pob

What's the point in having a cake if you don't eat it? A really nice cake and you don't even get a slice? My family isn't as close as yours, with us being in Australia we are actually talking more. Skype is a good thing and people do like using it. My parents are pensioners and not the most technology savvy people and I now get texts saying are you on Skype? Which I think is kinda funny because they could just call, if they are on Skype. But hey ho small steps and all that. Skype is better than a phone call because you can see the people, wave, do a silly dance, ask them where they got such a hideous jumper and so on. Your parents sound petulant, they are throwing the toys out of the pram and using guilt to get what they want. You have to live your life for you and do what makes you happy. Your parents want the family together and that is admirable but at what cost? Your parents obviously love you and will deal with your decision and hopefully be big enough to come to terms with it. Just like you can go to England, they can come to you on holiday. If you do go to Australia, why not put some money aside and buy them tickets when you are all settled? Have they ever wanted to go to anywhere they could stop off mid way? Maybe give them a luxury weekend break in Thailand or Hong Kong or even L.A. and then on to Australia, that way the flight doesn't seem so bad. But if they come to you, you should go to them. Planes fly both ways you know. Have your cake and eat it? I'll have a passion fruit Mille Fuille please.

You want a self help book for children? Like Timmy has two Dads? Or Stevie's first day at school? Buy him a book on surfing or wildlife. That way you can ask you son if that spider you found in the garden is poisonous or not.

Actually quite a good idea. A group that meets up, only wanting to do good in the world, being nice to each other and having tea and cake. People widening their social circles and helping their fellow man. Sounds good, fantastic idea. I feel happy for them.

Just found out that dogs are not allowed on public transport. Well they can go on buses but have to be caged up. Don't want to take the chance of going somewhere having some fun and then finding out that we cannot get back. A walk back from the Blue mountains is a along way! Oh well, walk around the park it is. (again)

We are not far from Meadowbank. So I would like to go somewhere else. Peace and quiet, let the dog run off the lead, so no cars or anything.

Can anyone recommend a nice walk in Sydney, somewhere a bit quiet, easily accessible by public transport. Nice views, somewhere I can hold Mrs.Pobs hand and walk the dog as well.

With a doctors approval, sure. No point anyone or anything being in pain and just waiting to die, or just living a life to stay alive and not actually seeing life.

When I watch the Cop movies they always team the rookie cops up with a more experienced police officer. Don't they do this in Australia? Or maybe they let cops just out of training school to patrol by themselves?

I have to agree with you Pom Queen.

They have Radio Rentals here and I looked at getting some stuff from them, you have to sign a minimum of a 18 month contract with them on their rentals. I then looked at how much it would cost to buy the item and for what it would cost to rent the thing for 18 months you could have brought it for less money. Go to the "Good Guys" they sell electronic items, just like Dixons or Currys, there is one big difference in Australia. You can barter here! Yes just like you are buying a carpet in a Moroccan bazar! Anything over $200 if it does not need to be scanned, you can barter money off! So we brought a washing machine and fridge for $2050, including extended warranty and delivery. List price Washing machine $950 Fridge $1449 Warranty wm $ 120 warranty f $150 Delivery $75 Not a bad little saving eh. But everything gets knocked down "What's your best price on that?" saves you money. It also makes me doubt what anything is worth here, I mean how can I tell the value of things if everything is bartered for? So now buying online actually costs you money as you can go into the shop and barter money off. Oh and buy all your clothes or computers from America as they are cheaper, harder wearing and you can have $999 of goods sent to you before you have to pay any tax on that.

I'm from Earth, what about you? I would hope the next time I see a police man I get fair treatment? But from watching the video I doubt I will get it. Can I rely on Australia's police force to give an unbiased service or should I expect them to single out certain groups just by the way they look? Should I expect harsher treatment from the way that I look? Should I expect to be questioned for just walking down the street with my friends? (but no more than three of them apparently!) Should I be told to justify my tattoo's? From what you are posting Mr. Luvpants you seem to have made your mind up about people before you have even met them! What ever happened to innocent till proven guilty? Or is that to difficult and you would rather go for guilt by association? Maybe you should take a good look in the mirror and ask yourself if you really are doing the right thing in life. Are you really protecting society or are you just a whipping boy for the politicians?

That guy was right in the interview it is disgusting and abhorrent behaviour exhibited by those who are wearing blue vests! On the video you never saw who instigated the violence, I did see the gang who were wearing blue vests with weapons, I did not see any of the other gang with weapons. I see the gang with blue vests questioning and being intimidating. Just look at what they say at 3.26 I think that may say it all. The video is edited in a way to cause panic and only offer one point of view. There is a fight, I hear tazers clicking. I wonder who started the fight? If I am pushed, I will push back. Be them wearing blue vests or red and gold or even a t-shirt. I wonder who pushed first? As for not answering questions, why should he? Is it the law that you must tell a cop everything? Was the biker under arrest? No He did nothing wrong, but was being questions as to why he was walking down a street. He asked the same questions to a cop and they did not like it and they said he was being threatening. one rule for one and one rule for another?

Nobody needs to put their hands up, this isn't a robbery. Are you worried about outlaw bikies really Peggy? Have you ever met any? Have any ever affected you? People on the television tell us all how bad they are and "my mates a police officer" tells stories about how bad they are (my daddy used to tell me stories of the bogey man) and if they were the scourge on society that they are made out to be, they would all be in jail! But they are not all that bad and they are all not in jail. As said before they are an easy target. The laws are unjust.

What happens in Queensland affects everyone! If they get away with abusing people there they can set a precedent for rolling this out all across Australia. First they get rid of the bikies because they just don't look right and are not like everyone else. And hey they have these laws being used so why not use them for other things as well. Don't like a group? Call em a gang and lock em up! Conspiring in groups of three or more, lock em up.

Erm they talked to someone who has a youtube account where the video was posted. There was no threat. I'm guessing that you don't know the group "Anonymous"? They are a group of computer hackers, most of the time causing mischief in the cyber world. They tend to have a collective conscience and do in my opinion good deeds in the name of freedom. They believe that people should be free and should not be snooped on and that governments shouldn't have naughty secrets. There is a little anarchy to their ethos, but you know what, nothing the world could not handle. They operate mainly on the dark web and talk freely in chatrooms. They do good things over there as well, like they put DOS attacks on certain websites and have closed down criminal websites and published bad peoples names and addresses for all to see, that would include the Police. The FBI and CIA in America all have exmembers working for them and use them and their knowledge to bring down cyber criminals. This isn't always a good thing, there used to be some nice places on the dark web that were a lot of fun and are now shut, but new places open all the time and it is easy to find the crumbs. I gather there was even a march today in several citys in Australia and all over the world. No coincidence that it is 05/11 eh.

I have read this and it seems that you are quite a level headed person really. So my only advice is do what makes you and yours happy. Even if that means that one of you goes to Australia and gets a job, then gets an apartment, then ships the goods, then ships the pets and then all the people. It may take time but if that is what you want? There is Skype and emails. I Australia where you want to be? What about other countries? You can have a good standard of living in Europe.

If they were all criminals they would arrest them for the crimes that they are committing. Yet they cannot do this, most likely because they are not committing crimes. So because they look scary have loud bikes and tattoo's they are an easy and visible target. They have a reputation and are the source of books and tv shows, both reality and fictional. It must be much more difficult to try and catch big organised crime, Russians, Albanians, the triads after all these people do not have a uniform they put on every morning. So the politicians and their whipping boys the cops go after an easier target, one that is visable, one that looks scary, so they all must be bad.

The avocado ripening process is a technical and difficult one, even more difficult than bananas. This contributes significantly to the cost of Avocados. I'm not joking, I once knew a trainee avocado ripener when I lived in Holland.

Hey Mickey B have you ever met a 1% biker?

Have you ever met anyone in a club in your life? Or do you just watch the news and the sons of anarchy? They are NOT criminal gangs. Most guys do work and work very hard they do. Yes they live a different life to most of us, but should they be persecuted for that? Should every person on a motorcycle be treated poorly by those who have a little bit of power. What part do YOU not understand where people are being segregated and given harsher prison sentences and treated poorly by the law. At what point should law abiding motorcyclists have to call the police to tell them where they are riding to avoid being hassled by the man. I always thought that people could go where ever they liked, talk to who they please, say what they want, wear what ever they want. Apparently not. Have you ever met a bikie?

Gold coast no. Others yes. And admittedly there are some naughty boys, there are some good ones as well. But my problem is not with the clubs (which mainly keep to themselves) but with how the police are allowed to act and get away with treating people. My problem is how there are laws for differing people, not just one law for all. It is the police's job to follow up on crimes, make investigations. They are not there to oppress and show their force, but unfortunately that is what they are doing. They are victimizing a section out of society that they dislike. Or do you think that is right? If the cops get away with this who will be next I wonder.

Have you ever met anyone in a club in your life? Or do you just watch the news and the sons of anarchy? They are NOT criminal gangs. Most guys do work and work very hard they do. Yes they live a different life to most of us, but should they be persecuted for that? Should every person on a motorcycle be treated poorly by those who have a little bit of power. What part do YOU not understand where people are being segregated and given harsher prison sentences and treated poorly by the law. At what point should law abiding motorcyclists have to call the police to tell them where they are riding to avoid being hassled by the man. I always thought that people could go where ever they liked, talk to who they please, say what they want, wear what ever they want. Apparently not. It's not the 60's any more. Although Peter Fonda did say it well.

So it's ok to ban he clubs then? 26 clubs, Some members are involved in criminal activity, not all some. So it is ok to persecute motorcycle clubs because of some people? Surely you should be arrested and tried for the crimes you commit, not be persecuted for the crimes that others do.

I live in suburbia, none of the convenience and fun of the city, none of the peace and quiet of the country side. The house which is a rental is rubbish. Nothing straight and everything done to the lowest quote. Cannot wait till we move out, problem is we have just moved in! Oh well only 11months to go.

I personally don't think that Sheriff Arpaio should be used as a model Guvnor. He feeds the prisoners sub standard food, keeps them in horrible conditions, inside with the roaches or outside in tent city. I remember watching an interview with him on the Tv and was appalled at his attitude. They then interviewed one of the guards and he said that sometimes you would hear screaming in the tent compound at night, due to staff levels they cannot go inside at night easily and they wait till morning. But unfortunately prison seems to be a revolving door and these people keep coming back to inhumane conditions. I thought that losing your liberty was punishment enough, prison should not be a cruel punishment, it should be a place where you can be rehabilitated. Maybe they could be taught mechanics or metalworking, let the have the choice to get an open university degree (or whatever the Australian equivalent is). Let prisoners become more educated, let them learn a trade. Maybe they won't come back? But lets give them the chance.