who is lying?

The West is our daily "news"paper. Sometimes it seems to believe that it can do and say and print what it likes.

"It was the complete opposite George!" (19Feb). George Costanza has no time for an interview so The West ambushes him at the airport. "If you want an interview," writes Costanza, "try setting it up like the professionals do."

"The truth of the matter is..." writes The West -- and they accuse Costanza of lying.

One, The West did attempt to set up an interview. Two, an interview was refused.

Three, the paper did ambush Costanza at the airport. Foot-in-the-door journalism at its worst. A defensive insult does not improve the situation.

"Like it or not, no one is a performing seal 4you," writes Costanza.

Like it or not, the paper overstepped the mark. The insulting article is a loud announcement of the wrong attitude of the paper.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
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"The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you." … B.B. King
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red tape rubbish

Cut red tape, demands Paul Everingham. Paul who? Oh, yes, the boss at chamber of minerals and energy. The group whose aim is to dig the world.

Cut the red tape and we'll bring jobs, he claims. Bring jobs if it will increase our profits, he means. Bring jobs at the expense of the environment, he means.

Red tape is there to protect our state against exploitation. Red tape exists to curb the self interest excesses of companies which exist only to make a profit.

Nothing wrong with making a profit. Nothing wrong with wanting to change regulations for your own benefit. Nothing wrong with having red tape to add checks and balances to the process.

Business exists to make a profit. Red tape exists to protect the rest of us from uncontrolled profit driven exploitation of our state.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
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"The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you." … B.B. King
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milking it

Paul Murray is all excited because milk producers are paid so little by milk processors. Supermarkets discount milk prices till dairy farmers go bankrupt. Yes, this is a problem, another local industry being destroyed.

What does he want us to do about it? I'm not sure. Letter writers want us to boycott discount milk, Murray does not seem to have such a clear answer.

In our house we have never bought discount milk, for various reasons. We prefer to support local industry rather than major supermarket chains, we recognise that it's the supplier who ultimately pays the price for discounting.

Then there's quality. The simple way to support a discounted price is with discounted quality. It's cheap because... it's cheap. Extra water in the milk, perhaps.

The same logic applies to all "own brand" products. If it's cheap it's because quality has been sacrificed. Or because the manufacturer is being squeezed out of business. Either way, we prefer a known brand with a known reputation for quality. Whether that reputation is good or bad, it's known. And, generally, consistent.

So we support local dairy farmers. And I'm sure our choices have no effect whatsoever but we are trying.

Does Paul Murray have any better ideas?

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Speaking of "local" brands...

The three WA milk processors are foreign owned.

We buy cheese from local producers. Family owned dairies, so it says. Yet the cheese itself is not made locally.

The cheese is usually "made in Australia", according to the packaging. From 98% Australian ingredients. Fair enough.

But it not a West Australian cheese. It's not made with West Australian milk. It's just a company with a West Australia name.

And for half the year the packaging says -- in very small print -- that it is really a New Zealand cheese.

We also buy butter which is branded with the name of a WA town. The butter is made in Australia -- but not in WA.

Is there any way that buying local products could actually support a local business? I welcome Paul Murray's suggestions.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
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"The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you." … B.B. King
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cupcakes and nuts and society

The media is devoting lots of space to the school cupcake saga: a school has banned cupcakes for various reasons -- including the possibility that they are culturally insensitive. "Saddened by the cupcake killjoys," is one headline on the letters page.

Is this news? That one school has banned cupcakes? Well, yes.

The story does deserve to be printed -- if only because so many people read it. Second most popular story on one "news" site, apparently. Second only to the story of smelly dog poo in a neighbour's bin. (Yes, it's weird what people read. But that's another issue.)

It is also an important story -- as an example, a reflection of our society's current concerns. Should something be banned because it may offend an unidentified minority group? Is it acceptable that the majority are forced to change, in order to not offend a small minority? Does it matter that the minority are (I guess) relative newcomers?

In this small example -- and in other far more serious examples -- what does society want. Or expect?

Are we happy to kowtow to minorities? Or, more importantly, are we happy to kowtow to the demands of a very small but vocal minority who claim to represent the supposedly easily offended minorities.

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In a similar situation -- but with more serious results: some schools are nut free. Peanuts are banned. Just in case a fellow student is allergic to nuts.

We regularly provide cake for a fund-raising cake stall. Our simple comment is, if you are allergic to anything at all -- nuts, milk, eggs, sugar, etc -- then do not eat this cake. One very sensible response is, we only eat food that we have prepared ourselves.

There is no need for a school to punish everyone for the possible allergies of a few. If you're allergic, only eat your own food. And every school can carry a stock of epipens. Just in case.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
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"The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you." … B.B. King
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Bunnings cheapest prices

After 25 years Bunnings is ditching its "lowest prices" slogan. "Customers understand our lowest prices policy," says the MD, "... we thought it was timely to update and refresh our branding."

Yes, everyone does understand their lowest prices policy. It's been explained on TV show The Checkout:

You won't find a cheaper source for our item / brand / model, they say. That's because Bunnings sell only items / brands / models that are unique to Bunnings.

You won't find it cheaper because you won't find it anywhere else.

Yes, it's time to drop the slogan. Because yes, we do understand your "lowest prices" policy.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
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"The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you." … B.B. King
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support for China

Andrew Forrest wants us to support China. During the coronavirus epidemic, in particular.

Why does he care? He's a great philanthropist, that's why. Oh, and his immense fortune depends on trade -- and good relations -- with China.

His mining company has donated thousands of face masks "to support health workers". In China? Nice thought but wouldn't it be easier to just send a million dollars to the Chinese factory which produces the masks?

Perhaps he could send those face masks to airports and hospitals in Australia, where staff have a sudden and unexpected need to deal with people who may be infected. The mining company masks are -- presumably -- already in Australia.

Oh, and he is also giving a million dollars to help turn a Wuhan sports stadium into a hospital. Nice thought... but the money is going to one of his own customers.

All this is useful, probably. It is also marketing. And every dollar is tax deductible -- probably twice, for the stadium conversion.

Nice try but tax deductible marketing is not philanthropy.

But you know what really annoys me?

Forrest wants everyone else to support his efforts to support his company profits. What, forget that "their political system is different to ours"? Forget that China locks up millions of its own citizens for their political and religious differences? Forget that China ignores laws regarding copyright? attempts to hack other governments and influence our elections? adds poisons to milk in order to make more profit? sells shoddy ripoffs where it can? buys up Australian businesses?

Yes, we need to remember that Chinese people are people. As people they get our concern and support. That does not mean that we should all send money to China in support of Forrest's mining profits.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
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"I took out a loan to pay for an exorcism. If I don't pay it back, I'm going to get repossessed." … Olaf Falafel
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NZ or WA

We will soon be on holiday in NZ. At the south of the South Island. Notice that: not just NZ, but at the south of the South Island.

Other choices for a holiday in NZ -- major points of entry into the country -- include Queenstown (we will fly to there), or Auckland (we return from there), or Wellington (no tourist ever goes there). Each point of entry brings its own choice of holiday.

What if I were in NZ and planning a holiday in WA? Where would I enter the state? Remember, WA is much much larger than NZ. So where would I enter? Perth.

I believe that Broome is an international airport, fly there, see Broome. A future Busselton? Good entry point for the Southwest. Where else? No idea.

When it comes to big (ie expensive) tourist attractions for WA we think, chairlift in Perth, massive hotels in Perth, Concrete-by-the-River, in Perth.

We need to build international airport and hotels in Albany. Chairlift in Broome across Cable Beach (above the deadly jellyfish). National standard sports stadium in Kununurra... anything... outside the one big city.

Tourists can visit Perth -- and spend all day getting to nowhere else. Or we could offer multiple entry points. Each with its own set of local holiday attractions.

Come to visit WA.. and come again -- to see something completely different.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
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"I took out a loan to pay for an exorcism. If I don't pay it back, I'm going to get repossessed." … Olaf Falafel
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big business maths

You have to admire big business managers. Such a firm grasp of business, such a small grasp of maths.

A major mining company has raised the price on beer at its mine sites. The beer is for sale at the "wet mess", on-site bars for the workers who live on site.

The average price rise, says a manager, is 14%. The idea is, that beer prices should match prices in local pubs... not that there are any local pubs on a mine site. What the company gets, is extra profit from a captive market. Excellent business strategy.

And that 14 per cent... The daily paper checked prices. One beer will now cost 14% more. All the rest have gone up by more -- sometimes much more -- than that quoted increase. The manager seems to be confusing "average" with "minimum".

Maths skills zero. Profit-taking high. That manager will soon be promoted.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
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"I took out a loan to pay for an exorcism. If I don't pay it back, I'm going to get repossessed." … Olaf Falafel
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clever coal mining

The federal government wants to approve a new coal mine in Queensland. Shock! Horror! Instant protest!

But the government is more cunning than that.

The mine will be managed by an Aboriginal corporation. Who would dare protest? Because protest equals racism.

Another cunning strategy by Scotty from Marketing.

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I have no great objection to burning coal. As a fuel source it's safer than some and the technology is well established. At least the leftover waste is not radioactive. Just needs better means to limit the destructive emissions while burning.

What I do not like, is the environmental destruction caused by digging out the coal.

 

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
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"I took out a loan to pay for an exorcism. If I don't pay it back, I'm going to get repossessed." … Olaf Falafel
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