Australia

[BB]

Are all of our australian friends and their families OK after the cyclone?

Cory

[nari]

Cory, thanks for asking.

We have no relatives or friends in North Queensland, only Central and Southern Q, which was unaffected. It is our first Category 5 cyclone, but it moved so fast and was so localised, the effects were minimised. The town of Innisfail was flattened and many millions of $s lost in destroyed plantations of cane and bananas - but all people accounted for. More rainforest destroyed, of course.
The press insisted it was more destructive and stronger than Katrina - which is not strictly right -but there were no tidal surges, and nothing below sea level.

Nari

[emad]

Nari ;

All my sympathies to The Australians .

Emad

[bernard]

Hi all,
here is some news =>
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/20/world/main1419544.shtml

[nari]

Thanks emad. Actually, it is looking interesting as there is another one heading further south from the Coral Sea, and a third one in the Timor Sea.
Hope they don't meet up....

90% of Australia's bananas have gone, and replacement will take 9 months; so Fiji's bananas are looking good. Most of the tourist industry will take a big down turn as well, and this time of the year is usually very popular with overseas folk.

Nari

[emad]

The Strange thing ,i see news contuniously but i did not notice any disaster occurance in australia like what happened in US and Media regularly hit our brains with war news .

Another link :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4827592.stm

Regards
Emad

[nari]

emad

To a great number of first and second world countries, Australia does not exist. It's no surprise it doesn't get onto overseas news. We're used to it. ;)

Nari

[Diane]

There is also the not so small fact that over two thirds of the official world media is controlled by US interests. Brad-gelina end up more important than Australia's storms.

(Nari, I'll send you some bananas if you need some :D. We get ours from Central and South America.)
The weather worry is growing though.. Canada just had its warmest winter ever, 4 degrees warmer than record, I heard. We may end up growing our own bananas some day. At this rate, I may still be around to see that. :rolleyes:

[emad]

Hello ;

Seems that the media is manipulated by money ,business and politics ,there are some news from third world usually occupay the first headlines .

Oh ,Bananas grow in warm areas ,however our weather enable us to grow it ,we do not have much of it ,it was considered one of features of rich people ,now all eat it because we import it,even i heared in Samouel they use it to make bread :D :rolleyes:

Emad

[nari]

I was going to say that about the USA media, Diane, but thought it might be politically wise not to. ;)

The banana thing is only a small loss in the scheme of things, and as there are relatively few people in NQ...it just doesn't rate.

Speaking of media bias - does anyone see the Commonwealth Games broadcast in their country? Just curious. I suspect it has a low profile, because the USA is not in it.

Nari

[Diane]

I was going to say that about the USA media, Diane, but thought it might be politically wise not to. the media is manipulated by money ,business and politics It's not even a political issue at root. It's just financial fact, which has subsequent political impact in terms of what is deemed important, who can manipulate whose attention and train it on what.

Speaking of media bias - does anyone see the Commonwealth Games broadcast in their country? I see them. But then Canada still has the queen on its money. Our media tips its hat to anything commonwealthesque.

[BB]

Nari,
Glad to hear you are OK.
I've not ever heard of the commonwealth games.

Cory

[Diane]

Here you are BB, Commonwealth Games. (http://news.google.ca/news?ned=:ePkh8BM9EwLbIaIl5Jyfm5ufV56amFOSoeCemJtajGpzMdx6sKWpEEuTEwHd-Q1N&q=Commonwealth+Games&ie=UTF-8) :)

[emad]

Nari ;

Do you mean this http://www.melbourne2006.com.au/Channels/

May be never heared , because i am not so interested in sports ,however i like to watch the world cup in Germany .

Regards
Emad

[nari]

That's right, emad.

They are often referred to as the Fun Games...and the nice thing is, there are 72 countries involved, and it gives the small countries like Samoa and Swaziland a chance to win something.

It excludes a lot of large countries like Russia, all of Europe and the USA; so the keen runner or swimmer from South Africa or Malta actually gets a chance at a medal.

I don't watch it..probably 10 minutes a day, as I don't like sport.

Nari

Addit:

We fell foul of England with our now famous tourism ad; and now Canada!! Apparently Canada objects to the line: :I've bought you a beer.

England has got over the use of our typical Oz word 'bloody'; what's with Canada???

[Diane]

I don't know of what you speak Nari. :)

[nari]

OK, Australia organised a rather good TV ad - designed for overseas - with shots of all our famous tourist spots around the country - mountains, forests, beaches, etc etc.
At the end, a film star stands on a huge golden beach and yells:

"So, where the bloody hell are you?"

That upset England no end, but they have got over it now. Then, earlier in the ad, someone says:.."come over and I'll buy you a beer"... and Canada has banned the ad because they mentioned beer.

geez, I dunno..;) ;)

Nari

[Diane]

Bizarre. I can see the English issue with the word they have an issue with, but not Canada's issue with the word beer. We love beer here. Lots of ads. Maybe they don't want Aussie beer competition.