Australia.

Violet Bellamy · Mar 12, 2009

As you're all no doubt aware, I come from the land down under. Obviously, we're not a completely different place - like the rest of the world, we're suffering under the financial crisis.
Now I won't badmouth our government too much (I do that enough at home, seriously) but I believe I have to say WTF for this:
epic fail stimulus package
I believe money was also sent to people who don't even LIVE in Australia. So we're helping to stimulate overseas economies and graves. Great. Well researched.
You think they could have employed a little more time and researched things properly so money wasn't sent to dead people? Gah, this is extremely irritating.

Violet Bellamy · Mar 16, 2009

Also, the weather is a big issue here. Ask any person experiencing the full force of Australia's weather at the moment "how's the weather?", and chances are they will tell you. :lol:

Since around 2000/2001 we have been in drought. There has been limited rain particuarly in rural areas (however urban areas, like Brisbane for example, have been getting more and more rain of late). Our water supplies are extremely low (Brisbane's dams only just reached 40%). Of course, as I type this now, there is a storm brewing overhead and it's extremely dark for 5pm. So we've been having water restrictions for most of that time. They gradually got tougher and tougher until we reached level 6: no watering your garden (except those with special permission, usually pensioners/seniors), all these restrictions on business, pool covers for those who have pools and no rainwater tank (we have a tank)...except it eased off to level 5 with all this recent rain. Oh, and we're supposed to have 4 minute showers. It's supposed to be 180 L per person per day, which isn't a great restriction when they're like "anyone who uses more than 700 L will be investigated"...what if there are lots of people in the house?
Anyhow, fire and flood are the big issues. I am sure you're mostly aware of the Victorian bushfires. Bushfires are an unfortunate part of our history BUT they're not usually this fatal and this out of control. Of course, arson is suspected, which is horrible.
Interestingly, it was pouring in Melbourne on the day of the bushfire benefit gig (Saturday 14th).
Meanwhile in north Queensland and parts of New South Wales, flooding has been out of control (particuarly in Queensland). Some places were cut off for weeks, even months.
Pretty wild weather here. I can see the rain now, haha.

Marko Prince · Mar 17, 2009

wow I just read that. You guys are limited to water :blink: ? Wow,

Violet Bellamy · Mar 18, 2009

Yup, it's pretty bad. You get used to it after a while, but back when we weren't getting rain, there were a lot of brown lawns around the place. At least where I am, we're getting rain more often.

Marko Prince · Mar 21, 2009

oh geez, you come from Queensland is it?

Violet Bellamy · Mar 22, 2009

Yup. We had our election yesterday and for some unfathomable reason, the current government was re-elected, despite the fact that most people were really unhappy with them. I'm so moving.

Estrella Drage · Mar 23, 2009

*whispers* move here!

But I've heard about the bush fires. My cousins who live in Australia were actually only a few kilometers away from them and had to flee their house for a period of time.

I think that is really sucky about the whole re-election thing. I hope things get better for everyone.

Aeon Summers · Mar 23, 2009

Well, I'd never leave Aus :wub:

I think it's the best place to be, excluding the bushfires and such.
The heat's okay for me since I'm heat tolerant, which is funny cause I get to laugh at my friends who are sweating and exhausted from the heat while I walk around in a jumper and tracksuit.

Kida Frost · Mar 23, 2009

I dont like Anna Bleigh
she says no to Day Light Savings
being born in Melbourne which has day light savings, i love it
since i moved to Queensland i miss it

I only think i would go to NZ or Italy if i did go anywhere

And i think were going to go into such a bad crisis because of Rudd handing out so much money, some people would save it not spend it.

Violet Bellamy · Mar 23, 2009

Amanda - I think I'll have to! :lol:

Jesse - I love it here too, except the election made me want to move interstate.

Ash - I want daylight savings. I don't see the point in us being an hour behind NSW and Victoria and Tasmania. At least they should bring it in for the South-East.

And yeah, although the point of the money is to spend it on Australian products (great idea, sending it to dead people/people who aren't even permanent residents) people aren't all going to do that. They'll go out and buy that imported plasma TV or save it up or whatever.
(Me, I'd blow that on coffee and peanut butter m&ms...or use it to pay my 2nd semester uni fees. I COULD HAVE GOT THE UNI STUDENT BONUS BUT NO, I HAD TO BE 19.)

Professor Elvera Le Fey · Mar 28, 2009

you should move to WA. we get to water our lawns. twice a week (three times if you use bore water). and i have been in Australia for just over two years and i would never move back to the uk. in fact we are almost citizens now.