Queensland, where alpacas come to die

Isn't it a wonderful world. Isn't Queensland a wonderful state.

Here you can beat a couple of animals to death a get a pat on the back for it.

We allow a couple of idiots to beat two alpacas to death and just give them a slap on the wrist, now go away and don't do it again.

What is wrong with the judicatory ?
Are they asleep at the wheel ?
All the lights are on and no one is home ?

I am definitely not an animal rights campaigner, but this is just ludicrous. The dictionary says in the definition of ludicrous 'amazingly absurd'.
We pay the judicatory a small fortune to give us judgments like this. If I made such a judgment during my working day, I would get my arse fired out the door.
The Queensland Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie says "He didn't spend any time in jail at all, and we do feel that's disappointing."
DISAPPOINTING ?????
What, is the boss scared that this judge will throw him in jail for being disrespectful of his court ?

These few words here don't even come close to what I am thinking of this judge.

Tunnels and who should pay for them

Tunnel failures drive Gongestion tax Calls

by ANDREW MACDONALD in theCourier Mail 23/2/1913

AN inner-Brisbane congestion charge should be considered as a traffic-busting way to fund fufure large-scale infrastrucfure projects, say experts. The call for the reignition of debate over the politically volatile road-use tariff comes as Airport Link this week became Brisbane's second multi-billion-dollar tunnel project to financially collapse.

University of Queensland economist Professor John Quiggin said current tolling was falling short of revenue and congestion-reduction objectives and debate over introducing targeted charges for drivers on our most clogged roads during peak periods should be restarted.

He said the rethink could also involve reducing or scrapping tolls on the new roads to encourage use and further reduce congestion.

"The basic idea is that if you look at the way we charge for roads at the moment we (toll) the nicest newest roads, which are the ones that we would like people to use," he said. "So we're taking people off the roads that we want them on and putting them on to the roads that we don't want them on. A congestion charge has the merit of (being) relatively straightforward to collect and it picks out the busiest area."

Prof Quiggin said despite logical arguments for a congestion tariff, few politicians or interest groups were willing to champion or initiate debate.

Targeted charges for driving in specific zones near the centres of major cities like London, Stockholm and Singapore have become accepted means of reducing congestion, while also providing revenue for other projects.

In Australia individuals like former Treasury boss Ken Henry have also floated congestion charges to generate revenue for projects.

However, Premier Campbell Newman has strongly opposed such fees and his office yesterday referred a query on the issue to Transport Minister Scott Emerson.

Mr Emerson's office said a congestion charge was not a current consideration.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk "strongly opposed" such a charge, his office said.

====================================================

A few points to consider.
1.    don't we already pay a huge sum of money every year to register our vehicles
                What's that for, so they can have biscuits and tea every day or is it to build and maintain roads
2.    have a congestion tax so they can do away with the tolls on the tunnels
                have you ever seen a pig knock back food
3.    who dreams up these numbers for usage when these tunnels are built
                what, do they use a dart board, no, it is just the greedy high flyers thinking about how much money they would like to make
4.    "A congestion charge has the merit of (being) relatively straightforward to collect"
                oh yeah, and how long did it take them to figure out how to do the current tolling
I'm sure you will think of other points about this debacle.

Email Scams and GUMTREE

If you are considering selling any items on GUMTREE (and probably on other sites as well) you should take a look at the   following post   on this blog.

There are a number of scamers out there, and a number of them seem to reside in the Malasya - Singapore area, and they are very cleaver at getting you started on talking to them. Once they do get you to respond, they will step up the pressure and try to get you to send money to them. Of course they will make all sorts of claims about dealing with PayPal and Western Union, but the end result is to separate you from your money.

If they do get you to send money, you can just kiss it good-bye. There is no known way to get it back. It will be gone.

Go   have a look at the post   and be for-warned.




Here are some links to other articles about the same problem.

What is SMS fraud?

 

This next one will explain how a scam can work, read point 5 carefully.

Learn how to protect yourself from gumtree scams 

  Stay up to date with this blog and hear the latest about these scamers. On the right hand side you will see where you can enter your email address and every time someone posts a new comment, you will receive a copy.

 

How a bureaucrat fixes a traffic problem

Many years ago in another life in the wonderful state of Queensland we had a Premier named the Joh Bjelke-Petersen. Among other things Joh thought Queensland was the most wonderful place to live and he wanted other Australians to experience the same thing so he invited them all to come and live here, now we know that was a mistake, our infrastructure just won't cope with the number of cars on our roads.

However, in the Bligh government there was a bureaucrat who listened to his minister when the minister wanted something done about the traffic jams on the Bruce Highway coming into Brisbane from the north. 
 
The bureaucrat said to himself, I've got a bit of spare money in the bank, why don't we put up some signs telling the motorists how long it'll take to get to the next exit, that'll fix everything. And so, after spending approximately $4 million they erected four signs that tell you how many minutes it'll take you to get to the next exit. I wonder, given the current Newman government policies if that bureaucrat still takes home money out of the public purse.




Rather than spend 4 million on trying to fix the traffic problems we'll just tell people how long they have got to suffer and at the same time we'll tell them in the media every day that the suffering is going to go on for a lot longer and it's going to get a lot worse. 
 


$4 million well spent, don't you think!!!

Another Money Scam

This email arrived to-day,

Having received your Claim Application, I am writing to inform you that I am a delegate from the United Nations Human Settlements Programme and to notify you finally about your outstanding Compensation payment of $2,811,041.00 USD with identification number UPS/UNHSP/280/012. This compensation is being made for losses/damages as a result of accident or illness. For more information, contact the UPS Dispatch Officer with your Name, Resident Address and Telephone Number for the delivery of your cashier check.

 United Parcel Service (UPS) 

Contact Name: Robert Ayo 

Tel: +2347039278107 

E-mail: robertayo_upsdisp07@dgoh.org

 

Please take note that you will pay a shipping/handling fee of $95.00 USD to UPS

Thanks for your patience. Smith Liz . Programme Manager United Nations Human Settlements Programme.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was sent from this address - liz.1.smith@hants.gov.uk

Other addresses used in this scam -

ups-delivery1@07168.cn
Beth.Phelan@mcesc.org
robertayo_upsdisp07@dgoh.org



You will note that they tell you up front that you will have to pay $95. If only ten people respond, they will have almost $1000. Of course, once you send the money, you will not hear from them again, unless they think you are good for a second bite.

EMAIL Scam addresses

If you are selling anything on the net through sites like Gumtree or Trading Post and I'm sure there are others, do not respond to any SMS you get on your phone asking you to write to an email address.

If they don't want to talk to you, person to person, without hiding their phone number, you can bet they are trying to hide something else.

If they suggest or say anything about overseas, whether they are overseas or they want the goods sent overseas, treat it as a scam. Who in their right mind would buy a car in Australia and then pay the cost of shipping it to Malasya or Saudi Arabia when you can purchase something like a Mercedes Benz in those countries, brand new for half the price.

They will often tell you that they can't phone you because there are strict rules about making phone calls, or there is bad weather, or they are on an oil rig. For the same sorts of reasons they can't come and see the item but they will have a 'shipping agent' who will pick it up.

One of the most common things you will notice about these scamers is, they will talk about the money, but rarely, if ever, will they ask to see the item you are selling. They will almost certainly be prepared to buy the item unseen. If it is a car, don't send a photograph showing the number plate or other identifying plates (VIN or engine number), you might be surprised how quickly they seem to already own it or have some sort of claim on it.

Don't let anyone take possession of any goods, no matter what the reason, until you have the money in the bank. Not a cheque in the mail, not even a bank cheque from what appears to be a recognised bank, wait until it is cleared by your bank (usually 4 working days).

And don't send money to them (the so called buyers) for any reason. When was the last time you had to pay your bank a sum of money so that they could give some money. You are the seller, you don't have to pay to sell items, so why would you have to send money to them so that you can get the money they have supposedly paid to you, usually via PayPal or Western Union.

IF   THEY   ASK   FOR   MONEY   -   YOU   KNOW   IT   IS   A   SCAM.  CEASE   ALL  CONTACT,   DO   NOT   RESPOND   TO   ANYTHING.

The following email addresses and variants of them are known scammers:

alancoper5@gmail.com
alancoppr@gmail.com
bevanbarker@gmail.com
bobbpaul@hotmail.com
daved1516@gmail.com
davidbryant07@live.com.au
ellanjames467@yahoo.com
hype2452@hotmail.com

ianrom8228@gmail.com
kend11@live.com
loricop@gmail.com
martinskent05@gmail.com
melvinjohnson112@hotmail.com
nestorbailey@yahoo.com.au
plmangion12@gmail.com
richcute1@gmail.com

robbiefrawley@hotmail.com.au
robpol2288@gmail.com
rodrichmond55@hotmail.com
shype2456@hotmail.com
taylor.johnson610@googlemail.com
timlan50@gmail.com
val_ken@live.com
walldon0@ymail.com service@intl.paypal.com.au

 

The following are from other people who have written with addresses that they have found.

riddlelouise@gmail.com              damiendemolder@btinternet.com
peterjohnon69@gmail.com        crisell.sandra102@gmail.com
lowemartin82@yahoo.com         katemcc.2011@gmail.com
joshandmarita@gmail.com         fk0320@live.com
kellydiana54@yahoo.com           lanbinson@gmail.com
pmangion19@gmail.com
grastrymail
rodvies@gmail.com
desconnor30@gmail.com
tilyard3@gmail.com
john.frezie001@gmail.com
anne.william0009@gmail.com
ryansenior82@yahoo.com
janemile1@gmail.com              janemile11@gmail.com            janemile@gmail.com
tv.samss@gmail.com                tv.samaa@gmail.com
rosshat97@gmail.com
mattrosemary@hotmail.co
adamsray387@yahoo.com.au
bartymicky@gmail.com
johndaruss68@gmail.com
kingsleyholler@yahoo.com
torres.espana.ambassadoroffice@gmail.com
brad.allen@gmail.com                                        brad.allan@gmail.com
pickupagentfees@mail2australia.com                artsligh@gmail.com
jobsed@gmail.com
crawfordhills-matt@hotmail.co.uk
premierjohnjarvis@gmail.com                           nathanbut3@gmail.com
bonand104@gmail.com 
millalice1@gmail.com 
robertjohnny56@hotmail.com
robert.thomas-1@hotmail.com
paulassuiebest@yahoo.com.au
cecilia.david009@gmail.com
byphilip1@gmail.com
pstephen2002@gmail.com
johanpetersson27@gmail.com
Desoconnor32@gmail.com
lewintdaniell@gmail.com
dav.latty101@gmail.com
titinifebola@hotmail.com
Grahamjames852@rocketmail.com
ayshahasan45@yahoo.com
Danobrien32@gmail.com             Danobrien@gmail.com
bx5txnballer23@gmail.com
samuelolivia1@gmail.com
beth.phelan@mcesc.org            ups-delivery1@07168.cn
collejacob22@yahoo.com
wincia2@gmail.com
jssbiak7030@outlook.com
Jeaaica.thomas0009@gmail.com             schosking@gmail.com

 
If you have any more email addresses please post a comment below. Even if you don't have a new email address please add a comment and let's show just how big and widespread this problem is. It may prompt someone in a government somewhere to do something about the scamers and other criminals on the internet.


Here is the text of a typical email sent by one of the scamers -

Thanks for the mail, I am very keen. How i wish i could come for viewing and inspection as am currently overseas at the moment and i want it picked up before i get back. I would be paying via PayPal which is safer for me or bank transfer as well safe. Kindly send me a paypal payment invoice or create an account at www.paypal.com.au if you don't have one or your bank details for me to make payment. I will make a concrete pick up arrangement with my transport agent who will be coming over for pick up once you receive full payment into your account. I will be expecting your email.I will need this following details so i can proceed with the payment right away
Are you the first owner? What is your reason for selling it?
Have a nice day.

Would you buy something without seeing it ? Some of these items are cars and boats and they have to be here in person to register them. In Queensland at least, a human being must front up with the paper work to register or change the ownership. Once it is registered, they can renew it by electronic means. If they are overseas, they can't register it and if they do send someone to pick it up, it will remain in your name, and everything that happens after that will happen in your name.

On some of these emails you will find an email address that purports to be for PayPal and looks legitimate such as -
service@paypal.com.au    or
service@paypal.com   BUT
the underlying address that the email will go to is -  informationcenter@mail2finance.com   or   service@paypalworldwide.com, which of course are scam addresses.  DON'T WRITE TO THEM  

Long-neck visitor

While I was working inside this afternoon a commotion began in the back yard and when I went to investigate, there to my surprise was a long-neck turtle being harassed by everything that could fly, at least two dozen birds, all squacking and going nuts over the intruder.

I don't know how far he had travelled but he was dry and looked as if he could do with a feed and a good dose of H2O. I found a large tub, placed a house brick in the middle and enough water to be level with the top of the brick. I then went to the fridge and got a piece of steak and cut it into small slivers and back to the turtle. Droped a piece in the water and he was onto it in an instant. Within a minute he had eaten the lot; guess he was a bit hungry.

Now, what to do with him. He couldn't stay where he was and it would be no good taking him to the local creek; too many very busy roads around. After a phone call to the local wild life people, lake Kurwongbah was suggested, which is just a couple of miles away, so in the car and off to the lake.

It is a big lake and I'm assured that he has relatives living there. I hope he is happy in his new home. It is always a good feeling to see them go free.