The totally off-topic thread

[Denali]

Snowing at the top of Mount Wellington this morning.

Walked to Salamanca markets but too wet so trudge back to hotel.

Currently looking outside and it's sunny.

 

[JohnM]

"Sheltered Workshop"s they used to be called.

Still are, I thought....

 

[suze2000]

I have a ten-day holiday coming up to SE QLD. I will be staying with family, which I am looking forward to.

I'm struggling with the decision whether or not to attempt to do it with carry-on only. I feel like it should be possible, when there will be washing machines in both homes, but I'm unsure. As always, the biggest question will be around shoes. Will be mulling this one over until I've packed my carry-on and see if I can fit all I want in it. (I understand that needs and wants are often very different, haha)

 

[Denali]

Wear a pair of comfy black Mary Janes, pack a pair of walking shoes. Done.

 

[serfty]

As so often happens, something doesn't add up.

It is not 25 years at the same work place.

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....and-reviews/brisbane-accommodation-13385.html

 

[RooFlyer]

Snowing at the top of Mount Wellington this morning.

Walked to Salamanca markets but too wet so trudge back to hotel.

Currently looking outside and it's sunny.

Ah! Winter/Spring in Tasmania . I was going to add to a post above to make sure you duck into the warehouses (now shops and galleries) along Salamanca next to the market in case of showers, but it sounds like you didn't get that far. Its the right weather for (more) whiskey tasting .

 

[Denali]

Bought some cheese, salmon, bread, fruit and 2 donuts and relaxing in room, looking at the harbour.

Didn't find the bagel van but still good. Also bought some sweets to take home.

Seems the rain is dumping and clearing and dumping again today but we've been lucky, was expecting this every day but its been sunny and clear.

 

[love_the_life]

I have a ten-day holiday coming up to SE QLD. I will be staying with family, which I am looking forward to.

I'm struggling with the decision whether or not to attempt to do it with carry-on only. I feel like it should be possible, when there will be washing machines in both homes, but I'm unsure. As always, the biggest question will be around shoes. Will be mulling this one over until I've packed my carry-on and see if I can fit all I want in it. (I understand that needs and wants are often very different, haha)

We have no trouble fitting stuff into carry on size but it is usually over the weight limit. Last time from memory our bags were about 8 kg each for 2 weeks in Japan. I managed with 3 pairs of shoes - light walking ones, sandals, printed Ecco leather sheakers (which didn't get worn much and could have been left home). Planning on only 2 pr next time.

 

[suze2000]

This is getting a little on-topic, but are they still weighing carry-on for VA out of MEL?

 

[whatmeworry]

Time for a new employer or can you sub contract or go out on your own

He is waiting till he gets long service.

Johnk's main problem (which many of us also suffer from) is low wage growth. With his experience, his should be on much more then 50k and getting a minimum of 3-4% wage increases but private employers are taking advantage of declining union membership and record and lax immigration to Australia.

Even with the small changes and the rebranding of 457 visa category, the it industry chucked a tantrum and the government backtracked.

Australia’s Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Arthur Sinodinos, later conceded that there had been debate in the local tech community around some of the measures, and that he intended to engage in a dialogue with industry representatives on the matter.
Now, the feedback is in, and the Government has made a number of last-minute adjustments to the list of jobs set to be associated with the two new visa categories replacing the 457 visa provisions.

https://www.arnnet.com.au/article/621353/jobs-shuffle-sees-tech-sector-covered-govt-visa-revamp/

Their are other visa categories that have many more visa holders that aren't really discussed, like working holiday and student visas etc that outnumber 457 visa holders.

If the governments wants to fix low wage growth and the housing problems in Melbourne and Sydney, they need to significantly slash immigration to Australia but governments left and right are hooked on the money made from the housing bubble.

 

[JohnK]

JohnK it is best to leave if you are disgruntled. Work should be enjoyable seeing it is a chunk of your life.

I have been there ~9 years, 1 months and 5 days but who is counting. I want long service. If you take out the unpaid leave I have take I should still be entitled to 38-39 days long service. That is free money and if I can somehow hang around long enough and be lucky to get redundancy that is more free money with only ~$500 income tax which is even better.

Management like to think they are under control but they couldn't care less. All they care about is how they look in front of senior management. But that is OK. I do my job to the best of my ability and I am still there.

Oh and I don't earn $50,000/pa. No need to make my salary public.

 

[BacchusMarsh]

Here we go round the mulberry bush.

 

[Flashback]

They were available for 2-3 years after I started and only taken away as they moved HR to new system.

Personally I think great idea. I'd also love to know other people salaries. I don't think it's fair to work 50% harder than someone earning the same salary as you when you both get the same negligible increase at the end of year which is coming up in a few weeks for us.

Salary rewards skill, knowledge and many other areas - how hard someone works should not define that (but of course is yet another factor).

 

[TheRealTMA]

I have been there ~9 years, 1 months and 5 days but who is counting. I want long service. If you take out the unpaid leave I have take I should still be entitled to 38-39 days long service. That is free money and if I can somehow hang around long enough and be lucky to get redundancy that is more free money with only ~$500 income tax which is even better.

Management like to think they are under control but they couldn't care less. All they care about is how they look in front of senior management. But that is OK. I do my job to the best of my ability and I am still there.

Oh and I don't earn $50,000/pa. No need to make my salary public.

Good luck with the LSL! I don't see how you could live with your lifestyle and responsibilities with 50K. But if you don't want your salary public, then you have even less right (not that you had any in the first place ) to know the salary of others. That's what unions are for.

 

[Denali]

Unusual situation, just ran out of toothpaste. Thankfully hotel desk says they have amenity packs and sending two up.

You mean I could have been hoarding toothbrushes and paste for the past few days!

 

[anat0l]

He is waiting till he gets long service.

Johnk's main problem (which many of us also suffer from) is low wage growth. With his experience, his should be on much more then 50k and getting a minimum of 3-4% wage increases but private employers are taking advantage of declining union membership and record and lax immigration to Australia.

Even with the small changes and the rebranding of 457 visa category, the it industry chucked a tantrum and the government backtracked.

...

[-]Their[/-] There are other visa categories that have many more visa holders that aren't really discussed, like working holiday and student visas etc that outnumber 457 visa holders.

If the governments wants to fix low wage growth and the housing problems in Melbourne and Sydney, they need to significantly slash immigration to Australia but governments left and right are hooked on the money made from the housing bubble.

I'm wary about unions. If we really need them, then they don't seem to be as effective as we would desire them to be.

As far as I can tell, skilled migration visas were only supposed to be for those who could fill positions in Australia that other Australians would not be able to fill. I'm happy to plead naivety on this. From what I can guess, it seems that Australians could fill all these positions, but the companies thwart this by making the salaries artificially low so no Australian would want to fill them.

If the IT industry made a big song and dance about 457 visas, what really convinced the government to backtrack? Since when does the IT industry / lobby have enough political sway to force the government's hand? From what I would have guessed, most governments treat IT companies with contempt, and politically do not view them as much of an influence and thus not much of a threat.

Mind, it doesn't help overall that most of the world still views IT services with contempt. They expect IT solutions to work immediately all the time and take no time to build from ground up. Just because they can't physically see it they think it takes much less time to make. No one can produce quality product in those timeframes unless you pay peanuts. Grossly unfair.

This is getting a little on-topic, but are they still weighing carry-on for VA out of MEL?

I didn't even know that VA did that! I know the international terminal had a person who selected randoms to weigh hand baggage at the security screening point.

People also have been weighed at the gate with JQ, but that's been well known. Never been weighed by VA or QF domestic at any port before.

That's what unions are for.

...until the unions are revealed to be an even more corrupt institution in and of themselves, much more sinister and uncaring compared to the corporations they are supposed to be fighting against for fairness.

Unusual situation, just ran out of toothpaste. Thankfully hotel desk says they have amenity packs and sending two up.

You mean I could have been hoarding toothbrushes and paste for the past few days!

Sure you can. Unless you plan to donate them or you wish to have a few on hand, you might not want to hoard them, though.

Many hotels don't supply dental kits as a standard, but they do have them available and commonly free of charge. Even Hilton have free dental kits available (instead of taking the one from the mini bar which costs a fortune). If you do hoard them for your own use, you may want to be selective to ensure you actually get kits you want to use (not every toothbrush / toothpaste suits every person).

 

[TheRealTMA]

...until the unions are revealed to be an even more corrupt institution in and of themselves, much more sinister and uncaring compared to the corporations they are supposed to be fighting against for fairness.

Where would Australian cricketers be if they had to negotiate individual contracts? Or for that matter the AMA etc.

And just to add, one of the major problems with the Australian economy (as noted by the reserve bank) is the lack of wage growth. The economy is doing very well, employers are making much more money (despite the whinging) but wage growth has stalled. This means less input to the economy in taxes and less spending power with the workers.

 

[Denali]

Didn't have lunch today and just enjoyed a really nice Chinese dinner across the road. I don't have a good Chinese restaurant near us at home or work so I miss it.

 

[Flashback]

Cyclists in Amsterdam take the cake IMO.

Damn you Denali. I've been hankering after one since you posted.

It was just going to be one for me. Then MrP decided on a Hershey peanut one. Then said we should have a triple choc in case I had picked the wrong one. Then the girl suggested the 4 deal. Sigh.

The original brownie is top right.

View attachment 103699



Oh no. Copenhagen takes the ummm, Krispy Kreme cake.

Copenhagen sprung to mind for me too.

Wrong. It is my business.

If I have 25 years experience and they pay me $50,000/year and I give them a solid 35 hours/week and someone with 10 years experience gets paid the same but is only productive half the time and the rest of the time they use up senior resources mentoring them and showing them how to do their job.

This goes on for years and the expectation is for me to keep producing a solid 35 hours/week but they are happy the other person is only productive 20 hours/week. Then at review time we both get 1.4% salray increase.

What ends up happening is I don't know what salary they are on but find out from another person who knows what they are on and I'm not happy so don't perform at full capacity. But then I'm told more is expected from me and to lift my game. The other person keeps coasting and continues to get 1.4% salary increases along with me.

This is a true story and is still occurring today. Anyone who thinks management is doing a good job has got rocks in their head. There is no reward for hard work. Bludge and they'll take care of you. That's not the right message to send. Management are a failure.

That's life, not much you can do about that.

Where would Australian cricketers be if they had to negotiate individual contracts? Or for that matter the AMA etc.

And just to add, one of the major problems with the Australian economy (as noted by the reserve bank) is the lack of wage growth. The economy is doing very well, employers are making much more money (despite the whinging) but wage growth has stalled. This means less input to the economy in taxes and less spending power with the workers.

No different from the UK either to be fair.

 

[Denali]

Current mood...