While in Thailand you can go to a variety of markets to pick up a quick little delicacy of bugs. Generally they’re fried and salted beetles and crickets and such. They taste fine, though when you have an empty stomach and you begin to get full off them, it’s slightly unappetizing.
Enjoy a four minute video of a real reaction to actually consuming bugs for the first time.
I live in an apartment called the Avalon in Surfers Paradise in the Gold Coast in Australia.
Here are some photos:
And the view:
The Indy 300 took place this weekend in Surfer’s Paradise. The town fills up with an extra few hundred thousand people and the effects are felt all throughout the gold coast.
The track weaves between the highway and ocean, amidst tall buildings.
The city is a party town and the party really comes out for the Indy. You see plenty of naked bodies and drunken jocks roaming the streets and bars 24 hours a day.
The results:
Canadian Paul Tracy was doing very well and almost made third place, though he had to stop for fuel on the last lap and lost the position.
The federal debate in Australia just took place between the Prime Minister John Howard and the opposition, Labour leader Kevin Rudd. Though my personal political opinion is more economically conservative, I try to be as receptive as possible to any and all domestic solutions. As an Australian visiting resident I have had the privilege of speaking to many Australian working class citizens who are discontent with the current government.
Australia now has a dominant role in Iraq, something that slipped under the media radar, likely because it’s involvement was delayed. John Howard supported his decision of joining the fight against terrorism in Iraq by pointing out that Al Qaeda has to be defeated by a western coalition to maintain world authority. Australia is at a serious threat level for terrorist attacks, like Canada, like England and like the United States of America. He raised a valid argument. As a leader he chose to better his relations with the U.S. at the cost of the citizens interest and (hopefully only ‘terrorist’) lives.
I noticed that both parties said things like “if I’m elected then…” and, “if the people make me Prime Minister next term…”. I find that in political debates a wind of confidence can go a long way. Had I been an adviser to either parties I would have suggested saying “When I’m elected…” and, “When people make me Prime Minister…”, that being said, if it is called out as being arrogant reply by saying “When I’m elected, should the people choose,…”. This would give the audience more confidence in you as a leader.
Also, I found that both parties weren’t speaking to their audience. This is a two faced coin in the sense that, political debates are boring, therefore the people who watch them are into technical jargon and don’t mind sitting through them. But because they are boring they are only reaching the audience who are interested in that type of (dare I say) crap. I didn’t even know what they were referring to by saying. I.R. policy. (It’s industrial relations). Make the people listen, don’t speak because people are listening.
Stripping credibility is important for political debates, though I personally think it has to be done at the right time. There is no use in an opposition constantly trying to knock a leader who has been in power for 11 years. He is in power for a reason. If your opponent says something that is false, take a strip out of their credibility, then move on to what you stand for. By wasting time trying to discredit your opponent you leave a lot to be desired on your end.
Kevin Rudd won the debate officially. I personally don’t think he’ll win the election.
Prime Minister John Howard
Labour Party Leader, Kevin Rudd
I’ve had an environmental conscious ever since I was in Mr. Field’s grade 10 science class at Richview Collegiate Institute in Toronto, Canada. I find that Australia is less concerned with their land environment because it’s a relatively new country. The population is low and they haven’t started to truly feel some of the damaging effects of too much waste. There is a federal election coming up. The reigning champ and Prime Minister (think of The Simpsons “OI! Meesta. Proime Meenahstah!!! !!! !!! ANDY!”) vs. Labour Party leader Kevin Rudd have not really addressed waste on their campaigns.
I’m personally appalled at the terrible recycling systems here in Australia. There is no incentive to recycle and I find that most people just don’t. In Canada, you can recycle paper, plastic, metal and there are separate bins even for compost. This leaves your trash can quite empty at the end of the day. It’s something Australia should think about and address. It’s a matter of time.
That said, their pollution and environmental campaigns for water and use of electricity are something to be admired and followed.
Here are some of the most expensive homes in the world. Some of them are in Gold Coast, Australia.