I Worry for Our Future

[d2dave]

The title is probably a bit dramatic but here is an experience I had yesterday.

I went into my local supermarket and purchased one item with a value of $1.95. I handed over $5 and got $4.05 change.

I queried the girl, who was about 15, saying she got it wrong, holding out my hand with the incorrect change.

She looked at her screen then my hand. She did not know what was wrong and said to me "I am not very good with maths".

I told her what was wrong and we rectified it. I then asked her why her screen did not show the correct change. She replied that she had hit a wrong button.

I left flabbergasted that this person could get a job on a cash register.

[Eevo]

this has been going on for years.
nothing new

[d2dave]

this has been going on for years.
nothing new

What, a person can't tell that I should have got $2.95 and not $3.95.

What has been going on for years from my point of view is this common scenario.

You buy an item, comes to say $5.25 and you give them $10. They punch it into their till but you then say "I have the 25 cents", and this bamboozles them.

Yes this has been happening for years but my experience?

[Eevo]

What, a person can't tell that I should have got $3.95 and not $4.95.

What has been going on for years from my point of view is this common scenario.

You buy an item, comes to say $5.25 and you give them $10. They punch it into their till but you then say "I have the 25 cents", and this bamboozles them.

Yes this has been happening for years but my experience?

its very annoying, but i rather them working at the checkout instead of being an accountant or pharmacist where the maths really matters.

[bee utey]

I wouldn't worry, my wife still fails at basic maths but leads a happy and productive life. She's good at stuff I have no idea about and I do stuff that amazes her. No person in society is perfect, and a good thing too. If you do not have the skills needed, delegate. :)

[Chucaro]

To me the worry it is that at the age of 15 she supposed to have learned basic maths.
Two things can happen here, or bad education system or the girl have difficult in learning. :(
I am worried that many times young people ask me how to spell when they can see how heavy accent I have :eek:
It cannot be possible that my "spanglish"it is better that many Australians English.
We need more Ron's in our schools and community :D

[d2dave]

I wouldn't worry, my wife still fails at basic maths but leads a happy and productive life. She's good at stuff I have no idea about and I do stuff that amazes her. No person in society is perfect, and a good thing too. If you do not have the skills needed, delegate. :)

I understand what you are saying. I have seen plenty of people who do not excel academically excel in other areas.

But to have a job that involves handling money and could not work out my simple problem.

[V8Ian]

To me the worry it is that at the age of 15 she supposed to have learned basic maths.
Two things can happen here, or bad education system or the girl have difficult in learning. :(
I am worried that many times young people ask me how to spell when they can see how heavy accent I have :eek:
It cannot be possible that my "spanglish"it is better that many Australians English.
We need more Ron's in our schools and community :D

Do you think the world could cope with another Ron? ;)

[Chucaro]

Do you think the world could cope with another Ron? ;)

I would never give him a job as a purchasing officer :D
Then again he can be handy to recommending him for this job to the enemies :p

[bee utey]

I understand what you are saying. I have seen plenty of people who do not excel academically excel in other areas.

But to have a job that involves handling money and could not work out my simple problem.
True, but her junior's wages are so much lower than a trained adult that a few dollars lost here and there can go under expenses. Anyway, most of her customers are probably honest like you and train her at no cost to the management!:p

[Dougal]

It could have been worse.

I'm apparently quite good at maths. But you'd never want me serving customers on checkout!

[1950landy]

To me the worry it is that at the age of 15 she supposed to have learned basic maths.
Two things can happen here, or bad education system or the girl have difficult in learning. :(
I am worried that many times young people ask me how to spell when they can see how heavy accent I have :eek:
It cannot be possible that my "spanglish"it is better that many Australians English.
We need more Ron's in our schools and community :D

Years ago my daughter came home from school with a note saying they all had to have a calculator & I sent a letter back saying I would buy her one when they taught her basic maths. The next day a note came home to say we didn't have a calculator & we could buy one if we wanted to. My daughter is now a special needs teacher .

[AndyG]

From what I have read, and I hope I am wrong, and no disrespect to teachers, who I hold I high esteem, (how's that for a qualifying statement) , the collapse of our education standards esp in maths &science is the biggest challenge to Australia's future prosperity .

If we want to be a high cost, inclusive, caring clever country, we needs lots of well trained clever people, which seems to have gone out of fashion.

[Redback]

What, a person can't tell that I should have got $3.95 and not $4.95.

What has been going on for years from my point of view is this common scenario.

You buy an item, comes to say $5.25 and you give them $10. They punch it into their till but you then say "I have the 25 cents", and this bamboozles them.

Yes this has been happening for years but my experience?



Maybe you two went to the same school:p

Baz.

[tonic]

I find it is not just maths. In my day and a lot of others on here I would imagine, you did more than learn maths and english at school, there was for boys, wood work, metal work, drawing etc. You also learned how to fix your bike from your mates or father. These other skills helped if you weren't going to be in an office.


We have mid 20 boys come and start with us in the manual fields who just have no idea. I asked a 26 year old the other day to get me the shackle off the safety chain from a box trailer, "what's a safety chain, what's a shackle?" was the reply. I asked the same young bloke to undo the wing nuts on an engine cowl, "what's a wing nut?" was the reply.


My bank manager was telling me how her son came home from his first day on the job as an apprentice for an Air-Con firm. He was so excited to tell his mother that there was more than one type of screw driver.


And don't get me started on young blokes who come onto our sites with an auto only drivers license.


I cant talk to much about engish as I am dyslexic and have never been able to spell, but I have learned skills that have seen me own very large family businesses and I love bookwork.


There is a lack of what I would call a rounded education, in my meaning, a varied array of school subjects that will take students through a range of learning to equip them to start in a varied work environment, but with an core in maths and english.

[Ancient Mariner]

A trick question? I am pretty dumb but you would have got $3.05 from me:confused::D

[p38arover]

How many of them don't have a father in the house? My father ws a fitter & turner who later qualified as a mechanical engineer.

I remember when I went for my interview for a trainee radio technician position when I was 16.

I was given a pliers-like tool and was asked to identify it. I'd never seen anything like it before. I asked for the tool, examined it, operated the handles - flat jaws closed, obviously to clamp something, then the jaws opened in a different direction. I said, tentatively, "wirestrippers?"

I was right - but I never saw any of them at work in the next 37 years that worked there. ��

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/875.jpg

[tonic]

I like telling the young blokes I have eleven fingers. I close my fists and open then up one finger at a time. On my left hand I count backwards 10 to 6. On my right hand I count up 1 to 5. Then I say, see 6 and 5 make 11, keeps them thinking for a while. I love the looks on the faces. :twisted:

[vnx205]

Everyone has his/her/hir own idea of what kids need to learn and his/her/hir own opinion of how smart kids are today.

How often have you heard the suggestion that if you can't program your TV recording device or reset the clock on your microwave that you should get your child or grandchild to do it?

So is it more important for a child today to be able to remember that the normal firing order on a 6 cylinder engine is 1-5-3-6-2-4 or to remember which button you press on the mobile phone to redial?

When my mother attended a little school on the north bank of the Bellinger River in the 1920s, the primary school curriculum included calf rearing. Should kids still be learning that? I bet that when sabre tooth tigers became extinct, there were adults who thought that it was still important for kids to know how to deal with them.

My mother produced the most exquisite knitting, crochet and tatting all her life, even in the weeks before her death in her 90s. Should girls still know how to do that?

My father-in-law was disgusted that children today could not name in order, all the rivers on the east coast of Australia. His argument was that a flood report for the Burdekin meant nothing to a person who didn't know where the Burdekin is. He was probably right, but that raises the question of whether today it is better to know the rivers off by heart or to be able to use a research tool that will give you the location in a matter of moments.

If manufacturers today insist on building cars that are impossible to maintain without highly specialised equipment and the normal repair procedure is to replace the whole module, how important is it for kids to know how much the timing should be set before TDC? If cars are being manufactured without a spare tyre, how much does it help to know how to change a wheel?

Kids today are not smarter or dumber than we are or our parents were. They have different skills and different deficiencies. Whether those skills are the one that will help them survive in tomorrow's world is a whole new topic for debate.

[tonic]

I think it might have something to do with what we used to call Guidance Councillors. Our school had a great one. He would assist in helping kids work out which direction they would be heading after school, manual or otherwise. Obviously not all of us know what we want to do, in fact I still don't, but this guy could help you decide which way you wanted to go and advise a course strategy.


Without direction, kids can take courses at school which are fun but will not suite what they will be able to do once they leave school, leaving it up to employers to start from scratch. I don't have high school kids but have friends that do, some of these year 11,12 courses I have heard of where kids start on the job training while still completing school seem to be a brilliant idea.


Both at home and at work we are constantly battling to get things done right due to others lack of training. Just had to get the pump people back to my pool pump because the person who came out fixed the noise, turned down the speed. It was the impeller which they replaced the second go round after I had to make them come back.


Just had to work out why the diesel was getting into the oil in one of our machines because their computer couldn't tell them and they just wanted to keep replacing parts rather than work out which part by other means, it was the injectors by the way.


And the list goes on. I believe we are all good at something, it's having the maturity to work it out and then the ability to know if it's what we want to do that's the problem. I see that young people may not be getting the help needed to guide them on a path.

[Eevo]

From what I have read, and I hope I am wrong, and no disrespect to teachers, who I hold I high esteem, (how's that for a qualifying statement) , the collapse of our education standards esp in maths &science is the biggest challenge to Australia's future prosperity .

If we want to be a high cost, inclusive, caring clever country, we needs lots of well trained clever people, which seems to have gone out of fashion.

You are 100% correct about maths and science being a big challenge for aust in the future. In fact I see that it will be a problem that will haunt us for the next 50 years.

On the other hand, why study maths n science when there are not many jobs in that field? And they pay poorly. Yes there are exceptions here and there but for the most part.

I have an honours degree in physics, I was told there are lots of scientific jobs available. Turned out that was a load of crap. To get work, I would have to leave australia, unless I wanted to be a science teacher and that's not my cup of tea.

[d2dave]

Maybe you two went to the same school:p

Baz.

Whoops. No we didn't as I could see my bad and I fixed it:)

[Bob Harding]

You wanna try going to the checkout with a carton of 11 eggs

And tell em that all you want

[Eevo]

Kids today are not smarter or dumber than we are or our parents were. They have different skills and different deficiencies. Whether those skills are the one that will help them survive in tomorrow's world is a whole new topic for debate.

You raise some very good points.

I have very little mechanical skills because they weren't taught at school
I have very little cooking skills because they weren't taught at school
What we teach in our schools is largely useless in real life IMHO.
I did well in school but I look back now and see it as time wasted. Yes school has social learning aspects to it too but are our school preparing australian kids for the future. Can australia maintain first world status with our current education.


Do our schools teach us to think for our self. I remember an article a year or two ago about how the average roman does more thinking and figuring out than the average person today.

[AndyG]

You are 100% correct about maths and science being a big challenge for aust in the future. In fact I see that it will be a problem that will haunt us for the next 50 years.

On the other hand, why study maths n science when there are not many jobs in that field? And they pay poorly. Yes there are exceptions here and there but for the most part.

I have an honours degree in physics, I was told there are lots of scientific jobs available. Turned out that was a load of crap. To get work, I would have to leave australia, unless I wanted to be a science teacher and that's not my cup of tea.

Well that could lead on to another beef, insufficient funding of the CSIRO, it should be a premier institution.

Surely a good founding of maths & science is needed for almost every Career, be it Engineering, Farming, Rigging, Building, If i had my time over again more maths/physics would be up there, and im on the IT side of things

[AndyG]

You raise some very good points.

I have very little mechanical skills because they weren't taught at school
I have very little cooking skills because they weren't taught at school
What we teach in our schools is largely useless in real life IMHO.
I did well in school but I look back now and see it as time wasted. Yes school has social learning aspects to it too but are our school preparing australian kids for the future. Can australia maintain first world status with our current education.


Do our schools teach us to think for our self. I remember an article a year or two ago about how the average roman does more thinking and figuring out than the average person today.

I am starting to sound like a grumpy old man now, the kids of today are just too coddled, and i would suggest an emphasis on short term material gratification.

Before they have the privilege of a tertiary education, i would suggest a gap year where they serve the nation hands on to widen their experience, be it SES,CFA, St Johns, Army Reserve etc. Thinking of a few nephews how have a silver spoon, went to Scotch (?) College, off to Uni ot do nothing and mummy thinks they are wonderful. End of Rant

[Mick_Marsh]

I have very little cooking skills because they weren't taught at school
The high school I went to did.
I still remember how to peel a grape when making a fruit salad.

[Redback]

I am starting to sound like a grumpy old man now, the kids of today are just too coddled, and i would suggest an emphasis on short term material gratification.

Before they have the privilege of a tertiary education, i would suggest a gap year where they serve the nation hands on to widen their experience, be it SES,CFA, St Johns, Army Reserve etc. Thinking of a few nephews how have a silver spoon, went to Scotch (?) College, off to Uni ot do nothing and mummy thinks they are wonderful. End of Rant

Little ****s they are at Scots College, from a bus drivers perspective:mad:

Baz.

[d2dave]

The high school I went to did.
I still remember how to peel a grape when making a fruit salad.

So did my school, but only for the girls.

Was this the same at your school Mick:wasntme:

[Mick_Marsh]

So did my school, but only for the girls.

Was this the same at your school Mick:wasntme:
Well, we had a choice.
We could do woodwork or metalwork with the boys, or sewing and home economics with the girls.
I know I made the right choice at the time.

[d2dave]

On the other hand, why study maths n science when there are not many jobs in that field?

Maths does not need to be studied to be able to solve simple things like the correct change needed without a machine to tell them.

This is just basic arithmetic which all students should learn.

The other problem is that now days no student can fail. You might hurt the precious little darlings feelings and self esteem.

When I went to school if you failed you stayed down and did it again.
My son had a friend who at grade 6 could hardly read or write. Why was he in grade 6?

[p38arover]

When I was going through high school, we were streamed. I started in the Academic area but soon changed to Industrial (metalwork, woodwork, tech drawing (2 different subjects), physics, chemistry, maths 1 and 2, English (my worst subject). No languages, no biology, no geography, etc. However, I did have to do, in 6th Form (Year 12), a one year crash course in French in order to matriculate for University entrance.

I didn't end up going to Uni until a couple of years later, I seem to recall I was too young (I was 16 in Year 12).

One could also stream into Commercial (to learn office skills) or Home Science (to learn home making skills).

[Eevo]

Maths does not need to be studied to be able to solve simple things like the correct change needed without a machine to tell them.

you're quite correct, i got a bit carried away thinking about higher education.




The other problem is that now days no student can fail. You might hurt the precious little darlings feelings and self esteem.


this really ****s me off. they bring down the standard to accommodate the lowest common dominator.

[Eevo]

The high school I went to did.
I still remember how to peel a grape when making a fruit salad.
you can peel a grape?
i had no idea.

[Eevo]

Well that could lead on to another beef, insufficient funding of the CSIRO, it should be a premier institution.
one of the best institutes in the world.



If i had my time over again more maths/physics would be up there, and im on the IT side of things
ironic, i now work in IT

i think the common denominator is logic and critical thinking.

[Eevo]

I am starting to sound like a grumpy old man now, the kids of today are just too coddled, and i would suggest an emphasis on short term material gratification.
you dont need to be old to realise this. instant gratification
and a lack of discipline.





Before they have the privilege of a tertiary education, i would suggest a gap year where they serve the nation hands on to widen their experience, be it SES,CFA, St Johns, Army Reserve etc.
do we really want these people in the services?

[AndyG]

Fair point, the Services are not there to be baby sitters, but how else do you change this mind set, I believe jumper leads to testicles is frowned upon, or a boot up the arse.

I think a lot of it stems back to teachers, and starting in Primary, being unable to discipline children, (non Corporal) as they get no support from Parents, Principals, or the Dept. And i appreciate that's a broad statement.

[UncleHo]

I too went through the Primary & Secondary school system in Qld as did Ron p38arover ;) he at Salisbury High and me at Balmoral,after doing 8 primary grades and if one passed scholarship, on to free? high school,I also did an Industrial course,and no chance to do a language or typing,:( so when I went to Sydney to do Automotive Trade Theory & Calcs. (a specialised spare parts course) I was behind the 8ball as I couldn't type,still can't, it is all 1 finger from me but what I did learn was English and Parsing,a skill we passed on to our daughter during primary school,we do not regret the tears and tantrums over maths and English,but when she left school at year 12 she could read, write spell and do maths,now in her early 40's is tutoring a fostered 11 year old boy whose mother is more interested in life's fun side than rearing her 5 children :(

cheers

[p38arover]

I was behind the 8ball as I couldn't type,still can't, it is all 1 finger from me

I learned to type as a trainee radio technician. To qualify as technicians, we had to go to the telegraphist school and learn to type at 25 wpm and send/receive Morse Code at 15wpm - none of which I can do today.

International telecoms had moved on in the three years I was at training school. We moved from HF radio and valves to satellite communications and transistors and integrated circuits! As a trainee, I did field training in both HF radio transmitting and receiving stations (Doonside and Bringelly in western Sydney) but, after graduating, went to work at Moree Satellite Earth Station. I never used Morse Code in my time as a technical officer.

[DiscoMick]

Even more shocking, at a recent barbecue with a group of teenage boys, I was flabbergasted (great word) to discover that half the boys didn't know how to barbecue a sausage - I kid you not!

[p38arover]

A few years back, at work I was asked the time by a teenage lad. I pointed at the (analogue) station clock.

He said "I don't know how to tell the time from that." So I pointed at the digital clock.

[DieselDan]

^^^^

Hmmm. I used to work with a bloke whose favourite word was 'un-Australian'.
Various things were invariably referred to as "that's bloody un-Australian that is!"

However, I think that is the most un-Australian thing I've ever heard :o


edit: Ron beat me to the reply - I meant DiscoMick's post!!

[Mick_Marsh]

I remember seeing a tv show where, for one of the segments, they got a group of teenagers to boil an egg each, relying on the internet for instructions.
Apparently, the task was not easy.

[BMKal]

Everywhere you go these days you have to cater for the lowest common denominator.

A few years back I was managing a gold mining / processing operation. I got points awarded against me in a safety audit (conducted by some muppet from head office) because I -

1. Failed to provide documented training to new employees in how to adjust the "tightness" of the head band in their hard hat.

2. Failed to provide documented training in how to install ear plugs (apparently the instruction "take the old ones out before you put new ones in" wasn't good enough). :p

When I responded that anyone who needed "documented instruction" in either of the above wouldn't get a start on any job that I was running - I was accused of discrimination -------- what, against idiots. :censored:

So - I'm not viewed favourably by the wallies in the safety department in head office. :angel: But I still refuse to employ idiots - if this is discriminatory, too bad - and the sites that I run have a far better than average safety record. ;)

[olbod]

Bugger all that.
This Forum is as close as I want come now to socialising with my fellow man.
I'll proceed to having a good day.

[sam_d]

I remember seeing a tv show where, for one of the segments, they got a group of teenagers to boil an egg each, relying on the internet for instructions.
Apparently, the task was not easy.

In all fairness though, if you look to the internet for what should be a relatively simple answer, you're going to come away confused as there will be so many different opinions about how and what to do.

For example, if I was to go to Technical Chatter and ask "How often should I change the oil in my Td5?" do you think I'm going to get just one answer? :)

[Mick_Marsh]

The title is probably a bit dramatic but here is an experience I had yesterday.

I went into my local supermarket and purchased one item with a value of $1.95. I handed over $5 and got $4.05 change.

I queried the girl, who was about 15, saying she got it wrong, holding out my hand with the incorrect change.

She looked at her screen then my hand. She did not know what was wrong and said to me "I am not very good with maths".

I told her what was wrong and we rectified it. I then asked her why her screen did not show the correct change. She replied that she had hit a wrong button.

I left flabbergasted that this person could get a job on a cash register.
I blame the parents. The problem is genetit, apparrently.
Can animals count? - The Science Show - ABC Radio National (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/scienceshow/can-animals-count3f/5875134)

[jonesfam]

There is no future!
Killer Wabbits will inherit the WORLD!:vampire:

[Epic_Dragon]

i am hopeless at maths, and schools do not help either, as soon as they turned to graphics calculators, maths was basically just how to use the stupid thing.but not being great at maths doesnt make one stupid, i am very mechanically minded and very artistic. and surviving quite well with my lack of number skills. i mean id have gotten the change correct in the initial post in this thread. but she might have just been having a day where she was flustered. if people want to improve maths skills, find jobs with numbers etc, then they go through tafe or uni courses and study properly, school education does not help maths skills anymore (i finished 10 years ago) machines and calculators are relied on far too much. some people are better at stuff than others who are better at other stuff. i think the general lack of maturity in younger generations is more of a worry than how good someones mathematic skills are LOL.

[DiscoMick]

I recently bought a spraycan and on the side it said, "Remove cap before attempting to spray." Seriously?

[tonic]

Everywhere you go these days you have to cater for the lowest common denominator.

A few years back I was managing a gold mining / processing operation. I got points awarded against me in a safety audit (conducted by some muppet from head office) because I -

1. Failed to provide documented training to new employees in how to adjust the "tightness" of the head band in their hard hat.

2. Failed to provide documented training in how to install ear plugs (apparently the instruction "take the old ones out before you put new ones in" wasn't good enough). :p

When I responded that anyone who needed "documented instruction" in either of the above wouldn't get a start on any job that I was running - I was accused of discrimination -------- what, against idiots. :censored:

So - I'm not viewed favourably by the wallies in the safety department in head office. :angel: But I still refuse to employ idiots - if this is discriminatory, too bad - and the sites that I run have a far better than average safety record. ;)



One of our quarry managers told us the storey of how when the safety idiots made it mandatory to have lace up boots, one guy tried to sue because he fell over on the lances and stated that he had not been taught how to tie the laces.


All this because you cannot just simply sack them anymore until they get the message to start learning and listening or you will never have a job. Added to the fact they are told they are all equal and get prizes for participating. I call it the devolving of Australia. I think all any of us want is for people to learn how to do their jobs and if they cant be bothered then don't do the job.


I know a bunch of great kids, the young girl who teaches our son swimming, she got qualified to teach swimming while her mates where at schoolies so she could earn money from it when she started uni. We started a 19 year old on a drilling rig, took us a while to teach him to pick up after himself and that he had to tell us when he made mistakes and not try to hide them, but we got there, he's now 20 and making double payment on house he bought when he was 19 and plans to own it before he's 30. I could go on, so I'm not a kid bagger and I don't think they're a dumber generation.


All the kids I know are guided, and I get back to my earlier mention of our school guidance counsellor. If kids pick subjects because they are fun and are directed at what they might want to do, they will probably end up in jobs they cant really do, possible lose the job and potentially end up with confidence issues. The one thing they have to learn is to learn and respect the people who know.

[BMKal]

I recently bought a spraycan and on the side it said, "Remove cap before attempting to spray." Seriously?

That's a bit like the Irish beer can .......................

Printed on the bottom of the can .............................. "Open Other End". :wasntme:

[Lionel]

i am hopeless at maths, and schools do not help either, as soon as they turned to graphics calculators, maths was basically just how to use the stupid thing.

It's amazing how they still get things wrong with all the electronic assistance available on check-outs these days.

When I was at high school in the early 60s I used to work pre-Christmas at Myers in Hobart, where I had to be able to add up & work out change in pounds, shillings & pence! NO electronic assistance.

Mind you, part of routine school maths in those days was multiplying, & long-dividing in the old currency. Arguably a good reason for changing to decimal.

Cheers,

Lionel

[UncleHo]

In come the Dollars,In come the Cents, Out go the Pounds, the Shillings and the Pence :) Remember that little ditty in 1965/6 changeover 16th February from memory.

[d2dave]

On the 14th of February 1966, to the tune of "Click Go The Shears" Remember it like it was yesterday.

[AndyG]

I was on tuck shop duty, Lae, PNG , scarred for life :p

[Tombie]

Everywhere you go these days you have to cater for the lowest common denominator.

A few years back I was managing a gold mining / processing operation. I got points awarded against me in a safety audit (conducted by some muppet from head office) because I -

1. Failed to provide documented training to new employees in how to adjust the "tightness" of the head band in their hard hat.

2. Failed to provide documented training in how to install ear plugs (apparently the instruction "take the old ones out before you put new ones in" wasn't good enough). :p

When I responded that anyone who needed "documented instruction" in either of the above wouldn't get a start on any job that I was running - I was accused of discrimination -------- what, against idiots. :censored:

So - I'm not viewed favourably by the wallies in the safety department in head office. :angel: But I still refuse to employ idiots - if this is discriminatory, too bad - and the sites that I run have a far better than average safety record. ;)


I'm neither a Wally nor an idiot :)

Got any jobs going? Feet may be getting itchy :)

[BMKal]

I'm neither a Wally nor an idiot :)

Got any jobs going? Feet may be getting itchy :)

Be glad to have you over here any time Tombie. Things are a bit quiet at the moment though - don't know if you've seen any of the news reports over there about Cockatoo Island. Our client up there has been placed in receivership - all of our operations up there are currently under suspension and the workforce is mostly sitting at home (still on full pay at this stage). Hopefully there might be a decent outcome in the near future.

Nullagine is still going well, and we've just won another gold mining contract at Southern Cross - and the Mineral Sands seems to be coming out of hibernation - we're about to crank up again down near Bunbury. I've had one machine (mobile screening plant) working down there for the past year, and there's now the possibility of a second one. Mining is about to re-commence and Iluka is cranking up their processing plant which has been under care & maintenance for a couple of years now due to market conditions - so things are looking better down there.

Some mates of mine are over your way building that new crushing plant at The Knob - should be a good thing (if the Metso cones behave themselves this time round). Have seen Steve a couple of times recently (we've been competing on a couple of new tenders :D). He's been kept busy with a couple of new jobs up in the Pilbara. Neither of us won the first job we both tendered on, and we're all still waiting to hear who won the second - but it's iron ore and in the current market, might be a while before anything happens there in any case. Steve finally got to see the D4 after the last meeting we were at together. He commented - I know where I've seen one almost identical to this - at OSPK.