung cancer linked to radiation 6 years later. a further 6 people developed leukemia, 37 people had physical injuries and 2 people were taken to hospital with radiation burns. the other 18-20,000 people who died did so as a result of the earthquake and resulting tsunami that followed, including those that died as a result of being evacuated – dying during transportation. There was NO significant damage to any of the reactors due to the earthquake. It was the 15mtr tsunami that did the damage by flooding. The flooding disabled 12 of 13 backup generators onsite and also the heat exchangers for dumping reactor waste heat and decay heat to the sea. The three units lost the ability to maintain proper reactor cooling and water circulation functions. Electrical switchgear was also disabled. By 2017 all access restrictions at Fukushima were removed.

Both Fukushima and Chernobyl were graded the same level 7 on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale. But consider this: 31 people died immediately and the UN estimates that a further 50 people also die. 134 were confirmed cases of acute radiation syndrome. The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation has concluded that, apart from some 5000 thyroid cancers (resulting in 15 fatalities), “there is no evidence of a major public health impact attributable to radiation exposure 20 years after the accident.” Chernobyl remains largely restricted access.

Clearly, we learned a great deal in the years between 1986 and 2011 and have learned further lessons since Fukushima. Compare the deaths with say the Australian road toll just this year at 1204. Nuclear power plants are not the devil incarnate the naysayers would have us believe. The tide has turned in Australia and despite what Jan Fisher claims, I suggest most people would support nuclear power in the sustainable energy mix. And they can out a small reactor in the park behind where I live if they want. Better that than cover the part with solar panels or stick a wind turbine in the middle of it.

[KSS]

I refuse to be bullied into using cards /tap and go for small purchases. Yes I may be a relic but I still enjoy a real newspaper/magazine, the odd cup of coffee etc plus if I only need one or two items from a supermarket I will always use cash. So I always have some cash on me. And how many times has that been useful when there has been an outage rendering all cards useless?

I have no issue with supermarkets restricting the amount of cash you can take out; after all, they are not banks! I also have no issue with them now requiring a purchase before withdrawing cash, that seems a reasonable change to me.

What I do have issues with are goods and service suppliers refusing to accept cash and insisting on direct debit payments. I will never give access to my accounts to a third party.

I also have a major issue with banks telling me I cannot withdraw MY money in cash over the counter as Macquarie Bank has recently announced. Apparently, NAB is the next cab of the rank with this one. That is disgraceful.

And let’s not forget all the recent ‘poor me’ reports of people in their 20s and 30s who have been sucked into tap-and-go and afterpay arrangements. They are now unable to manage their money, run a bank account, there is no accountability for what they are spending and they have no concept of the value of money. Then comes the whinging about the amount of debt they carry! At least with cash, you actually see what you are spending and when the wallet is empty, the spending stops! Seems some ‘bright young things’ have discovered what we (or our parents) have always done: they are withdrawing ALL their salary then setting up envelopes to portion out their money into the respective bills i.e. rent, power, phone etc. Exactly what we did/have been doing for decades. Even Scott Pape has been talking about this for over a decade – the only difference is that he did it by setting up his ‘buckets’ in bank accounts.

[KSS]

I’d suggest that most people would have periodic vaccines in the same arm – usually not the one they lead with. It is more likely that people would use both arms only when they need multiple vaccines at the same time that cannot be given in the same needle e.g. currently COVID and flu can be given at the same time in different arms although it will not be long before a combination vaccine is available.

[KSS]

Probably linked to the rise in theft of meat at supermarkets. As I said in my response to that article we all pay for the theft with higher prices.

[KSS]

How many times does a child (or anyone else or even another dog) have to be mauled by the ‘family pet’ before people start taking notice? Yes all dogs have the potential to be vicious and dangerous, but we all know that some breeds are deliberately bred for their attack propensity. Such dogs should not be allowed in highly populated residential areas and much less in units.

[KSS]

Your comment trots out that well-worn excuse that dog owners use all the time. Who cares what size the dog is, ALL dogs can attack. You already know he has had a bad experience with a small dog and yet your selfishness fails to take that into consideration.

Personally, I am fed up with being accosted by dogs not under control. I am sick of having to take evasive action because owners are too tied up in their phones to notice their dog is being aggressive. I hate those long 20mtr retractable leads because they do not give the owner any control over their dog. And I am sick of being told their FIDO is harmless. ALL animals should be locked away from visitors to the home until and unless the visitor feels safe. And ALL dogs should be on a lead and properly under control when out in public. As in fact the law demands!

[KSS]

All the usual facetious comments from obvious cat lovers who ALL think their pussy can do no wrong! And they continually display total ignorance of the real dangers cats pose to other animals and yes even their neighbours. Have your cat if you must but stop inflicting them and their behaviours on others. And before you start, no I am not a cat hater and no I don’t have a dog! I am just sick of animal owners thinking their animal does no wrong – much like parents never accept their child is the class bully!

[KSS]

This is so common it is almost normal. Add to meat trays things like half-drunk cartons of flavoured milk, half-eaten bars of chocolate, yoghurt, eggs, assorted tins and pack, bags of fruit and veg, in fact, you name it and someone will have dumped it (after walking round having their lunch first).

[KSS]

Haven’t had COVID at all yet, but then I have never stopped using infection control procedures including wearing masks in populated places like shopping centres and public transport as well as keeping up to date with COVID vaccinations. COVID is not over and won’t be for some time to come despite the complacency still being shown.

[KSS]

My experience working with people across the generations is the younger they are the more inflated opinion they have of themselves and their abilities. The older they are the more resilient, more reliable and take far fewer sick days (they are just not sick not working whilst sick). The younger they are the more pats on the back they need – constant validation so you get the ridiculous of congratulating them for the smallest thing (well done you turned up for work and did exactly what you are paid to do). The older they are the more likely they are to persevere through tougher assignments rather than whinging and whining and demanding time off for mental health!

Yes organisations need both but unfortunately, more employers fall for the overconfidence and hubris of the younger workers rather than having a good mix for the kids to learn from the baby boomers.

[KSS]

Baby boomers are anyone born from 1946 to 1964.
Generation X is anyone born from 1965 to 1980.
Generation Y (AKA Millennials) are anyone born from 1981 to 1996.
Generation Z is anyone born from 1997 to 2012.

[KSS]

Actually, there is a spin-off from sporting events and that is tourism. Not only will QLD get renovated or new facilities, but tourism also contributes about $23 billion state budget and will likely increase year on year up to olympic year. That money goes into government coffers to help pay for other things like health and homeless services. You can whinge about manufacturing yet manufacturing is Queensland’s largest contributor to the QLD budget of $141,971 Billion while mining contributes $93,850.B, Electricity, Gas, Water & Waste Services contribute a combined $36,714.B and education a further $35,501.B Oh and construction already contributes the second highest amount $127,249.B. And finally Health Care & Social Assistance
$58,335 Billion. So if you want to get rid of sporting events, how are you going to replace that money $23 Billion, plus the revenue from Gas Electricity and mining and education all adding up to $187301 BILLION from a total budget of $930.733 billion approximately 20% of the entire QLD budget. SO just how will you replace all that?

[KSS]

Spray lightly with water and rub with newspaper. Simple and it works on all glass and mirrors.

[KSS]

It doesn’t much matter who replaces Kochie as long as it is not Matt Dolan or Monique Wright from weekend sunrise. They squabble like kids in a playground, However, Mat Shervington the ex-Olympic runner would be a good replacement going on his performances when filling in for Kochie.

[KSS]

The techniques for producing ‘Aboriginal art’ i.e. the use of dots, cannot be copyrighted. Anyone can use the same technique. Likewise the configurations of dots into circles, lines etc. Likewise symbols for feet, kangaroo, emu etc. These are simply painting techniques that anyone can use to create an original work whether Indigenous or not. There is problem with doing that.

The real issue is not recreating or reproducing the techniques, but attaching to it the implication that it was painted by an Aboriginal person or worse a named person who did not actually paint the works. That is a fraudulent act, not the painting itself.

The only sure way to buy the genuine article by an Aboriginal artist is to buy directly from the artist or through their agent from reputable art galleries. And be prepared to pay handsomely for it. But even that is no guarantee that an ‘assistant’ did not help to create the work. And as long as the genuine artist had knowledge of and gave consent to it, there is no issue. This is a fabricated complaint under the cloak of outrage being generated about all things Indigenous good, non-Indigenous bad in the current climate.

[Author]

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