Australia

[LaurieAG]

That says it all Laurie. The world arena is quite corrupt and I don't see it changing in the near future unfortunately.

 

Hi Freeztar,

 

Until the proverbial hits the fan that is, which shouldn't be very far away.

 

Here's a brief summary of what the original "Coalition Of the Willing" are up to.

 

Tony Blair - Stood down as PM and the new leader plans to reduce Brittish forces in Iraq and boost forces in Afghanistan. Still haven't had a referrendum over the European Union constraints on member government powers.

 

Silvio Berlusconi - Defeated as PM and his political party lost power. Was charged with corruption but avoided being prosecuted due to the statute of limitations.

 

John Howard - Allowed Australian troops to enter a sovereign territory and wage war for 2 days prior to the official declaration of war. Total disregard for the processes of law with regards to habeus corpus. He also has a high possibility of losing his seat in parliament (as well as government) on 24 November 2007.

 

Perves Musharref - The military dictator who pulled a coup on his own coup. Accommadation manager for USAMA BIN LADEN and Al Quaeda.

 

Prince Bandar - Oversaw the payment of hundreds of millions of dollars of kickbacks from British military purchases by Saudi Arabia when Ambassador to the USA.

 

George W Bush - Patron saint of the Military Industrial Complex, Speculators and anything else out to make a quick buck. Liberated Afghanistan so that it can produce 97% of the globes heroin. United all of the others into a cohesive 'force' and has a very deficient understanding of the words 'terror' and 'democracy'.

 

I don't think that the people can continue to be that stupid, unless they are continuously fed mindless propaganda by vested interests (refer above). In fact, the only way that most have got as far as they have is because of their post 9/11 housing and (the developing) credit bubbles that have taken peoples minds off the dot com bubble.

[Michaelangelica]

What a wonderful post Laurie

You were fired up when you wrote that!

(Can I have some of what you are taking?)

Pitty the POWERS won't let me give you rep for the post

I need to s p r e a d.

 

many say that bush's saber rattling about Iran is mainly for domestic consumption.

 

Are you sure Howard won't pull a terrorist plot, Tampa or other Rabbit out of the hat yet? He has three weeks.

 

I can't forgive him and his AG for what they did to Hicks.

 

couple of things

What election?

Help country kids this Christmas

 

By Matthew O'Sullivan

 

Wednesday, 07/11/2007

 

The drought has left rural families around Australia drained emotionally, physically and financially.

 

As December approaches, many families are now wondering whether they will be able to afford Christmas at all.

 

ABC Rural is supporting a toy appeal, which has been launched to give families, and children in particular, a Christmas to remember.

 

Donated toys, clothes, Christmas decorations, books and music will be distributed across the country.

 

The appeal is the work of Olivia Wood, who says the idea came about after seeing rural families suffering hard times.

 

"I think it is very much that idea that somebody cares and I think that a lot of the gifts are fantastic and some of them are more token gifts.

 

"It's just a way of saying, well, you're not as isolated as you think you are."

 

The Country Womens Association will distribute the donations.

 

President Lesley Young says many families are struggling to make ends meet.

 

She says while people are getting better at asking for help, a lot more can be done to help the children.

 

"We hear people talking about the farmers, and what's happening on the farm, but we forget about the fact that there's a whole unit there and that's the family, and it is the husbands, wives and children.

 

"It's great - this initiative is recognising that children are feeling the effects of what's happening with the drought."

 

To register to receive toys, or find out how to donate, visit the toy box appeal website at Home

 

ABC Rural is the offical broadcast media partner of the Toy Box Appeal.

Help country kids this Christmas. 07 Nov 2007. Rural Online. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

OK moderators I have stolen the whole post

So sue me!

 

Boneseed threatens native flora

 

By Karen Hunt

Monday, 05/11/2007

An garden escapee is posing a serious threat to native flora across the South Australia.

Boneseed, a tall daisy like bush with attractive yellow flowers, was introduced from South Africa as a garden plant in the late 1800s, but escaped from domesticity.

Boneseed threatens native flora. 05 Nov 2007. Rural Online. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Now correct me if I am wrong but wasn't this what the government introduced to hold beach-side sand dunes from erosion?

If so, it is a slander on the Nursery industry

[Queso]

Does austrailia still have a cane toad "problem"?

[Michaelangelica]

Does austrailia still have a cane toad "problem"?

How many do you want?

One Sydney University report estimates that there are about 200.000.000 of them.

Worm a chink in the cane toad's armour - Environment - smh.com.au

There are a couple of Queenslanders here who can send you as many containers of them as you can smo um handle.

 

Couple of bright lights on the horizon - some native animals are becoming resistant to the poison or eating their way around the poison glands.

Also we found some sick ones (with a parasitic worm from native frogs) and ones that eat their young.

There has also been a concerted effort with toad killer volunteers keeping them out-ish of NT and WA.

:shrug: :lol: :)

If anyone want to be able to talk Australian here is a start

Ozzyisms

Another perfectly good Aussie word has fallen foul of ideology. Sheila, it seems, is frowned on in certain feminist circles, but why it should be thought demeaning to women I have no idea. It is after all only the female equivalent of bloke, and you don’t hear men complaining about that one, do you?

 

I say sheila is the perfect word for Aussie — well, sheilas. Sheilas aren’t as prissy as ladies, they’re not (necessarily) as sexy as babes and foxes, they’re more savvy than chicks or skirts, not solely to be lusted after like crumpet, and unlike dames and broads they are definitely not American.

[freeztar]

Boneseed threatens native flora. 05 Nov 2007. Rural Online. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Now correct me if I am wrong but wasn't this what the government introduced to hold beach-side sand dunes from erosion?

If so, it is a slander on the Nursery industry

 

From the wiki:

There are two distinct subspecies which are both regarded as weeds in Australasia:

 

ssp. monilifera (known as Boneseed in Australia and New Zealand)

ssp. rotundata (known as Bitou Bush in Australia)

Subspecies monilefera is an erect shrub up to 3 metres in height. It produces yellow daisy-like flowers from winter to early summer that have between 4 and 8 ‘petals’ (ray florets). It occurs naturally in coastal areas from Mozambique to southern South Africa. It was introduced to Australia and New Zealand as a garden plant and has become an environmental weed in parts of Victoria and New Zealand.

 

Subspecies rotundata usually ranges from 2 to 3 metres in height or much higher when it becomes entangled in adjacent vegetation. It flowers throughout the year and has between 11 and 13 ‘petals’ (ray florets). It is endemic to southwestern South Africa. Bitou bush is thought to have been introduced to Australia in ship ballast. It was used in the 1950’s and 1960’s to revegetate disturbed coastal areas in New South Wales and has spread along the coast of New South Wales and parts of Victoria.

 

So you're both right it seems. :)

[Michaelangelica]

I wondered why the Liberal and Labor Parties where only just starting their official election campaigns, a bare two weeks before the election.

It turns out that once they formally start the campaign they can no longer claim Travelling Allowances form the Public Purse.

(Airfares, accommodation, mileage, time, for them and their staff etc.,)

 

All tarred and feathered with the same brush?

:)

:) :note:

This might be worth listening to (if only for the accent)

An Ozzie radio Play

The Man Underground by Kenneth Cook

Airplay - 4November2007 - The Man Underground by Kenneth Cook - Part 1

[Michaelangelica]

Thank God for a fair judiciary and courts.

Despite Ruddock and Howard's fascism The far-right culture has ONLY affected the Federal police, immigration and ASIO.

Case dropped against 'terrorism trainee' - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Case dropped against 'terrorism trainee'

 

Posted 8 hours 24 minutes ago

Updated 4 hours 56 minutes ago

Charges dropped: Izhar Ul Haque eaves the NSW Supreme Court in Sydney in February 2006

 

Charges dropped: Izhar Ul Haque eaves the NSW Supreme Court in Sydney in February 2006 (AAP: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds)

 

* Video: Charges dropped against terrorism suspect (ABC News)

* Video: First Cut: Ul-Haque's lawyer slams 'moronic' prosecution (ABC News)

* Audio: ASIO drops case against alleged terrorism trainee (The World Today)

* Audio: ACCL president calls for independent monitoring of ASIO (The World Today)

* Map: Sydney 2000

 

A Sydney judge has described as "grossly improper and unlawful" the conduct of two ASIO officers who interviewed a former medical student accused of training with a terrorist organisation.

 

The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions dropped all charges against Izhar ul-Haque today.

 

Mr ul-Haque had pleaded not guilty to a charge of receiving combat and weapons training from Lashkar-e-Toiba in Pakistan four years ago.

. . .

'Political show trial'

 

Outside the court, Mr ul-Haque's lawyer, Adam Houda, described the case as purely political.

 

"This has been a moronic prosecution right from the start," he said.

 

"The terror laws were introduced supposedly to capture terrorists, not brilliant young men like Izhar ul-Haque.

 

"From the beginning this was no more than a political show trial designed to justify the billions of dollars spent on counter-terrorism."

 

Mr Houda also likened his client's case to that of Indian doctor Mohammed Haneef. who had his terrorism-related charge dropped earlier in the year.

 

"It's been one bungled prosecution after another. We've all seen the disgraceful conduct afforded against Doctor Haneef and today you've heard the disgraceful conduct against my client," he said.

 

A spokesman for ASIO says the agency will leave it up to federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock to comment on the case being dropped.

[Jay-qu]

Thank God for a fair judiciary and courts.

Despite Ruddock and Howard's fascism The far-right culture has ONLY affected the Federal police, immigration and ASIO.

Ive just been called up for jury duty :weather_snowing: I dont qualify for any of the exemptions .. but Im trying to appeal because it will be during 3rd year uni :hihi:

[Michaelangelica]

Ive just been called up for jury duty :snow: I don't qualify for any of the exemptions .. but I'm trying to appeal because it will be during 3rd year uni

They will probably let you off if is going to be a long trial.

Any friend doing law or with legal Dads Mums?

 

Living in Australia under Fascism

(We have no "Bill of Rights" in Australia)

So you are a professional footballer you get pickled up by the cops, Braethalised for alcohol, are clear.

Your car is searched, some prescription valium is found.

The police say they now want a "driver assessment."

A new law -who has heard of this?

You object are charged with a drug offence (valium tablets)and objecting to "driver assessment."

Your football club fires you.

Your career is at an end.

A few months later the cops drop all charges.

Drug driving laws to be simplified after Cousins 'debacle' - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Police have apologised to Cousins.

 

You have worked for the same company all your life.

You are part of the management "team"

You take out the Assistant manager for lunch, at a company owned hotel to try to talk him into NOT resigning.

You have two beers with lunch.

The Publican who sells you the beers dobs you in to head office.

They have a "no-tolerance" no-alcohol policy.

You are fired the next day.

The court when you object at this heavy handedness (you have an unblemished record) agrees with Woolworths and you are now a part time labourer on building sites.

I can't imagine this happening in Italy or France and up until today would not believe it could happen here. If they object to alcohol so much why do they sell it?

Woolworths boss 'teetotal'

 

Dylan Welch

November 13, 2007 - 1:47PM

Latest related coverage

# Poll: Woolworths' decision

The Sydney Morning Herald: national, world, business, entertainment, sport and technology news from Australia's leading newspaper.

(The poll suports Woolworths see how much the culture of fascism has permeated our society.)

The chief executive of Woolworths is a teetotaller and the rest of the executive team know it's inappropriate to enjoy a lunchtime tipple, a spokeswoman for the retail giant says.

 

The statement comes after smh.com.au queried the company about the lunchtime behaviour of its executives, after the retail giant sacked one of its managers for drinking two glasses of beer during a lunch break

.

Woolworths boss 'teetotal' - National - smh.com.au

Boss sacked for lunchtime beers

 

By Ewin Hannan

November 13, 2007 01:00am

Article from: The Australian

 

WOOLWORTHS has sacked a "loyal" Safeway manager who spent 18 years working for the supermarket chain after he was dobbed in for having two beers over lunch.

 

Tony Selak, 36, who managed Safeway's Southland store in Melbourne's southeast, was dismissed for breaching the company's zero tolerance policy to alcohol consumption during working hours, including meal breaks.

Boss sacked for lunchtime beers | NEWS.com.au

I though lunchtime was your time, not "working hours"

 

More extention of police powers

All governments seem to be fond of this

The NSW Labor government can now search your home, car, boat, if they suspect you of being a"terrorist" without a warrent

Given the continual cock-ups of governments in recognising terrorists ( see above) this all we need in a faschist sate.

NSW Govt extends police riot powers - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

 

You are a Vietnamese guy who comes to Australia on a legal visa.

At some point the "Govenment" 9sic) puts you in jail for five years.

AFP: Vietnamese wrongly detained in Australia for five years

Vietnamese wrongly detained in Australia for five years

 

SYDNEY (AFP) — A Vietnamese refugee was wrongfully detained for five years at an Australian immigration centre in a bungle stemming from hardline border protection policies, it was reported Tuesday.

 

Immigration officers locked up Tony Tran in 1999, refusing to let him say goodbye to his South Korean wife and Australian-born two-year-old son, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

 

The public broadcaster said Tran was assaulted by fellow inmates while in custody and suffered brain injuries. He was released in 2005 after a national review sparked by a series of similar immigration department mistakes.

 

 

 

More on Sydney medical student Izhar ul-Haque

ASIO conduct was grossly improper: judge

ASIO conduct was grossly improper: judge - National - theage.com.au

 

That is just today's news.

[Jay-qu]

They will probably let you off if is going to be a long trial.

Any friend doing law or with legal Dads Mums?

 

 

Yeah maybe, I really wouldnt mind doing it, I think it would be interesting (for some part) but I dont want to miss any uni.

 

What would the Law friend be able to help with?

[LaurieAG]

Are you sure Howard won't pull a terrorist plot, Tampa or other Rabbit out of the hat yet? He has three weeks.

 

I can't forgive him and his AG for what they did to Hicks.

 

Hi Michaelangelica,

 

I wonder if there was anything chattering in the wind when they decided to dump the APEC security just before the Chaser crew arrived?

 

He could always go for the sympathy vote (i.e. go hunting with DC).

 

But the big question is, will Kevin Rudd retain John Howards legal advisors if he gets elected?, because he still hasn't changed his mind since the entire Haneef farce became an exercise in absolute power (to ignore the majority of lawyers/judges) over common sense. This is another antidemocratic thing that all of the Coalition of the willing politicians have in common too.

 

Maybe Hicks should go to the judge who accused ASIO of kidnapping people?

[billby]

it's times like these i'm glad i don't have to vote until the next election.

 

with all the talk of money this, terrorism that, vote for me i'm a politician and you can trust me to do all of this. i don't know how all you grown ups can stand hearing it and not need a large dose of panadol.

[Michaelangelica]

Hi Michaelangelica,

 

I wonder if there was anything chattering in the wind when they decided to dump the APEC security just before the Chaser crew arrived?

 

He

Have you seen the Chaser Video?

I don't think they intended to get as far as they did.

Just crap security and expectations of police for USA style "motorcades."

 

Well no rabbit out of the hat yet.

"We live in interesting times."-Chinese curse

Howard can still get across the line.

The senate vote will be crucial.

A most bizzare system

ie

How The Senate votes are counted

The quota

 

Unlike House of Representatives elections in which candidates have to gain more than 50% of the votes to be elected, Senate candidates must gain a quota of the formal votes to be elected.

 

The quota is worked out by dividing the total number of formal ballot papers by one more than the number of vacancies, and then adding one to the result (ignoring any remainder).

 

This example shows how the quota for NSW in the 1998 half-senate election was worked out. Six senators were to be elected from among 63 candidates.

 

Number of Senators to be elected:

6

Number of formal ballot papers:

3,755,725

The quota:

(3,755,725 ÷ (6 + 1)) + 1 = 536,533

Surplus votes

 

Candidates who receive a quota, or more, of first preference votes are immediately elected. The surplus votes of candidates who receive more than the quota are transferred to second choice candidates. Because it is not possible to determine which votes actually elected the candidate and which votes are surplus, all the elected candidates' ballot papers are transferred at a reduced value.

Transfer value

 

The transfer value of the elected candidate's ballot papers is worked out by dividing the number of surplus votes by the total number of the elected candidate's ballot papers.

Example of The Senate vote count

 

In the 1998 NSW Senate election, candidate Steve Hutchins (ALP) gained 1,446,231 votes. As the quota is 536,533, his surplus is 909,698. To work out the transfer value, Hutchins' surplus votes (909,698) are divided by the total number of his ballot papers:

 

909,698 ÷ 1,446,231 = 0.62901293085

 

This figure is taken to the eighth decimal point, without rounding. So the transfer value is 0.62901293.

 

The next step is to re-examine all Hutchins' ballot papers (1,446,231).

 

Let's say that of the 1,446,231 people who voted for Hutchins as first choice, 1,444,433 put John Faulkner (ALP) as second choice.

 

Those 1,444,433 second choice ballot papers are then multiplied by the transfer value to work out how many votes they represent:

 

1,444,433 x 0.62901293 = 908,567

 

These 908,567 transferred votes are then added to the number of first preference votes (2,914) Faulkner received, to give a total of 911,481 votes - more than the quota required. Faulkner is therefore elected. Faulkner's surplus votes are then transferred in the same manner.

 

As a result of this process of transferring surplus votes, other candidates may be elected. If however, all surplus votes from elected candidates are transferred and there are still some unfilled positions, further counting is undertaken.

Exclusion of unsuccessful candidates

 

Starting with the lowest scoring candidate, unelected candidates are excluded from the count and their ballot papers are distributed to the remaining candidates to whom the voters have given their preferences. When a candidate gains a quota following the distribution, he or she is elected. The above process continues until all Senate positions are filled.

 

In certain circumstances, 2 or more candidates may be excluded simultaneously. This is called a bulk exclusion.

Senate declaration

 

Counting for the Senate takes longer than the House of Representatives because of the complex nature of the counting system used. It is some weeks before all Senators are declared elected.

 

The declaration of the poll for the Senate is made by the Australian Electoral Officer for that State or Territory.

See Also

[Michaelangelica]

The culture of Fascism creeps into more areas of Oz life

Graphic video shows prisoner being beaten

The Deputy Ombudsman in Victoria has criticised the operation of the Melbourne Custody Centre

 

The Deputy Ombudsman in Victoria has criticised the operation of the Melbourne Custody Centre (ABC TV)

 

* Video

A damning Ombudsman's report has found staff at the Melbourne Custody Centre use excessive force and there is inadequate oversight of their actions.

 

The report has identified a culture of the use of excessive force on prisoners by contracted staff at the centre.

 

The Deputy Ombudsman, John Taylor, says the staff culture needs to be addressed.

Graphic video shows prisoner being beaten - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

[LaurieAG]

Have you seen the Chaser Video?

I don't think they intended to get as far as they did.

Just crap security and expectations of police for USA style "motorcades."

 

Hi Michaelangelica,

 

I agree, I don't think the Chaser expected to get as far as they did. I wasn't exactly referring to the Chaser but to the people who relaxed the APEC security.

[Michaelangelica]

Hi Michaelangelica,

 

I agree, I don't think the Chaser expected to get as far as they did. I wasn't exactly referring to the Chaser but to the people who relaxed the APEC security.

i personally don't beleive that security was 'relaxed"

one of bush's press core who came out with him was barred entry to somewhere.

I think it is just dumb Aussie cops, draged in from suburban precincts, just not knowing what they were supposed to be doing.

Never in Ozzs history have we had so many heads of government at one time.

I just don't think the ground troops really knew what was expected of them.

The Chaser's were a bit like Dr. Who's psychic credentials. If it looks OK, and he has said it's OK it must be OK.

********************************************

Tonight the country judges.

We should know something by EST 9 pm (Qld is 1 hour behind EST).

 

The Dag, but loveable, 702 announcer Richard Glover is going to a political party tonight. For Labor voters there are pies sausage rolls and frankfurters; For Greens there are vegetable dips and Tofu; for Liberals there is roast beef and smoked salmon

He did say you could eat across party lines.

Although only allowing the Christian Democrats to drink shandys is a bit cruel.

********

[Jay-qu]

So its polling day any early predictions?