Land tax....WTF?

Now I am not a complete idiot, I do accept the taxation system and acknowledge that tax is a way of life and through paying taxes we have a good health system, good roads, good police, good firemen, public servants to administer this geat nation etc etc. I pay quite a bit of tax in way of income tax, stamp duties, GST, excise etc etc which I never complain about for the reason outlined above...........

BUT


........I recenty received a bill in the mail from the State Revenue Office (there is a statement in itself) stating that I have to pay A$500.00 odd for land tax. Ok, so what is land tax, this beast has never raised it's ugly head before. I saw the toll free number on the bill and rang the information office of the State Revenue department where I asked my question......

It turns out that because I have two properties and my "principal place of residence" (that is a quote) is in only one of them so I have to pay tax on the other one. Why......."because it is in the act" is the answer.....ok, so it is in the act, but what does this tax contribute towards, because I already pay rates on the property......."that is a local issue, this is in the State act" is the answer.....that doesn't answer my question....."it is in the act so it is payable" is the answer......ok, that's going no-where, what if i was to say that I am in a relationship and my partner and one of my children live in one property and I and another of my children live in the other property, thus making both properties a principal place of residence......."I must warn you that providing fraudulent information can result in a fine or imprisonment" is the answer......thank's for that, but you haven't answered my question....."I don't know the answer to that, other than you have told me that you reside at one of the residences and therefore the land tax is payable under the act" is the answer".......my final comment is that this is wrong and I do not agree with it and I plan to fight this crazy tax and I don't think I should have to pay this......"it is in the act" is the answer.....fuck the act.

Now, it just so happens that we moved from our lovely location (those who know us know this story) to be closer to our chosen school, expand our business and be closer to future opportunities for our children. We bought a house in town as we really liked it and could afford it (our bank manager told us this). We decided to put caution to the wind and more than double our mortgage to buy this place and then immediately put our property on the market. Regular readers of this blog would know that we have had real estate agent issues and the threat of bloody great pulp mill being build near the house as well as interest rates going up and up and up...people were simply not buying houses in that area. Fine, if our crystal ball was working we probably would have held off moving and tried to seel our first property before buying the one we are in now (aka - our principal place of residence). As punishment for our devil may care, go forth bravely into uncharters waters, brazen leap of wanton abandonment we have been paying an extremely large double mortgage to our bank for ten months, paying double rates, paying double insurance, maintaining two properties and working our collective arses off to exisit in these trying times.....now for the State government to tax us just because we have two properties and only live in one is absolutely crazy - it feels as though the government has penalized us for taking a risk to better our future. If the bloody government hadn't stretched it's bum cheeks for the reeming of the proponents of the pulp mill and spent our taxes on flogging a dead horse for so long then maybe my house would have been sold earlier and this wouldn't be an issue.

I just this this tax is wrong.

Choose Life

Let me first outline my definition of drugs. If you are taking something to escape something else or are taking something that you know WILL harm you or your future or the future of your loved ones for being associated with the drug, then DON'T DO DRUGS. Fine, call me a nerd or a square or old and boring, I DON'T CARE.

In my past I have known of two people who have committed suicide as a result of drugs, I have known of one person who has truely beaten the habit of hard drugs (and you are a legend and rock this world), I have known of three people whose life has been completely changed because of drugs (police convictions, effects of drugs on learning and sporting capacity). I know know of one person who is in a world of hell because of heroin right now.

I don't have the answers as I have never been very close to drug situations, just known about them. I have researched quite extensively on the internet of late the effects of heroin on the user, the effects on the family, the effects on society and have formed the opinon that of all the evils of the world, this is right up there.

DON'T TAKE DRUGS.

Quite scarey really...

Pretty scared at the moment about the world economic position. When you start to hear about banks closing their doors and presidents start appearing on television and offering up billions of tax payers dollars to prop up the stuff ups of the greedy masses, you should be concerned. I don't pretend to understand all of the in's and out's or even the basic principals as to why this has happened, but I listen to the radio and read the reports and try to understand as much as I can.
One question that keeps popping up in my mind is.....Is this the start of the change of world power as we know it? I am not talking religion here, purely capitalistic focus. Out of all the dramas that are currently taking place (USA on top of the list, UK, Europe) the two entities that are just sitting in the background quietly listening on are the two countries that just happen to have the most population int he world...China and India. I know that China has trillions of dollars sitting in the USA, I know that China are now self sufficent in their own economy.....it has been said to me that if China wrote off the trillions of USA currency they have then USA are finished and it wouldn't even raise a blip on the China eccomony (makes you think hey?).
It also makes me wonder why the two encumbants are working so hard for the presidency (McCain and Obama)...you would think the campain would now be "DONT VOTE FOR ME, IM VOTING FOR THE OTHER GUY"....who would want to clen up the mess!!.
It is tough days ahead and I think we are only at the start of all this. Time to keep your head down and plant some veges I think. Good luck all.

10 years have got behind you.......

First of all please allow me to pay homage to Richard Wright, the keyboard player for Pink Floyd. His compositions for Great Gig int he Sky, Us and Them and many many other Pink Floyd songs inspire me. To you Rick, see you on the Dark Side.

Make that 20 years have got behind you!!! (I am of course referring to the song Time by Pink Floyd). I recently attended my 20 year school reunion. I have to laugh....I went to two senior schools in the Blue Mountains in New South Wales - one a private school and one a public school. The invite for the public school is a PDF document floating around facebook to meet up in a pub in Sydney, whilst the private school invite is a full colour production to meet in a marque on the old rugby field for wine and jazz and then to retire to the one school site art gallery for a catered dinner and drinks.

So, I attended my private school reunion. What a quite amazing experience and very much surreal. Some people have not changed one bit in 20 years, where others appear to have aged 50 years let alone 20 years (drugs and drink seem to be the aging factors in a few of the ex students). The biggest surprise of all was to learn that the biggest clown of them all (the one who used to pick his nose and flick the boogers, catch his farts in his hands and share them...you know the one, every school has one) became the vice principal of the school. A brain surgon, a news producer, quite a few internet site designers, a few real estate types, a storeman (an dear old friend of mine who experienced some difficult times) and a girl who wins the prize for the most outstanding answer to the mandatory "what do you do for a living" question.....a shoemaker. Memories of events long ago filed in the section of brain only to be accessed during old age dementure were conjured up to the accompaniment of loud laughter and slaps on backs. From success on the rugby field, headmaster episodes, camping stories, old flame reminders to toasts for absent friends, the reunion was a great event. To those that say they have no desire to go to a reunion to meet up with people from the past, believe me when I say, there are those that want to meet up with you - if you get the opportunity, do not miss it.

My public school 20 year reuinon is on in three weeks time at a pub in the heart of Sydney. It will be different but I cannot wait to go. Watch this space.

Short Word: Sorry for my absence, I wil be trying to write more often here.

Politics

Tasmanian politics......scary. Here are some of the reason why I sometimes get a little worried about the future of the State. Yes, I stole this from one of the local rags in Tassie, but it does prove that I am not alone in my concerns. Reminds me a little of Papua New Guinea......

The top six reasons to be a concerned tax payer in Tasmania:

Police Commissioner Jack Johnston voluntarily stood down pending an inquiry into whether he improperly disclosed official secrets linked to a police investigation.

Former deputy premier Bryan Green being charged with the crime of attempting to interfere with an executive officer of the Crown in October 2006. The charge related to an agreement the then infrastructure minister signed with John White, head of the builder accreditation firm Tasmanian Compliance Corporation.


The decision to abort the Resource Planning and Development Commission assessment process for the planned Gunns pulp mill in favour of fast-tracking legislation through parliament.


Steve Kons becoming the second deputy premier to quit in as many years when he admitted lying to parliament in March this year.


Premier Paul Lennon resigning unexpectedly in May after four years in charge of the state, forcing another Cabinet reshuffle and the promotion of Mr Bartlett.


The Government facing possible legal action from a former ministerial driver who had an affair with Economic Development and Tourism Minister Paula Wriedt.

Conspicuous Silence.....

A bit concerned that there is a significant and foreboding silence about the Pulp Mill of late. There is a rally on the 23rd August 2008 at City park which I will be attending which should be interesting. My sources keep saying that they are just in the dark as everyone else and that they are just waiting in limbo (these are people who have significant money tied up in the contracts). I know the State are a bit pissed about being left in the lurch (Bartlett not being told about Scottsdale despite meeting with John Gay two days before the announcement of the redundancies left a bit of a sour taste I would beleive). I know if a contracting company that have sign lengthly leases for interstate and international contributors to the Mill that are also in limbo and slightly concerned that this is dragging on.

So much for the "absolutely must start construction September 2007" and rushing through Parliment to bypass the RPDC. Costing a million a day if construction not started then was my recollection of the statement made....must coming close to 365 million in the red by now (at least). Couldn't be the best senario for shareholders surely.

Can anyone else see the irony of bulldozing a local soccor field to build a head office and placing plastic cows on the grass......aka - Gunns head office in Tasmania.

Perhaps Gunns are just holding off the announcement that the Pulp Mill is scrapped until Spring so that the those having parties celebrating can be held in some warmth!!!!

Ting Tang.......

Well he came down to earth and he lit in a treeI said Mr. Purple People Eater, don't eat meI heard him say in a voice so gruffI wouldn't eat you cuz you're so tough.

It was a one-eyed, one-horned, flyin' purple people eaterOne-eyed, one-horned flyin' purple people eaterOne-eyed, one-horned, flyin' purple people eaterSure looks strange to me (One horn?)

.......My partner recently performed in the musical SHOUT! and one of the songs was Purple People Eater. I cannot get this BLOODY song out of my head....someone please shoot me.

Ticking away, the moments that make up a dull day.....

.......No Dull Days here my Pink Floydian devotees.

Oh, to only be frittering away the hours in front of a fire with a good book, or nibbling some cheese next a glass of Pinot, to watch a good movie that I have never seen before (becoming an extremely rare event!). Perhaps a week away at a beach house or a couple of days in a mountian hut with just my lady and a guitar.

Just not enough hours in the day, days in the week etc etc. Wake up, get school lunches ready, check back up tapes, email, daily news, update business blog, dress kids, take to school, day care, check what in stock for meals, plan dinner, go to work, work butt off for eight hours, pick up kids, cook dinner, bath kids, check clothes ready for next day, washing, see lady off to rehersals, update bsuienss blog, check emails, plan weekend visit from inlaws, prepare for move to new office, arrange babysitter for performance night, check ebay auction, pay for ebay purchases, check Real Estate Agent (because nobody bloody rings us!!!!), see what is happening with the Empire (Gunns and the Pulp Mill saga), go for a hour walk (weight is comming down...that is working!!), make sure there is power money in the meter.....etc etc.

No different to anyone else I guess, but felt like a vent!!!!

Cheers y'all.

Scared.....

......you should be.

Seen the petrol pump lately. Had a look at what is made from petroleum products lately (is that a plastic mouse in your hand?). Ever wondered how those groceries got to the supermarket. How do the scientists get to the lab to study alternative fuels.

Iran. Israel. United States of America. Russia. Saudia Arabia. Share....what do you think.

Biofuel........sure, what is Africa going to eat?

Surely someone is working on something else and working hard. Please let us know that something is happening out there as quite a few people are taking this all for granted.

Comments anyone?

Ummmmm

I have logged in a few times of late and find myself trying to come up with something to write and end up deleting what I have written due to it not sitting right with me......not this time, I am just going to write a bit of stuff, whatever pops into the head and see where it ends and then click post without reading it....why not hey?

Cluster bombs, good news is that most of the world have signed a treaty banning them, bad news is that USA, Isreal, Russia and a few other wantabe world leaders find themselves above such treaties and have refused to sign. Getting very disappointed in world affairs.

Lennon, our now ex Premier. Not quite sure what to say here as the rammifications are still to be seen. On the outside it seems that a new leadership may be the thing needed for Tasmania, and fromt he last week Bartlett (the successor) seems to be sayign the right things....quite inpressed with his stand on protecting farm lands against plantations. High hopes I have for Mr Bartlett and his team and I blow out the candles and wish for the smart and caring state that he is promoting as his soap box...time will tell.

Real Estate Agents...........We have a new one that seems to be doing ok........so they tell us.

One of our friends have split from each other. It is a shame as they were a great couple and we were just getting to know them. They have a daughter the same age as my son. They seemed so tight these guys and although eccentric (a quality that I admire) they seemed like they had it together. New job, new study direction, new house.....all normal signs of a healthy go ahead relationship and future....then out of the blue we hear that they have split up. If you guys are reading this and you know who you are, don't become strangers, drop in and say hi whenever, however, whyever...no reason required!

Ebay. I have been a bit of a e bay addict of late. A buyer, not a seller. I have been looking for an orrery and settling for some old documents that I would liek to get framed. I sit and watch these items for three or four days and put a bid on them early and get excited that no one else has discovered these treasures and then in the last 20 seconds (I am not joking for those that do not know the ebay thing) the price seems to go up until I lose the item....sometime the price goes up hundreds of dollars in the last ten seconds! I am a e bay loser.

Tasmanian pinot is good. I had the good fortune to attend a function a little while ago that have around 60 pinots for taste. I managed to taste all of the wines and then go back to the best to ensure I made my decision correctly (you had to enter a judgement at the end). Besides from being quite pished, I managed to pick the top two wines (not in the correct order though) that wont the day. The Sunday was a bit of a right off, but well worth the experience to taste some great wines.

Brrrrrr - winter is kicking in. The house we are living in is quite cold. It can be warm, but with electricity going up some 17% (!!!!!!) the cots to keep warm is get quite high. It is a worry when you have to pay so much to keep warm. We are lucky that we are doing well with our income stream, I feel for those that are not as it must be a real struggle to survive today.

In keeping with the aformentioned theme, I reached a new record in filling the car with petrol the other day....one hundred and twleve dollars (A$112.00). For one tank of fuel. This of course was for the premium fuel that we use because our car calls for it but also it helps reduce the emmissions (higher octane...best we can do until someone can mass produce hydrogen engines). Definately a culture change comming up. No longer can a family just go away for the weekend without considering the very high fuel portion of the equasion. Looking forward to that magnetic or hydrogen invention that will be good for everyone and not be reserved for the movie stars. I still think that the magnetic field has something there for us........

Well off for my run now. Sorry for the ramblings.......

Later.

Some good GM discussion from ABC Country Hour

Tasmanian Country Hour
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
GM Technology Forum - the farmers' perspective
Report: Cameron Wilson
The Tasmanian Farmers' and Graziers' Association supports the removal of a blanket ban on GM technology.It says crops should be assessed on a case by case basis.Ian Whyte is senior officer in charge of policy with TFGA and he says the forums are impartial"Our objective very much in this series of forums is to have more information on the table.""This is a deliberate exercise to that end.""While by and large the speakers did express the benefits of GM they weren't the only things, they also expressed disbenefits and the problems of communication that lie at the heart of all this."

In this report: Ian Whyte, senior officer in charge of policy,
GM Technology Forum - the ethics of GM technology
Report: Cameron Wilson
What are some of the biggest ethical questions when it comes to GM technology?Dr Lucy Carter is a research consultant with he University of Queensland and she specialises in questions of ethics. She says the benefits outweigh the risks of GM technology as long as the risks are looked at on a case by case status."The first one probably would be health concerns and the implications of eating or consuming GM crops. That is a labelling issue primarily. As far as I know there are no health concerns, there is no data to show it is harmful in anyway to consume GM crops.With respect to labelling people feel they ought to be given the choice to purchase GM food... and here in Australia we have mandatory labelling laws to ensure that genetically modified food ingredients are labelled as such.

In this report: Dr Lucy Carter, research consultant, University of QueenslandListen: GM Technology Forum - what the scientist says
Report: Cameron Wilson
The Tasmanian state government is reviewing its GM policy to determine whether it should maintain the existing moritorium on GM crops.Alan Richardson from the CSIRO, is a principle research scientist involved in GM research, explains what is happening in Australia."At the moment in Australia we have three GM commercial crops, the first of those is a carnation produced by a bio-tech firm in Victoria and that's for flower colour and long vase life. The second one is GM cotton which is largely being produced by CSIRO and that GM cotton has inbuilt insect resistance."He says that particular cotton strain was introduced into Australia in 1996 and now accounts for 90per cent of all cotton grown. He says the strain has resulted in an 80per cent reduction in the need to use pesticides. "Canola has caused a little bit of controversy... State governments have seen a need, because it is a food crop, of imposing moratoriums and those moratoriums have been lifted in Victoria and New South Wales.""In the next generation of GM crops we do have traits that will be of more significant benefit to the consumer. And I can give you one example. At the CSIRO we are developing oil seed crops like canola that have inbuilt production of Omega 3's. Omega 3's have tremendous health benefits, there's widespread community acceptance of omega 3's and to produce them in plants will be a tremendous technology and breakthrough that his very large benefits to the consumer."Mr Richardson says there are some risks involved in GM technology. "The important thing is that we identify the risks and where are risks are identified we appropriately manage those risks. And GM technology, like all technology... does come with some risks but as long as we identify those risks and appropriately manage those risks then they do offer tremendous opportunities to go forward for the future."He says risks to human health is not a major issue because Australia has a very safe food supply.

In this report: Alan Richardson, senior principle research scientist, ABARE faces inaccuracy and GM bias accusations
Report: Jane Bardon
The Federal Government's agricultural forecaster has answered criticisms of inaccuracy and bias by saying it sometimes can't tally its modelling with the real world.The Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics has been accused of misleading over oil supplies and genetically modified crops.A series of unequivocally pro-GM crop reports from ABARE has raised eyebrows among opponents.Now ABARE has admitted to a Senate committee that some of its reports are based on research peer-reviewed by other scientists, and models which can't factor in real world scenarios.Greens Senator Rachel Siewert questioned ABARE head Phillip Glyde about the latest, which said regional Australia will lose money if it doesn't adopt GM crops.She said when factors like climate change, market resistance, segregation costs and weed problems hadn't been considered, conclusions were likely to be wrong.Mr Glyde replied: "What you are talking about in terms of describing the real world is often not amenable to the modelling. You can't often factor in the real precision of the real world, so what we do is describe an illustrative scenario. We make abundantly clear in the document where the assumptions are."ABARE analyst Dr Jammie Penm denied assumptions that GM crops will increase yields were based on any field trials run by GM crop companies.But they weren't run in Australia."Quite a large number of the reports are published... are internally renowned professional journals. Naturally I can not give a guarantee that they are all 100% unbiased."Nationals Senator Fiona Nash asked ABARE's Phillip Glyde whether anyone in export markets had actually been asked about attitudes to buying GM crops from Australia.He replied: "I'm pretty sure we have had no discussions with the export market. What we are talking about here is a desktop study."That didn't satisfy Senator Nash:"You need to take on board that you need to be much clearer about the fact that you are using desktop studies, modelling, that you are using a whole range of assumptions, when what you have in print, clearly has a leaning towards that we will be worse off if we don't use GM canola. That is the impression that it gives."ABARE was also accused of grossly underestimating looming oil shortages.Phillip Glyde said there are many factors behind the rising oil price.Greens Senator Christine Milne wasn't impressed."Rural and regional Australia depends on your forecasts for all sorts of reasons, and you've got it fundamentally wrong. That's why people are now feeling really angry now about this because they can't make the changes fast enough to relieve themselves of high prices because we're not ready for it, now don't you accept some responsibility for that?"Philip Glyde replied: "I don't accept the responsibility for laying out the assumptions behind our forecast, doing the best possible job we could in ascertaining the information and the data behind those and putting it forward."I am also very pleased to hear that all of rural and regional Australia is hanging off the forecasts of ABARE."Perhaps less so, in future.
In this report: Phillip Glyde ABARE executive director; Christine Milne Greens Senator; Rachel Siewert Greens Senator; Fiona Nash Nationals Senator; Dr Jammie Penm ABARE analystListen:

Greenpeace recruits famous chefs
Report: Will Ockenden
New South Wales' and Victorian farmers are sowing the first commercial genetically modified crops. But this hasn't stopped Greenpeace. Its latest campaign against GM foods will use famous chefs to influence consumers.The chefs will sign a GM-free charter, agreeing not to use GM products in their restaurants. Neil Perry, head chef at one of Sydney's most exclusive restaurants, said he supports the campaign because Australia is viewed internationally as a "green" producer."I travel a lot around Australia and the world, and one of the things that comes through about people's perceptions about Australia is that it's a green experience. I just think losing something that you're able to pin to yourself as a good catch cry to make some noise about, seems to me to be losing something."Mr Perry said he doesn't use canola oil in any of his ingredients anyway, but hopes the government will amend labelling laws so consumers can choose what they're eating.Greenpeace was asked for an interview, but said they don't want to comment until the campaign's launch on Thursday.
In this report: Neil Perry, Rockpool Restaurant in Sydney

If John Gay stood in front of the forests.....

.......the entire old grow and regrowth forests of Tasmania would express itself accordingly.

EMBARGOED

For those that know me, to spend some qulaity time with my partner on the couch watching a chick flick is quite rare (we are pretty busy with work and social commitments). Today was going to be an exception, a nice quiet night in with the kids asleep watching a romantic commedy (the Heartbreak Kid as it turns out). So, off to the above highlighted video store to rent the movie. The girl behind the counter checks the computer (Little Britton got it exactly right with that woman in the travel shop......computer says no) and sees that we have one dvd overdue by one day......a kids dvd which we must have overlooked. Now, we have spent quite a bit at this store and the girl who works there allot knows us and our kids and always says hello to us. She is behind the counter when I am told by this girl that I cannot rent a movie as this kids movie is one day overdue. I say to the girl who knows us that "surely you can trust someone who is a regular customer and is known by the senior staff".....the answer....."the computer says ........ we cannot lend".

This is the same store that when I had my two year old son with me busting to go to the toilet in the store, I was told that "we cannot allow members of the puclic to use the staff toilets as our liability insurance does not cover members of the public".

What is happening to our society when a two and a half year old cannot use a toilet due to "rules" and a computer dictates rules over human decency.

SO - NEVER USE VIDEO CITY...SPREAD THE WORD.

Brrrrrrr.....

Brrrrrrr. Quite cold this morning. Bit of a chilly winter on it's way I do say. Methinks some pinot and cheese in front of a fire is in order......pitty we don't have a fire anymore!

Keep warm,

Something that I do not have.....yet.

When you see this in my den then you know that my final "thing" goal has been achieved. My search began many years ago and continues to this day.....my Indiana Jones quest!!!! If anyone has a dusty old map in their libary then pass it on.

Do yourself a favour......

Highly recommend the above musical. A little more practice now, a little more dance moves now, a little more sorer now, a little bit tired now, not quite as mobile as I used to be now, should be a allot of fun now, can't come to a pinot afternoon because I am practicing now, where has my hair gone now, where is my script gone now.......

I know someone in this!!!

Cryptic symbolism

For two days of the month, my life is a constant path of reassurance, defence, cowardice, praise, criticism, retreat, analyses. Does anyone know what is happening during these two days?

My Day Begins....

What is the attraction to two year olds with mornings that are not yet accompanied by sunlight? Four days in a row of 4.45am wake up calls starting with "I want milk". Couple this with the night before pinot cards evening and the repeated phrases of "Where's my airoplane", "Can I have a grape", "Where is the Jam" and the sounds of Bob the Builder as the replacement song call of the wrens in the garden (well I imagine there would be sounds of birds joyfully singing at day break in our garden if the nextdoor cat didn't treat our property as his personal hunting grounds....bloody cats). Anyway, feeling quite sleepy and slave driven at present.

Saw a good movie last night......Into the Wild. Highly recommend it.

I must vent....

I watched an interview last night with a reporter and an author, Jeffery Sachs, basically about how the world is eating more than it can produce at the moment - it frightened me. There are riots and unrest in Africa as well as many of the 'San countries about lack of food. Our own aboriginals are living in third world standards, our nearest neighbour, Papua New Guinea is a basket case with a sky rocketing aids mortality rate. Global warming warnings are relegated to the fifth page of a newspapers these days ("In Greenland the glaciers are melting at unpredicented rates.....and now we cross live to Paris Hilton's best friend reality tv launch").

I don't have the answers but I sure have a hell of a lot of questions......for instance:

• Why hasn't the UN or the US forced that fuckwit Mubabe out?
• What are the US putting one third of their corn food stocks into bio fuel when whole countries are starving?
• What are the ramifications of using GM........what is better, saving lives by using GM to increase yields of harvests, or risk potential future side effects?
• Why can BMW have a car that runs on a hydrogen engine that only movie stars can afford? Surely we can replicate this technology for all transport (yes, I know that the Arab countires may have to miss gold plating their replica space station man made island).
• Why the fuck are Japan still hunting whales?
• Why is anyone seriously considering putting a Pulp Mill in Tasmania so that trees and water can be feed into it to make paper to sell to a country that is still killing whales?

Some questions to ponder. Thanks for letting me vent.

Later.

Working on that wish

Well, today is the day I started my "lose a significant number of those belt notches" campaign. I part walk, jog, stagger for about 3/4 hour around the streets of our house. Legs are aching, sweat was there, flat was jogged, down hill was walked and up hill was painful. But it has started and I am willing myself not to fall victim to "it's too cold", or "I will just skip tonight because of ...(insert reason here)". Words of encouragement encouraged!!

Real Estate Update

They stuffed up the sale.

Real Estate Agents (aka - bottom dwelling scum)

I have come to the conclusion that some Real Estate agents are pathetic and completely useless. I will not mention any names in this paragraph (pssst - somewhere on this page is a suttle hint as to a Real Estate agency that I think are crap, bet you can't find it).

After interviewing five Real Estate agents I experienced the lowest form of marketing ever. Here are some of the things I experienced:

• One Real Estate Agent drew a sad face to describe how I would feel if I did not get and offer, then proceeded to draw a passive face to describe how I would feel if I got offers that were less than I wanted...I stopped her 1/3 of the way through the smiling face and refrained from using her pencil to assist in an uncomfortable medical examination.
• One Real Estate Agent spent over an hour talking about how good she was and the fact that we were getting free advertising. This turned out to be one add only, then you had to pay for everything else. I was also told that we would get a free listing in their mail out to over 10,000 houses (after much probing I finally found out that it was only quarterly and that my porperty would not be in the mailout for three months!!).
• One Real Estate Agent told us to sell extremely cheap to sell the place.
• The Real Estate Agent that we went with just had an offer on our place. We called him around for a meeting and we asked if there was any reason why he thought we should not make a counter offer as we did not want to miss out on the sale. He failed to mention that only one of the couple looking at our house was interested and the husband actually wanted another place. He had a written, signed unconditional offer in his hand and for the sake of A$5,000.00 looks like he may have costed us the sale.

Should you see someone on the streets in Tasmania with a AK47 with a postal look on his face, do not be afraid, he will be hunting Real Estate Agents!

How to wake up.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWI2jFjbvEY

Anyone for a swim in Launceston town water source?

Time will tell

“I think that for free men a sense of shame over the conduct of their affairs is the most compelling necessity of all.” (Demosthenes, Athenian politician, c.350BCE)

Duce. Advantage Flanagan

Paul Lennon In response to Battle cry for our Tasmania
Perhaps we could even foster a better mutual understanding. I’m proposing an outbreak of peace. Maybe even a cup of coffee or lunch. How about it, Richard? PAUL LENNON Premier

Richard Flanagan In response to: The Premier replies
“I’d be delighted to have lunch with Paul Lennon just as soon as he resigns.” RICHARD FLANAGAN

Anything is possible

My First

Lately I find myself.........

• creative (music, writing, business, garden, art)
• disgusted (politics, hunger, povety, disease, USA, Africa, reglion)
• yearning (knowledge, experience)
• inspired (people, circumstance, youth)
• loving (my partner, my children)
• wishing (fitness)
• thankful (new friends, old friends)

From time to time perhaps you may drop by and have a read of whatever I feel should be shared. Please feel free to write a comment if you so desire, if only so I know someone is out there.

For those whom are invited - I remain aonymous only because of what I may write here - please do not use my name in any of your comments (thank you).