Government. Where to.

[Yenn]

Our government in Qld is going, but I have no idea where.

 

They have recently approved the Adani coal mine, but are now in court with them, because they have allegedly broken the environmental laws.

 

They have announced that they are shutting down all the State Forests. That is the ones they didn't give to Hancocks for 100 years. All the softwood plantations are in the Hancocks lease and I have heard that 250000 tonnes of timber has been exported from 2 ports in Qld. The lease stipulated that plantations have to be replanted when logged, but so far I am told there has been little or no replanting.

 

I don't know what is going to happen to the state forests that are being shut down, but it could be that they will become national parks. That means that they will no longer be available to people who have dogs or horses, they will also shut down the apiary sites, but worst of all they will become weed infested and no longer even be able to provide good timber.

 

Have you travelled in Qld recently, if so you will no doubt have come across the big provider of jobs in the state. We have had ongoing roadworks between my home and the airstrip I use for 7 months, speed restrictions and traffic lights. The annoying thing is that the available road is well over the original width when it was 100kph and there are more people employed controlling the traffic, than those actually doing any work.

 

The latest is that they are going to make some sort of steel tube filled with concrete and broken glass illegal. That is because demonstrators are using them to prevent police from releasing them from where they have chained themselves. They cause physical harm to the police. I really wonder what goes on in a politicians head when they want to ban such things. First they ban guns, then knives, then sticks, then stones and a long list of other things to follow. Would it not be better to ban anything that is carried to a demonstration, to be used to cause injury to any other person. If the made a law to that effect it could cover a multitude of things, not only the stuff they know about now, but anything that can be used in the future.

 

After writing this I have suddenly realised where they are going. Broke, and I don't mean that little place South of Singleton.

 

 

[Litespeed]

Making special laws and special classes of offence with draconian penalties to stop dissent and protest is the realm of a police state of dictatorship.

 

We already have sufficient laws to deal with this issues and it is merely a case of crushing any dissent. The same goes with special laws for farmers. It is already punishable with trespass.

 

Special laws for special groups makes them above all others when it comes to law. So much for democracy and the blindness of justice.

 

We are also actively trying to jail whistleblowers and journalists.

 

Is this the new Stalin state?

 

Australia, from convicts to a police state.

 

 

[Marty_d]

Maybe they miss the old Bjelke-Petersen days when the police power was pretty much absolute.

 

I heard their premier on the radio this morning and she sounded like an absolute joke. Good on the Extinction Rebellion protesters for non-violent civil disobedience protesting. This has worked on other issues in the past - environmental issues and gay rights here in Tasmania, for a start. Yes it's annoying to commuters, but the issues are far more important than some traffic disruption.

 

 

[facthunter]

Remove the right to peaceful protests and you have someplace not fit to live in pretty quickly. Nev

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

I suspect police and other authorities already had enough powers, without all the targeted legislation.

 

I recall having a copper politely but firmly insist we remove all the light bits of wood holding up our anti-war banners. No reason for banning them. Same with anti-bikie legislation. Actually enforcing a few laws seems beyond our coppers; how come Harleys with no mufflers are so common on our streets?

 

 

[facthunter]

They are not the only ones with altered exhausts and engine braking is more noisy so lets see the big picture. A Noisy bike is no fun to ride any distance particularly if it's doing 12,000 revs or more. Nev

 

 

[old man emu]

Noisy Harleys, noisy Holden utes, emphasemic Subarus, CAT-engined Land Cruisers. It seems that too much time spent looking at screens during the early teens turns the phallus into a loud speaker.

 

 

[facthunter]

Unrestricted Subaru exhausts sound like it's running with one plug lead off. The best sound is a 911 E on song or a Sea Fury /Bristol freighter starting.. Nev

 

 

[Litespeed]

Best for a car is a old Alfa V6 echoing of canyon walls.

 

 

[Yenn]

Best sounding car I have heard recently was a friends 4WD, towing a caravan. A hybrid, Mitsubishi I think. Absolutely silent. No comparison to a Commer Knocker 5 miles away.

 

 

[willedoo]

Unrestricted Subaru exhausts sound like it's running with one plug lead off. The best sound is a 911 E on song or a Sea Fury /Bristol freighter starting.. Nev

 

 

[Marty_d]

Noisy Harleys, noisy Holden utes, emphasemic Subarus, CAT-engined Land Cruisers. It seems that too much time spent looking at screens during the early teens turns the phallus into a loud speaker.

Don't you remember the big V8 supercars of the late 70's?

 

Young drivers have always been attracted by noise. Screens have nothing to do with it.

 

 

[old man emu]

Yes I remember the 70's muscle cars, but they were not driven with the complete disregard to the peace of the community that their modern equivalents are now. Back then we hadn't been so degraded by American influences such as the "Fast and Furious" franchise, nor were after-market performance items so relatively cheap.

 

 

[facthunter]

The Commer "knocker" was extremely noisy as unrestricted 2 strokes exhausts can be.Nev

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

No exhaust is as stirring as the sound of a Ducati V-twin decelerating downhill into a corner.

 

 

[old man emu]

 

CHECK THIS STORY

 

Commer "knocker" engine is back

 

 

[Litespeed]

No exhaust is as stirring as the sound of a Ducati V-twin decelerating downhill into a corner.

Yes, they sound good but not as good as a Guzzi Le mans with reverse cones. That can wake the dead and make em dance the jig.

 

And from experience the Ducati sound on the over run can be followed by the sound of complete engine and gearbox destruction. And naturally the slightly quieter scream in the helmet as the rear locks up as a corner approaches.

 

I missed the oncoming truck by inches and the bike was only a good frame and bodywork. The owner was devastated, he had just had it restored.

 

A very sad indictment on 80's Ducatis

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

In my experience, their ad slogan was well-earned:

 

When you're coming into a corner at the wrong speed, on the wrong line, in the wrong gear...

 

You'll be glad you own a Ducati.

 

 

[Litespeed]

Until it self destructs as you arrive at the corner.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Maybe I was the lucky one. My Ducati was pretty reliable, despite lots of evidence of poor quality control.

 

The engine, handling and ignition were excellent. Switches replaced with Japanese ones early on and some damage to rear shock mounts and rim from rough roads. It coped with the rough treatment it got from me.

 

 

[facthunter]

The early Roundcase Desmo's were not reliable. They has angular contact ball races for maiunbearings and a fairly low life big end and the valve gear requiered frequent adjustment as well as too long a wheel base certainly by today's standards. They looked good. Nev

 

 

[Litespeed]

I had the LeMans which was like a BMW of the era which I also owned were extremely tough mechanically.

 

Both did 200,000 km plus with minimal attention bar normal services which are very simple at home.

 

The desmo was a specialist job, often and expensive. Most if my mates ran big desmo or pantah engines. None got much past 40,000 kms without major work. Rebuild prices even when friends with a ducati specialist Gowanlochs made the eyes water.

 

The one that made a valiant effort to kill me was a concourse quality Pantah 600, and was a extremely well sorted machine rebuilt by the Sydney experts only 3,000 kms earlier.

 

It was never riding super hard and at the time I was cruising on the way to the Philip Island. The group had sped ahead, I in deference to my friends machine was taking it easy.

 

Its rear rod split, impacted the crankcase, shattered and destroyed the gearbox. The classic leg out of bed syndrome. So unfortunately no ability to use the clutch to unlock the rear wheel.

 

I survived but mechanically the machine was a complete write off.

 

I managed to stay upright, which was amazing in hindsight. Then spent a few hours on the grass watching the stars and relaxing with a medicinal herb.

 

My devastated mate returned after finding I was not at the next planned stop. He was on his other identical but silver Ducati.

 

It was a very sad night and a show winner was no more.

 

I do like Ducatis but am wary.

 

I agree with Nev, they look great, sound great and are stable at speed.

 

But absolutely hate rough roads and dirt invites a easy fall.

 

The Guzzi and BMW had no such problems and made excellent fast touring machines.

 

Note the Guzzi had Laverda adjustable bars and a different seat to make it comfortable. My Brothers le mans was stock bar a better standard style seat and was very hard on the wrists and bum. Not a touring machine except for masochist's.

 

 

[facthunter]

The later ones are a big improve. They have about the best combustion chamber technology out there. Amazing development for a relatively small company . There's a limit to the power you can get from an aircoled motor and especially so for a non alcohol 4 valves /cylinder air cooled motor so you just gotta go liquid cooled to be in the top stakes. Been that way for a long while now. for anything over 50 HP/Litre. For collectors the simplicity of Aircooled is a plus as is non injected. . IF you want to ride something over 40 or so years old you don't want it over complicated or with too much zinc based alloy or neoprene ducts and plastic parts. Nev

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

...I managed to stay upright, which was amazing in hindsight. Then spent a few hours on the grass watching the stars and relaxing with a medicinal herb...

Litey I can commiserate, having had similar happen a few times, but I didn't have any medicinal herb to ease the pain. Did it ever impair your riding?

 

...But absolutely hate rough roads and dirt invites a easy fall.

 

The Guzzi and BMW had no such problems and made excellent fast touring machines...

I totally agree. I rode my Ducati far and fast, with big loads, where the long wheelbase and rake made it stable and forgiving. Anything loose was deadly. During one ride on a sandy track I swapped bikes with a mate. I could control his Beemer with one hand, but in the mirrors I could see him fighting my Ducati for survival.

 

 

[Litespeed]

The herbal remedy was for relaxing after the ride in general. It certainly helped sooth raw nerves, thinking of how devasted my friend would be. It allowed a philosophical approach to the problem.

 

My mate was just happy his stead had not killed me. He rode to his uncles farm and grabbed a ute, them back to Sydney. We rested and come night at 9 pm jumped in my Fairmont V8 for a quick run to catch the penguins before sunrise. And beat my slack mates who stopped overnight at a pub.

 

I was particularly naughty, travel time 8 hrs 30 mins.

 

Ah the good old days.

 

Yeah the old R series BMW was a incredible touring machine and dirt road touring was magical. The greatest machine for the job ever created.