THE MEANING OF OZ - All you need to know!

Some "carrots" are quite bewildering, too.
For example, it was this government that removed dental subsidies from pensioners. Now (many agonizing tooth aches & huge waiting lists later!) they're returning the privilege. And expect to be congratulated for it! Huh?

I think you got my drift when I talk about watching their shenanigans. We'll have to wait and see what the election result will be, that will tell who the majority of this Nation believe. I still believe the new IR laws and their foreign policies will topple them over, and it will be curtains for the little 'gnome'.

I think a lot depends (as well as on entrenched attitudes to IR) on what "sweeteners" the ALP offers, too! :wink:

Or perhaps we might have a timely "security scare"? :wink:

I think I'm getting rather cynical in my old age!

But I don't think the budget means that the Libs are home by a long shot. Not at this stage. But neither is Labor. The last stages of the campaign could get very, very ugly if the result is looking close.

msolga we both must be old campaigners as me thinks the same as you. Just the same I will spend my 'carot' visiting the kids in Port Lincoln.

So which carrot did you get, Dutchy?

I think I missed out! Carrot-less!

Gee you are sharp msolga, you want me to give my age away, don't you?

Of course!

How silly of me!

You got the youth allowance, Dutchy!

A translation of the French national anthem into English & Oz speak: :

I found this story, from my paper today, really interesting. A little town that disappeared (& was relocated) when flooded to make way for the Snowy Hydro-electricity Scheme. Now it's reappearing as the water level of the huge artificial lake recedes dramatically as a result of the drought.:

Lake Eucumbene is down, but the fish are still jumping
May 9, 2007/the AGE


Dying pastime? Local fisherman Colin Sinclair casts a line on a much reduced Lake Eucumbene.
Photo: Angela Wylie

After the rain stopped and their dam dropped, the people of Adaminaby adjusted - and found new lures for tourists, writes Gabriella Coslovich.

LAKE Eucumbene, in the ruggedly beautiful high country of south-eastern NSW, is a dramatic symbol of the ingenuity of humankind.

The artificial lake is the central storage dam of one of the world's greatest engineering feats ?- the Snowy Mountains hydro-electricity scheme.

As the locals will tell you, when the lake is full, it holds about nine times the water of Sydney Harbour. They will also tell you that it is has dropped to one Sydney Harbour.

Drought has left Snowy Hydro with so little water that the company's managing director, Terry Charlton, last week told the annual conference of the NSW Country Women's Association, held in the Snowy Mountains, that it was crunch time.

To survive climate change, the company would need to be privatised so it could diversify its power generation and better serve irrigators' needs, he said.

He was a brave man to raise the spectre of privatisation in such company. The last time the government-owned company tried to go private it failed because of public opposition ?- and among the most vocal opponents was the CWA.

From the air, the effects of prolonged drought are starkly evident ?- the exposed banks of Lake Eucumbene are deeply scarred with concentric circles of mud and stippled with the trunks of dead gums that look like bent silver toothpicks.

Statistics tell an equally graphic story: 10 years ago, the lake was 85 per cent full, now it is 13.2 per cent full. Most alarming is the rate at which the water is falling. In January last year, the lake was 54.2 per cent full, by January this year, it was down to 22 per cent ?- and it has taken just four months to fall to its current level.

Fifty years ago, the old town of Adaminaby disappeared like the mythical city of Atlantis under the waters of Lake Eucumbene, flooded to make way for the Snowy Hydro scheme and relocated nine kilometres north-east. <cont>

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/lake-eucumbene-is-down-but-the-fish-are-still-jumping/2007/05/08/1178390307890.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

On the budget: I think the majority of Australias thinking workers will see through the forrest of carrots. Would lil johnny have ever backed off if it wasnt an election year?.

I have to admit though it is quite a masterfull budget. Pollitically sensetive without being economically damaging.

Labour should play the "you cant trust johnny" card. He'll claw it all back next year. If Kevin can present as honest he's in.

I have to agree with you Dadpad, little Johnnie has lied to often in the past, people have long memories!

He certainly is on the back foot with an election coming up, first it is the Hicks affair, letting the poor bastard rot for 5 years and all of a sudden it's all over red rover and he will be back in Australia very shortly.

Now that there is a wide backlash about the IR laws, the wimp does another somersault, because he knows it will cost votes, heaps of them.

Certainly no complaints about the budget, but as I said previously, what devious means will they use to get it back, should they get back in power.

Kevin Rudd won't have an easy road but somehow I think he will be our next Prime Minister. Good luck to him.

Greetings, Oz-types

I just want you to know there's a drought in northern Italy as well. We noticed that none of the fields were irrigated, and presumed they depended on naturall rainfall - and well...they ain't had any!

As tourists - this was a great thing - but the locals are starting to worry. Nothing like a drought to Oz standards, though - things are all pretty green everywhere in the country still.

We did our bit - drank mostly wine, and tried not to deplete their water supplies!

It rained only on our last day - last Friday, in Venice - where there's certainly a fair bit of water!

You're in Italy?




TELL!!!!!

no - I'm now in Sydney - although I do live in an Italian enclave here.

Away for 4 weeks, and not missed! Back now, though!

Welcome back Margo, I had missed you, but something told me you were on holidays.

Trust you had a lovely trip.

aha! I wondered where you were Margo. I missed you even if no one else did. How were the gondoliers? Still up in arms about the woman gondalier?

Not true! (That bit about not being missed!) I refute that allegation!

So, how does it feel to be back home, margo? (bet you're planning the next trip already! )

Was Possum thoroughly pissed off by your absence? Is he talking to you again yet?

Back at work yet? (I know how much you love it! :wink:)

What little gifts have you brought back for us from Italy? :wink:

And when are you heading south again?

It's official. Melbourne's worst drought on record.:

... The Bureau of Meteorology confirmed this morning that Melbourne had received only 316 millimetres of rain over the last 12 months, the lowest since record keeping began in 1855. ...

Vic government urged to take action against drought:
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2007/s1923571.htm

The weather Bureau tells us that we'll have "average" rainfall over the winter months, but that it won't be enough.

WHOOSH!



It's so darn wet here!

Jeez, you can't go outside without getting soaked!







http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/state-savours-big-soaking/2007/05/18/1178995363370.html

was that a grizzle about the rain msolga?

Tongue firmly in cheek I hope!

we've been moved back to stage 3 water restrictions. [size=7]WE don't go in for fancy stuff like 3a[/size]