Australia outperforms the U.S. on yet another international study

[spookyturtle 9,466]

I never said the US food was better... all I am saying is that the US has good food too

oh and I posted earlier that Coldstone Creamery has started opening up stores in Europe...

Don't you realize that your talking to someone who has never posted one positive thing about the US? He's a bitter, jealous man and needs our understanding.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

FORMER Queensland Labor minister Gordon Nuttall faces the longest jail term for official corruption in Australian history.

Nuttall, 57, is exposed to a total sentence of 35 years for convictions in two separate trials involving dishonesty that reaped him at least $512,000.

A District Court jury in Brisbane yesterday found Nuttall – a former health minister and primary industries minister – guilty on five counts of official corruption and five counts of perjury which related to him pushing for projects associated with the businessman at the centre of the case, Brendan McKennariey.

While Premier Anna Bligh said "sickening" revelations about Nuttall's corruption did not reflect on other politicians or public servants, at least two witnesses told the court of having serious concerns about his business dealings during his time in office.

Neither man disclosed whether they had taken their concerns higher to then premier Peter Beattie.

Nuttall is already in jail after a District Court jury last July found him guilty of 36 charges of taking secret commissions totalling $360,000.

He will be sentenced on the second set of charges on November 22.

Outside court, prosecutor Ross Martin, SC, confirmed he had yet to consider what sentence the Crown would submit.

Official corruption carries a maximum of 14 years' jail as does perjury and the Crown can chase cumulative sentences because they involved different courses of action.

The Crown is also entitled to ask for any sentence to be added on top of the seven years Nuttall is already serving.

http://www.news.com.au/national/gordon-nuttall-faces-35-years-in-prison/story-e6frfkvr-1225944454622

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

They're the exception Marilyn. How many of those do you find versus cookie cutter strip malls. Small businesses are not the norm here. Exc NYC and Chicago, in five years I have not seen one butcher, Deli, Fruit store etc etc here. Something that I could find anywhere in AUS, let alone five minutes from my house.

Every town, place and suburb outside those cities has the same cookie cutter stories. It's like the country repeats itself every 20 miles, certainly not the norm in Europe, Asia and Australia. Don't know about Canada though.

8 restaurants for 310 million is nothing to write home about.

Why? What is wrong with Spain?

Help me out here, Heracles. I need to understand some things.

You are Australian and a man, so I gather. Correct so far? I presume you live in the USA somewhere and have an American wife? Correct? (stop me if I am wrong) So you made a decision to move here and marry this wonderful woman that made you want to give up the good life in AUS and come here? Right? Did you know all these bad things before you came or were you tricked by your devious American Wife? I mean what gives? Do you get to go back to AUS for visits? Alla goes to Ukraine 2-3 times per year and I go at least once. The first time she went back she couldn't wait to go back and the last time she couldn't wait to come home. I think she likes reliable hot water more than she admits. We just had a US and Canada vacation and she just wanted to "get home" and "sleep in my bed and take a bath in my tub". But it is important that she gets to go to Ukraine. She is the local hero when she arrives from "America!" with her gifts of "almost free" clothes and shoes (You forget to mention that everything is very expensive in Europe and the people make lots less money and a pair of those really good shoes cost a MONTH's pay. That tempers the joy just a little)

Alla loves Ukraine and will say good things about it, but she doesn't need to run down the USA to say something good about her country, and the good things about Ukraine do not make the USA bad, nor vice versa. Your pitiful and ignorant put-downs of Ukraine only show your complete lack of knowledge which is why I never argue the point. Besides it is always just a dodge because you can't argue with me logically about the issue, so you hurl insults at the country my wife is from. She thinks they have great schools there and our son will get his bachelors degree in Russia, but his master's in the USA. He will have a degree from both and she knows this is best.

I had the great adventure of living and working there and taking my holidays all over Europe and we still own a really nice flat there that we visit often. It is certainly worth keeping anyway. It is truly an interesting country and the people are really marvelous and friendly. They do not have a lot even though they work hard and long hours, but they will give it all to you if you are their friend. Pretty incredible stuff really. I do not say anything bad about Ukraine, I could, but why?

Maybe you should see your life here as an adventure and you would be a happier guy. Or buy a bunch of Fosters Lager and stay drunk...whatever works for you.

I can only say that if I ran down Ukraine the way you run down your wife's country (if you have a wife and live in the USA and are not just some pitiful troll living in the outback with a good internet connection) Well, I do not expect she would be sleeping naked next to me for very long. So what does your wife think of your continuous b!tching about her home country?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

They're the exception Marilyn. How many of those do you find versus cookie cutter strip malls. Small businesses are not the norm here. Exc NYC and Chicago, in five years I have not seen one butcher, Deli, Fruit store etc etc here. Something that I could find anywhere in AUS, let alone five minutes from my house.

Every town, place and suburb outside those cities has the same cookie cutter stories. It's like the country repeats itself every 20 miles, certainly not the norm in Europe, Asia and Australia. Don't know about Canada though.

8 restaurants for 310 million is nothing to write home about.

Why? What is wrong with Spain?

the big cities in Canada are the same. There are just as many Home Depots, Walmarts, etc. They have Tim Horton's instead of Dunkin Donuts and "Future shop" instead of Best Buy, but otherwise mostly the same stuff every few miles, strip malls everywhere. Fast food everywhere (except in Quebec it is "PFK" instead of KFC...Poulet Frit Kentucky) In the city, like in Chicago or New York, there are lots of great deli's, restaraunts, small shops of every kind and all the decadence and diversions. In the outlying areas, it is indistinguishable from suburban USA except for the French but after a while you don't even notice that. If you can show me a difference between Laval, PQ and Evanston, Illinois I would be shocked.

I do not say these things as "put downs". It just is what it is. We both love Montreal and go there often. Great city!

Edited October 28, 2010 by Gary and Alla

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Help me out here, Heracles. I need to understand some things.

You are Australian and a man, so I gather. Correct so far? I presume you live in the USA somewhere and have an American wife? Correct? (stop me if I am wrong) So you made a decision to move here and marry this wonderful woman that made you want to give up the good life in AUS and come here? Right? Did you know all these bad things before you came or were you tricked by your devious American Wife? I mean what gives? Do you get to go back to AUS for visits? Alla goes to Ukraine 2-3 times per year and I go at least once. The first time she went back she couldn't wait to go back and the last time she couldn't wait to come home. I think she likes reliable hot water more than she admits. We just had a US and Canada vacation and she just wanted to "get home" and "sleep in my bed and take a bath in my tub". But it is important that she gets to go to Ukraine. She is the local hero when she arrives from "America!" with her gifts of "almost free" clothes and shoes (You forget to mention that everything is very expensive in Europe and the people make lots less money and a pair of those really good shoes cost a MONTH's pay. That tempers the joy just a little)

Alla loves Ukraine and will say good things about it, but she doesn't need to run down the USA to say something good about her country, and the good things about Ukraine do not make the USA bad, nor vice versa. Your pitiful and ignorant put-downs of Ukraine only show your complete lack of knowledge which is why I never argue the point. Besides it is always just a dodge because you can't argue with me logically about the issue, so you hurl insults at the country my wife is from. She thinks they have great schools there and our son will get his bachelors degree in Russia, but his master's in the USA. He will have a degree from both and she knows this is best.

I had the great adventure of living and working there and taking my holidays all over Europe and we still own a really nice flat there that we visit often. It is certainly worth keeping anyway. It is truly an interesting country and the people are really marvelous and friendly. They do not have a lot even though they work hard and long hours, but they will give it all to you if you are their friend. Pretty incredible stuff really. I do not say anything bad about Ukraine, I could, but why?

Maybe you should see your life here as an adventure and you would be a happier guy. Or buy a bunch of Fosters Lager and stay drunk...whatever works for you.

I can only say that if I ran down Ukraine the way you run down your wife's country (if you have a wife and live in the USA and are not just some pitiful troll living in the outback with a good internet connection) Well, I do not expect she would be sleeping naked next to me for very long. So what does your wife think of your continuous b!tching about her home country?

Bravo!! It would lead one to wonder what his supposed spouse thinks about his constant US sucks attitude. I'd bet the farm that he never talks that way in her presence.

[Ban Hammer 13,470]

Bravo!! It would lead one to wonder what his supposed spouse thinks about his constant US sucks attitude. I'd bet the farm that he never talks that way in her presence.

or maybe he does and he's always sleeping on the couch.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

or maybe he does and he's always sleeping on the couch.

I doubt that he talks like that in front of his wife. What kind of woman would accept that behavior? He just baits day in and day out. Gary nailed it to a T.