McDonald's Yamba's spin machine revs up

                 Where there's smoke there's fire.

The franchisee of McDonald's Yamba must live in some parallel universe. In today's Daily Examiner the franchisee says the only negative reaction to the restaurant (that's his description of the dump, not mine) since its opening has been damage done to four of the five signs on bus shelters in Yamba that carry its advertising.

“I haven’t had any problems since we opened other than that,” the franchisee told the Examiner.

That's strange because word on the streets of Yamba is the place is doing so poorly Head Office has taken a very keen interest in the figures appearing in the hamburger joint's financial books.

 Source: The Daily Examiner, 13/6/11

Severe weather warning for Northern NSW 13 June 2011

 

Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Issued at 4:25 am EST on Monday 13 June 2011.

Weather Situation

A strong high pressure system west of Tasmania is moving very slowly east extending a ridge across southeastern and northwestern New South Wales and a low pressure trough is deepening off the central and northern coasts.

Heavy rain which may lead to flash flooding is forecast for the Northern Rivers, Mid North Coast and the east of the Northern Tablelands forecast districts during today.

Between 9am yesterday morning and 4am this morning, Evans Head received 160 mm of rain, Yamba 126 mm, Coffs Harbour 94 mm and Kempsey 76 mm.

The State Emergency Service advises that people should:

       Don't drive, ride or walk through flood water.

       Keep clear of creeks and storm drains.

For emergency help in floods and storms, ring your local SES Unit on 132 500.

The next warning will be issued by 11:00 am EST Monday.

       Flood Watch – Tweed, Richmond, Wilsons, Brunswick, Clarence, Coffs Harbour, Bellingen, Nambucca, Macleay, Hastings, Camden Haven, Manning and Macintyre regions.

       Flood Warning - Bellinger River,  

       Flood Warning - Orara River,

What language is that?

One thing growing older teaches is that change is inevitable and that the language one grew up amongst is no exception to this change.

I’ve accepted that British, Australian and American spelling is now interchangeable and am amused by new words which spread with the speed of lightening thanks to the Internet.

I wince at changes in emphasis which make certain words clumsy on the lip or almost unrecognisable to an aging ear, but which become verbal favourites of news readers everywhere in spite of the guidance contained within the covers of reputable dictionaries.

I am annoyed by the fact that “un” is frequently replacing the “in” of words such as indefensible, indiscoverable and indiscernible.

However, this is not the end of our ability to murder the mother tongue.

This week’s example of written gymnastics at the expense of the English language is “disencouraged”.

Now one can disentangle, disembowel, disenchant, or even disestablish but one can only “discourage” if the writer wants to express disapproval of or dissuade rather than encourage.

Even Microsoft’s Word spelling check rejects “disencouraged”.

Permanent ban imposed on Tony Abbott

I had a dream........

Abbott caught out again by his own words

Australian Opposition Leader Tony Abbott on the subject of ‘toxic’ tax in June 2011:
any move towards a carbon tax or an emission trading scheme would be an economic own goal, it would be an act of economic self harm by Australia."

However, in his 2009 A REALIST'S APPROACH TO CLIMATE CHANGE speech given at the David Davies memorial dinner the attitude was somewhat different:

Click on image to enlarge

http://www.tonyabbott.com.au/News/tabid/94/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/7087/A-REALISTS-APPROACH-TO-CLIMATE-CHANGE.aspx

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:VMmnb0GCLxoJ:www.tonyabbott.com.au/News/tabid/94/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/7087/A-REALISTS-APPROACH-TO-CLIMATE-CHANGE.aspx+A+REALIST

Front line services on the NSW North Coast get an additional $1.9 million in funding

 

From a 7 June 2011 media release from the Federal Member for Page on the NSW North Coast:

PAGE MP Janelle Saffin has welcomed the Gillard Government’s investment of an additional $1.9 million over three years to help 12 community organisations in her electorate provide emergency relief services to vulnerable families and individuals.

The Government is also providing ongoing funding for two financial counselling services -- the Lismore & District Financial Counselling Service Incorporated and Grafton-based Anglicare North Coast Incorporated – to assist people in crisis across the North Coast region.

Ms Saffin said this ongoing investment for front line organisations will ensure services in Lismore, Ballina, Casino, Kyogle, Evans Head and Grafton can continue to help people in real need.

“Emergency relief services provide vulnerable families and individuals with life essentials such as food, clothing, pharmacy, transport vouchers and help with accommodation and utility bills,” Ms Saffin said.

“This secure, ongoing funding recognises that demand for emergency relief services remains high across our region.”

The 12 local organisations, and their funding allocations, are:

·       Salvation Army, Lismore/Tweed, Goonellabah -- $352,619.

·       St Vincent de Paul, Ballina -- $318,024.                                  

·       Salvation Army Lismore Community Welfare Centre, Goonellabah -- $184,372.

·       Salvation Army Grafton Community Welfare Centre -- $183,970.

·       Casino Neighbourhood Centre Incorporated -- $172,110.

·       Riverside Care, South Grafton -- $166,052.

·       St Vincent de Paul, Lismore -- $148,333.

·       St Vincent de Paul, Kyogle -- $132,426.

·       Mid-Richmond Neighbourhood Centre, Evans Head -- $114,971.

·       Lismore Community Services Centre -- $83,302.

·       Bulgarr Ngaru Medical Aboriginal Corporation, Grafton -- $34,392.

·       Bunjum Aboriginal Cooperative Limited, Ballina -- $32,251.

Ms Saffin said she was pleased the Government is also continuing to fund the Lismore & District Financial Counselling Service and Anglicare North Coast over the next three years to deliver free, confidential and professional counselling to people experiencing financial difficulties.

The Gillard Government is providing $2.2 million over three years for the 1800 007 007 number so Australians who cannot readily access a face-to-face service can have immediate access to a qualified financial counsellor.