[andyt]

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

Ah, Australia! Maybe it's the better weather?

Better weather if you like it dry. Better music. Greater optimism, less pc ness, more stringent immigration/refugee rules. I could go on. OTOH, they sure talk funny. Gotta admit, a plummy English accent, sounds pretty good. Tony Blair giving reasons for invading Iraq almost had me convinced. When moron tried to make his case, I tuned out immediately.

[EyeBrock]

I have a few Aussie mates. The standard of living is lower than Canada though. I'll stay here, despite the snow.

[andyt]

I'm not sure about that standard of living thing. Their society is economically more egalitarian, so less rich, less poor. Ask your mates if the average Aussie really feels deprived. They do (or did?) have to pay more for a lot of stuff, including cars. Admittedly my perception of it is from two long bicycle tours, so as a tourist. But with all those beaches, and babes in bikinis, you kinda forget about scrambling for the dollar as much. Plus when you fly over Sydney, you see how many houses have pools - kinda like LA. I think they're doing alright.

[Akhenaten]

andyt: Is the rivalry between New Zealand and Australia overblown or accurate?

(going to New Zealand this summer)

[Zipperfish]

Akhenaten Akhenaten:

$1:

The Economist is definitely conservative and pro business. But unlike, say, the National Post, they're not on a neocon mission. They look at all sides and take a more big picture view - ie not just what helps this quarter's bottom line, but what will keep things going in the long run. (well, maybe medium run). I have a lot of use for that sort of Conservatism.

Agreed. It's actually one of the best and most reliable news sources out there. I wouldn't all it conservative, more centralist or moderate. It gets the 'Conservative" tag merely because it deals with finances.

They used to mnore conservative. They were all in favour of the Iraq War. I think the editors were horrified by the execution of the war in general and Abu Ghraib in particular as evidenced by:

[herbie]

bootlegga bootlegga:

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

Seals, oil sands and now Harper?

Hey limey's.....fuck right off and sort your own rapidly sinking country out before you slag off the finest country in the world!

Wankers.

Was that your attitude when they called Paul Martin "Mr. Dithers"?

Ok I can remember old stuff too

[OldChum]

Sure would be nice if he and his cabinet took a parouge on their cheques for 3 months

[CommanderSock]

andyt andyt:

Better weather if you like it dry. Better music. Greater optimism, less pc ness, more stringent immigration/refugee rules. I could go on. OTOH, they sure talk funny. Gotta admit, a plummy English accent, sounds pretty good. Tony Blair giving reasons for invading Iraq almost had me convinced. When moron tried to make his case, I tuned out immediately.

Australia doesn't have more stringent immigration anything. It's practically open door immigration for whites into the country. Everyone else...off they go into immigration centres until they get tired and leave.

Other than the weather Australia isn't all that.



The Economist is right, Harper is setting dangerous precedents. But as a liberal leaning fellow myself, I'm glad to see conservative bills die, which always happens during recess as they would need to be re-introduced when parliament reopens. As a realist, this will have destructive consequences in the long term.

[kenmore]

Harper has screwed himself... people are sick of the autocratic asshole

[ShepherdsDog]

Akhenaten Akhenaten:

andyt: Is the rivalry between New Zealand and Australia overblown or accurate?

(going to New Zealand this summer)

It's much like comparing Canadians to Americans. The Kiwis tend to be quieter, more polite and more laid back. The weather in NZ is a lot nicer too, as is the scenery.

[Lemmy]

When I was studying to become an economist, I, naturally, checked out 'The Economist' magazine. Now I can understand the disappointment a gay man must feel on viewing his first purchased copy of 'Play Boy'. There ain't much economics in The Economist. It's mostly flavour-of-the-day MBA-style business news. You get about the same amount of economic insight by viewing a Garth Turner spot on CTV.

[ShepherdsDog]

I read it solely as a news magazine, much like Newsweek or Time. it's just a little more in depth. Not really a big fan of their anti Israel stance either.

[andyt]

Akhenaten Akhenaten:

andyt: Is the rivalry betweenNew Zealand and Australia overblown or accurate?

(going to New Zealand this summer)

It's been 10 years since I was in Oz last, maybe 20 since NZ. Sure there's rivalry, but it's no big deal. They'll know you're not an Aussie by your accent, and it's not as if that's all they ever talk about. Can't say as a tourist it came up much. But the Aussie men relate to each other by slagging each other, so they'll probably take the mickey out of you for being Canadian. Great people tho. One guy thought I was asking him to give me his car (I may have wanted to borrow it for something) and embarrasedly explained to me why he couldn't afford to do that, mate.

[andyt]

CommanderSock CommanderSock:

Australia doesn't have more stringent immigration anything. It's practically open door immigration for whites into the country. Everyone else...off they go into immigration centres until they get tired and leave.

That is unadulterated horseshit. Lots of Asian immigration to Oz. And lots of Lebanese, which makes for nice falafel shops everywhere - Aussie cooking was terrible when they only allowed whites in (long time ago) But they are unapologetic about placing Oz's interests first, and one of their ministers had no problem telling Muslims that if they wouldn't integrate, they should just go back where they came from. And they don't mess about with phony boat people refugees, ie cue jumper immigrants - keep them off the mainland in detention until their refugee hearings are completed, instead of allowing them of disappear the way we do in Canada.

[CommanderSock]

$1:

That is unadulterated horseshit. Lots of Asian immigration to Oz. And lots of Lebanese, which makes for nice falafel shops everywhere - Aussie cooking was terrible when they only allowed whites in (long time ago) But they are unapologetic about placing Oz's interests first, and one of their ministers had no problem telling Muslims that if they wouldn't integrate, they should just go back where they came from. And they don't mess about with phony boat people refugees, ie cue jumper immigrants - keep them off the mainland in detention until their refugee hearings are completed, instead of allowing them of disappear the way we do in Canada.

Are you kidding me, literally half of white South Africa is living in Australia. That's no co-incidence. I'm not saying its a good or a bad thing, I just say it how I see it.

Australia doesn't want people to integrate, they just say it to sound tough and win votes. There's 181,000 Lebanese in all of Australia (mostly Christians) and the Australians are still kicking a fuss. Let's not forget the race riots a few years back.

In Canada we got what, 134,000 Lebanese no issues whatsoever. Not to mention the 3.5 million Asians, 1 million blacks, South Americans and legions of mulattoes...no fuss.



But this thread is not about that, its about Harper bullocking up our parliamentary system and getting called for it by the 2nd most important Financial newspaper on the globe.