I told RailCorp that 12 security cameras in a 30 space car park was
"A headline waiting to happen" see "RailCorp waste" category.

I've had a 4 column headline about this car park in the Daily Telegraph before, and in today's tele was....

It was the policy of a tobacco company in America to totally ignore the first letter of people complaining of getting sick from smoking their products.

80% of people didn't write again.

I won't stop untill most of those cameras are removed.

Yesterday (July 1st) as I went past the flashing school zone lights on The Kingsway Miranda opposite University rd, they weren't flashing and it was school zone time.

It was very close to 4.00pm so I thought maybe my timepiece was out.

This afternoon at 2.45pm they weren't working.

Hhow long they have been faulty is anyone's guess.

This same set was out for a week once before.

Meanwhile Peter Olsen's "el cheapo" lights in Lurgano and Peakhurst have been 100% reliable for three years, (apart from RTA installed power supply faults)

The RTA and Roads minister make a big deal out of the necessity of having "back to base" fault monitoring on the flashing light units.

Maybe because of the reliability of the preferred expensive units maybe they do need this feature.

UPDATE JULY 3

At 3.45pm this afternoon the afore mentioned flashing lights were back in operation.

Repaired .. or is it intermittent fault?

The Telegraph did a spread once again on the curse of graffiti vandals

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,,25704891-5001021,00.html

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,,25704933-5001021,00.html

(highlight whole link and drag into browser)

The only way graffiti can be slowed is for there to be consequences if you do it.

I have emailed our State Opposition leader,let's see what comes back.

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----- Original Message -----
From: stephens1510
To: barry.ofarrell@nsw.liberal.org.au
Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 6:17 PM
Subject: Graffiti and how to get votes

Dear Mr O'farrell,
Graffiti is an ever increasing problem and needs a strong response to deter the morons that do it.
The Singapore way is to cane the offenders and that seems to work.
This punishment, even though it would certainly alleviate our graffiti vandalism, would never happen here.
To show that graffiti vandalism has consequences, maybe a "graffiti camp" may help.
Set up a camp out West with a high fence topped with razor wire, basic accommodation, basic facilities, basic food and where people can be sent to for graffiti offences and have to clean prepared spray painted brick walls every day of their sentence.
The staff there have authority to add extra days onto the sentence of anyone who refuses to co operate with the cleaning task.

Counselling, conferencing and community service won't work on these anti-social vandals, who have no regard for authority.

What happens now when people don't turn up for community service?

When people know that to get caught doing graffiti means a month, cleaning graffiti off a brick wall, with no TV, video games, and mates, day after day, this may get some result.
Compared to the cost of cleaning damage now, setting up and running a graffiti camp I think would be worth a go.

To show strong leadership on cracking down this problem will be appreciated by almost everyone out here.

Yours faithfully
Hans Stephens

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Will it be a..... "thank you for your email, and we'll get back to you as soon as possible."
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A GRAFFITI artist who escaped from a storm water drain in a flash flood that killed two of his best friends has told a court they were painting in the drain because there was "a lack of legal walls in Sydney."

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,25706961-5001021,00.html

"Lack of legal walls" What's wrong with using canvas on an easel to be artistic on?

UPDATE: July 2 No reply from Mr Ofarell's office as yet

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Black art's $100m price tag, graffiti hits NSW councils

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,,25708604-5001021,00.html

(highlight whole link and drag into browser)

This page was first posted last week

Do Politicians really care about us?

utegate scandal rudd utegate turnbull utegate hockey utegate
swan utegate

The alledged ute gate email, is it a fake or can a minister ask for help on behalf of others?

" Hi Godwin, the PM has asked if the car dealer financing vehicle is available to assist a Queensland dealership, John Grant Motors, who seems to be having trouble getting finance."

On behalf of all young children in Australia I emailed (3 times) all 150 Federal Politicians for an opinion about inappropriate "longer lasting sex" advertising.
I thought an email an from our responsible leaders could have been sent to the minister in charge of media regulations Senator Conroy along these lines:

" Hi Stephen,
We've had a bloke pestering us about those "lasting longer in the bedroom" ads, could you get someone to have a look at them, to see if the wording can be made more "child friendly," or at least get them on after hours."

Maybe I should have added a cash donation (or a ute)

The full story (up till now) on www.protectkids.com.au
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After a two page spread in the Leader on June 16 about "over zealous" parking rangers.
I emailed the letters page:

----- Original Message -----
From: stephens1510
To: leaderletters@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 9:29 PM
Subject: Fines and graffiti

Dear sir,
The subject of supposed "revenue raising" by "over zealous" law enforcement council parking rangers this time, fills two pages of the Leader. (June 16)
One story "Charities denied parking revenue" says that the $207,000 unexpected revenue collected in fines by Sutherland Shire rangers won't go to charities, as suggested by Sutherland Shire Councillor Kent Johns, to show that there's no revenue raising.
As charities miss out, could I make a suggestion, is it possible that a couple of hundred dollars of that $207,000 windfall be spent to paint the wall opposite the main entrance to the Council depot in The Boulevard Kirrawee.
Every morning the diligent hard working posse of rangers have to look at that unsightly mess as they leave the depot in their little vans, to go and do their thankless job on behalf of us ratepayers.
Graffiti is best covered as soon as possible to deter other offenders, and I'm sure the proceeds of one "double parking" fine could be spared to tidy up the street-scape outside the depot.
The wall is a good hundred meters long and looks dreadful . Even if the owner of the building won't paint it, the council in the public interest should, as it makes the whole area look bad.

Regards
Hans Stephens

And included this photo

apart from the "diligent hardworking" line the letter was printed.

People that park contrary to the signs and get fined only have themselves to blame, but for the rangers to drive out past this mess every day and go ato nab someone who has parked facing the wrong way in some quiet back street, it's eary to work out which illegal activity raises the most money for council.

$207.000 could pay a fair bit of nighttime stakeouts at graffiti hot
spots to catch more of those mongrels.