Shuff's General Chat Thread ... #73 - Talk about anything and everything...  

Father charged with drug driving after 'ploughing into his nine-year-old son and killing him while riding a jet ski'

Shane Parkes, 34, had been riding a jet ski with his two sons in November
Fatally crashed into his eldest son Tobi, seriously injured another family member
Mr Parkes has been charged with a string of offences including drug driving
He was denied bail to reappear in Mount Isa Magistrates Court in April

A father has been charged with drug driving after allegedly losing control of a jet ski which crashed into his nine-year-old son, killing him in shallow waters.

Shane Parkes, 34, had been riding a jet ski when he fatally crashed into his eldest son Tobi, at Queenaland’s Lake Moondarra, near Mount Isa, in November last year.

On Wednesday Mr Parkes was charged with a string of offences including drug driving and unlicensed driving, reports Courier Mail.

Police have charged Shane Parkes (left) with drug driving after his son Tobi's (centre) death, after he lost control of a jet ski and ran over the nine-year-old boy in shallow water

Police are believed to have been probing a number of theories about the tragic accident, which seriously injured another family member.

One of these theories is that Mr Parkes was trying to spray Tobi, who was playing in shallow water near the shore of the dam.

Horrified family members scrambled in vain to rescue Tobi when he vanished underwater after the crash.

Police divers spent 19 hours scouring the scene before they found Tobi’s body early on November 20.

The jet ski was forensically examined during lengthy investigations.

Mr Parkes was denied bail in the Mount Isa Magistrates Court on Wednesday. He will return to court on April 18.

How was everyone's Australia day?

I went on a cruise with the Seven of clubs out to The Dam Shed @ Somerset Dam, first time driving the rx7 since last years Bribie island christmas bbq in November. Car performed faultlessly, apart from being bloody hot, damn turbo heat coming through the floor pan.><

Glad that i've been able to fix the fuel tank's rust and get the fuel system performing properly again.

John Hurt dead: Elephant Man, Alien and Harry Potter actor dies aged 77

Legendary actor John Hurt has died, aged 77.

The Elephant Man star, whose career spanned over six decades, had battled with both cancer and an intestinal complaint in recent years.

Survived by his wife of 12 years, Anwen Rees-Myers, he recently starred as a priest in the Oscar nominated biopic of President John F. Kennedy’s widow, Jackie, currently showing in cinemas.

After rising to fame in A Man For All Seasons (1966), some of his most famous roles include the 1979 blockbuster Alien, the TV series I, Claudius in 1976 and starring as Winston Smith in the adaptation of George Orwell’s 1984 made the year of the book’s title.

More recently, he starred as wandmaker Mr Ollivander in the Harry Potter series and an incarnation of Doctor Who in a 50th anniversary special of the series in 2013.

Purchased another bike today,this is seriously becoming a habit!

THE PRICE OF EVERY FAST AND FURIOUS CAR

Being the petrolheads that we are, it’s only right that we finally spoke about the biggest movie franchise Fast & Furious’, which featured for the first time tuned cars used to compete with in illegal street racings. And while the action and legendary cast is not something to be overlooked, it is really the cars that made us hold our breath with anticipation for the release of the following sequels.

Have you ever wondered what’s the price of the 1970 Dodge Charger RT that Vin Diesel drove in the movie? Or whether it’s possible to lay your hands on any of the Honda civic JDM ‘Fast & Furious’ cars? Hold on tight, because these custom-made sport monsters cost much more than their original versions. So let’s have a look at the spec of the ‘Fast & Furious’ vehicles and check out their prices.

Back to a 2001 TL1000R for me, Suzuki V-Twin that competed with the Honda VTR1000 RC51 and the Ducati 916/996/998. Got it for a really good price and has a bunch of goodies with it. Should be picking it up on Saturday.

And we move in 2 months as everything is finalised.

for the full story click the link

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-41...corruption.html

Just another example of corrupt corporate culture, bonus and STI driven versus long term solid growth, just fks even the biggest companies in the end

Interesting...

Japanese people who can’t afford elder care are reviving a practice known as ‘granny dumping’

Centuries ago, Japan created a word called ubasute. Translated as “granny dumping,” it described the practice of poor citizens bringing their senile elders to mountaintops because they can no longer afford their care.

Today, amid Japan’s widespread demographic and economic woes, ubasute is making a comeback.

Modern-day granny dumping doesn’t involve hauling seniors up the sides of mountains, but driving them to hospitals or the offices of nearby charities and, essentially, giving them up for adoption.

“There are a lot of people who have a certain amount of income but who still live in poverty and struggle terribly with relatives who can’t look after themselves,” social worker Takanori Fujita told the Times of London. “They are reluctant to ask for help because they feel it’s shameful.”

Japan’s economy has been shrinking for the better part of the last decade. Senior citizens have continued aging into their 80s, 90s, and 100s, while younger generations have largely stagnated in having children. As a result, there are fewer people to help take care of the elderly, pay for social security, and keep the workforce full.

Economists have taken to calling the situation a “demographic time bomb.”

There have been a number of related side effects to the demographic time bomb. For instance, the country has seen greater rates of karoshi, or “death by overwork,” in which burnt-out employees commit suicide under the weight of job pressure.
The government has also taken steps to make family life more enticing to people, including hosting speed-dating events, teaching men how to be fathers, and recommending shorter work hours in large companies.

Granny dumping’s revival signals another side effect of the demographic time bomb. Fujita works in Saitama prefecture, where he said there are roughly 10 abandoned elders per year. That likely equates to a nationwide total in the low hundreds, he told the Times.

The trend is unlikely to stop anytime soon. There are more people in Japan over the age of 65, as a share of the total population, than at any point in the country’s history. As of 2016, elderly people accounted for 26.7% of Japan’s 127.11 million citizens.

And since 2011, adult diapers have outsold those intended for babies.

Some charities around Japan have begun catering to the new crop of abandoned elders, even setting up “senior citizen postboxes” (offices where people can be dropped off) to standardize the practice as best they can. The charity will then transfer the family member to a local retirement home, where they can receive the care they deserve.

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/japanese-...-173400527.html

There is a loooot of pent-up old people hatred here.

Also, hai Tincan.

There is a loooot of pent-up old people hatred here.

Also, hai Tincan.

Australia blamed for leaking President Trump’s call to Malcolm Turnbull

Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway has blamed Australia for leaking a transcript of the US president berating Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull despite reports it came from the White House.

Conway who was speaking on Fox & Friends on Thursday took the opportunity to address the heated phone call that has turned many Americans against Trump for verbally attacking the leader of one the USA’s closest allies.

However, despite the Washington Post reporting the leak came from US officials briefed on the exchange, Conway refuted claims the leak came from the US.

"This is the practice for us… we’re the ones not leaking. You saw it with the earlier reports, you see it here," Conway said.,

You’re a little bit hamstrung when you’re the ones upholding the law or, more frankly, upholding a gentlemen’s agreement to not release."

When asked who leaked the transcript the Trump advisor insinuated it must have been Australia.

"Well, you can make your own conclusions," she said.