Geelong Star
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REFERRING to the latest dolphin death, Senator Richard Colbeck says the only way you would stop these losses, is to ban fishing altogether, only that would be unrealistic.
May I suggest to you sir, that you start then, by banning the Geelong Star from our waters. Surely that wouldn't be too unrealistic.
— DARYL CAMINO, George Town.
CH Smith building
TERRIFIC, one less eyesore for Launceston.
Now perhaps the council could have a look at doing something with the AE Jack site along Margaret Street.
An eyesore for years.
Make them clean it up or at least put up a fence so that we don' have to continually look at a scrapyard.
— JANE BAIN, Hadspen.
Senate
AS regular viewer of parliament question time, I need echo ex Prime Minister Paul Keating’s statement in describing the Senate as “unrepresentative swill”.
Although they are supposed to be a house of review, the way in which questions are asked, and the time given for answers is deplorable.
It’s little wonder that they are considered irrelevant by most.
— DON DAVEY, Launceston.
Saying Sorry
WHEN someone does something considerate when driving we acknowledge with a friendly wave.
It would be a good idea if, when we do something accidentally annoying to another motorist, we have a universal signal acknowledging that we are sorry for our indiscretion. My daughter has suggested perhaps a quick hand to the ceiling of the car would say we have noticed and are sorry for the mistake.
— DIANNE SCETRINE, Launceston.
Weather
I AM beginning to think that weather people are up there with politicians.
We were promised that autumn would be warmer and drier than usual.
May was the coldest for nine years.
Then we were promised the same for winter.
On the first morning of June, when this balmy season was announced, it was minus three.
It hasn't improved since then.
Maybe they should go back to university for another four years and learn in which direction to point their finger.
— GLENNIS SLEURINK, Launceston.
Adolf Hitler auction
I FIND it an absolute insult to all who suffered under the Nazi regime of World War II that an auction of pictures done by Adolf Hitler be held, and in all places Nuremberg where the trials of the monsters that perpetrated such evil were.
Please tell me if I am missing something, what would drive some bidders to pay between 70,000 Euros and 100,000 Euros for a picture done by the tyrant?
May I suggest to those who have paid these ridiculous prices (a total of $569,722 for 14 Hitler watercolours) and want to "preserve" them for the future and don't want them to fade ... stick them where the sun don't shine.
— ROBERT LEE, Summerhill.
Mill
I THOUGHT it had died but it is still twitching.
Rather than write a rant, it is better I express my thoughts, and those of many thousands of Tasmanians, in the following little ditty I have called:
TAP, TAP ‘We’re still here’.
The whole idea was quite insane.
I thought we’d made the message plain.
Don’t tell me it was all in vain.
Not the bloody mill again.
— FRANCIS GALLOWAY, Sidmouth.
Political Advertising
OBVIOUSLY both the local Member of Parliament and the Federal coalition have funds in their advertising budgets to spend before the end of the financial year judging by the repetitive nature of their recent offerings, which is reaching the same audience.
Those affected by the announced changes are by now, well aware of the situation.
Despite my mail box being clearly signed “No Junk Mail” those delivering pamphlets on behalf of our local MP still place these in my mail box, blocking the delivery of correspondence in which I am interested.
— A. CARTER, Mowbray.
Geelong Star
FEDERAL Minister for Fisheries and Dolphin Killing, Senator Richard Colbeck has gone on his charm offensive calling those who are upset about the killings as hysterical, a good move to get the electorate onside.
Yes using the old tactic of offense being the best defence he has certainly hit the mark about being offensive and this defense of the latest killing highlights the failed system he keeps supporting.
— MAX WELLS, Sorell.
Get it right
WHY don't our learned leaders get things right first time around and leave things alone.
Education and health get tossed around like rubber balls with nowhere to go.
Millions are wasted every year on changing education then changing things again.
The states pollies get their hands on the changes, some like it, some don’t, so the game goes on and on.
Nobody wins but every one involved are always the sorry losers.
They have no say, no input and the game goes on.
Stop using us like footballs and get things right.
Half of the members of the house were brought up when everything went along smoothly, but now it has
all got to be changed.
Why?
Do what has to be done and forget all this, "we are going to get a surplus in two years, won't that be great".
On a whole voters don’t care if there is a surplus or not just do what has to be done and please everyone.
— DAVID PARKER, West Launceston.
Local government reform
LOCAL government in Tasmania is not opposed to reform in its many and varied forms.
Councils are currently determining which options might suit their communities and deliver the best outcomes.
In conjunction with the state government, councils will then ensure options are modelled and fully tested.
It is disingenuous for the Property Council to suggest that under any reform option, rate reductions will be an outcome when there is a wealth of evidence nationally and internationally to show this is never an outcome of local government reform.
Similarly, research shows that there is not a one-size-fits-all reform solution.
Reform may, or may not take the form of mergers, resourcing-sharing, or other efficiency programs but it should always be focused on improving the reach and scope of services and local advocacy.
— MAYOR DARYL QUILLIAM, Local Government Association of Tasmania acting president.
Cold weather
IN recent years new technology in car engines has revealed a delayed oil pressure problem in some imported vehicles.
Engines run in cold conditions naturally collect water, which mostly mixes with the oil, the amount depending on drivers operating pattern.
When in temperature below zero degrees, this water freezes out of the oil in the form of crystals and even icicles attaching to the inside of the engine and the crankshaft.
When the engine is started these ice formations are flung from the crankshaft at high speed around the engine interior.
In the past this has been harmless but some engines now have a coating of PTFE on the inside of the oil pan.
This coating is punctured by the flying ice and over a few thousand kilometres of normal running the coating breaks up into flakes.
These flakes are sucked up by the oil pump and accumulate on the oil intake straining gauze.
This initially causes restricted oil uptake reducing oil pressure but has caused complete oil pressure failure at an unexpected time.
Car manufactures know about this problem and fit a protective baffle plate to engines destined for cold climates.
However, it seems sometimes overseas manufacturers only think of Australia as a hot country and omit the baffle plate.
Oil pressure failure can quickly lead to engine destruction and restricted oil pressure premature engine wear and under performance as oil pressure is now also used in some engines to power variable internal operations.
Engines should be able to operate unconditionally under “All Australian conditions” according the Vehicle Design Rules.
A central Tasmania winter makes vulnerable vehicles particularly susceptible.
— KELVIN JONES, Kingston.