Beer Garden

[SBD]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... econd.html

So apparently there's a massive cluster of 400 dormant volcanoes between Mt Gambier and Melbourne. The last one erupted at Mt Gambier 5,000 years ago, and according to "experts" a volcano could erupt at any moment.

While it's the daily mail, I thought this might interest some given all the major earthquakes and volcanoes going off lately.

A dormant volcano erupted in Chile a few years ago. It's previous eruption was thought to be longer ago than the last time Mt Gambier erupted.

[HiTouch]

Yeah, wouldn't be surprised if it went off in the next few days with all the negativity and drama that seems to be around lately.
It'll be just like Ghostbusters 2 except instead of ghosts and supernatural stuff, it'll be lava and molten rock.

[timtam20292]

I've known about this cluster for ages.

[SBD]

I've known about this cluster for ages.

Yeah, I failed to work out what was "new" too.

[rev]

I've known about this cluster for ages.

Yeah, I failed to work out what was "new" too.

Newer Volcanic Province is what it's called.
As the article says a local volcanologist was in Hawaii looking at the eruption there.

[rev]

According to an article on Realestate.com.au, Davoren Park, Smithfield Plains, Elizabeth North and Elizabeth East are among the top 40 suburbs in Australia to invest in.

https://www.realestate.com.au/news/the- ... aa:article

[timtam20292]

Is Monday a day off for lots of construction workers? I’ve noticed today that a lot of cranes aren’t operating today?

[rev]

Sorry to get all international politics in the Beer Garden..

A Chinese-brand security camera has been removed from Adelaide’s Edinburgh Air Force base because of foreign espionage fears

A CHINESE-brand security camera has been removed from the Edinburgh Royal Air Force base amid fears the Federal Government’s own surveillance equipment could be used against it.

The Advertiser has confirmed a Hikvision-brand closed circuit television camera was disconnected at the base because of security concerns.

The US Government has stopped using Chinese Hikvision and Dahua CCTV equipment to eliminate the risk that images could be accessed by communist China’s state intelligence services.

A Defence spokesman said a Hikvision camera at the Edinburgh base had been replaced.

The Advertiser last year reported Chinese spies were trying to hack into all three original bidders for the Future Frigates project, and experts say almost all defence companies face espionage attacks.

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sou ... 61fcd59d18

Edinburgh is home to some vitally important national security/defence stuff.

The Edinburgh base is home to surveillance aircraft, the RAAF’s Air Warfare Centre and houses a control centre for the Jindalee over-the-horizon radar network.

The FBI has repeatedly warned the US public about the threat posed by Chinese espionage.
China stands accused of a vast array of acts of espionage, from stealing military secrets, to industrial proprietary information, down to personal information from individuals.
Leaders of US government and industry have long exercised caution and kept away from Chinese products, but the public has yet to catch up.
Avoiding Chinese tech, not bringing your own tech products to China, and using caution when interacting with Chinese nationals can make you a harder target.

https://www.businessinsider.com.au/fbi- ... ?r=US&IR=T

China using students as spies

A senior U.S. counterintelligence official recently said publicly what many officials and experts have been warning privately for years: China is using its large student population in the United States to spy.

Bill Evanina, director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, a DNI agency, said recently that China poses a broad-ranging foreign intelligence threat that includes the use of academics, students, cyberespionage and human agents to steal secrets from the government and private sectors.

“I believe our administration now, due to the makeup, is more interested in that number and how that impacts across the U.S. country than the previous administration,” Mr. Evanina said. “If the Chinese government is buying up key aspects of our critical infrastructure and our technology base, is that a long-term national security threat for our country? I believe it is.”

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/20 ... -as-spies/

Given the importance of Adelaide these days in the defence sector, with the naval building facilities at Osborne which are being expanded(which the Chinese have shown a very keen interest in over the years), and whats housed at Edinburgh, is it such a good idea to continue to allow such a big and increasing flow of Chinese "students" without proper checks and balances?

HikVision cameras can be found all over OTR outlets. OTR is everywhere.
How easy would it be to track the movements of a person of interest, or at least start to build a a consistent pattern of their movements?

Are we inadvertently allowing a fifth column to build up?

Another thing this highlights, is the need to design/develop/manufacture things at home for our selves.

The federal government has recently banned the Chinese company Huawei from taking part in the rollout of the 5G network too. They've also been banned from the NBN. Good.


And it goes well beyond the use of students..how about their business practices and bribery and such? Sam Dastyari and so on...

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-05/a ... id/8589094

“Foreign investment plays an important and beneficial role in the Australian economy because it helps drive economic growth, creates skilled jobs, improves access to overseas markets and enhances productivity.”

https://www.businessinsider.com.au/aust ... ors-2018-5

Is this all worth it, the boom in foreign students which results in a building boom for cheap crappy student towers, some economic activity, if they are spying on us, stealing national defence secrets and technologies and other classified data, while undermining our democracy and political system?

[SRW]

If Chinese students were able to spy on our national secrets, we wouldn't be doing a very good job of protecting them. Your concern is overblown.

Rather than being a potential 'fifth column' (which harkens too closely to old 'yellow peril' tropes), the growing number of Chinese students in Australia presents an opportunity to use soft power to gain positive influence for our country in East Asia. We should have policies to be better hosts to international students so they actually participate in and benefit from our society while resident, instead of simply fleeced for dollars to prop up our ailing education system.

[Ho Really]

If Chinese students were able to spy on our national secrets, we wouldn't be doing a very good job of protecting them. Your concern is overblown.

Rather than being a potential 'fifth column' (which harkens too closely to old 'yellow peril' tropes), the growing number of Chinese students in Australia presents an opportunity to use soft power to gain positive influence for our country in East Asia. We should have policies to be better hosts to international students so they actually participate in and benefit from our society while resident, instead of simply fleeced for dollars to prop up our ailing education system.

All good in the friendship department. But are the chances of a son, daughter or relative of a PRC Communist Party member studying here and spying nil? Let's not be naive and not too soft.

Cheers

[rev]

If Chinese students were able to spy on our national secrets, we wouldn't be doing a very good job of protecting them. Your concern is overblown.

Rather than being a potential 'fifth column' (which harkens too closely to old 'yellow peril' tropes), the growing number of Chinese students in Australia presents an opportunity to use soft power to gain positive influence for our country in East Asia. We should have policies to be better hosts to international students so they actually participate in and benefit from our society while resident, instead of simply fleeced for dollars to prop up our ailing education system.

No doubt the majority do represent an opportunity to boost economic growth. How much so though? Would exploring other avenues, other say opportunities, that don't revolve around foreign students(from anywhere in the world mind you), provide the same, or better economic results? Are we becoming too reliant on foreign students to maintain some sort of economic activity...?...when we could, or in fact should be, doing more overall with the economy to create a more diverse economy that provides benefits to all Australians, and of course provides benefits and opportunities for new arrivals? Shouldn't something like that be the first priority? To actually ensure there are enough jobs first and foremost, before worrying about some economic bubble, or balloon...? If there is a conflict with China, that drags Australia in(we will be dragged in by the nature of the military facilities that exist in Australia, nevermind ANZUS), what's going to happen? The majority of the foreign students here are apparently Chinese I recall someone posting in another thread. Do they stay? Do they go? I'm not suggesting we're going to war with China tomorrow, what I'm getting at is this something stable for the mid to long term to be banking on as hard as we are..

It's actually a very serious matter, and while the general public might not be taking it seriously, at least our intelligence agencies and those of other allied countries are doing so. I don't think my concern is overblown when our government is banning a Chinese tech giant from taking part in national telecommunications infrastructure projects, or when our intelligence agencies are raiding properties and monitoring Chinese nationals and those connected to the Communist regime in China.

So you doubt they are able to spy or carry out espionage? You'd be wrong, because they have and they are. It's not just the hacking that happens from overseas. It's the human assets they deploy around the world. One would be very naive to think that this stuff isn't going on.

Anyhow, the main point I wish to make is, as I said above, should we becoming as reliant on the foreign student education 'sector'(lets call it, what else can it be called?) for economic growth or stimulus, when we(our governments) should be diversifying the economy and creating jobs....the Chinese spy's posing as students is just one aspect.

How long is it sustainable for, this foreign student thing..? I mean to the point where we now have apartment towers being built for them, when 10 or 15 years ago it was unheard of in Adelaide.
How much money do they pump into the economy?

[Nathan]

Wasn't sure where to put this (since the cafe/retail threads are all under CBD), but Red Door Bakery and Croydon Social (and presumably the Hyde Park RDB as well) have sadly been placed into liquidation. Blame put at the T2T roadworks that have killed their trade for 3 years and run them into significant debt.

[Llessur2002]

Wasn't sure where to put this (since the cafe/retail threads are all under CBD), but Red Door Bakery and Croydon Social (and presumably the Hyde Park RDB as well) have sadly been placed into liquidation. Blame put at the T2T roadworks that have killed their trade for 3 years and run them into significant debt.

Such sad news - one of the reasons my wife and I moved to Croydon was RDB The Griersons are a lovely family and have been a big part of the Croydon community - they will be missed...

[Llessur2002]

Article in the Advertiser this arvo. Apparently the blame lies with the Torrens of Torrens roadworks

Popular Red Door Bakery at Croydon closes, blaming years of Torrens of Torrens roadworks

A POPULAR suburban bakery that once had three outlets employing dozens of staff has announced on social media it is closing down — and blames the former state government’s Torrens to Torrens project for its demise.


Red Door Cafe at Croydon has been placed into liquidation.

Red Door Bakery has operated on Elizabeth St in Croydon for almost nine years, with its owners, Gareth and Emma Grierson, also opening a pizza shop next door, Croydon Social.

The couple say they’ve been forced to also shut up both eateries, laying blame firmly at the feet of ongoing disruptions caused by the Torrens to Torrens roadwork project, and referring the “blood, sweat and tears” they’ve invested into their businesses.

Other Red Door Bakery outlets in the city and Hyde Park have also closed, with the eastern suburbs venue also shutting up shop this week and the CBD store about 18 months ago.

“It is with a heavy heart that we will be placing Red Door Bakery & Croydon Social in the hands of liquidators,” the couple wrote on Facebook.

“We would like to take the time to thank the local community who have supported us over the past eight years.

“To our regular customers who have found their way through the maze of road works over the past three years to remain part of our community and our loyal customers, we thank you.

“To our wonderful employees, both shop and kitchen staff thanks for the smiles, the hard work and being part of our family.

“Sorry it had to end this way … people change habits when they can’t get access and it’s hard to get them back.”

It comes as popular Goodwood bakery Boulangerie 113 closes as well.

Within an hour of Red Door Bakery’s post being published, it had been shared dozens of times and attracted hundreds of comments.

“Well, this just plain sucks. Sorry to hear it,” wrote one.

“No! This is devastating news! I will be so sad to see you leave and disappointed you didn’t get the support you should have,” posted another.

The couple say theirs is just the latest in a series of local business to have been driven to the brink.

In a statement issued yesterday Mr Grierson said the business had been successful before the roadworks, estimating turnover has fallen 40 per cent year on year for the past three years.

“The disruption to our Red Door Bakery and pizza restaurant at Croydon meant we were relying on our other outlets to hold up the group. This was not sustainable.

“We are not the first buisness to collapse as a result of the South Rd works and while I hope we will be the last, I don’t think that will be the case.”

“When governments undertake capital works there is a real need to take into consideration small business, in the three years of the T2T project we have seen many local businesses close as a result, hopefully ours will be the last,” they write in “one last rant”.

The couple, whose business was celebrated for its high-quality artisan products, also questions why the former State Labor Government gave Pirate Life Brewing $2 million early this year to help the multinational brewer build a planned $15 million bar and brewery at Port Adelaide, while ignoring small business.

“My point is they could justify this spending but don’t look to protect small business when there are capital works projects that rip the heart out of a business and the community,” the couple write.

“We have poured our blood, sweat and tears into our business, we employ 30 people, why don’t their jobs count?

“They pay tax and are active members of society, why is no thought put in to protecting them during these major projects, I ask again don’t they count?”

Nearby Queen St cafe owner Mark Kuerschner said he was shocked and saddened to hear of the closures.

He said the businesses had been closed all week and he wondered what was happening.

Mr Kuerschner opened his cafe five years ago and says business has been “up and down” in the past few years.

He says he is worried people will be put off visiting the area due to large number of vacant businesses.

“I think everyone is a little worried at the moment about what is happening to this street,” he said.

The couple say they’ve previously sold their home in a bid to save their business due to growing debt.

“We are going to miss seeing the local kids grow up eating gingerbread, the mums who meet up before and after the school drop off, seeing the kids after basketball or football stop by for a pie while all the parents grab coffee and recover from Saturday night, the ‘pielattes’ (pilates) ladies, the lunchtime tradies, the locals chatting out the front and the morning coffee crew. “We are grateful for the friendships we have made. Thanks for having us as part of your community we will miss you all.”

And so, it seems, will the community.

Kim Gilchrist’s comment summing up the sentiment of many: “Oh no! You and your beautiful bakery have been such a daily staple for us and (has) provided me with coffee, delicious goodies, and more importantly, a place of sanity when being home with a baby was sending me crazy. We Love you guys and are sending you a huge hug.”

The Red Door Bakery group has been placed into liquidation with debts of about $200,000.

Liquidator Nick Cooper of Worrells Solvency and Forensic Accountants said he would be looking to sell the Red Door Bakery brand and all equipment, inviting interested parties to make contact.

From: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business ... 7d2ae41a9b

[Brucetiki]

Sounds more like incompetent management rather than T2T works - if anything the T2T works made access to the Queen St store easier with the Queen St/Port Rd intersection now signalised.