Australia

[Michaelangelica]

And I thought Australia was a country full of great people, I guess you never know the resentment that runs under the surface.;)

Runs!,not just runs! it is a seething, flooding torrent full of man-eating crocodiles, snakes and spiders!

 

Today was Anzac Day. equivalent in away to the US's Memorial Day of Britain's Poppy Day (?) S. Africa's ??

You get the Idea.

 

In true Aussie upside-down fashion we usually celebrate our glorious DEFEAT by the Turks at Gallipoli in WW1.

WW1 was the first time Australia had fought as a nation (Then, being a mere 13 years old). Only 5 million people lived here then, but there were, as elsewhere, horrific casualties and, woundings ,injuries gassings etc. Only 1 in 3 was 'spared'. A whole generation lost.

 

Today for the first time we had a Memorial Service for an Australian Victory! at Villers-Bretonneux in France. It was televised nationally and was very moving. The people of this little French town have "Remember the Australians" writ large everywhere; and they do.

AT Villers-Bretonneux is a wall of remembrance of all the names of the people killed liberating the town (and their graves) and all (?) the names of Australians killed on the Western Front in WW1.

The wall is sadly, poignantly pock-marked with bullet holes from a WW2 battle.

 

It is said that this (WW1) capture of Villers-Bretonneux was a decisive battle forcing the Germans to retreat. They never made any more advances after Villers-Bretonneux.

(Cynics say the town was liberated by the Aussies for the cellars of French wine and the clean women's underwear-but that is another story!).

 

Today I was sad and proud, and sad again. One little kid at the local primary school (called "Victoria" after the Australian state ?) said "I wouldn't be here but for the Australians." I felt like rushing out and buying them all copies of Australian Geographic or something.

Why do we still have wars when our grandfathers fought "The War to end all Wars"?

There are still many, many stories to be told about these two terrible conflicts WW1 and WW2.

 

This is from the ABC.

I don't think they will mind me pinching it. I have paid for it after all.

Villers-Bretonneux remembers decisive battle 90 years on - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Villers-Bretonneux remembers decisive battle 90 years on

 

By Stephanie Kennedy in Villers-Bretonneux

 

Posted Fri Apr 25, 2008 7:22am AEST

Updated Fri Apr 25, 2008 11:03am AEST

Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux on April 24, 2008

Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux on April 24, 2008. (ABC: Stephanie Kennedy)

* Audio: France honours ANZACs with dawn service (AM)

* Related Link: Interactive map of Villers-Bretonneux

* Related Link: Backgrounder: Anzac Day - remembering Australians who served

 

The French town of Villers-Bretonneux lies just south of the River Somme, set in wide, green fields, its church steeple clearly visible far and wide.

 

Like many towns and villages on the Somme, it was beautiful, but of little significance to Australia, until the savage events of the Great War.

Like many villages in the area, the war reduced Villers-Bretonneux to little more than rubble and marked a moment in history when a special link was forged between that corner of France and the land down under.

 

Thousands of Australians fought on the Western Front. Villers-Bretonneux is where those diggers had one their greatest World War I victories.

 

After the disaster of Gallipoli, tens of thousands of soldiers from the Australian Imperial Force were sent to fight the Germans in the muddy and bloody trenches of France and Belgium. It was not in the trenches, though, where they had their greatest glory, but in one small village.

 

In March 1918, the Germans launched a major offensive to take the strategic town of Amiens. As the Germans moved westwards towards their goal, they captured Villers-Bretonneux on 23 April. The British high command feared that if the Germans moved on to take Amiens, the war would be lost. The job of retaking Villers-Bretonneux was assigned to two Australian brigades.

 

The plan was to encircle and trap the Germans. There would be no preliminary bombardment. Instead the Australians would launch a surprise attack at night. Two battalions would begin the assault from the south towards the east of Villers-Bretonneux while three battalions would attack from the north at the same time.

 

The assault began at 10pm on 24 April. It was a do-or-die attack. The diggers took out the German machine guns then fought the enemy in a ferocious house-to-house confrontation. One German officer later wrote that the Australians 'were magnificent, nothing seemed to stop them. When our fire was heaviest, they just disappeared in shell holes and came up as soon as it slackened.'

 

By dawn on 25 April, exactly three years after the Anzacs stormed ashore at Gallipoli, the Australians had broken through the German positions and the French and Australian flags were raised over Villers-Bretonneux.

It took the rest of the day and into the next to secure the town. But secure it they did and the Anzacs established a new front line, marking the end of the German offensive on the Somme. A British General called the Anzac attack 'perhaps the greatest individual feat of the war'.

 

But it came at a huge cost for Australia. 1200 died saving the village.

 

The French, though, have never forgotten the sacrifice. The Australian flag still flies over Villers-Bretonneux. A plaque outside the Town Hall tells the story of events in the town in 1918. Kangaroos feature over the entrance to the Town Hall. The main street is named Rue de Melbourne.

 

The children of Villers-Bretonneux are especially indebted to Australia. After the war, it was money donated from schoolchildren in Victoria that paid for the rebuilding of the village school. It was named Victoria School and a plaque recalls the diggers' sacrifice:

 

'Twelve hundred Australian soldiers, the fathers and brothers of these children, gave their lives in the heroic recapture of this town from the invader on 24th April 1918 and are buried near this spot. May the memory of great sacrifices in a common cause keep France and Australia together forever in bonds of friendship and mutual esteem.'

 

Emblazoned across a building in the main playground of Victoria School and above the schools blackboards are the words 'DO NOT FORGET AUSTRALIA'. Carvings of kangaroos, koalas and platypuses decorate the school hall. Ninety years after the historic battle, the children of Villers-Bretonneux continue to learn about the soldiers from half a world away who liberated their town from the German enemy.

 

More officially, recognition of the significance of the battle in Villers-Bretonneux is found at the Australian National Memorial, which was built just outside the town. It commemorates all Australians who fought in France and Belgium and includes the names of 10,772 who died in France and have no known grave.

 

Each year, a small Anzac Day ceremony is held at the memorial to mark the sacrifice made by the diggers. This year though, is special. Those who have campaigned for many years for a dawn service at Villers-Bretonneux will have their dream realised on this 90th anniversary of the battle.

 

Five thousand people are expected to attend, including many from the town itself. For them, the long distance to Australia will always be bridged by the blood of Australia's sons given to secure French freedom.

 

More detail on "VB" ( We have to shorten everything and this (VB) is the name of a very popular Australian Beer) HERE:-

http://arts.monash.edu.au/publications/eras/edition-8/pdf/wadearticle.pdf

[LaurieAG]

Around Anzac day I came across an article which quoted David Flint (Australians for constitutional Monarchy).

 

In support of the inevitability of another republican defeat, he cited the Condorcet paradox, named after the eighteenth century French mathematician: while monarchists by themselves will never enjoy a majority, they will always be able to form an alliance with those whose second preference is the existing system.

 

This brings to mind 17th century Ireland, the parliamentarians (roundheads) against confederation of the royalists (cavaliers) and the Irish Catholics. It took the Irish nearly 300 years to turn around the damage done by the parliamentarians. Anzac day is Oliver Cromwells birthday!

[Michaelangelica]

These were posted on an Australian Tourism Website and the answers are the actual responses by the website officials, who obviously have a sense of humour

(I know that is probably a web-myth, still surprisingly many of these questions ARE asked from time to time)

 

 

Q: Does it ever get windy in Australia ? I have never seen it rain on TV, how do the plants grow? ( UK ).

 

A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die.

 

__________________________________________________

 

Q: Will I be able to see kangaroos in the street? ( USA )

 

A: Depends how much you've been drinking.

 

__________________________________________________

 

Q: I want to walk from Perth to Sydney - can I follow the railroad tracks? ( Sweden )

 

A: Sure, it's only three thousand miles, take lots of water.

 

__________________________________________________

 

Q: Are there any ATMs (cash machin es) in Australia ? Can you send me a list of them in Brisbane , Cairns ,Townsville and HerveyBay ? ( UK )

 

A: What did your last slave die of?

 

__________________________________________________

 

Q: Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Australia ? ( USA )

 

A: A-fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe ..

Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the Pacific which does not

... oh forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Kings Cross. Come naked.

 

__________________________________________________

 

Q: Which direction is North in Australia ? ( USA )

 

A: Face south and then turn 180 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we'll send the rest of the directions.

 

_________________________________________________

 

Q: Can I bring cutlery into Australia ? ( UK )

 

A: Why? Just use your fingers like we do.

 

__________________________________________________

 

Q: Can you send me the Vienna Boys' Choir schedule? ( USA )

 

A: Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is ...

oh forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Kings Cross, straight after the hippo races. Come naked.

 

__________________________________________________

 

Q: Ca n I wear high heels in Australia ? ( UK )

 

A: You are a British politician, right?

 

____________________________ ______________________

 

Q: Are there supermarkets in Sydney and is milk available all year round? ( Germany )

 

A: No, we are a peaceful civilization of vegan hunter/gatherers.

Milk is illegal.

 

__________________________________________________

 

Q: Please send a list of all doctors in Australia who can Dispense rattlesnake serum. ( USA )

 

A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca which is where YOU come from.

All Australian snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and make good pets.

 

__________________________________________________

 

Q: I have a question about a famous animal in Australia , but I forget its name. It's a kind of bear and lives in trees. ( USA )

 

A: It's called a Drop Bear. They are so called because they drop out of Gum trees and eat the brains of anyone walking underneath them.

You can scare them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking.

 

__________________________________________________

 

Q: I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Can you tell me where I can sell it in Australia ? ( USA )

 

A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather.

 

__________________________________________________

 

Q: Can you tell me the regions in Tasmania where the female population is smaller than the male popula tion? ( </I Italy )

 

A: Yes, gay night clubs.

 

__________________________________________________

 

Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in Australia ? ( France )

 

A: Only at Christmas.

 

__________________________________________________

 

Q: I was in Australia in 1969 on R+R, and I want to contact the Girl I dated while I was staying in Kings Cross*. Can you help? ( USA )

 

A: Yes, and you will still have to pay her by the hour..

 

______________ ____________________________________

 

Q: Will I be able to speak English most places I go? ( USA )

 

A: Yes, but you'll have to learn it first

[Buffy]

Q: Does it ever get windy in Australia?

Oh gosh, the worst air turbulence I have ever experienced was on a flight from Sydney to Adelaide... I'm a million mile flier but just thinking about that flight still gives me the shivers...

 

And they have these really cute hairy pigs! Bomwats or something! :phones:

Buffy

[Monomer]

Oh gosh, the worst air turbulence I have ever experienced was on a flight from Sydney to Adelaide... I'm a million mile flier but just thinking about that flight still gives me the shivers...

 

You've been to Adelaide Buffy? Did you see much of the best city in Australia? :phones:

[Buffy]

You've been to Adelaide Buffy? Did you see much of the best city in Australia? ;)

Oh I love Adelaide! Fond memories of a User's Group meeting there (those are always crazy affairs), where I was first forced to consume Vegemite, and being up all night in some club that at the time played nothing but World Beat music VERY LOUD.

 

I always wanted to see the F1 race through the park too...maybe they'll bring it back there someday... :phones:

 

The last thing I stole was a box of Coca Cola from a parked truck in Adelaide. I was nice and drunk. It was New Year's Eve, :phones:

Buffy

[Monomer]

Oh I love Adelaide! Fond memories of a User's Group meeting there (those are always crazy affairs), where I was first forced to consume Vegemite, and being up all night in some club that at the time played nothing but World Beat music VERY LOUD. :phones:

 

Mmmmm... vegemite!! So was that the one and only time you've eaten it?

 

My sister took vegemite over to the US but not surprisingly nobody liked it. We Aussies are practically fed the stuff from birth. A nice thin spread on toast is the best way to eat it. Also great with cheese.

 

 

I always wanted to see the F1 race through the park too...maybe they'll bring it back there someday... :phones:

 

Melbourne stole our F1 race, but now we have the V8 supercars tearing through the parklands.

[Michaelangelica]

And they have these really cute hairy pigs! Bomwats or something! :cheer:

Buffy

A blond yank OMG:doh:

 

Wombat Australian Native Animal, Photos, Pictures, Music, Poetry

WOMBAT by Ogden Nash

The wombat lives across the seas,

Among the far Antipodes.

He may exist on nuts and berries,

Or then again, on missionaries;

His distant habitat precludes

Conclusive knowledge of his moods,

But I would not engage the wombat

In any form of mortal combat.

 

The Wombat is the mascot of the University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan County Campus.

More great photos here

Image Gallery - The uncommon Wombat - June - Scribbly Gum - ABC Science Online

Information for blond Yanks here:-

The Uncommon Wombat - June 2006 - Scribbly Gum - ABC Science Online

Sex life (R 15+) Catalyst: Secret Sex Life of Wombats - ABC TV Science

This is my favourite Wombat Poem

Wombat

Douglas Stewart

Ha there! old pig, old bear, old bristly and gingery

Wombat out of the red earth peering gingerly

Was there some thud of foot in the mist and the silence

That stiffens whisker and ear in sound’s fierce absence,

Some smell means man?

I see the dewdrop trembling upon the rushes,

All else is the mist’s now, river and rocks and ridges.

Poor lump of movable clay, snuffling and blinking,

Too thick in the head to know what thumps in your thinking,

Rears in the rain –

Be easy, old tree-root’s companion; down there where your burrow

Dips in its yellow shadow, deep in the hollow,

We have one mother, good brother; it is Her laughter

That sends you now snorting and plunging like red flood-water

To earth again.

 

-Douglas Stewart.

 

Sometimes often confused by Yank tourists with the Drop Bear which is ridiculous as every one should know that wombats cannot climb trees.

Drop Bear

Location found: Australia

Drop bears are carnivorous, tree-dwelling marsupials found throughout Australia. Their preferred dwelling is eucalyptus trees or gum trees. They are related to koala bears, though larger and equipped with sharp teeth and razor-like claws. Sometimes people refer to them as the koala bear's evil twin.

 

Drop bears prefer to feed at night. They wait in trees and then drop down on top of their prey, usually instantly knocking it unconscious. They will then proceed to devour it. They will quite readily attack creatures larger than themselves, including humans.

 

The only known way to deter a drop bear is to spread toothpaste or vegemite behind your ears and on your neck. It also makes sense not to pitch your tent beneath a tree that contains a drop bear. A good way to find out if a drop bear is in a tree is to lie down beneath the tree and spit upwards. If a drop bear is sleeping up there, it will wake up and spit back.

 

Australians are known for going to great lengths to make sure that backpacking tourists are aware of the dangers posed by drop bears. Young children attending camp are also frequently warned of this threat to their safety.

Drop Bear

Rubbing yourself all over with urine is sometime a helpful repellent for these vary cunning,nasty, and often deadly, animals.

:phones: :phones:

;)

If you are Australian or are interested in water issues you MUST watch tonight's episode of Catalyst. it was frightening, surprising, fascinating and amazing.

Why don't S Aussies revolt and go to war with the eastern States?

Bloody terrible, no wonder you can eat SA beer with a spoon.

 

Dr Paul Willis at The Murray DarlingFire & Water (1 May)

Surprising new research shows that around 20% of water, otherwise available to the Murray River alone, can be withheld for decades. Read more'Fire & Water'»

 

Watch VideoVideo 6:30 mins Win | RP

 

Dr Jonica NewbyThe Flood Pulse (1 May)

 

Last January a powerful cyclone struck the towns of western Qld and northern NSW and the outback regions were flooded by a deluge of water. Read more'The Flood Pulse'»

 

Watch VideoVideo 6:45 mins Win | RP

 

Dr Graham PhillipsCoorong : the end of the line (1 May)

 

South Australia’s Coorong is the end of the line - where the Murray meets the sea. Read more'Coorong : the end of the line'»

 

Watch VideoVideo 2:48 mins Win | RP

 

Mark HorstmanAcid Mud (1 May)

 

In many wetlands along the Murray and Darling Rivers, the recipe for acid mud is perfect. Read more'Acid Mud'»

 

Watch VideoVideo 7:09 mins Win | RP

Catalyst: Home - ABC TV Science

 

We have got to work out a cheap way of desalinating water by the mega-litre.

Is there a salt-water inlet somewhere in Queensland ?

Could we stick a mega desalinator powered by solar and start pumping into the Murry darling basin?.

Something drastic has to be done.

 

I note no one mention what sulphuric acid did to little hibernating things at the bottom of the food chain. I doubt if it would be good.

[Buffy]

Mmmmm... vegemite!! So was that the one and only time you've eaten it?

No, actually I'm responsible for "spreading" it here. There are enough ex-pats locally here that you can obtain it, and I get it as a joke present occasionally, and *dare* them to eat it. I do and they have no choice...you're right though, most Yanks detest it, and I only do it for fun! ;) Definitely an acquired taste!

A blond yank OMG:doh:

It was a *joke* mate! I know what a wombat is and I think they're really cute and of course they're much friendlier than those gigantic rats you call 'roos....let alone those beastly k'bears...

 

Yum-o! :)

Buffy

[Moontanman]

Ok, I have to ask, exactly what is vegemite? Do I want to know? Oh yeah can you eat wombats? They look like a little hairy personal pig pickin' (I know, I come a from another strange place called W.Va. where we eat anything too slow to get away) Hurray for muskrats, you use everything but the tail! Maybe even that, after a couple of weeks the tail can be used as a stabbing tool!

[Monomer]

Ok, I have to ask, exactly what is vegemite? Do I want to know? Oh yeah can you eat wombats? They look like a little hairy personal pig pickin' (I know, I come a from another strange place called W.Va. where we eat anything too slow to get away) Hurray for muskrats, you use everything but the tail! Maybe even that, after a couple of weeks the tail can be used as a stabbing tool!

 

Vegemite is a spread made from yeast extract. It has a very strong taste and we spread it on bread and add it to our soups/stews. If you're really interested check out these sites:

 

Vegemite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vegemite - Home

 

No, we don't eat our cute little wombats. I knew a guy, a biologist, who had one as a pet, but I think they can be rather aggressive.

[Moontanman]

Vegemite is a spread made from yeast extract. It has a very strong taste and we spread it on bread and add it to our soups/stews. If you're really interested check out these sites:

 

Vegemite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vegemite - Home

 

No, we don't eat our cute little wombats. I knew a guy, a biologist, who had one as a pet, but I think they can be rather aggressive.

 

I'm betting somebody has eaten one at sometime.....

[Moontanman]

Vegemite is a spread made from yeast extract. It has a very strong taste and we spread it on bread and add it to our soups/stews. If you're really interested check out these sites:

 

Vegemite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vegemite - Home

 

No, we don't eat our cute little wombats. I knew a guy, a biologist, who had one as a pet, but I think they can be rather aggressive.

 

Hmmm.... is it something like the worlds best cheese (blue cheese) heh heh heh so you don't eat wombats, how about roos?

[Moontanman]

Vegemite is a spread made from yeast extract. It has a very strong taste and we spread it on bread and add it to our soups/stews. If you're really interested check out these sites:

 

Vegemite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vegemite - Home

 

No, we don't eat our cute little wombats. I knew a guy, a biologist, who had one as a pet, but I think they can be rather aggressive.

 

I will try to find some but I'm not holding my breath, around here I feel lucky if I can find a good blue cheese. Since it's made from beer yeast it is something I simply have to try at least once!!!

[Monomer]

Hmmm.... is it something like the worlds best cheese (blue cheese) heh heh heh so you don't eat wombats, how about roos?

 

I personally don't eat kangaroo, but plenty of people do. I can't quite bring myself around to eating "skippy". Kangaroo meat is reportedly lean and somewhat healthier than other meat:

 

CSIRO - Kangaroo meat - health secret revealed

 

 

I will try to find some but I'm not holding my breath, around here I feel lucky if I can find a good blue cheese. Since it's made from beer yeast it is something I simply have to try at least once!!!

 

Yeah, see if you can locate some because you do have to try it once. Perhaps have some beer on hand to wash it down! I advise you to have a *very thin* spread of vegemite on some buttered toast.

[Michaelangelica]

I personally don't eat kangaroo, but plenty of people do. I can't quite bring myself around to eating "skippy". Kangaroo meat is reportedly lean and somewhat healthier than other meat:

 

.

Kangaroos also do less damage to the environment than sheep cattle and feral animals like horses, pigs, cats, foxes, rabbits etc.

There is an art to cooking Kangaroo well; you have to be prepared to eat it a bit "pink" or rare. Overcooked it is terribly tough.

 

Wombats are too cute and uncommon to eat.

Although if you are human and hungry you will eat anything.

The early white settlers in this land were faced with foods that were completely different to what was used to in the Northern hemisphere and some amusing recipes still exist for cooking wombat, possum and goanna mostly designed to emulate some dishes from home.

Australian Cooking : Food & Wine : Web Wombat

 

Wombats

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

 

Southern hairy-nosed wombats are sometimes agricultural pests. When they dig their burrows, they can destroy crops. The coexistence of wombats and livestock pose a resource competition problem (Nowak, 1991). Additionally, livestock can sometimes break their legs when they break through into a wombat burrow (Nowak, 1991). Burrows also provide problems for farmers because they are good habitats for other pest species such as rabbits (Nowak, 1991). Many farmers also incorrectly believe that wombats destroy fences on their properties (Nowak, 1991). (Nowak, 1991)

 

Ways that these animals might be a problem for humans:

crop pest.

Wombat

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

 

Wombats are hunted throughout their region by aboriginal people. These native cultures consider wombats a part of their culture and enjoy eating their meat. However, they are cautious not to hunt them too frequently, as it takes a lot of time and energy to capture a wombat (Davies, 1998). Wombats have also been captured and domesticated as pets (Nowak, 1991). (Davies, 1998; Nowak,

ADW: Lasiorhinus latifrons: Information

 

 

A zoologist neighbour/friend was invited to the opening of a huge outback earth-wall dam. The engineers wanted to show off their creation and the positive impacts the dam was going to have for the local wildlife.

When my Zoologist friend was asked, after the opening ceremony:-

"Well what do you think?"

He replied "How long do you expect the dam to last?"

The puzzled engineers said " 100+ years or forever!?"

The zoologist said "I'd give it 12 months tops.

This area is full of wombats. They will love digging in, and through, that dam wall."

The shocked, pale and stunned engineers went off hurriedly covering the dam wall in all sorts and many layers of very strong wire mesh. !!!:eek_big:

 

I did read of a couple with a pet wombat who used to sleep with them. When he got too big they locked the wombat out of the bedroom.

It burrowed though the door.

So they locked him outside at night.

He burrowed though the bedroom floor.:doh:

 

Many Australians would prefer to keep Native animals as pets instead of cats and dogs. Unfortunately it is mostly illegal.

 

I know Buffy, Aussies can't resist having a "shot" especially if you are blond and yank.;):eek_big:

never believe anything they say especially in outback pubs

(Except the crocodile stories. They are true-DO NOT POKE THEM WITH A STICK TO GET A BETTER PHOTO) :D

O- and Do take plenty of water if you are going to walk across the Nullarbor. A small petrol tanker full is suggested.

[Michaelangelica]

Can anyone explain 'seat sniffing'?

 

Can a male REALLY undo a bra with one hand?