Go on Facebook and look up the group “DERRYN HINCH IS A SCUMBAG”. The creator is “Damien Gatto”! Loving the comments from numnuts having a go at Hinch because he is a convicted criminal!

Regarding the AFL on the Gold Coast. The slithery Gold Coast developers should be aware that the land at the Carrara site is 300-450mm below flood level, i.e. 30 to 45 centimetres!

Further to your story about Qantas trashing its brand , it seems as though they are drip-feeding details about the changes to their frequent flyer program via an online survey. For details of the survey and a (deliberate?) sneak preview of the cost of the new Anyseat option plus members comments and insights see here.

Fat Aussies. It seems to me that a lot of media swallowed the report that said that Australians were the fattest in the world. Why has no-one asked why the Baker Heart Research Institute report varies so much from the WHO organisation’s findings? WHO has Australia as 21st and Nauru as the fattest.

A business plan with Vision. This is a legitimate copy of an email issued yesterday at Vision Australia, Kooyong, Melbourne — paragraph three particularly deserves a run! Bureaucracy gone mad.

From: XXXXXXXX XXXXX
To: All Client Services
Subject: Key Messages from CSMT

Key messages from the meeting of the Client Services Management Team held 12 June 2008

General Manager Client Services (Guide Dogs Tasmania) — To join CSMT as part of Vision Australia’s cooperative agreement with Guide Dogs Tasmania. Errol Ingram will take part in CSMT meetings and work closely with Regional Managers to enable greater awareness and understanding of each agencies services and to increase service integration between the two agencies.

Review of Vision Australia’s Service Model — External consultants will be engaged to work with CSMT to review the service model and its implementation to date. This important initiative for the 09 financial year will explore possible blockers to implementation and develop solutions for ongoing implementation of our model.

CSMT Team Building — CSMT will undertake a 360 degree review as part of a team building activity. This involves each member of CSMT reviewing their own performance and then receiving feedback from those around them (Supervisor, peers and direct reports). This feedback will assist CSMT to work together more successfully. Once complete this team building activity will be used with other managers in client services.

Alignment of Funding, Services & Contracts — Service Operations, Service Partnerships and Service Development are undertaking key work to align these critical elements of client service funding. For the first time and with improved information at hand service targets, contractual obligations and financial acquittals will be aligned to ensure each element is being delivered and reported to our funding bodies appropriately.

Business Plans — CSMT has been working to finalise the 09 Client Services Business Plan. Once finalised Team Managers will be able to build their plans which will operationalise departmental goals and capture local initiatives. A report on the Client Services Plan on a Page will be given to Team Managers at the upcoming Team Managers Workshop to be held on June 25 & 26.

NOTE: Do not reply to email if you have any queries or comments please contact your Senior Manager.

Warm regards

XXXXXX

XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX
Vision Australia
454 Glenferrie Road
Kooyong Vic. 3144
Ph: 03 XXXX XXXX
Fax: 03 XXXX XXXX
www.visionaustralia.org.au
ABN: 67 108 391 831
ACN: 108 391 831

From the silvery knoll: The Perth Mint, along with the COMEX and TOCOM and LME, have been in collusion with the western central bankers for years in suppressing gold and silver prices. We’re even finding out that SLV, the silver ETF, is being allowed to be shorted and very likely naked shorted despite the fact that its prospectus states and its raison d’etre is to hold real physical silver for shares, 10 oz/share to be exact. Those holding shorts undoubtedly do NOT hold the physical silver for those shortsold shares. It’s a travesty. But those behind it (as Barclay’s is behind the silver ETF) obfuscate with words… you have to finetooth comb your way through the fine print to find out all the backdoor and delivery default loopholes contained in the document, i.e., in the end, the ETF is just another paper promise to delivery that can be defaulted on for various and sundry reasons, and in the meantime is being used to lease out, sell and short down the silver market. I found it interesting that the Perth Mint states that all their silver is insured by Lloyds of London. Now isn’t that nice. What’s the problem with that statement? The problem is that that isn’t the problem. The problem is the amount they actually HAVE to BE insured! Where is their nearly $900M worth of silver of precious metal? Where is it? Why are they having such trouble and giving clients such grief about taking delivery or converting it to allocated if they have all that? You and we already know the answer to that, despite all the Mint’s obfuscations and spins regarding WA… there is a physical shortage and the price is being manipulated down by the paper market using the hoard that such “holding” sites as the Perth Mint supposedly have as their “capital.”