On 7 Dec 2006 09:10:05 -0800, "Iceman" <oneofcold@yahoo.com> wrote:

>> Life in Australia is no better than life in Europe. I know, I have an
>> Ozzie passport but live in Italy by choice.
>>
>> The difference in the quality of life is bugger all, despite popular
>> opinion to the contrary. Everything is just too controlled. Can't even
>> carry a beer in your hand onto a train without risking a massive fine,
>> speed cameras ensure that you will get a massive fine for going a few
>> k's over the limit, and woe betide you if you dare forget your bicycle
>> helmet.
>
>In the US you can't smoke in a bar or gamble on the Internet, and being
>caught with a tiny amount of any drug can mean a long jail term.  Most
>of the US has strict speeding laws, laws against an open container of
>alcohol in public, and bicycle helmet laws.

Indeed, Australia is constantly running after America in everything it
does. I'd love to see that change. Asia is where it should be looking
at.

>> There is a reason why Australians are some of the highest consumers of
>> legal and illegal psych drugs in the world. Life can be mind
>> bogglingly tedious there.
>
>I've met many Australians all over the world, from Tokyo to London to
>New York, and most of them say life is great in Oz.

Pre-bloody-cisely. Australians love Australia, but they are happiest
when living somewhere else. Kiwis are the same.

>Many of them work abroad just for the money, with a hope of returning
>after a few years (the Aussie dollar is weak, jobs pay less in Oz, and
>the cost of living is lower, so a few years of savings from abroad can
>be a large sum back in Australia).  You should hear them complaining
>about life in Tokyo or London compared to Sydney or Melbourne.
>
>Very few Australians abroad say they wouldn't want to go back.

It's no shit hole, and it will always be a good place to live, but
it's not remarkably better than any other western country - including
The Netherlands!.
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DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
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