The totally off-topic thread

[TheRealTMA]

it's a good question to which to don't really know the answer... but I suspect these changes would not have come around. I don't know the skinny on the union situation in America... but there's plenty of workers there on low wages, long hours, no job security ('you're fired'), and leave entitlements which are a fraction of ours. If you left these things to 'the market' like they appear to do in the USA, it would be a very different place to work.

How about developing nations... plenty where children still work, and adults work in dangerous jobs with little or no safety protections, for long hours and poor wages. Yes there are other drivers going on there, but one wonders if unions would have brought about some of the protections we enjoy in other nations?

It seems that left to market forces and outright capitalism that these reforms are very slow in coming, if ever. The current 'digital disruption' capital model is of great concern in this regard. Heard this on ABC RN this morning and it adds food for thought and topics to this discussion- Throwing rocks at the Google bus - Future Tense - ABC Radio National (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

 

[mannej]

I think some travel booking systems look to stress people out no end.

Made an IHG booking for 2 rooms on Friday. Checked the booking this morning, low and behold the booking is now for 1 room only.

Fun and games isn't it...

 

[get me outta here]

Good speech from the Governor of Virginia after the neofascists attack there at the Uni of Virginia yesterday. After he thanks all the police and first responders etc, in this video clip, he tells the neofacsisits to go home in no uncertain terms. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=11HP3R0gLyw

 

[Denali]

Good speech from the Governor of Virginia after the neofascists attack there at the Uni of Virginia yesterday. After he thanks all the police and first responders etc, in this video clip, he tells the neofacsisits to go home in no uncertain terms. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=11HP3R0gLyw

I thought the same thing.

Maybe from the the travesty of Trump, some new blood might come into the election pool.

 

[blackcat20]

I do not understand the love of "sour dough" anything. It is always hard and chewy IMO. I wont eat it.

Then you haven't tried home made, fresh from the oven sourdough. There's nothing better.

 

[Denali]

I may have stopped at Krispy Kreme on landing at Sydney for a choc Fudge brownie donut while sending hubby to collect bags... Which came out #3 & 4!

What's up with VA baggage handlers?

 

[Pushka]

I may have stopped at Krispy Kreme on landing at Sydney for a choc Fudge brownie donut while sending hubby to collect bags... Which came out #3 & 4!

What's up with VA baggage handlers?

One was more than enough for me.

 

[Hvr]

An unnecessarily aggressive post IMHO.

My first intro to unions was working in a paper mill as a school kid. It was join the AWU now or get off the job! Never held that against them but also I never forgot.

I later worked in the oil industry for nearly 30 years and saw the unions in involved in creating and solving some major issues. About 50% of the time they were wonderful for the workers but about 50% of the time they caused the issues.

i.e. I believe they have a great place but they are just as often not the saviours that you portray.

So 50% of the problems were caused by management and 50% by the unions. Basically a fair share of problem causing and solving.

The old closed shops are basically long gone with a few exceptions.

Not all unions are labour (i.e. workers unions). There are plenty of industry associations, aka employer unions who are just as corrupt, and as for companies like 7-11, Pizza Hut, Aldi and others have all had allegations of wage theft made against them but they are virtually untouched given it isn't a criminal offence.

 

[OZDUCK]

I have a very sweet tooth and love pastries but I also have only had one Krispy Kreme -at Sydney Airport. It tasted like like soggy dough with undissolved sugar crystals mixed in.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

I have a very sweet tooth ...................

Me too !! But I have never had a Krispy Kreme. I see them in BKK, but the neon "cream" put me off, I like real CREAM but not the imitation cream in some cakes and pastries.

 

[Bindibuys]

I have never been a fan of cream or custard, hence the strawberry filled KK is my favourite.

 

[drron]

Missed this.
Albert Geoffrey McElhinney RIP 21/7/2017.
Better known as Geoff Mack.
And known for 1 song-
[video=youtube_share;mvBpLbNik_U]https://youtu.be/mvBpLbNik_U[/video]

 

[Denali]

Randy Donuts near LAX is wonderful. I loved the ones that had maple syrup.

 

[OZDUCK]

I must admit that doughnuts as a whole are not my favourites. Give me a mille-feulle, fruit flan or baumkuchen instead.

 

[Happy Trails]

Missed this.
Albert Geoffrey McElhinney RIP 21/7/2017.
Better known as Geoff Mack.
And known for 1 song-
[video=youtube_share;mvBpLbNik_U]https://youtu.be/mvBpLbNik_U[/video]

Mark Steyn did a nice piece last week.

https://www.steynonline.com/8020/ive-been-everywhere

 

[amaroo]

Full marks to the National Archives! We're changing health funds (defence health) and needed to find the service details of SWMBO grandfather.

Very sobering scrolling through all those names..... the POW list in particular.

 

[JessicaTam]

I must admit that doughnuts as a whole are not my favourites. Give me a mille-feulle, fruit flan or baumkuchen instead.

TopTaste (SA) chocolate doughnuts - yum. I don't know if they are still around. But my favourite has to be a fresh kitchener bun.

 

[OZDUCK]

TopTaste (SA) chocolate doughnuts - yum. I don't know if they are still around. But my favourite has to be a fresh kitchener bun.

Yummy but- Ich bin ein Berliner - applies I see.

 

[anat0l]

I think I liked my share of doughnuts (or donuts?) when I was younger, though these days they don't appeal to me much. Even those gourmet doughnuts - some looking like true works of art that shouldn't be eaten - don't really appeal to me.

I guess a good homemade doughnut is hard to pass up. Desserts featuring doughnuts but not in the traditional shape (more like a doughnut ball) are also somewhat popular these days.

Same goes with cupcakes. Cupcakes were really nice at children's parties (probably still are). The small cupcake pop-up store revolution was something I didn't really get. The cupcakes looked nice but didn't taste so great (some were as dry as sandpaper), particularly as you paid a prince's ransom for one (and its box).

 

[JessicaTam]

Yummy but- Ich bin ein Berliner - applies I see.

Actually a berliner from the German Cake Shop in Hahndorf would be up there as well.