Jerry_Atrick

In criminal law, when waorking out the mental element, there are two lenses the law will look at when judging an act - would a rational person have done the same thing.. and would an average person have done the same thing. When you think that these concepts have developed over centuries, the law at least things the average person does not quite hit the standard of the rational person. The notions of both are, of course subjective. And, the rationality of someone will depend on the context. For example, the builder I use is completely rational when it comes to building and has done some amazing things very innovatively. However, when it comes to managing his financial affairs, he is almost completely irrational. Sadly, a lot of people have little interest in politics, apart from the fact they know they are getting screwed by the system. Juts watch Punter Poltiics or Gary's Economics on youtube for some great content about how the average person is getting screwed to the benefiit of corporations and high net-worth individuals. Regardless of who gets in, nothing really changes. Things are marginally better under moderate governments (they are hardly left wing), but the status quo remains. And when governments are tight for money, they squeeze the average people harder... The impact is crushing, people are more pissed off as they see all of the concessions given to the upper end of town when they don't really need it.. The resentment to all sides of politics grows, but they aren't interested enough to delve into it. The sensational press, paid for by the corporates, etc, seed hatred with headlines and, if the readers care to read further, out of context reporting or downright lies, of which it is rare any press regulator holds them truly to account. Of course, the press are sowing hatred in sensatiuonalising things, and the leaders, who often lack moral compasses, use sound bytes to futher the division as they know most people won't hear beyond them. Chump is the consummate.. Sleepy Joe Biden, etc.. Even the trade wars, where he managed to convince his follwers that the exporters would pay them and not jack up their prices.. And let's not forget personal prejudices, which are often passed on from the generation before.. Cast your mind back to your school days.. Dagos, wogs (skips was a much later term), jews, slope-heads, etc.. Kids don't just hatch prejudices. All of this is mixing together with an increasing wealth and social gap, conditioned to believe it is the fault if immigrants, education, progressiveness (now called woke), etc (that is not to say there aren't issues in these things, but they are not the root cause of the issues of wealth and social gaps, and being squeezed out). Muchof Europe was poor before WWII, but Germany was doing it worse because of the controls put on them after WWi. This continual opression led to resentment, which led to acquiescence, if not support of third reich (riech meaning empire). Similar type of language to today - grand sounding, etc. People were pissed off, saw some early improvements when the Nazis took over, and thought this is better than what they had, so lets roll with it. Like Chump, the Nazis started subliminaly dismantling protections and freedoms, and it wasn't until it was too late, the sleepy average person woke up. The same is happening in the USA today. It is partially the failure of the moderates. For all their chest beating of levelling things up and working more the average American, there has been not much in the years they have been in place. Yes, it wasn't as bad as the Republicans, but that doesn't mean things have improved. The minimum wage hasn't moved since 2008, and there have been democrat and republican givernments in that time. Medicaid/Obama Care was a game changer, but, like the abortion issue, only impacts those that are sick enough to need to use it. Otherwise, under both administrations, it has been getting harder and harder for the lower and middle, and easier and easier for the wealthy. So, it does not surprise me that the majority support, or acquiesce to MAGA. I know Trumps ratings are negative at the moment, but when push comes to shove in the USA, who are they all going to vote for. I don't hink anyone picked the win like it was - both houses and the presidecy. It was a sharp rebuke The voter turnout amoongst the eligible population was the same as the last population, significantly up against historical elections, while the percentage against the total population of voting age was down from the last election, but looks around average historically, so increased voter apathy cannot be used as an excuse. It is only going to get uglier before it gets better. But the world is now crying out for leaders who will take bold steps to improve the living standards of the majority of the population and deal with the iussues faced by most of the population. Sadly, there doesn't seem to be any willing to do this, at least in the time required to do so.

Believe it or not, I do enjoy making people laugh. I was in a meeting and we were talking about how a supplier who was brought in to do something wasn't quite doing it so that department had to do it themselves. At which point, I said, "yeah, a bit like buying a dog and still havign to bark yourself." And one person erupted in fits of laughter, having never heard it before, and another said, no doubt an Australian saying...

The Fohn Effect in action!

Jeepers.. Issuing a few of these lately.

Apparentl Walmart increased their prices and he ripped right into them.. The party of the free market..pffft! https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-walmart-eat-tariffs-prices-b2753079.html Now, he looks to be screwing the American economy.. when prices rise and employment falls, and the poop hits the fan, he will probably come under quite some pressure. By then, it will eb too late because of economc lag/inertia. But, it isn't his fault.. It is the fault of the people who knew, or should bloody well ought to have known what he was going to do... andf still voted him in.. Feel sorry for the vast minority of Americans that voted the other way.. But the democratsa did shoot themselves in the foot.

There's probably a minimum number of seats in either house before parliament recognises the political party for the purposes of allowances and support.. If you type this into Google, it will give you an AI response for House of Reps.. "australian federal parliament rules regading recongising a party bor purposes of allowances"

Or AI

Just make sure you back up those precious memories

Bit of a lovers' quarrel?

They're talking about a drought in England this summer..

The mind boggles

Does that mean you can avoid a shark attack if you wear a dry suit?

OK. that was groan worthy... But then, Stormy Daniels came to mind...

Bit of rumpy Chumpy! About as good as anything else he does.

Yes - one of the reasons of the need for massive infrastruture investment in Victoria (and not only Melbourne) is the underinvestment in in many decades prior - from both ALP and Lib governments. And, when it was too neglected to ignore, the kitty was already bare. I don't think anyone is advocating completely stopping the investment. But to take the tree metaphor, if we plant that many tree that they all compete for resources and wither and die, or the wrong trees, or in the wrong place, then it will be all for nought. I get that the 'burbs are developing in the west at a rapid rate. The Western corridor between Weribbee and Laverton, and the surrounds (Tarneit, etc) are well developed now, and of course, the development connecting Laverton to Deer Park via Truganina, Derrimut and the like, and the development north of Deer Park, and west towards Rock Bank require infrastructure. But aren't they adequately serviced by the Domain Tunnell/Westgate, and the Western Freeway as well as the Ring Road? Do we even need more roads, rather than focus on investment in developing convenient public transport as part of an urban mobility capability? Id following a USA based urban planning method the right thing for Melbourne? So we have a question of are we planting too many trees, and the right type of tree. And If we look at the Metro tunnel development, given the current access to Sunshine, do we need another tunnel from the Shrine to Sunshine? Is it the right location? The SRL may be a good investment as it invests in PT across the city; not using a hub and spoke system which only works if you want to go to the hub or not far from it. But if I lived in Werrbbee and wanted to go to Cheltenham, I am probably still better off using the car or go into Flinder Street and change trains to the Frankston line. What may be better than all those roads, is one or two more inner rail loops - possibly underground, so people can move more freely across the city. Herer is a London "Tube" Map. It shows interconnecting routes, and additional non-tube routes which can be used to negotiate the city. Didn't need a car when we lived in London, and only take one in as it is cheaper than the inter-city rail. Once in London, car doesn't move until until I need to get home. My niece and her boyfriend moved to London from Sydney about 6 months ago. They had to buy a car because their work is in the boon docks outside London, but they love London. Of course, the tubes run a lot more regularly than the trains in Melbourne and I guess Sydney, but that can be upped.. With a clean efficient, and unlike London, cheaper method of transport (Brisbane metro fares are at 50 cents, they don't have to be that cheap, but reasonably cheaper than a car), the roads would decongest somewhat, too.

John Gault's facebook page is here: https://www.facebook.com/john.gault.96/ He is not originally from the coutnry from what I can see.. Oakliegh is modest south eastern suburb of Melbourne. But, he has clearly made some money off the land, and is clearly right wing, looking at some of his posts. I agree that those who have the means to pay more should.. but that is somethign that is a wider discussion than this particular tax. For example, we are still giving our gas away to multinationals for free - shouldn't they pay for it.. they certainly have the means? The tax system has to be fairer, I agree. Also, you're right the government coudln't give two stuffs about your business, but there are other non-agri businesses that, if you took away the subsidies, would probably go broke - fossil being one. You have to whinge like a pom to get the government to care 😉

Here is a story on it: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-16/fire-levy-vote-passes-parliament-angers-farmers-emergency-tax/105295008 I agree with Nev, but there are different ways to manage it. As I recall, Australia generally had an unspken policy that those in rural and remote areas deserved a similar level of utilities (as far as practical) as more urban areas and that the bills for such utilities included the cost of supplying those areas - i..e there was a sort of defacto subsidisation. I recall some controversy over Telecom's bills in the day, but it was a generally accepted part of life in Aus. I don't see why rural Victoria, especially farmers would be required to disproptionately pay, especially when they are doing it fairly tough at the moment. The way I see it, the Allan government has made a pretence of everyong pitching in, but the reality, the ones disproprtionately pitching in are the ones that are unlikely to vote for her in 18 months' time. There are other ways to manage it. For example, there are still massive infrastructure investments, mainly in roads and the Tulla railway that could be paused or slowed to allow the economy to rebalance and breathing room to maintain the essentials. But that would mean probablyk releasing a heck of a lot of tradies works companies to compete in the normal market, which would probably drive prices lower, and since these people will be largely dran from ALP supporters, that will hit her already low relection chances. She could do what Jeff Kennett did when he took over from Joan Kirner and add a flat increase for a defined period of time to council rates, but that would impact far ore people from her voter base and she doesn't have the luxury of blaming the current woes on the other team.. She is also, as Joan Kirner was when she took over, captive to her party and backroom vested interests. Yes, the Libs leader would also be captive to their party ideology and vested factional interests, but having the luxury of blaming the other team is a very potent one in politics. What else can she do? The room to manoeuvre for any state premier isn't great. She can look at marginal increases to all of the revenue channells she has available to her. Here is a list: https://www.dtf.vic.gov.au/state-taxation-revenue. At the moment, the state revenues are $35bn or thereabouts. A 1% increase across the board will increase the coffers by $350m. I am not sure if that is what is required.. I can't find an amount the government say they need for the the fire service. But it should go a good way to what is needed.

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Himself ragged 10 miles

Was on my tablet when I wrote the above. post. The reason why this is no good is because Moodys was the last major ratings agency to take the US of its AAA rating, which is the first time, eiother ever or in a bloody long time that has been the case. The consensus of the all three major agencies signals some serious headinds that would allow you to land an A380 on a 20c piece. Maybe not quite that bad. Interestingly, the treaury and treasury futures have been stable, which tells us the marktets think it is not a bad thing or it is already priced in, but since yields haven't shot up massively over the last week or so, I am not sure that is the case. Though, in the G7 countries, the US is and has been for a while, the highest yielding over 10 year treasuries. It can't all be blamed on Chump, however. The US has been living outside its means for a very long time. However, Chumps 2017 and current policies are steepening the curve andd this outlook is what prompted Moody's to finally knock the US rating down a notch. It is still a safe bet, so I may be overplaying it a bit. However, it has lost its risk free status, and that will weigh in on the markets.

Oh boy, is not good: https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/moodys-downgrades-us-aa1-rating-2025-05-16/

Adam Selwood, ex-afl start and twin brother of Troy Selwood who died months earlier has also passed away: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-17/former-west-coast-adam-selwood-dies-months-after-twin-troy/105304924

If the effing dumb western pollies weren't blocking innovation in the sector thanks to their desire to maintain fossil fuels, the west would have probably been ahead in the energy infrastructure manufacturing and could introduce their own alleged kill switches

That's not what my wife says...