role of RBA

Printed in The West approx 14oct24

In China the government cuts interest rates in an effort to stimulate its economy.

In Australia our government washes its hands of all economic responsibility.It's not our fault, say the politicians.

How long will we blame the RBA while our elected politicians sit on their hands.

As long as the RBA sets interest rates, the government should at least set the targets for inflation and unemployment.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

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Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===


Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

clean up our society

a man bashes his female partner. in this rare case the man actually goes to jail for his repeated crimes. in jail he burns his bedding then is let free on a suspended sentence. against the odds he is put back into jail.

while in jail he phones his partner. threatens her with further violence until she is afraid to continue her charges against the man.

do we really want men like that in our society? do we want violence, repeated violence and threats of further violence?

No. remove the scum from society.

bring on the death penalty.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===


Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

who can't handle the truth?

Biden says that China is behaving aggressively. He may be old and doddery but Biden can still see and say the bleeding obvious.

Meanwhile, our own PM continues to cower down where he can kiss the chinese commercial jackboot. Like most Australians the PM puts money ahead of dignity and freedom.

And the cash-driven press reports Biden's comment as "embarrassing".

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===


Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

learning at uni

Mario Rapanaro, Letters 21 Sep, misses the point of the Curtin student protests.

Most students are at uni to learn, to gain an education that will help them in their future working career.

The key protesters however are at uni to gain skills and experience in self-promotional bulldust, rabble-rousing and  control of mindless mobs, to help them in their future careers as politicians.

Many elected politicians proudly state that they began as "student activists". Any cause will do. All that matters is to gain a visible profile.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

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23sep24: printed in The West

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
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a new Beetle?

robert drewe writes, 21 Sep about Bertie Beetles. He describes them as "a chocolate-coated bar" I'm sorry, but what are they coating? My memory is of a shaped lump of choc, the same all the way through.

Has Drewe ever seen a Bertie Beetle?

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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pot and kettle fake news

The West is having fun with its attacks on the ABC over the faked war crimes story

Yes, it's bad. Faking evidence to make a better story.

Even worse than Channel Seven which, earlier this year, named an innocent man as the Sydney shopping centre stabber.

At least Ch7 did not fake any evidence. They just accused with no evidence at all.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

pipe dream nightmare

the WA government has allegedly brokered an "agreement" over the pipes which regularly burst in new houses.

it seems to be a typical government agreement: the builder disagrees. the pipe manufacturer disagrees. home owners were not consulted.

so while the Cook government is jerking off in the corner, home owners are having their new homes destroyed.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

mcgowan madness

i can't really disagree with curtin university students protesting against mark mcgowan. though what they are protesting is rubbish.

mcgowan gained his popular status by closing WA borders against covid: the only sensible and acceptable action at the time.

then he degenerated to standard power-mad politician. followed by a well-organised move into the pockets of industrial friends. nothing unusual.

students, too, are at uni to prepare themsekves for a career. eirher study and learn useful skills or practise shouting and abuse to kick off their own political ambitions.

but what were they protesting?

as far as i can tell, the students were on the deaths in custody bandwagon.

sure, mcgowan was one of the many politicians who had no answers... no answers to the wrong question.

not, why do people die and suicide in jail.

the true question is, why are they in jail in the first place.

and, looking for solutions: what can we do to keep children off the path that leads to jail.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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meta blocker

meta is to protect young instagram users.

anti-bullying features. no interruptions at night. offensive-word filtering.

sure it will be impossible to verify actual age. and it is "ignoring the big picture" according to a politician.

At least meta are trying. and that is better than political hot air.

speaking of offensive words: on one site I could include laugh, chuckle, chortle :-) and snort... but when i tried to snigger... it only allowed s*****.

i'm sure that today's AI will be better at offensive word recognition :-)

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

exploding pagers

the exploding pagers "raise questions about Israel's compliance with international law" says a legal expert. does he think that israel cares?

israel was an early adopter of terrorist bombs to target civilians.

more recently it has dropped bombs on civilians, claiming that a terrorist may have been sighted.

an exploding pager is relatively civilised.

very clever, too.

the tech will also be useful in a business.

here is your company pager, says the boss.

i may page you after hours, make sure that you answer...

or the second call will blow you up.

the right to disconnect -- then die.

what a brilliant boost to productivity :-)

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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ellison owns WA

a man in a suit is pictured on the front page of the paper.

he is telling the commonwealth govt to bugger off. they are threatening to interfere with his billion dollar income.

leave all control to the state govt, he says. why? because he already owns the state govt and they will do exactly as he tells them

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

it trickles more for the rich

the editorial headline says, When business thrives, so does economy.

this would be due to what economists call the "trickle-down effect": business makes a billion so it spends more with its suppliers. those suppliers make a million so they, in turn, spend more. eventually this extra spending trickles down to small business, which can then afford to hire staff. those staff earn a subsistence living, are able to buy food and so everyone in the economy is better off.

here's another view of trickle-down: pay workers a high wage.let them spend. watch the benefits trickle down from there.

ha! don't worry, i'm only joking. that second view would reduce profits for the already rich owners of the top-level businesses. and that is obvious nonsense.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

food for thought

A Harvey cites a rumour that it is raining cats and dogs, in Springfield Ohio. (Letters 17 Sep).

If the rumour is true, it proves that Trump is better than Jesus, who could only provide loaves and fishes.

?.. Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

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Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

ass as in nation

Today someone has been arrested for pointing a rifle at Trump. On his own golf course too.

Taking a potshot at the ex president of the US is becoming a national sport in America. Perhaps it will be added to the Los Angeles Olympics.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

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Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

hospital parking

hospital nurses want free parking at work. A letter to the paper points out that this would be "us", taxpayers paying for an individual benefit. This misses the point.

A nurse must work at the hospital. There is no work from home option.

A nurse works varying shifts over the full 24 hour day. Public transport is not feasible (and possibly dangerous).

Hospital parking is often provided by private enterprise. Public or private, the cost of parking is variable and will increase.

Every hour of work increases the cost of parking.

A nurse is not able to walk off the ward to "feed the meter".

Nurses are employed to provide a service, health, to the public. We want the service, we -- the taxpayers -- must pay for it.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

interior design

Kim McDonald describes the latest trends for "the perfect pad". 

Some of her "on trend" features do exist in our house:

kitchen island which also serves as a dining table (used to be called a breakfast bar).

with curved edges.

Drawers with cabinet handles (rather than finger-tip pull)

Part open plan but...

some division between kitchen and dining and TV areas.

Our interior design is so "on trend". And all we did was to wait fifty years for fashion to repeat itself.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

NAPLAN medals

There is some fuss over a school which acknowledges and rewards kids who score well in NAPLAN tests. it's nice to see.

Normal practice is to ignore smart kids and but spend money teaching the thickos to write their own name.

Take notice of the smart kids and you may as well stick a sign on their backs, "Kick me, I'm a nerd"

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===


Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

social media ban

a social media ban for kids? it will never work.

fine the media owners when they fail? a trivial cost of doing business.

we need an alternative.

create AusFace. a social media platform for Australians.

make it attractive. for a start, "encourage" every footballer to join and post.

to use ausface you must prove who you are. and be given two unique IDs. one public, one private.

the private ID protects your privacy. it is linked to the public ID

you post as public *but* if there is a legal reason to know who you are -- that comes from the public to private ID link.

you post anonymously. but if you break the law, you are known.

to post at all you need to identify yourself and prove your age.

non-australians can also join but the proof of identity and age may be more difficult... who cares.

an aussie social media platform which suits our social and legal requirements.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

whose goose

the goverrnment passes laws to protect workers and the environment. killing the golden goose, sob the miners. yes, and that goose is laying eggs for those miners.

once again it is me, me, me.

there are parallels: the giant/public own the goose/environment. until Jack/the miners steal it. the goose/nature makes miners/jack rich and the giant/ the public is killed.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

ADF suicides

so, suicides of defence veterans is due to ADF "leadership" more than combat stress.

It must be time to award medals to generals, promote leaders ans demote the uninvolved.

What we should really do is -- look after our veterans. They serve. they may risk their lives. after tat, we should care. provide health and medical benefits. housing to replace the barracks. training to fit them into civilian life.

soldiers offer their lives for us. we must protect what loves they still have.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

protect childhood

The West has published letters from primary school children. Letters from a school project to write on topics that the students are passionate about.

The letters are well written though simplistic, especially when putting up solutions.

Some are on topics, with details, that will have come directly from parents or other adults.

It's sad that young children are already passionate about, for example, near-slave labour in clothing manufacturing.

If adults are incapable of fixing a problem -- please don't pass it on to your children.

Take positive action -- so your child can see that a better situation is possible. Perhaps explain, simply, why neither parents nor children will wear the latest fashionable new clothes.

Do what you can to protect your children's childhood.

Or expect your child to grow up to be depressed or suicidal.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

can't or won't hear

Basil Z. listened to a interview with Rachael Gunn and says that he still doesn't understand why she did her breakdance routines.

Don't worry, mate. you're a sports fan and sports commentator. No-one expects you to be able to understand anything beyond footy and cricket.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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not-funny reporter

a 16 year old laces sweets with cannabis, sells the sweets to fellow students. the two fellow students have to be treated in hospital for cannabis poisoning.

The 16 yo is charged and reporter tim clarke finds the allegations "bizzarre" i.e. unusual. peculiar. funny.

really?

does the reporter also find that drink spiking is peculiar? date rape after drugging is funny?

two possibilities: the 16 yo is the son of a friend of the owner of the paper.

or the journalist could not find a suitable word for evil, criminal, stupid or cruel.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

well done Australia

Once again we have nearly destroyed someone who fails to be a footy star.

This time it's Raygun the breakdancer.

Isn't it funny how our most vitriolic attacks are against women.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

bombs or courts

the US is laying criminal charges against Hamas leaders, for their part on the Oct 7 attacks.

Yes, it's a slow and uncertain process. And those responsible may eventually walk free.

But that's civilisation for you.

The Israeli approach is via assassination and dropping bombs on uninvolved civilians. And that is barbarism.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

Ellish cure

Elle McPherson has written a book which describes her treatment for cancer. She started with surgery -- and then rejected doctors and medicine in favour of "holistic" meditation and prayer. Nothing wrong with that, it's her Body and her choice of risk... as long as she does not now claim that six months sunbathing will "cure" other people.

Meanwhile, I shall write my own book: how i had surgery, radiation and chemo -- then ignored doctors and brought my own cancer to merely slow growth by the "holistic" treatment of poking my finger up my nose three times a day. It's a self-treatment miracle! read all about it, for a mere $39.95 per ghost-written book, out soon:-)

 

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

oooh how scary

the Sharks football club my not be able to display its logo. A cartoon shark may be "confronting" for children.

How will those delicate children cope if they accidentally see the shark villain in Sponge Bob Square Pants. And will they run screaming from the aquarium shark at AQWA?

Oh! the confronting horror.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

isn't it queer

at the venice film festival, a standing ovation for the movie Queer. if we use the same word in public we would be hounded through the courts for being homophobic.

next, our children will be forced to watch the movie.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===


Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

protect Kings Park

There's a tent pitched in the bush of Kings Park.

Perhaps the camper misunderstood the Premier's plan to destroy the Park so that rich people could build more accommodation.

Perhaps the camper misunderstood the formal notice attached to the tent saying, No Camping in the Park.

I hope that the camper was able to understand my own message, when I pissed on their tent.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

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Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

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We know that the nature of genius is to provide idiots with ideas twenty years later... Louis Aragon

..Dying for you to Read my blog: notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com

suicide causation

Emma Garlett makes some good points (Opinion 3 Sep)

She writes, "What does it say if conditions have improved but suicides are still occurring?" 

It clearly says that the fault is not with Banksia Hill.

Garlett supports this by pointing out that the latest suicide was already attempting self harm before arrival.

Then she points out that, after Banksia Hill, these children are sent back "to the very same environments that led them to make these poor choices in the first place."

I hope that Garlett can suggest that we can do, in order to improve the home, or gang, environment which drives children to suicide.

... Nick Lethbridge, Churchlands

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Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

training for subs -- and more

The current approach to employment is to look far and wide for workers with appropriate skills. Miners do this, FIFO workers are the extreme: skilled workers are flown in. The town where they work gains a housing crisis and excess population with no interest in the community.

The AUKUS sub project offers apprentice and trainee positions for people already in WA. Raising the skill level for West Australians. Opportunities for young workers, plus a resource for new local industries.

I hope that the offer is more than political puffery. Because it is a far better long-term model than FIFO

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
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Happiness is wanting what you already have
   

death in custody

Another juvenile kills himself in "prison" and there is a rush to point the finger of blame at our "juvenile detention system" Why?

So that the government can be blamed -- and sued. If you can prove a vague relationship to the dead kid, you can then demand compensation. Or revenge, on someone. Anyone.

What we actually need is a Royal Commission. Why was the kid in jail? Why was the kid drunk and drugged? Why was he a criminal? Where were his friends and family? Did they ever ask, RU OK? Why not?

It's too late to blame the prison.

Point the finger of blame at the kid's friends, family, environment and upbringing.

Then try to avoid the misery of the next destroyed youth.

Oh, and if all else fails, make suicide a simpler, pain-free, blame-free option. For everyone.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===


Happiness is wanting what you already have