PM defends Anzac litter louts
I was disgusted to read the above story about the state that Anzac Cove was left in. As an Australian visiting another country you are acting as an ambassador for our great home, and by littering or defacing property you are making ALL Australians look bad in the eyes of the host country.
As the article says, Anzac Day is a commemoration, not a celebration. There is no need for loutish behaviour at a place where thousands lost their lives fighting for their respective countries. At the very least pick up your damn rubbish!!
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Sunday, April 24, 2005
No time wasters...
I tell you, it sh!ts me to tears when I read "No time wasters" in car advertisements... I mean, why do you think your car is so special? Will you label me a 'time waster' if I come and test drive your supposed pride and joy just to find it is a poorly tuned piece of proverbial and choose not to buy it? Am I a time waster if I call to find out further details about the car, and once hearing said details decide not to look at the car?
For me, when I see those fateful words I am automatically turned off. The advertiser strikes me as a punce who doesn't deserve my hard earned dollars, no matter how nice the car may look.
Many of the forums I read have a section for selling cars or parts. The great thing about forums is that you are aiming your sale at people that are interested in the type of product you're selling. The next great thing about forums, and the internet in general, is that it is pretty easy to post numerous pictures of your item without it costing you a cent, just a bit of time.
If you're the sort that adds 'no time wasters' in their adverts, add heaps of photos so the supposed 'time wasters' can view the item and decide whether it is what they require. If you lack the skills to upload a picture to the web, do a quick search on the 'net or ask a mate. There's almost no reason at all to use the old excuse, "I don't have a digital camera", as you WILL know someone with one, or you can buy one for as little as AU$150.
Remember this statement, "A picture is worth a thousand words...", there is nothing truer than that!! In a text advert for a car you have to describe the body, any body modifications or damage etc. and it is left up to the reader(buyer) to decide whether it is worth a look. Add a picture (or better, pictures), the text is reduced and the buyer has a better idea of what the car looks like, as well as allowing them to picture themselves in that car...
At the end of the day, you, as the seller, are trying to SELL something and need to pull out every trick in the book to get it sold. And just think, that 'time waster' that rang about your car yesterday might just have a mate who is a genuine buyer.
For me, when I see those fateful words I am automatically turned off. The advertiser strikes me as a punce who doesn't deserve my hard earned dollars, no matter how nice the car may look.
Many of the forums I read have a section for selling cars or parts. The great thing about forums is that you are aiming your sale at people that are interested in the type of product you're selling. The next great thing about forums, and the internet in general, is that it is pretty easy to post numerous pictures of your item without it costing you a cent, just a bit of time.
If you're the sort that adds 'no time wasters' in their adverts, add heaps of photos so the supposed 'time wasters' can view the item and decide whether it is what they require. If you lack the skills to upload a picture to the web, do a quick search on the 'net or ask a mate. There's almost no reason at all to use the old excuse, "I don't have a digital camera", as you WILL know someone with one, or you can buy one for as little as AU$150.
Remember this statement, "A picture is worth a thousand words...", there is nothing truer than that!! In a text advert for a car you have to describe the body, any body modifications or damage etc. and it is left up to the reader(buyer) to decide whether it is worth a look. Add a picture (or better, pictures), the text is reduced and the buyer has a better idea of what the car looks like, as well as allowing them to picture themselves in that car...
At the end of the day, you, as the seller, are trying to SELL something and need to pull out every trick in the book to get it sold. And just think, that 'time waster' that rang about your car yesterday might just have a mate who is a genuine buyer.
Friday, April 22, 2005
Banks are supposed to be kissing my ass, not vice-versa...
So with my girlfriend and her brother I have purchased a nice 2 storey home in Rivervale, a suburb of Perth. So far so good. We'll all put in equal amounts to purchase the home and hopefully make a tidy profit when it comes time to sell. Settlement is on Thursday, so we are trying to get everything finalised as soon as possible.
Here's where it gets difficult...
Today we had to sign the loan papers at Bank 1, so we all arranged to get off work to meet there.
"Sorry, we don't have the papers...", says the enquiries chick...
"But we were assured they would be here today", we reply.
So we head out to the street to call our settlement agent. Lucky we hung around for a while because the enquiries chick came out to say she had found the papers.
So back into the bank we go...
Now, after finally viewing the paperwork it's noticed that my girlfriend's bro's name has been spelt as 'James' instead of his name which is totally different. So then we have to find out what we need to do with regard to the error. It seems, and it better be right, that we just needed to correct the error and initial it. Anyway with other small anomalies and hold ups we get it all sorted.
Next we needed to get the money for our deposits organised and given to the settlement agent. No worries, we'll just get a bank cheque...
"You realise that a bank cheque takes 3 days to clear?", says the loans officer.
For fks sake, it is a BANK cheque, not a personal cheque, and it still takes three days to clear. If you can't trust a bank to have funds, who can you trust!?! I'm sure its a diddle on their part.
This is what I reckon happens... The customer asks Bank 1 for a bank cheque, B1 transfers the money to a holding account which accrues interest for 3 days, B1 finally transfers to B2... Think of the millions of dollars they'd make by doing that...
Anyway, the dude suggests we do an electronic bank transfer from our bank to the settlement agent's bank. Okay we'll do that, so off we toddle to Bank 2.
Thinking that this would be an abnormal thing we are doing, we wait in line to see the enquiries assistants. After fifteen or so minutes we get called up...
"We want to do this..."
"You can do that at the teller window...", says the assistant.
After muttering under our breath we go to a teller window.
"We want to do this..."
"Ohh, as you won't have more than $5000 left in the account you have to see the enquiries assistants to close the account..."
FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARK...
So they sort that bit out without us needing to go to the enquiries section again. So back to doing the electronic funds transfer...
"You realise this will take 3 days to clear?"
You'd understand how irate we are becoming now, but alas we keep a civil tongue, as abusing people gets you less than nowhere. This is an electronic funds transfer, which in this day and age when we can send emails around the world in seconds, should not be too difficult...
In the end they wrote up something called a 'warrant' which is physically taken to a branch of the receiving bank. If I get a call Tuesday asking for the funds, I'll be closing all of my accounts and going to another bank/building society (or credit union). I actually closed all my accounts with Bank 1 originally because of their fk ups. And they're obviously not trying to win me back with the latest effort.
Banks are the worst for providing what they charge for, in normal business people would complain to the fair trades commission, but banks seem immune... I pay to have my money with the bank, I pay to take money out of the bank, I pay to use their ATMs, I pay to speak to a teller... and the Government allows them to keep raising their fees while providing less service.
They want us all to be doing our banking electronically, which cuts the banks costs further, and yet half the time that is more difficult than walking in to a branch, getting the money out as cash and delivering it yourself to the payee.
To the banks, "You can all go and get fkkd!!"...
Here's where it gets difficult...
Today we had to sign the loan papers at Bank 1, so we all arranged to get off work to meet there.
"Sorry, we don't have the papers...", says the enquiries chick...
"But we were assured they would be here today", we reply.
So we head out to the street to call our settlement agent. Lucky we hung around for a while because the enquiries chick came out to say she had found the papers.
So back into the bank we go...
Now, after finally viewing the paperwork it's noticed that my girlfriend's bro's name has been spelt as 'James' instead of his name which is totally different. So then we have to find out what we need to do with regard to the error. It seems, and it better be right, that we just needed to correct the error and initial it. Anyway with other small anomalies and hold ups we get it all sorted.
Next we needed to get the money for our deposits organised and given to the settlement agent. No worries, we'll just get a bank cheque...
"You realise that a bank cheque takes 3 days to clear?", says the loans officer.
For fks sake, it is a BANK cheque, not a personal cheque, and it still takes three days to clear. If you can't trust a bank to have funds, who can you trust!?! I'm sure its a diddle on their part.
This is what I reckon happens... The customer asks Bank 1 for a bank cheque, B1 transfers the money to a holding account which accrues interest for 3 days, B1 finally transfers to B2... Think of the millions of dollars they'd make by doing that...
Anyway, the dude suggests we do an electronic bank transfer from our bank to the settlement agent's bank. Okay we'll do that, so off we toddle to Bank 2.
Thinking that this would be an abnormal thing we are doing, we wait in line to see the enquiries assistants. After fifteen or so minutes we get called up...
"We want to do this..."
"You can do that at the teller window...", says the assistant.
After muttering under our breath we go to a teller window.
"We want to do this..."
"Ohh, as you won't have more than $5000 left in the account you have to see the enquiries assistants to close the account..."
FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARK...
So they sort that bit out without us needing to go to the enquiries section again. So back to doing the electronic funds transfer...
"You realise this will take 3 days to clear?"
You'd understand how irate we are becoming now, but alas we keep a civil tongue, as abusing people gets you less than nowhere. This is an electronic funds transfer, which in this day and age when we can send emails around the world in seconds, should not be too difficult...
In the end they wrote up something called a 'warrant' which is physically taken to a branch of the receiving bank. If I get a call Tuesday asking for the funds, I'll be closing all of my accounts and going to another bank/building society (or credit union). I actually closed all my accounts with Bank 1 originally because of their fk ups. And they're obviously not trying to win me back with the latest effort.
Banks are the worst for providing what they charge for, in normal business people would complain to the fair trades commission, but banks seem immune... I pay to have my money with the bank, I pay to take money out of the bank, I pay to use their ATMs, I pay to speak to a teller... and the Government allows them to keep raising their fees while providing less service.
They want us all to be doing our banking electronically, which cuts the banks costs further, and yet half the time that is more difficult than walking in to a branch, getting the money out as cash and delivering it yourself to the payee.
To the banks, "You can all go and get fkkd!!"...
Friday, April 15, 2005
Experienced bushmen???
Men experienced, not 'idiots', say family
This is about a pair of blokes that perished near the desert in central Western Australia.
The mother of the younger bloke reckons they were 'well-experienced bushmen'. I mean really, if they were so experienced would they be stupid enough to go into the middle of the boonies with very little water supply, communications and maps!?!
Even if they only had a decent map which showed the location of water wells along the track they would be alive today. They walked 7km in the wrong direction to try and find water, when a well was 9km away in the opposite direction. If they had an Codan style HF radio or satellite phone, which are becoming quite economical, they could've called for assistance.
The final piece of safety equipment they could have used is an EPIRB that would transmit a distress signal and location to the authorities. I don't agree with people getting one of these and thinking that's all they need for a trip out to the bush, as it is for emergency use only, not because you've got a flat tyre and your GSM mobile isn't in range... That's what a satellite phone or Codan style HF radio are for.
They may be 'experienced bushmen'in that these blokes lived in the bush, but in my book they're still 'idiots' and have paid for it with their lives.
This is about a pair of blokes that perished near the desert in central Western Australia.
The mother of the younger bloke reckons they were 'well-experienced bushmen'. I mean really, if they were so experienced would they be stupid enough to go into the middle of the boonies with very little water supply, communications and maps!?!
Even if they only had a decent map which showed the location of water wells along the track they would be alive today. They walked 7km in the wrong direction to try and find water, when a well was 9km away in the opposite direction. If they had an Codan style HF radio or satellite phone, which are becoming quite economical, they could've called for assistance.
The final piece of safety equipment they could have used is an EPIRB that would transmit a distress signal and location to the authorities. I don't agree with people getting one of these and thinking that's all they need for a trip out to the bush, as it is for emergency use only, not because you've got a flat tyre and your GSM mobile isn't in range... That's what a satellite phone or Codan style HF radio are for.
They may be 'experienced bushmen'in that these blokes lived in the bush, but in my book they're still 'idiots' and have paid for it with their lives.
Friday, April 08, 2005
So they caught the bloke again...
Recaptured murderer appears in WA court
Finally they caught the dude again...
I guess he had urgent business to attend to, but why would you escape the the cushy 'confines' of a prison farm to go live in the bush? He gave up the three free meals a day and pleasant surroundings of the farm, to go and rough it in the bush on the outskirts of Perth, where he couldn't show his face anyway.
Now he should/will be thrown back into maximum security. He should've been there in the first place, but who can explain how some of the controlling bodies work!?!
Finally they caught the dude again...
I guess he had urgent business to attend to, but why would you escape the the cushy 'confines' of a prison farm to go live in the bush? He gave up the three free meals a day and pleasant surroundings of the farm, to go and rough it in the bush on the outskirts of Perth, where he couldn't show his face anyway.
Now he should/will be thrown back into maximum security. He should've been there in the first place, but who can explain how some of the controlling bodies work!?!
Gas + ignition source = boom
Restaurant blown apart by roach bombs
An update on my last entry... It turns out that not only did they use an unbelievable number of roach bombs, they also left a pilot light for the stove on. So the large amount of gas from the bombs, along with the tiny flame created a BIG boom...
An update on my last entry... It turns out that not only did they use an unbelievable number of roach bombs, they also left a pilot light for the stove on. So the large amount of gas from the bombs, along with the tiny flame created a BIG boom...
Thursday, April 07, 2005
Urban warriors use new weapon... roach bombs
Cockroach bombs main suspect in explosion
When I first heard this story on the news this morning I laughed... Who in their right mind would use 36 roach bombs in a building at the same time!?! They must've had a huuge bug problem...
When I've used them I've used at most 2 for the whole house, so surely 4 or 5 would've been the most that they would've needed.
"We don't need an exterminator, let's get a heap of roach bombs instead and save money."
"Hmm... One bomb does two average size rooms... We better get four times the number recommended to do a real good job..."
I wonder how the bugs in the restaurant faired. Probably better than the silly blokes that set them off. It would be interesting to know what set it off...
Edit: It turns out that the numnuts left the pilot light for the stove light. Gas + Ignition source = Boom...
When I first heard this story on the news this morning I laughed... Who in their right mind would use 36 roach bombs in a building at the same time!?! They must've had a huuge bug problem...
When I've used them I've used at most 2 for the whole house, so surely 4 or 5 would've been the most that they would've needed.
"We don't need an exterminator, let's get a heap of roach bombs instead and save money."
"Hmm... One bomb does two average size rooms... We better get four times the number recommended to do a real good job..."
I wonder how the bugs in the restaurant faired. Probably better than the silly blokes that set them off. It would be interesting to know what set it off...
Edit: It turns out that the numnuts left the pilot light for the stove light. Gas + Ignition source = Boom...
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Feral cat removal should not involve beating it over the head...
Words almost fail me
The above story is about Cam's ghastly encounter with the pest controller from hell and a feral cat.
I was shocked to the point that I needed to write a letter to the local council about this matter. Thankfully, the team at the Kalgoorlie Boulder Council were also disgusted by the act and have requested the RSPCA to investigate the matter.
Below is the reply to my email sent to the council, and my original email.
The above story is about Cam's ghastly encounter with the pest controller from hell and a feral cat.
I was shocked to the point that I needed to write a letter to the local council about this matter. Thankfully, the team at the Kalgoorlie Boulder Council were also disgusted by the act and have requested the RSPCA to investigate the matter.
Below is the reply to my email sent to the council, and my original email.
Dear Randall
Thank you for your email regarding this unfortunate matter.
As such, I have the line management responsibility for animal control within the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder.
In the case of animal control, the City as a local government within Western Australia has responsibility under the Dog Act and its associated regulations to deal with dogs. There is no such legislation for the control of cats except where the Animal Welfare Act which allows certain officers to remove injured animals.
Until recently, the City would remove feral cats. However, this was changed in light of legal advice that the City could be held legally liable for disposing of a cat that may belong to another person.
The practice used by the contractor in this instance was inappropriate and regrettable. As a cat owner all my life, I found this incident very distressing and one of utter disbelief that such practices are still used in this day and age.
Accordingly, the RSPCA has now been requested by the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder to investigate this incident and I have directed the Ranger Services Branch to look at alternative arrangements for the removal of feral cats. I also understand that Peter Wilden the City's Senior Ranger, who handled and acted in good faith in this matter, has spoken to Cameron and they have discussed the above outcomes.
Should you need to discuss this matter further or if I can provide further advice, please contact me.
Regards
Sean Fletcher
Manager Governance and Administration
PO Box 2042
BOULDER WA 6432
Ph: 9021 9625
Fax: 9021 6113
Email: Sean_Fletcher@kalbould.wa.gov.au
To
mailbag@kalbould.wa.gov.au
cc
Subject
Cruelty to animals, pest or not...
Dear Sir
I am writing to you in disbelief after a friend of mine told me of what had happened at his home yesterday. My friend had a feral cat invade his home and terrorise his pets. He managed to lock it in the laundry, because it was 2am, and the next day (yesterday) called the ranger to arrange a humane removal of the animal.
After contacting the ranger, he said he couldn't do anything unless the animal was injured. I don't know how this could be correct as I often see ranger vehicles collecting stray dogs that appear in fine health to me. Anyway, the ranger put him onto a pest control service that the council had previously used.
The pest controller arrived and proceeded to beat the cat to death with a baton in my friend's laundry. This is appalling!! The fact that this heathen would use this manner to end the cat's life is terrible, but to
do it in front of my friend and his partner is disgusting and irresponsible!!
I believe the rules for the ranger should be changed to accommodate situations like this, and not advise people to use this imcompetent pest controller for anything but bug extermination.
Monday, April 04, 2005
What type of low life steals a bin?
The world's pretty messed up when dickheads start stealing your bin in broad daylight... *shakes head*
Friday is our bin day so I had the bin on the verge out the front of our block of units. I forgot to bring it in on Friday night and thought I would grab it when I got back from work on Saturday morning. It was there when I left for work Saturday...
So I get back from work... Hmmm, no bin, my gf must've brought it in.
"No, I didn't bring it in...", she says.
"Fk it, some low life, chicken ass lickin, pond scum has stolen our damn bin...", says me, or words to that effect... hehe
Anyway, this morning I rang the shire to get a new bin, thinking it wouldn't be a drama...
"You have to report the bin stolen to the police and get a number, and then contact SITA and they will replace the bin .", says the shire lady.
"Ahh, okay"...
So I ring the police and spoke to a nice, young sounding female constable.
"Hi, I need to report my bin stolen..."
"Uh huh... Whats the details of the bin?"
"Its a big green sulo bin...", says me, "You're not going to actually look for it are you?"
"No... Here's your IR number... Bye"
Ring back the shire, get put through to SITA and I'll have a 'new' bin Wednesday... I just thought it was so laughable that I actually had to report the bin stolen...
Anyway, I'll be painting some big ass numbers on the new bin. Maybe I should paint it pink too!! That should make it safer... :-)
Friday is our bin day so I had the bin on the verge out the front of our block of units. I forgot to bring it in on Friday night and thought I would grab it when I got back from work on Saturday morning. It was there when I left for work Saturday...
So I get back from work... Hmmm, no bin, my gf must've brought it in.
"No, I didn't bring it in...", she says.
"Fk it, some low life, chicken ass lickin, pond scum has stolen our damn bin...", says me, or words to that effect... hehe
Anyway, this morning I rang the shire to get a new bin, thinking it wouldn't be a drama...
"You have to report the bin stolen to the police and get a number, and then contact SITA and they will replace the bin .", says the shire lady.
"Ahh, okay"...
So I ring the police and spoke to a nice, young sounding female constable.
"Hi, I need to report my bin stolen..."
"Uh huh... Whats the details of the bin?"
"Its a big green sulo bin...", says me, "You're not going to actually look for it are you?"
"No... Here's your IR number... Bye"
Ring back the shire, get put through to SITA and I'll have a 'new' bin Wednesday... I just thought it was so laughable that I actually had to report the bin stolen...
Anyway, I'll be painting some big ass numbers on the new bin. Maybe I should paint it pink too!! That should make it safer... :-)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)