Foxy

It's not so much individual research programs as how to engender a culture of commercial R & D. Starting in the late 1960s various governments wrought a change in the culture of the whole country.

That's where I think Australia can learn from Israel and perhaps also from South Korea.

The present government declined to give any more subsidies to Holden and Ford. While I understand the hardship this causes I think it was the right call. You can only go on being blackmailed for so long.

But whence the jobs of the future? What replaces motor car manufacturing? That's where I think all Australian governments have lacked vision. They seem to think all they need to do is fiddle with the tax code and everything else will fall into place.

And that's where Israeli governments have displayed great vision. They understand that something more than balancing your chequebook is needed.

Yuyutsu wrote:

>>And I wouldn't support encouraging a hi-tech industry>>

Then how is Australia going to pay its way in the future? Yes we can continue to dig minerals out of the ground and provided we control costs and up productivity that'll keep us going. But, ultimately, we create wealth through innovation. And we ought to be up there with the best. The fact that we're not is a failure of government policy.

o sung wu
The Qwen might have been the ugly duckling but up close you wouldn't want to be without it.
The F1 really was designed for Rambo in my opinion (one in each hand and running)
We actually had Owens (9mm) in VC early but the were replaced with the F1 and more so the yank M14 (7.62)which went further and hit harder.
Got a mate up in New Guinea who found a case of Owens along with a whole weapons dump in the hills. He carries it all the time in the bush.
Apparently 9mm Luger ammo fits it ok

o sung wu
Wasn't the Stirling on issue to the Brit Marines and Commandos and they came with a right or left mag so you could shoot around right or left corners?

Dear Steven,

<<And we ought to be up there with the best.>>

Not if the price for a quantitative high economic/financial standard of living impacts negatively on the quality of life. Those "best" only have numbers to show, not actual happiness - they are too stressed to enjoy their wealth.

It's not that we are anywhere close to starvation or to losing a war because we won't have that little bit extra.
In fact, the more modest and relaxed we live, the lesser the pressure on our borders by would-be economic migrants.

Hi there IS MISE...

What interesting career choices you've made ! As a civvy armourer, were you at St Mary's or The Navy place at Kingswood, or at the SAF in Lithgow ?

When I was in the coppers, I had occasion to visit the SAF, Lithgow for the oddest of reasons - As you may well know, they mfg'd the Aussie designed 'SafLoc' Handcuffs. They proved to be very reliable manacles, and almost 'bullet proof' as far as being escape proof ? The only significant defect detected, was the linkages in the earlier models ? It was found when sufficient purchase was exerted on these earlier model linkages, some actually failed, thus the offender made good his escape ! Most of these earlier models (Mk l) had a high lustre shine on their surfaces. Though the later models, were in a dull metallic finish, and some still had the defective linkages fitted to them, regrettably ?

Consequently, after a lot of 'toing and froing' as to who was to meet the costs, for the necessary modifications, all at a very high government level of course, most of the defective 'cuffs were gradually withdrawn, and modified ! Was it a design fault or a metallurgical problem ? Anyway, a bit of useless info for you IS MISE ?

Perhaps my old mate CHRISGAFF1000 may well recall the problems we had with the earlier model 'SafLocs' ? He might've had some crook bolt from him, because of this deficiency ?

I guess the above is just a another symptomatic sign of an old man with far too much time on his hands eh ?

Take it easy there, IS MISE.

Hi there CHRISGAFF1000...

Now you've got me Chris ? I was issued with the mag to the left ? We were operating with the 2nd or 3rd (one of 'em) Green Jackets, normally based in Penang. They in turn, were backing up Gurkha Rifles, with the Brits 'Saturdays 'n Sundays' being dropped into the bush by this noisy FAA Wessex, 'Yellow' S & R Chopper ! They were the days, a yellow helicopter in the bush ?

Speaking of the Gurkha's, one of their Sergeants won a VC over there in 1965 ?