australia issues

I'd be interested to hear what members here feel about Crown Casino's in Melbourne, Australia, recent rule change on their low-stake Blackjack tables making it now a game of 22 instead of 21, arguably. Of course, the rule change makes it more advantageous to the House! What else?!

"Restaurants and hotels in Sydney are banning patrons with visible ink, with signs being erected warning customers they will not be allowed entry unless they cover up their tattoos." http://bigpondnews.com/articles/OddSpot/2012/02/20/Aussie_hotels_ban_patrons_with_tattoos_720435.html :D...

I thought I would have an eye-catching title. In Aussie speak, "travellers" refers to the beer you get at a drive through to drink as you drive home, to a party, whatever. It's a time honoured tradition, and has been quite legal as long as you don't get over the legal blood alcohol limit of...

When asked "What is your religion?"... 19% said "Spiritual but no religion" and 31% said "None". :thumbsup: Here's the survey summary from the survey creators (you must pay for the full survey results)...

Well the genius at the helm of the Western Australian parliament has come up with a grand idea. Let's increase penalties for cannabis possession, use and cultivation, as well as distribution of smoking implements to minors, by a full order of magnitude shall we? So a $200 fine for possession of...

To review, she was the lesbian who toed the party line and supported Gillard by not supporting gay marriage. Now she is trying to change the party policy. Linky. Many are calling this a reversal, and are hoping that she is no longer a "traitor". Personally, I think she is following through...

Instead of helping defend the Southern Hemisphere against North Korean missile attack, would setting up a site for nuclear waste be a useful contribution to world security? I have just been reading some of the issues with storing waste in Europe here...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1279658/Sir-Bob-Geldof-angers-Australians-calling-economically-stupid-exiling-Aborigines.html So, apparently, Geldof thinks Australians are missing an enriching trick by allegedly ostracising aborigines. I know next to nothing about the subject, but...

http://www.antar.org.au/ Here's a website bringing to light racism issues in Australia. It has also been reported Australia has some of the worst human rights records when it comes to its treatment of its original inhabitants. I'm interested to hear what some "australians" think?

Today the Reserve Bank announced a .25% increase in the standard cash rate, taking it to 3.25% And what do virtually all the media report? How tough it's going to be for home loan borrowers! Well I have a news flash of my own. The poor buggers (me) that have been providing the money for the...

Go to youtube and type in "Ni##er Brown and C##n Cheese Should Their Names Change?" I've been told that ni##er is not a very offensive word in Australia and that's why no one bothered to file a complaint about Ni##er Stadium, other than an Aboriginal man by the name of Stephen Hagan. The...

Is this true that the Australians put in a nation-wide internet filtering system which not only is to filter spam and such, but also will filter content - and that the people of Australia are unable to opt out of this?

I suspect that a lot of people outside Australia won't be aware of this, but this morning marked the opening of Kevin Rudd's new Labour parliament. I watched this morning when members of the indigenous community performed a Welcome To Country ceremony for new parliament. This has never...

Australia Joins China In Censoring The Internet Okay, any Australians better come here and clear the name of their country if this is just over-hype. But really, I liked Labor in the last election. WTF? To go to the source: Won't someone think of the children? Though I have to laugh that...

I wouldn't have thought the Aussies would be that worried about political correctness. But apparently no "Ho's" for Santa this year in Sydney. Maybe just a lap dance. http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071115/wl_asia_afp/lifestyleaustraliachristmasoffbeat_071115024540;_ylt=AvPVuKwmfsZE5mUiPNUqYFcE1vAI

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21488643-953,00.html The constant refrain is that we waste too much taxpayers money on them, and that they don't deserve it. It's an utter disgrace, we have a very wealthy country, per capita, and our invasion mowed down their culture. It is...

Sounds reasonable to me.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/12/04/1165080877899.html?from=top5 This is a logical and sensible proposal. Australia is much bigger than New Zealand, which is a minnow in the world. A union of currencies and trade would be the logical step towards an eventual unification of governments...

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/08/31/1156817005419.html "According to ABC radio the list also includes September 11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, who was captured in Pakistan in 2003, Jemaah Islamiah bomb-maker Azahari bin Husin, who was killed in Java last year, and arrested Bali...

http://www.theage.com.au/news/science/climate-change-study-alarming/2005/07/26/1122143825208.html Yep, they have given up denying it, and are starting to accept it. The only irony I find is John Howard recently telling farmers experiencing the worst drought on record, he can't make it rain.

Just about every part of the country, and all the majory capital cities, are experiencing a prolonged drought. The forecasters can see no end in sight. http://twm.co.nz/Ausdrghtfire.htm Sydney is very low on water, Goulburn is down to 8 percent, Melbourne low, Perth low, the Gold Coast was...

Yes, you don't just get a free trade agreement when you sign up with the States, you get the associated baggage like evergreen patents. One more example of Big Companies contempt for 'free enterprise'. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/08/06/1091732084185.html?from=storylhs Yep, a large...

Satire is dead Can't really comment on this. May take a while to pick up my jaw after marvelling at the sheer audacity of these statements.

This comes from the December 2003 Newsletter of the Arms and Armour Society (London): "It has been reported that The State Government od Victoria, Australia is introducing a new set of laws and a collector of swords will now require a licence similar to that required to collect firearms. That...

http://www.nisu.flinders.edu.au/pubs/bulletin23/bulletin23-2.html What are they doing wrong? Perhaps a Mommy Goverment is too much to bear? Clearly their environment is not as conducive to ongoing existance as it might be. We can only look on in our smug, superior way.

Thats even allowing for the gang wars that are resulting in the deaths of violent criminals. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/01/02/1072908906612.html

And more importantly, I suppose, how mainstream is the view that university professors shouldn't be allowed to express pro-gun views, and universities that have such a broad definition of academic freedom ought not be supported by the Australian government? MattJ

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/05/04/1051987606983.html Yes, we are now as fat as you.