Mantas

That's because you have bad breath

Why do they sell cars to the public that can 180 km/h when the speed limit is 110 km/h?

That frozen planet series was awesome. No one tells it like Sir D.A.

One of the things I don't like about my iPhone is having to go through iTunes for everything. It takes a while to get used to the syncing process. What I do is create a special album in iPhoto and call it iPhone. Then I put all the photos that I want on my phone in there. That way I only have to sync one thing. I do the same in iTunes.

I don't know what politicians are like elsewhere but here they have a real talent for waffling. If an interviewer asks a simple question, they can waffle on for a good 2 -3 minutes without ever even coming close to giving an answer. I'm not sure if that the kind of person your referring to but it annoys the S@#t out of me just the same.

Maybe this one is a bit more bad ass.

I didi it last year. I tried to look like this guy. Chopper Ried. (famous aussie bad guy) Instead I ended up looking like a gay christian biker.

Lets get it started.

It's not so much the job or the working conditions that is so crap. It's the lifestyle. My mate works 21 days straight, 11 hours a day. Then he travels 14 hours on three different flights to get back home for 6 days. He misses kids birthdays, kids grand finals, kids concerts, anniversaries, parties.... The mining 'town' where he works is really a glorified work camp in the desert thousands of kilometers from the nearest city and hundreds to the nearest town. It's very hot. Usually 30-40 deg. sometimes higher. There's enough reasons there to put me off signing up.

This is the sort of thing that fascinates me about these third world type places. These people are the most resourceful on the planet.

There is. As fast as the positions fill, more are being created. They are building whole towns out there. Like JA mentioned before. Businesses cant keep staff. Mining companies paoch the cream of crop. If your keen and can put up with the crappy lifestyle then qualifications don't mean too much. Don't forget unemployment is relatively low here anyway, around 5% I think. Lower in some areas. Three weeks on and one week off is what guys from here are doing. Most of them are getting the 100-300k jobs plus all expenses as well. Some guys see it as a way to get ahead in life. Do it for 5-10 year

The usual reasons. Demand greater than the supply. Too many jobs, not enough people. Well, not enough people who are willing to go live in a mining town in the middle of the desert three plane flights away from their families. That and the fact that mining companies are wealthy beyond all reality.

Yes, but it changes on a daily basis.

Mental alright. One of the kid's dads in my sons football team has just been offered a management job in construction (mining housing). He was offered 290k a year! He's qualification in life.... A carpenter.

Oz has just agreed to have (more?) US troops stationed there and agreed to military exercises between the Ozzie Army and the Yanks. Reading between the lines its a deterrent to China in that the US now have a large and very firm launch pad with which they could launch military strikes into Asia should things turn nasty with China, whom they figure are the likeliest to cause a bit of bother in the region. Yes well said Tubby. It's amazing how it can take a politician a 30 mins. to say the exact same thing, without actually saying the world China. Also there's much commentary about disputes o

More U.S. troops on the ground in Oz and more joint exercises. Lots of mutual chummy back slapping going on. Lots of talk of glories past and alliances into the future. Lots of references to free trade, free markets, freedom, free anything..... Not to hard to read between the lines hear to see it's all about CHINA!

i once went to the town in the Yorkshire Dales that was the set of Heartbeat. I cant remember the name of it though.

It's amazing how many people say, after they've been rescued, that they cant swim or never been to the beach before.

The bombing of Peal Harbour and Kim Kardashians last marriage are the 2 most important ones I can think of.

American presidential campaigns have a lot more razz-a-ma-tazz and show biz to them than they do here. Generally politicians in Australia get booed and jeered when they appear in public.

Voting is compulsory here.

Whenever I'm quoting or organizing a job in a commercial operation. The question is always asked. "Can this be all done at night?" Meaning, can I leave work in the afternoon and arrive back the next morning and it's all magically been done. I very politely explain to them that I'm not a 7/11 and I actually sleep at night and work in the day just like they do and for the same reasons as they do.

Me either,I would be doing it by now already. There are jobs driving trucks above ground on open cut mines that pay over 100k a year. Ask Mamabear what's going on in WA at the moment.

My mate's son will finish his 4 year electrical apprenticeship this year in the mines. He will start on $120k aus a year. After a few years possibly up to $200k.

Aussie Baywatch! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXZCA9ZSUZY