Continuing Rant Thread - Get it Off Ya Chest here

[manticle]

I didn't mean to sound ungrateful.

 

[newguy]

In Canada we have something called the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program. It was originally meant to address shortages in skilled tradesmen like welders or the like for our oil & gas industry. Unfortunately, fast food restaurants, especially MacDonalds, have been abusing it to hire almost exclusively Filipino TFWs. It's been about 3 years since I can remember being served by a Canadian zit-faced teenager in any fast food joint. There's been a backlash because the program was meant for skilled tradesmen that weren't available for hire through normal channels, not for fast food joints so they could avoid hiring Canadian citizens. The government cracked down on fast food joints abusing the program, but only for future positions/applications. Anyone already here flipping burgers can stay until their permit is up.

My rant is that they're given full driver's licences. Sorry for saying this, but anyone from the tropics can't drive on ice. If you've never seen snow before, you can't drive on it, nor should you attempt to.

Here's the latest example of why they shouldn't be driving in winter:
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Update+Three+Filipino+temporary+foreign+workers+killed+central+Alberta+crash/10467266/story.html

In this crash, 3 or 4 of them were driving a Ford mustang (not sure given the report) the day after the entire region had freezing rain. Mistake 1: driving at all the day after freezing rain hit. You stay where you are, no matter what, and give the salt trucks a chance to clear the roads. Mistake 2: driving a rear wheel drive muscle car in winter in the first ******* place. Rear wheel drive cars are almost always ass light so they have next to no traction anyway. It's one thing to lose traction in a front wheel drive, but a rear wheel drive is another thing entirely. Imagine driving when your ass end is constantly trying to pass your front. It's scary and borderline suicidal to drive a rear wheel drive car in winter, let alone on black ice.

And here's another example from a couple of weeks ago: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/4-filipino-temporary-foreign-workers-killed-in-leduc-crash-1.2847227

Here's two kickers about that crash: 1 - the roads were actually in pretty good shape as we had only a light dusting of snow at that point, and; 2 - they were driving a front wheel drive car. FWDs handle on ice and snow very very good. Almost idiot proof (almost). If you get into trouble, just make sure your wheels are pointed where you want to go and hit the gas. That will get you out of almost any skid in a FWD.

The guys at work have taken to referring to snowstorms as "Filipino killin' weather." In summer when it's hot they call that "fat kid killin' weather."

So for the 2nd time in 3 weeks there are families in the Philippines that are getting word that mom/dad/sister/brother aren't coming home. Which sucks. I wish they'd change the rules and not grant full licences to the TFWs because this is getting ridiculous.

That's my rant for today.

 

[tavas]

I miss City Morgue2. His reference to DAS is much needed at times.

 

[Nicko_Cairns]

Hi guys,

Bit sick of trying big name IPAs and PAs in Aus that have been mistreated so end up tasting like ****, so have emailed Dan Murphys, Sierra Nevada and a couple other companies..SN rep has already got back to me, probably f'all they can do about it, but at least they know..

Hi guys,

Firstly, this isn't a complaint about your beers, it's a complaint about whatever happens to them from when they leave your fine brewery until they hit the shelves in my local bottle shop. I've tried both your IPA and Pale Ale lately and both were unfortunately atrocious. Here's a copy of the email I sent to my local bottle shop. I look forward to finding a decent example of your beers here in Australia! I was really looking forward to trying your beers and seeing just how good they are. I won't take these recent examples as an indication of your beers, I just feel that poor handling or time has ruined them. The hop aroma was barely there, the taste was bland and they were nothing like the descriptions on many sites such as ratebeer (unfortunately). I look forward to coming to the states and sampling them firsthand one day.

You aren't alone, Sam Adams Boston Lager, Big Eye IPA, Tower 10 IPA and others have unfortunately all been terrible. I've obviously stopped buying USA beers in Australia (unfortunately).

Email (online form, Dan Murphys Australia).
It won't let me select my store in Queensland. I'd like to complain about the treatment and taste of USA IPA beers sold in Dan Murphys Australia. You bring some of the USA's finest IPAs to your store, but unfortunately they just taste awful, I know they don't leave the USA brewery tasting awful, so at some stage they are mishandled. This could be either:
1. Not refrigerated at some point,
2. Too old (aroma and taste have suffered), or 3. Stuff knows.

Whatever you are doing before these fine beers get to Queensland, it's wrong.

Australian IPAs are fine thanks, with Hop Hog and Vale IPA being two fantastic examples. It's just a shame about the quality of the overseas IPAs.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

I've had plenty of dud hop hogs.

 

[spog]

Niko-Cairns, when they compensate you by sending a shipping container full as compo,please remember me. .
Good onya for emailing them , please post any replies for us all to read.
Cheers....spog.

 

[Camo6]

I miss City Morgue2. His reference to DAS is much needed at times.

What does DAS stand for? FFS

 

[Nicko_Cairns]

Niko-Cairns, when they compensate you by sending a shipping container full as compo,please remember me. .
Good onya for emailing them , please post any replies for us all to read.
Cheers....spog.

I'll take a camping chair, a tv (for the cricket) and a big roll and I'll live in that shipping container until the jobs done!

SN rep was good mate, wanted to know the exact store etc. Don't think there's much they can do though mate, ship it refrigerated to Sydney or somewhere, then it's possibly not refrigerated around the country.. Anyway it's just a waste imo..

 

[Nicko_Cairns]

I've had plenty of dud hop hogs.

I live in far North Queensland and all the ones I've had have been great, they must send them straight here?!

 

[tavas]

What does DAS stand for? FFS

Hang on, I'll start a new thread to find out.FFS

 

[BadSeed]

How and why did this queer clothed bike riding become so popular?

One minute people ride normal bikes in normal clothes on the edge of the road, the next their dressed as ballerina's and riding in the centre of the road.

Each to their own, but I won't be jumping on this trend anytime soon.

ImageUploadedByAussie Home Brewer1418557114.964082.jpg

Something you want to get off your chest?
http://www.wired.com/2011/06/homophobia-is-apparently-associated-with-homosexual-arousal/

Not judging...

 

[Liam_snorkel]

I've had plenty of dud hop hogs.

I live in far North Queensland and all the ones I've had have been great, they must send them straight here?!

I haven't bought a bottled one for a while (for the above reason), so maybe they've sorted that out. Off tap it's been ok, maybe I just prefer a bit more malt.

 

[mckenry]

I'm so sick of ignorant (true meaning of the word) people getting on their high horses regarding guns, bail laws, politics and religion. I don't profess to know all about any of these things, but I know enough to know I don't know enough.
I understand people have feelings, but in no way are they qualified enough to get on TV, social media, radio etc. and 'demand' this and that. No wonder, (before the Lindt cafe incident) I thought we had a higher ratio of *******:normal people than most countries.
People think they're experts because they watched a channel 7 news report in between Hollywood buzz reports.

 

[tavas]

Logical, rational debate doesn't drive ratings unfortunately. And in today's world of 24 hr news cycle and Twatter/Stalkbook etc, people only want the 5 secs snippet

 

[mje1980]

Yep, exactly, after the event everyone's got all the answers, from how the SAS operate, the reasoning behind the polices decision, the bail laws, the immigration and just about anything else you can think of. Happens with just about any "media" worthy event. We all wait for it to end so we can jump on forums, social media, the radio etc to tell everyone how we think it should be solved even when we know **** all about it. Always after the fact.

 

[tavas]

Agree. Case in point - we generated 7 pages worth of discussion on here alone.

 

[Truman42]

Driving back from Robe yesterday cruising at a very comfortable 105 kph, come around a bend and on the brakes down to 80 kph behind a line of 12 cars stuck behind a car towing a caravan. Were stuck behind this van for well over 30 kms with no chance of overtaking him. There were sections of straight road where this guy could have moved over onto the shoulder to allow cars to pass him, but no hes just about on the middle line. At the next town he didnt pull over either just kept going with a long line of cars all stuck behind him.
When there was an opportunity to overtake him everybody made a mad dash trying to get closer to the start of the cue which just made things worse. Im surprised there wasnt an accident.

So I have a question for anyone here who tows a caravan or boat etc.
Do you not see the line of cars your holding up? Do you even care? Or is your atttitude that because you can only manage a top speed of around 80 kph, then so should anyone who gets stuck behind you?

I just dont get why if your towing something or unable to do the speed limit for some reason why you wouldnt pull over and let people pass you every now and again.

 

[Camo6]

Yeah that ***** me. I tow a small van and try to maintain the speed limit where practicable but as soon we're in the hills I use the slow vehicle turnout if there's a car or two behind us.
If they can't see the cars behind them then they're not using legal mirrors or they're blind. Seems courtesy is one of the first faculties the gray nomad loses.

 

[Truman42]

Yeah that ***** me. I tow a small van and try to maintain the speed limit where practicable but as soon we're in the hills I use the slow vehicle turnout if there's a car or two behind us.
If they can't see the cars behind them then they're not using legal mirrors or they're blind. Seems courtesy is one of the first faculties the gray nomad loses.

He had legal mirrors. Big wide suckers and could see the long line of cars trying to overtake him.

In another life I drove road Trains in the Kimberley. I would get stuck behind a caravan doing 80 and there was no chance of overtaking them. Do you know how much straight road you need to pull 3 fully loaded trailers of well over 100 tonnes GVM from 80 kph up to 100 kph? Unless they pulled off the road you were stuck behind them.

 

[Camo6]

Worst is when you finally pass them and an hour later, while stopping for lunch, you watch them drive past.
How was Robe anyway? Were you affected by bushfires?