Mature Workers

Friday 22nd June, my boss told me that as he was closing half of the business down, I would not have a job after the end of July.
"Happy Birthday John. "I thought, as I was to turn 63 the following thursday [28th].
Immediately I was home that night, I went online to see what jobs were available and applied for around 15 jobs. Only to learn on the Monday morning [befor 9am] That I had not gotten two of the jobs. One I had expected a rebuttal, the other was a surpise. The others I've never heard from.  On contacting my partner who was living in Southern New South Wales, it was agreed that I would take over that residence so that he could go off to pursue something he has been skirting around for some years.
So I began to apply for jobs down there too.
Time for moving came and went and just before moving I received, first a letter from one place and an email from another that I had not got the job applied for. A week after arriving at my new home I finally received a reply about the other two jobs for which I had originally applied for here.
Wayne Swan has been going on about the number of new jobs that have been filled by Mature Aged Workers. I can't understand his excitement. It is obvious now as it was nine years ago when I was looking for work, that, age was the major barrier to getting a job.
Of the four jobs applied for here. Three were with Woolworth, who in their local branch employ many mature aged people.
So I don't understand their rational.
In many cases, I think that most prospective employers look at what you have been doing rather than the skills you have and turn you down.
Regardless of the factor that I have forty six years of retail; experience in various positions, with both family businesses and Major Department Stores and have learned many skills. It seems that this is no account to working as a checkout chick.
In reality I think Mr Swan is wrong in his excitement.
Only two days prior to being told about what was to happen, I had read an article on Yahoo, where a group were wanting the government to raise the retirement age to SEVENTY. The chairman of National Seniors [of which I am a Member] came out against this move with the factor that, an unemployed person under the age of Forty Five, can expect to be out of work for TWENTY TWO weeks, whilst someone older can expect to be out of work for SEVENTY TWO weeks.
I tallied that up, eighteen months for me and six months later I could retire.
Checking my superannuation as I need to access it to cover some debts, I found that I would not be able to work after accessing it [provided I had found a job].
Roll on Early Retirement I cried.
But the problem is that my former employer, because of no cash flow, has not paid me benefits I am entitled to and because of this I cannot even register for unemployed benefits.
Nor, it seems can he pay out what is owed for superannuation payments, so that I am unable to even access monies I have paid in to the fund.
It's a total bitch of a situation, but I'm not the only one losing out here.
Numerous companies go to the wall every day, both large and small, taking with them benefits that are rightfully the workers. It seems that many times the creditors come before the worker.

Well it's been a while since last post.
Black dog has been in the way a lot of the time.
Getting vet treatment via Macquarie University at present.

The major thing to PISS ME OFF in 2012 has been the election og the LNP with such a major majority. Are we to return to the Bejelke Peterson era again.
These people seem to be very uninformed and ignorant people.

Religious beliefs have no place in politics.
Already they have turned the tide by revoking ceromony for Civil Unions for Gay People!!
Without this legality, the berieved party in the event of death of  one or the other partner, have no rights which prevail in a Heterosexual Marriage.
I've known couples who have been together for 20 or more years where the surviving party has no rights after the death of their partner.
Yet a Hetero couple who have been together for two years or more and breaking up are entightled to Palomony or a part of the estate if the partner has died.
Not so in the Gay world.
No Legal rights.
It is about time that we forgot the proprieties of an ancient and today meaningless religious belief and put into place the neccessary and Human laws of legality.
Were the Greeks correct in the factor that Women were for breeding purposes, but. the greatest love was between two men [ I write as a gay male]?

The Pm has come out saying that we should not put so much importance on a legality of union as she has not taken the step of marriage to her partner. She forgets that legaly the law recognises her relationship and if she and her partner were to drift apart, she would still have a claim under palimony laws.
Not so for a gay couple.
No RIGHTS of CLAIM period!
It is about time that we forgot the religious mumbo jumbo and got on with the human side of life.
Alain de Botton stated in his book "Religion for Athiests" that religion has taken the humanity out of being who we are. He doesn't realise how true this is!!!!!
Henry had the right idea with Thomas A'Beckett when he tried seperating Church from State. Church has no right in state.
Tony Abbot puts church before state so that his vision is clouded.
Until our politicians realise this, then we might have some reality in Government thinking!!!!
I would like readers comment on this.
Whilst I have been in a relationship for over 8 years, myself I don't need the boundaries of Marriage or Civil Union, but, I do find it neccessary for my fellow gay brothers.

TPO2

If you click on the heading you'll get "The Queensland Party.

Too Pissed Off!

I haven't posted for some time because I have been TPO.
The same atrocities are still going on.
Traffic, Government, Etc.
One nice Raibow of late has been the launch of the Queensland Party.
I couldn't attend their launch as I work sundays.
But since reading about a new candidate in my electorate, I've mad contact to find out more.
Neither current parties in parliament are my cup of tea at present.
But, I've found thinking like my own with the QP.
Now I'm not joining. I won't join any party, because I don't believe in the party telling you how to vote.
But, I can vote for them if they are up to my ideals. And, not if they fail.
As we have a shonky [I believe illegal, you can think what you like] deal with "Can Do" and the LNP and lots of grief with Anna and her muscle. It is refreshing to see a group out there trying to put things back to rights.
There's a link above, go check them out.

Looters Should be Shot

One of the scenes in the movie San Fracisco with Jeanette Macdonald and Clark Gable, is the scene showing a body hanging with a sign around its neck saying "Shot for Looting"
Some of this low life was around recently with the Brisbane Floods.
How low, can you get???

People today would say "Oh! We can't do that! it's not NICE"
BUGGER THAT!
If they wanted to steal my stuff and I had a gun [which I wouldn't, because I don't like them and find them uneccessary] I'd shoot them.
Unfortunately, I would be in the wrong for shooting the person.

What are your thoughts on this subject???

Cool Reception

You'd think that a boss [owner] would be pleased if his staff turned up to help out when a crisis was arising or over!
Not mine.
I turned up the day we were to receive the inundation because my manager had called me to go in because he would be leaving early.
On arrival, I found I wasn't expected even though the owner had been there when the the call had been made to me.
The following friday I arrived at 8.am as my manager was having travel problems due to the floods. How cool was that welcome!!!

OK!
So the shop has been closed for three days.
All had to be put right before we could open.
Food needed to be ordered in for the Cafe before we could open.
All business around us was closed and most would be for a further week.

That is the problem with many small busness people. They think only of the money that they think they have lost. Not the factor that they are able to claim for their losses.
Even when we opened the next day, we were so slow that it really wasn't really being open.
It actually cost more for us to be open.

I've never understood this trait in small business owners and I've worked for many over the years.

5 WAYS

I guess you all are getting sick of my ranting about this intersection, BUT, it still goes on!!!

Altho' there is now a NO U TURN sign, I have observed this rule being broken every day for the past 10 days since I first saw that the sign had finally been erected.
Along with, people not indicating, talking on MOBILE PHONES, charging through as lights turn red.
If cameras were set up on this intersection, whoever it is [Council or Police] would reap a treasure chest.
Just 5 minutes awaiting lights to change as I cross, I see enough driver error to raise a huge amount of revenue.

Another suggestion I have, watching drivers, is that they have to be retested each year to renew their drivers licence!!!

Now a word to Council regarding parking!!!!
On Montpelier Road there are certain areas, marked as designated parking.
BUT!!!!!
It all seems HALF HEARTED.
Where there are no designated parking spots, people park.
On Down Street and Dukinfield Streets there are designated parking spots which are used and then others just park the rest of the street.
Both streets are narrow and people park both sides of the streets making them both basically oneway streets.
Correctly both streets should be fully designated parking down the one side and a yellow [no parking] line on the other side.
Also with the designated parking halfway down the hill on the left, the nearest pay station is either at the bottom or at the top on Cowlishaw Street.
Most of this block is interrupted by driveways for the various businesses.
Yet cars are parked across these driveways. There is in fact only one place for SAFE parking on this block and it should be only a LOADING ZONE as it is right at the top and outside a business.
At the bottom of the hill there are no designated parking areas where there could be.
In reality, most of Montpelier should be a NO PARKING AREA.
When is council to get this right?????