Motorists will notice a new fuel blend pump at their petrol outlet in coming weeks - but they dare not use it in their car !
We are about to get Bio E-Flex fuel - which will be designated as E-85. This is a car fuel that will contain 85% ethanol - and consequently will have a massive drop in harmful emissions.
The soon to be released next model of the Holden Commodore will have a " flex: engine system that can use both normal petrol and E-85, and it is also suitable for some European built cars. It is expected that other manufacturers will quickly follow suit.
This is a natural progression from the presently available E-10 - a blend of ten percent ethanol - and we can expect that E-85 will be at a significantly lower price because of it's increased ethanol content.
But - don't break out the champagne just yet !
Remember when the government was pushing motorists to convert their cars to liquid petroleum gas ? It was heaps - and heaps - and heaps cheaper than petrol !
Look at the price of gas now !
And remember that the tax man never loses out in the long run !
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
What price for sex ?
A young woman working for department store David Jones had an unfortunate encounter with it's chief executive. He asked her for a bit of nookey !
She complained - and the store did the right thing. The chief executive got fired !
Now this young woman is suing David Jones and it's directors - for an amazing thirty-seven million dollars. She says she is entitled to five percent of the chief executives salary - and five percent of the stores annual profits.
Just why she thinks that a simple request for sex should result in the store paying such a penalty is unclear.
Ever since the opposing genders of male and female appeared on the earth the battle for sexual favours has raged. There must be few men on this planet who have not coveted some woman in their lifetime - and few women who have not been flattered to find that a man finds them attractive.
The only issue here seems to be the status of the male concerned. As the chief executive, this guy had power ! He could promote - or he could deliver retribution for a refusal - and for that indiscretion he was cast adrift and lost a well paying job.
It seems that David Jones did the right thing - and this young woman claims that all she wanted was to be " treated with respect ".
Surely firing the offender was a reasonable outcome - and this claim for a ridiculous amount of money is sheer opportunism !
Or perhaps a bold move to grab fame and fortune by becoming a " celebrity " !
She complained - and the store did the right thing. The chief executive got fired !
Now this young woman is suing David Jones and it's directors - for an amazing thirty-seven million dollars. She says she is entitled to five percent of the chief executives salary - and five percent of the stores annual profits.
Just why she thinks that a simple request for sex should result in the store paying such a penalty is unclear.
Ever since the opposing genders of male and female appeared on the earth the battle for sexual favours has raged. There must be few men on this planet who have not coveted some woman in their lifetime - and few women who have not been flattered to find that a man finds them attractive.
The only issue here seems to be the status of the male concerned. As the chief executive, this guy had power ! He could promote - or he could deliver retribution for a refusal - and for that indiscretion he was cast adrift and lost a well paying job.
It seems that David Jones did the right thing - and this young woman claims that all she wanted was to be " treated with respect ".
Surely firing the offender was a reasonable outcome - and this claim for a ridiculous amount of money is sheer opportunism !
Or perhaps a bold move to grab fame and fortune by becoming a " celebrity " !
Monday, 2 August 2010
Safety - and the coming fire season !
The Black Saturday Royal Commission report has been released, and it is suggested that it's recommendations will be studied by those responsible for fire safety in the Illawarra.
This area is unique in that we live with a forested escarpment that presents a huge fire danger. It last burned about 1968 - and since then there has been a steady increase in homes built on the edge of the tree line.
Just what evacuation plan exists in case of a major fire - and where can residents obtain a copy ?
Where are the emergency assembly points ? Where are the designated " safe spots " for residents to shelter ? How will evacuation warnings be conveyed to those in danger ?
The Black Saturday Royal Commission report is really nothing more than an investigation of the short comings of preparation for a fire event in Victoria that killed 197 people.
It should be taken as a warning for the Illawarra to get ready for the inevitable burning of the escarpment - which is a absolute certainty to happen some time in the future.
Otherwise - we will eventually be reading an " Illawarra Catastrophe Royal Commission report - detailing the short comings of preparation for a fire event that caused many deaths in this region.
It's not a matter of " if " it happens ! Merely a case of " when " !
This area is unique in that we live with a forested escarpment that presents a huge fire danger. It last burned about 1968 - and since then there has been a steady increase in homes built on the edge of the tree line.
Just what evacuation plan exists in case of a major fire - and where can residents obtain a copy ?
Where are the emergency assembly points ? Where are the designated " safe spots " for residents to shelter ? How will evacuation warnings be conveyed to those in danger ?
The Black Saturday Royal Commission report is really nothing more than an investigation of the short comings of preparation for a fire event in Victoria that killed 197 people.
It should be taken as a warning for the Illawarra to get ready for the inevitable burning of the escarpment - which is a absolute certainty to happen some time in the future.
Otherwise - we will eventually be reading an " Illawarra Catastrophe Royal Commission report - detailing the short comings of preparation for a fire event that caused many deaths in this region.
It's not a matter of " if " it happens ! Merely a case of " when " !
Sunday, 1 August 2010
Insider trading !
We have some very strange laws on the books these days ! If anyone gets a little privileged information and uses that to profit from share trading they can be arrested and charged with " insider trading ".
Yet we can legally bet on horses, dogs, all forms of football and other sports - and who wins or loses elections !
Now it appears that the politicians are laying bets on not only the outcome of the Federal election due later this month - but the state election to be held early next year.
It seems that this betting is often on the basis that the party they represent losing the election will reward them with a profit.
It would seem to many that this is a form of insider trading. Not only do politicians have access to the intense voter samplings taken out by all political parties, but they are in a position to influence the outcome.
Some may even wonder if the stream of cabinet leaks undermining Julia Gillard's chance of election victory are coming from a political insider with a big wager on a Labor loss !
If so, we have reached a new low in politics !
Yet we can legally bet on horses, dogs, all forms of football and other sports - and who wins or loses elections !
Now it appears that the politicians are laying bets on not only the outcome of the Federal election due later this month - but the state election to be held early next year.
It seems that this betting is often on the basis that the party they represent losing the election will reward them with a profit.
It would seem to many that this is a form of insider trading. Not only do politicians have access to the intense voter samplings taken out by all political parties, but they are in a position to influence the outcome.
Some may even wonder if the stream of cabinet leaks undermining Julia Gillard's chance of election victory are coming from a political insider with a big wager on a Labor loss !
If so, we have reached a new low in politics !
Saturday, 31 July 2010
Creeping paralysis !
Have you ever noticed how swiftly new ordinances come into effect - and how slowly relief from change is implemented ?
Way back Wollongong police station required rebuilding and the cops moved to temporary premises further down Market street. Within hours the northern side of the new Market street headquarters was plastered with " Police vehicles only " signs - but of course the old " Police Vehicle only " signs remained outside the building to be renovated.
Then - when the renovations were complete and the cops were back in their shiny new headquarters - what happened to the signs restricting parking outside the now abandoned temporary offices ?
It took almost a year before they were finally removed - denying Wollongong drivers valuable parking space.
Now we have a new example of " creeping paralysis ".
The Princes Highway through Woonona is subjected to clearway zones to help move traffic at peak - except that for months Woonona has been by-passed by the Northern Distributor extension.
Finally - the restriction signs will come down and parking will be permitted at former clearway times - but that won't happen until the end of August.
Just how much time does it take for a guy with a screwdriver to remove a few signs attached to poles kerbside ?
It's not the guy with the screwdriver that is the problem. It's the bureaucrats with creeping paralysis minds - and the politicians that instruct them - that slow progress !
Way back Wollongong police station required rebuilding and the cops moved to temporary premises further down Market street. Within hours the northern side of the new Market street headquarters was plastered with " Police vehicles only " signs - but of course the old " Police Vehicle only " signs remained outside the building to be renovated.
Then - when the renovations were complete and the cops were back in their shiny new headquarters - what happened to the signs restricting parking outside the now abandoned temporary offices ?
It took almost a year before they were finally removed - denying Wollongong drivers valuable parking space.
Now we have a new example of " creeping paralysis ".
The Princes Highway through Woonona is subjected to clearway zones to help move traffic at peak - except that for months Woonona has been by-passed by the Northern Distributor extension.
Finally - the restriction signs will come down and parking will be permitted at former clearway times - but that won't happen until the end of August.
Just how much time does it take for a guy with a screwdriver to remove a few signs attached to poles kerbside ?
It's not the guy with the screwdriver that is the problem. It's the bureaucrats with creeping paralysis minds - and the politicians that instruct them - that slow progress !
Friday, 30 July 2010
Another mad medical decision !
What do you do if a family member gets sick over the weekend, when doctor's surgeries are closed ?
You phone the Radio Doctors service - and one of the rostered local doctors makes a house call, treats the patient - and bulk bills the call.
What do you do if the Radio Doctors service closes down ?
Call an ambulance - or put the sick person in the car and take them to the hospital's emergency department.
We have emergency departments groaning under the pressure, and yet NSW health is planning to cut funding for the Radio Doctors service for a two year period - meaning it will be financially unviable - and will probably be disbanded.
The work carried out by Radio Doctors will pass to the new " Medicare Locals ", supposedly working out of the new Superclinics - but this will not get under way until 2013. - and there are indications that these Superclinics will not operate 24/7.
It simply goes to show that the opinion held by many people is correct.
The mob we have running health would not be capable of successfully raffling a duck !
You phone the Radio Doctors service - and one of the rostered local doctors makes a house call, treats the patient - and bulk bills the call.
What do you do if the Radio Doctors service closes down ?
Call an ambulance - or put the sick person in the car and take them to the hospital's emergency department.
We have emergency departments groaning under the pressure, and yet NSW health is planning to cut funding for the Radio Doctors service for a two year period - meaning it will be financially unviable - and will probably be disbanded.
The work carried out by Radio Doctors will pass to the new " Medicare Locals ", supposedly working out of the new Superclinics - but this will not get under way until 2013. - and there are indications that these Superclinics will not operate 24/7.
It simply goes to show that the opinion held by many people is correct.
The mob we have running health would not be capable of successfully raffling a duck !
Thursday, 29 July 2010
Gun at head tactics !
Wollongong council appointed a Parking Review Committee to try and unscramble the mess that it has created by installing parking meters against the wishes of the citizens of this city.
They were unwanted - and unneeded - and now they are sending the retail hub broke because people no longer drive into the city to shop.
The idea was to hear from the community and seek ideas that might resolve the issue - but yesterday the council emailed committee members to tell them they were sacked. The council is not interested in their input - because it differs from what the council wants to happen.
Council wants to tinker around the edges, reduce the fee for time parking - and keep those meters pouring money into council coffers.
The committee people want to save businesses by imposing a three month moratorium - while the whole subject of parking meters is examined. It could well be at the end of that period the decision is to " rip 'em out " and suffer the loss that originated from a bad decision.
Council didn't like the message the community representatives were bringing - so it simply shot the messengers !
So - without community input we will have only one area of decision !
The council point of view !
So much for democracy !
They were unwanted - and unneeded - and now they are sending the retail hub broke because people no longer drive into the city to shop.
The idea was to hear from the community and seek ideas that might resolve the issue - but yesterday the council emailed committee members to tell them they were sacked. The council is not interested in their input - because it differs from what the council wants to happen.
Council wants to tinker around the edges, reduce the fee for time parking - and keep those meters pouring money into council coffers.
The committee people want to save businesses by imposing a three month moratorium - while the whole subject of parking meters is examined. It could well be at the end of that period the decision is to " rip 'em out " and suffer the loss that originated from a bad decision.
Council didn't like the message the community representatives were bringing - so it simply shot the messengers !
So - without community input we will have only one area of decision !
The council point of view !
So much for democracy !
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