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Post by sigurdur on Feb 1, 2017 4:01:48 GMT
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Post by sigurdur on Feb 1, 2017 4:05:03 GMT
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Post by sigurdur on Feb 1, 2017 4:25:41 GMT
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Post by sigurdur on Feb 1, 2017 4:33:04 GMT
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Post by missouriboy on Feb 1, 2017 4:57:02 GMT
Good knowing you too Ratty.  |
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Post by Ratty on Feb 1, 2017 8:04:13 GMT
I'm in the "needs to be fundamentally changed" group. We have far too many politicians and fat to much bureaucracy in Australia. We have parliaments in each of the states and the larger territories plus a federal government. Much of the responsibility is duplicated by both state & federal. If talkback radio is any indication, there is a mood to dismantle the states and have the Feds sit atop local government areas. It makes sense (to me anyway  ) but I suspect it will never happen. Too many fat cats. We have 226 federal members and 631 from the states and territories. |
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Post by Ratty on Feb 1, 2017 8:06:41 GMT
Spying on my local government authority now, are we?  |
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Post by Ratty on Feb 1, 2017 8:15:35 GMT
We have plenty of high quality coal and building modern coal-fired plants is a no brainer. Problem is, in some circles, you dare not mention the word coal. This cartoon sums up our weak PM:  |
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Post by Ratty on Feb 1, 2017 8:21:12 GMT
Good knowing you too Ratty. I'm going nowhere ..... unless you know something I don't!  |
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Post by missouriboy on Feb 1, 2017 14:02:47 GMT
Here is a site that summarizes the cost of a standard package of goods and services based on user-provided (expat) data. Not being an economist, I've often wondered why it is that OZ and New Zealand are so pricey on a comparative basis. The last time I visited (~2000) it didn't feel so bad because the AUD was trading at 2 to the USD. So why is the COL in OZ as high as Hawaii? Don't you make anything anymore? After all, China is just next door. www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/index |
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Post by missouriboy on Feb 1, 2017 14:22:45 GMT
I'm in the "needs to be fundamentally changed" group. We have far too many politicians and fat to much bureaucracy in Australia. We have parliaments in each of the states and the larger territories plus a federal government. Much of the responsibility is duplicated by both state & federal. If talkback radio is any indication, there is a mood to dismantle the states and have the Feds sit atop local government areas. It makes sense (to me anyway ) but I suspect it will never happen. Too many fat cats. We have 226 federal members and 631 from the states and territories. The Jeffersonian view was that local government was the only legitimate government ... meaning they are close enough to catch and abuse if they screw up. The Federal government only exists to provide 'required' services that the states specifically gave up in our founding documents. Needless to say, the Feds have seriously overstepped their bounds. Occasionally, we have to step in and clean house ... hence Trump. We fought a bloody 'war of separation' over the issue of ... We don't much like our 1%, but it's ours, and we hate your 1%, and we will not submit to being ruled by it... so there! (the so-called American Civil War in a nutshell). Long live the city mayor, the county administrator and the state governor. The later being added only if he/she knows their place.  The civics textbooks should get it right. We will fly whatever flag we want to! |
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Post by sigurdur on Feb 1, 2017 19:17:56 GMT
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Post by acidohm on Feb 1, 2017 22:33:56 GMT
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Post by missouriboy on Feb 1, 2017 22:46:02 GMT
Mr Hamon remains an outsider, drawing roughly 15% in national polls. His promises to shorten the working week to 32 hours, legalise cannabis and finance a universal monthly income of €750 through a tax on robots were dismissed by his detractors—including Mr Valls—as Utopian reverie.
Oh Yeah? Just try making them pay!
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Post by Ratty on Feb 1, 2017 23:02:52 GMT
Here is a site that summarizes the cost of a standard package of goods and services based on user-provided (expat) data. Not being an economist, I've often wondered why it is that OZ and New Zealand are so pricey on a comparative basis. The last time I visited (~2000) it didn't feel so bad because the AUD was trading at 2 to the USD. So why is the COL in OZ as high as Hawaii? Don't you make anything anymore? After all, China is just next door. www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/index We went looking for canned beetroot yesterday. Had to buy "Product of the USA" ..... |
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) but I suspect it will never happen. Too many fat cats.
The civics textbooks should get it right. We will fly whatever flag we want to!