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  1. ethernet

    Australian Apostille Extortion at $98 per page!

    While drug couriers mostly deserve to die, the power or lets just say the effectiveness of Australia to free the convicted is - miles less than Germany or USA. Visa entry fees are another low point for Australian passports - even in Asian countries close by - that we send a lot of aid money to...
  2. ethernet

    Australian Apostille Extortion at $98 per page!

    You hear words that Australia is both a global and multicultural society. That 'International Benchmarking' is the way to go. You were taught at school that monopolies' are bad. Monopoly fees for essential services are offensive to 'Public Service'. Taxation is a form of economic conscription...
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    FAA grounds 737 Max 9 Aircraft Indefinitely after Alaska Airlines incident

    Sigh - Non public hearings means lies and omissions are gotten away with. In the days past a Motorola QA would have pinpointed this immediately, and identified who made the QA change. Just read the border control people in the USA have made suggestions to fix things, but the head is an...
  4. ethernet

    Australian Apostille Extortion at $98 per page!

    Apostilles cost $98 per page at the Passports office. Is this the most expensive in the world? It is also a government monopoly as Notaries may 'bundle' many pages , but still needs a $98 Passport office chop. In the USA it can be often be done for USD3 -20 per page. The govt was seriously...
  5. ethernet

    FAA grounds 737 Max 9 Aircraft Indefinitely after Alaska Airlines incident

    The point of ICT outsourcing is having someone to blame when things go wrong or delivered late, but usually late, over-budget, and trapped into expensive maintenance. The second reason is HR believes all ICT people have no real long term value. Even 'Cloud' is trendy, when $AUD depreciation...
  6. ethernet

    FAA grounds 737 Max 9 Aircraft Indefinitely after Alaska Airlines incident

    Next time I fly Alaskan I will tell the PAX in that row not to take off their seatbelt. Their Seattle flights are chokkers.
  7. ethernet

    Changes to Travel Insurance Activation

    I will have to Investigate Costco USA cards, possibly CitiBank. 4% cashback and free insurance. Please note: In my books minimum spend and increased co-pays make it 'not free' and CBA is really pi .. ng me off. Time I got me a mixed currency account in HK or Bermuda.
  8. ethernet

    Vegemite under 100mls for carry on

    I recently switched to Promite. It it easier to spread and tastes nicer. And cheaper. MY larger size Vegimite jars when they went stale - were just off and difficult to spread. All this because vegimite went from a staple to a luxury priced product - that it never was. They new owner must be...
  9. ethernet

    FAA grounds 737 Max 9 Aircraft Indefinitely after Alaska Airlines incident

    Never knew Boeing had outsourced to Spirit. See https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/spirit-aero-made-blowout-part-boeing-has-key-role-sources-2024-01-07/ Every bolt has to be checked with a thread thingy and part number on top, and multiple people sign off on the work. With...
  10. ethernet

    Passport Renewal / Application - Time Taken?

    International Benchmarking. How does .au's passport compare with the rest of the world? For Aussies living overseas, they cant use mail, but physically visit embassies that treat you like criminals with hostility (or covid patient zeros). I would like to know why 'passports' is so inefficient...
  11. ethernet

    Qatar denied extra capacity into Australia

    I can't recall. Could QF adding the 'Yes' campaign be related to undocumented lobbying pressure - a quid pro quo? All executives are supposed to use their diary as a log for big decisions and directives. But like Victoria's decision to use private security guards - nobody knew anything. The...
  12. ethernet

    Article: What Are Air Services Agreements?

    Several possible reasons. They assume the minister of the day will be promoting tourism and jobs, first, above everything else - unless there are major trade deals afoot. Qatar may be choked and unblocked if they buy more wheat and wine for instance. It may be if refused, QF will have a...
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    Article: What Are Air Services Agreements?

    Part of competition is MORE than just ticket price. Terms and fees for changes are super important, and there is a cartel operating to keep these high. I fly a USA based airline, and most only charge the difference or nothing. I will never fly QF having been burnt badly . Next remember the ACCC...
  14. ethernet

    Article: New Zealand Replaces Paper Arrival Cards with Online Declaration

    Paper has advantages. Customs officers add chicken scratches to it to target liars and those with biosecurity risk indicators. Those caught always say well, i did not personally fill it in ...And as .au is boycotting the most advanced, leading Chinese camera systems, its going to miss risk, and...
  15. ethernet

    Carry on Luggage

    My suitcases get a workout, and the rolling wheels worn out. Seems there is a special easy to wear out plastic! Spamazon have replacements. https://www.amazon.com/OwnMy-Colorful-Suitcase-Replacement-Bearings/dp/B07QLBSKFH The nuts are hollow, so you can shorten or grind them down. I even...
  16. ethernet

    AMEX FOREX Closing

    I opened up a SingX money transfer account, and was delayed by red tape, they wanting more than 100 points, and then a selfie, And now proof of income and invoices! after <10K of transfers. Talk about breach of ACL. Not happy! Has anyone else encountered PII related money transfer issues...
  17. ethernet

    What's your prediction on the Australian Dollar?

    It is a guess. The RBA is guilty of manipulation, because the Sydney House Auctions are still on 'fire' and inflation is still intractably strong (like petrol prices not dropping like they should), or rent increases in double figures. In other words expectations of more are still burned into...
  18. ethernet

    TURO - has anyone tried renting through this platform ?

    $175 per day and up for Melbourne car hire? One reason why I have given up on Australian holidays. I wonder how much corporates and Centrelink pay.
  19. ethernet

    Cheap flights coming? - China’s back

    After CNY, of course the competition will reduce prices, as many will convert the hop into a transit. There is also pent up demand - after that fades ... Australia has done many things to damage budget local tourism besides the floods and fire being unfix-able, as are reduced caravan options.
  20. ethernet

    Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

    PBS has a duty to guard the public pocket. Over the years, the virus has mellowed, and a good percentage of the population adequately protected, against milder more transmissible variants (bar at risk types). In light of new information, what is going to happen next is a fair question. You do...
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