Dreamtime

A co-worker got a pen stuck inside our printer. He started to try and remove the pen, but I told him we don't have time for that now, just put a note on the printer telling folks not to use it and we will deal with it later. I left and he grabbed a piece of paper, made a quick note and stuck it on the printer. About 20 minutes later, another colleague comes in laughing and says he just saw a piece of paper in the printer and went to investigate. That would hurt a bit one would think.

What is winter? Here the season never changes. Just hot and then hotter!

Yes the small business sector (Me) is being hard hit. I spend approx AUD$75,000.00 per month on diesel in my 4 small ships. As of today the minimum hourly rate moved from around 20 Australian cents up to nearly 60 cents per hour. Might not sound much to you guys, but it is all relevent in the scheme of things here. Last month the Government removed the duty on rice and to offset that loss they increased the excise on smokes and alchohol. A carton of local beer, 333ml bottles, was about $27.50 Australian and is now $31.00. Add to that the falling dollar here. 10 years ago it was .33 cents Oz, yesterday I exchanged cash at .1373 cents. These changes are made by the government who have Australian advisors. Anyway that's my 2 bobs worth.

Just received our new fuel prices for JulyAt this rate - who can afford it? Here's our prices for the last 6 months. ------------ Feb -- Mar -- Apr -- May -- June -- July Unleaded 1.07 -- 1.08 -- 1.13 -- 1.19 -- 1.24 -- 1.51 Diesel---- 1.12 -- 1.11 -- 1.17 -- 1.31 -- 1.43 -- 1.73 Kero------ 1.25 -- 1.22 -- 1.28 -- 1.37 -- 1.42 -- 1.70 These are AUD$ prices per litre. How long before we're paying 2 dollars a litre? Included in our price is 15% GST and $0.015 Sales Tax per litre.

Thanks to all who have sent PM's. Have emailed Porters for all the drive gear and Fullers Marine have come back to me on the Trim Tabs. Still looking for a shipwright or person with equal skills to do the assessmnet and installation.

I was told that the US Military control the satellites that the GPS operate from. That there is an error actually put into all domestic GPS. Only the military units are exact. During the Gulf War the US blanked out all the satelites that the GPS work from. Last year, one of my vessels was west of here at the same time a US Navy ship was there also. The plotter showed a error of some 10 miles when in the vicinity of the Navy ship. Strange?

Try your tyre fitting shops. They use lead for doing wheel balances and sometimes have damaged pieces available for scrap. Obviously old lead acid batteries if you can get a hold of them but be very careful of the acid. Use rubber gloves, protective clothing and eye safety goggles. You may also find it at demolition yards, used in old roofs before.

A bloke walks into a Glasgow library and says to the prim librarian, 'Excuse me Miss, dey ye hiv ony books on suicide?' To which she stops doing her tasks, looks at him over the top of her glasses and says, 'Fook off, ye'll no bring it back!'

A long time ago, Britain and France were at war. During one battle, the French captured an English colonel. They took him to their headquarters and the French general began to question him. Finally, as an afterthought, the French general asked, 'Why do you English officers all wear red coats? Don't you know the red material makes you easier targets for us to shoot at?' In his bland English way, the officer informed the General that the reason English officers wore red coats was so that if they were shot, the blood wouldnʼt show and the men they were leading wouldnʼt panic. And that is why, from that day to this, all French Army officers wear brown pants.

For the mechanically minded mums. For Computer literate mums.

I think they're too clever for that.

Check the swap and sell section on this forum. Might be something there for your dollars Cheers

Make sure you have a good explanation for the wife

Wish I was there!

I thought I would wait to see how many others had lost rods to this sort of freight train attack before I put my 2 bob in. Firstly the story, unbelievable, what perseverance, clever man, thinking on your feet under duress. Champion effort, as mentioned, a story to be regaled over and over again. Excellent reading. Anyway, a few years back I was live baiting for Papuan Black Bass using telapia, in the upper Galley Reach in PNG using GB1706 with Abu 7000 loaded with 24kg. The rod was left in free spool with the ratchet engaged leaning against the gunwhale, the familiar zzzzzzzzzzz went off and I reached for the rod only to knock it over, unfortunately knocking it out of freespool, only to sit there in amazement at the speed that the outfit went over the side of the boat into the water - like a rocket. All I could do was to look over at my mate, grab another beer from the esky, and sit there in silence. Definately a candidate for POM. Cheers

Excellent GT and pics. Caught one weighing 32kg whilst in PNG on a trolled dead bait. The bugger had barnacles growing on him! Sounds like a great honeymoon - did the wife go with you?

Thanks Stewy Need all the help I can get at the moment. The wife and kids main entertainment. Cheers Carl

You may have seen my post recently showing damaged drive gear on my Mariner 31. All but difficult here to procure the replacement bits. Even contacted Rivierra who made the Mariners but "no off the shelf" parts available, as no record of my vessel with them. Looking for a qualified shipwrighter or the likes to procure the necessary gear. Am willing to pay airfares, hotel, wages and expenses to the right person to come up and do an assessment of the required bits and pieces. Then for him to return to Oz, purchase them and then return to do the installation. No tyre kickers. Need to do a little homework down there first to ascertain if and where to obtain parts. Sooner rather than later required Thanks Carl

What an effort. Brings back memories. I lived on the Georges River for 20 years. I used to collect weed in my tinnie up near Picnic Point every Friday morning , then run it down to Tom Uglys bait shop before heading off to school. Promise not to give away the spot. What depth?

Any ideas?