An American follows her Australian husband to the end of the Earth...also known as Perth. This is what your guidebooks won't or can't tell you.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Today's Headlines
Let's take a look at today's headlines...the ones that appear online, brief little bits spotted on your way to something/anything else. Hard to tell if it is truly reflective of the most urgent issues of the day or important happenings on the community blotter. But here goes:
Winter begins June 1 in OZ (all seasons begin at the first of the month) and this means the rainy season has begun. So the Water Corporation has deemed it the perfect time to put on sprinkler and water use bans. The WC instituted the ban-along with its $100 fines- last year with great success. People cut their unnecessary watering by a great percentage. And I ask, "Why wouldn't they?" Winter here is nothing but clouds and rain. The demand for water by plants, pools or humans drops with the temperatures. Or so I would have thought. Does anyone in North America run their sprinklers in the middle of a rain storm? Although there are exhortations to conserve water during the much longer hot season, there is no ban on watering despite all the hand wringing about the dropping water levels in reservoirs. All of this is the complete opposite of home where, if there is a ban or restriction on lawn sprinkling and hose use, it is during the hot, dry months of summer when the reservoirs are at their lowest levels. The ban does not apply farm fields, sporting greens and the like.
This was a bit of a surprise. Apparently youths in this country town way up north have quite the racket making money on card games in the public park. Young kids, 10-14 years old, and the stakes are rather high as $50 and $100 bills have been seized. Of course, these young dealers and losers aren't spending anytime in school while busy wasting money on games of chance. So the community elders arranged to have playing card sales banned but cards are now being bought on the black market and found back in the parks.The problem is being re-evaluated. Community elders are taking more proactive steps to curb the proliferation of listless youths and troubles up north. More than a few communities have legislated themselves as completely dry-no booze sold or brought in- to curtail the waste and damage alcohol inspires in too many people in these outback stations, particularly in the indigenous community.
Well, this was actually non-news. At long last Education Administrators have started to figure out that kids just aren't going to learn on their steam by their own devices. English grammar will be mandated again starting this school year and in a bigger push for literacy, keeping kids in class to start with. This article mostly was geared toward the Aboriginal communities and their very fluid population. Historically wanderers, the tendency to move often and kids bounce between relatives still seems rather strong. A state tracking system of students will help each school know where their students are located and offer a stronger continuity of education materials for the students who land on their doorstep.The kids can't learn if they are not in school.
Well, slowing the pace of asylum seeker application handling hasn't slowed the people-trafficking pace into the country. These people all can't be held at Christmas Island, so where can they be sent? How about a deserted mining camp near an isolated back country town? The left thinks its a horrible way to treat people. The right doesn't want illegals on the mainland. The country town sees jobs and money in the deal. And the State of WA is starting to make noise about how a Federal problem is being dumped largely on the state coffers to take care of. The drama continues.
Sale of the Decade
The end of the financial year is nigh! The financial year here being July 1-June 30. So predictably there are the End-of-Year-Stocktake (inventory) sales. Reporters are out there showing the crush of crowds thrilled to get a bargain at the two department store chains in the country: Myers and David Jones. Just Look! 30, no wait, 40 - WOW, 50% off on goods like towels and last season's clothing! Cha-ching, spending madness is in full swing!
Yawn. People are going mad over 40% off? We've run out of news today.
OZ is the third foreign country I have lived/worked in--if you dont count life on a cruise ship. I started my professional life in television, moved into Tourism and Hospitality and mixed it up with a bit of world travel. So I have lots of stories to tell-but not all at once! Ah, the life of an artiste and vagabond. ;-)
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