Joy Wizard » Australia

Amazing! Bird sounds from the Australian lyre bird – David Attenborough – BBC wildlife

Alex Webley — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 23:22:19 +0000

Amazing! Bird sounds from the Australian lyre bird – David Attenborough – BBC wildlife is a post from: Joy Wizard Blog

Funny Election 2010 Spoof Trailer – GetUp!

Alex Webley — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 07:04:25 +0000

The Australian election is looming.

Many people are not enrolled on the Australian Electoral Roll and thus cannot vote. A significant number of these are young people.

GetUp have released a humorous Election 2010 spoof trailer.

Go on, watch it – laughter and humor is good for you. Even if you can’t be bothered to vote.

Who’s missing?

ϟϟenator Conroy – Censorship Minister; in a sharp uniform, peaked cap and shiny boots.

Anti mandatory internet filter (Australia) protesters have been slurred.

Funny Election 2010 Spoof Trailer – GetUp! is a post from: Joy Wizard Blog

Australians pride themselves on giving people a fair go – what about chickens?

Alex Webley — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:58:30 +0000

Why aren’t Australians giving chickens a fair go?

Perhaps because many of them don’t know about the torment suffered by factory farmed chickens. Such horrific cruelty.

Australians pride themselves on giving people a ‘fair go’, so hopefully chickens will benefit as more people become aware of what is being done to chickens in their name.

‘Fair go’: I quote from Wikipedia:

The belief in a “fair go” is a key part of Australian culture and Australian society, related to the support for the underdog. This can be seen in the existence of strong public health and education systems in Australia, and equal opportunity legislation to ensure people are not excluded from jobs or positions by their race or gender. It is an idea which involves everyone having an equal chance to achieve their goals.

Factory farmed chickens suffer terribly & we as a society are responsible due to buying factory farmed meat based on such torment.

I guess that makes many of us a bunch of assholes (if we keep buying factory farmed chicken after seeing this).

Think of the cruelty being inflicted in YOUR name.

Gold Coast Queensland, Australia – Where I live.

Alex Webley — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 07:05:14 +0000

These days I live on the Gold Coast, in Queensland, Australia.

The Gold Coast is about an hour’s drive south of Brisbane, the Queensland State capital.

The climate on the Gold Coast is sub tropical. Not too hot or humid, and not too cold. Personally I find it a bit too warm and favor air conditioning for some of the year, however that may be partly due to my being a native of England, where I was born and grew up.

The Gold Coast region is apparently the most biodiverse region in Australia. (Reference: a former girlfriend – university lecturer – Biological Sciences PHD). We have the beaches of course, however not everyone knows that within 30-60 minutes drive of the main coastal strip, which includes Surfers Paradise, we have rainforests – up on Mount Tamborine which is in the hinterland. Years ago I used to live there; up in Eagle Heights. Much cooler than the Gold Coast itself, when on Tamborine Mountain it is very easy to forget how close you are to the glitz and hubub of a sophisticated city with 6 Star hotel/ resorts such as Versace.

There is loads to do here in the Gold Coast region, including some world class shopping, theme parks – Sea World, Movie World, DreamWorld – and fantastic dining. Boating is very popular here, along with fishing. Tourism is not my area of expertise so I will provide a few links so that you can explore stuff yourself.

We are not far from the New South Wales (NSW) border and day trips into the Northern Rivers area of NSW are very worthwhile if you want to get back to nature.

The Gold Coast has so much offer so many different people with varying needs and tastes. It is well worth a visit and in my view is one of the best places to live in Australia.

Here are some key links for you to explore:

Gold Coast – Queensland – Australia Page on my website

Wikipedia – Gold Coast Queensland

The Biodiversity Of Tamborine Mountain- has some great links to other nature sites.

TamborineMountain.Net

CoastSearch.com.au

Q1 – the world’s tallest residential tower.

Google Maps page

Enjoy!

If you’re visiting the Gold Coast and have any questions about the city, need help, or just want to say “Hi”…..

……please get in touch.

Gold Coast Queensland, Australia – Where I live. is a post from: Joy Wizard Blog

Australia Day 2010 – The Great Australian Internet Blackout

Alex Webley — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 01:38:37 +0000

For some general detail about Australia Day and my personal views please check out my post from Australia Day 2009.

First, let me wish everyone a Happy Australia Day 2010 wherever you are.

This year, I am marking Australia Day by participating in The Great Australian Internet Blackout.

The Blackout is a protest at the Rudd government’s dictatorial plan to censor the Internet.

I have blacked out my website; http://www.BlackShaman.com for the week to mark the occasion.

It was easy to do, thanks to the instructions on this page and my easy website building software. I took the easy option and entered the suggested text into the Global Scripts section of my website development software.

The blackout is cleverly done (kudos to the organisers) – on first visit to my website, the page is dimmed and a large pop up appears with details about The Great Australian Blackout.

If you are worried that you will not be able to view the Internet properly once mandatory filtering is introduced, don’t be. There are services which enable you to bypass filtering even in places like China, which has a worse Internet filter than Australia will have. Some search terms you can use are:

VPN

Virtual Private Network

SSL

Secure Tunnel

There are more terms you can use, however the above are a good starting point and probably all you will need. Alternatively, you can simply use the same service as me.

The service I use, which despite being in the elite category, is excellent value:

WiTopia

Very easy to set up – amazingly so in fact. Clever people.

I use their service for a number of legitimate and legal activities, which are beyond the scope of this article.

If you live in a country without Internet censorship (and there aren’t many) I suggest you don’t assume it can’t happen to you. Fuddy duddies and other misguided zealots with influence in your country may be encouraged by their Australian counterparts.

Ironically, services such as those I have described are precisely the reason why filtering does not and will not work. There are many other reasons why we do not need nor want mandatory Internet filtering at ISP level, however the government plan falls over at the first hurdle of a VPN. So…how stupid are these politicians? Duh!

Whose hat could this be?

PS: I am grateful that I live in a country where I can write a post like this without getting a visit from the Secret Police or similar. Mandatory Internet filtering is an early step down the road of a potential Police State however and as such is of concern.

Note: I have not blacked out my blog because I do not have sufficient knowledge of how to do it, nor the time to learn.

Australia Day 2010 – The Great Australian Internet Blackout is a post from: Joy Wizard Blog

Enjoyable, refreshing experience ordering laser toner for my printer. (Australia)

Alex Webley — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 10:28:40 +0000

Late last year I purchased a Lexmark C543dn Color Laser printer.

So far, I have been pleased with the performance, features and ease of use of my choice of printer, though have not owned it long.

A while ago I ordered a black cartridge from a supplier I had bought other things from in the past, but was not totally happy with the price, nor the speed of delivery/order processing.

On Monday I had a scout around for a new Australian printer toner supplier and came across DOSO ‘the store that never sleeps’.

Besides being impressed with the prices, which are competitive; I liked the look of the DOSO website, the psychology behind it and the clear focus on functionality, ease of use and customer service. Simply speaking….good value, without any apparent compromise on quality of product or service.

An email I sent to DOSO querying a couple of issues on Monday evening was responded to by early Tuesday morning. Impressive.

I ordered a color toner cartridge after lunch yesterday. It arrived this morning from interstate.

The product was as described and expected.

The whole ordering process was very good – refreshingly so in fact, including easy printing of my invoice and monitoring delivery via the courier tracking facility (the product was delivered to my staff at another premises).

Frankly, the way DOSO runs things is how Internet Marketing should be done. All too often however, many businesses fall down on customer service and customer buying experience. For example; at times I have to chase invoices, ask for a courier tracking number or otherwise waste valuable time. Not so with DOSO. Top marks to them.

I like to help people who deserve recognition for a job well done; hence this blog post.

In future I will order all my color laser printer supplies from DOSO. Readers may also be interested to note that besides laser toners, DOSO supply copier toners, ink cartridges, fax items, ribbons, paper, storage media and (in due course) printers.

Addendum: The Lexmark proved much more expensive to run than initial research indicated and in late 2010 it became more economical to throw it away (yes really) and buy two new printers – one color and one mono (Samsung). It was not worth selling due to the relationship between current cost new and cost of replacement toner cartridges. I would also point out that while using one color printer for all printing was less economical, the consumption/cost ratios concerning the Lexmark were appalling. I will never buy another Lexmark printer.

Enjoyable, refreshing experience ordering laser toner for my printer. (Australia) is a post from: Joy Wizard Blog

Great Online Framing Service For Australians.

Alex Webley — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:05:12 +0000

How much time do you have to waste at the shopping mall choosing picture frames?

…..And then going to collect them.

It can take ages sometimes before the frames are ready!

These days I buy my frames online at one website.

I get good prices, great choice, excellent service and quality.

I never have to wait long.

Because I can take my time deciding on a frame to make sure it is right, I never get that rushed feeling one can experience in a bricks and mortar store.

I have always enjoyed the experience of ordering from FrameShop – their website is well thought out and easy to use.

So, where do I get my frames?

http://www.frameshop.com.au

Have a read of the reviews section and you find that my good experience is not isolated.

The business appears to have a policy of shipping only within Australia, or its Territories. They do invite international customers to contact them prior to ordering however.

Shop online and have more time to do other things.

Great Online Framing Service For Australians. is a post from: Joy Wizard Blog

Schoolies (what ‘little darlings’) will soon start in Surfers Paradise.

Alex Webley — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:59:31 +0000

Soon, in November, the Gold Coast will host thousands of ‘Schoolies’ – young people ranging from 17 -18 celebrating the end of school.

Schoolies is always a time of controversy.

Here is one example; an article from recent news:

Schoolie balcony ban bid blasted

Some apartment managers are seeking to have Schoolies locked out from the apartment/high rise balconies.

I can understand why.

I note that civil libertarians are calling these apartment managers “little hitlers” and claiming that they are treating the partying teens like a “sub species”.

Perhaps I can shed some light on the situation, and bring some real perspective.

I have lived on the Gold Coast for more than 12 years, many of those in a unit/apartment block in Surfers Paradise. Surfers Paradise bears the brunt of schoolies, though other parts of the Gold Coast suffer too.

Here is a list of what I have personally experienced or seen, and in some cases suffered, as a result of the schoolie jerks.

After reading the list, you might, like many locals who leave town for the duration, choose to avoid coming to the Gold Coast during the schoolie celebrations. It is not a good time for tourists. You can check the dates and look up other information here at the official schoolie website, or here.

Urinating in private gardens; both where schoolies stay and elsewhere.
Getting changed in private gardens – once I even saw someone pull up outside in the road; run up the side of the building next door, have a piss against the wall and get changed. He then got back into his car and drove off. As the building was on the way into town, I presume that he felt the need to make himself more ‘presentable’. He was clearly way too important to waste valuable time looking for a toilet.
Faeces found on the back lawn of our unit block one morning. The little creep had wiped his/her arse on a towel that had been left on the washing line to dry. We know because the towel was left behind. Unfortunately we had no definite suspects for DNA analysis.
Vomiting all over the place – stairwells, streets, private gardens.
Loads of rubbish, including broken bottles.
Violence, some of it very nasty.
Vandalism, some extreme.
Excessive noise. Not limited to music. I will never forget someone called Craig. In the middle of the night a minibus full of morons turned up calling loudly for…you guessed…Craig.
Dangerous and extreme driving; both in cars and motorcycles. Flagrant flouting of road rules and riding motorcycles without helmets.
Drug dealing, abuse and associated paraphernalia – discarded syringes. These are a particular problem on the Gold Coast beaches where discarded needles are easily missed and likely to cause injury.
Theft.
Comatose teens lying in the road, on the pavements, in gardens.
Irresponsible and thoughtless parents delivering large quantities of alcohol (by the case, and not just beer).

The list is so long I am not sure if I have remembered everything. Others have experienced even more. I am just ONE person. I have seen some of these things many times over many years.

Perhaps you are a parent, sending your child to inflict suffering on other people, as well as himself/herself?

Perhaps you don’t want to know what REALLY happens at schoolies? Maybe you believe some of the positive SPIN that various vested interests like to produce about schoolies, both before and after the event.

Be assured, schoolies is very bad.

Not just for the locals, but for the ‘little darlings’ themselves.

Just some of their personal harvest:

Damaged livers and other physiology from alcohol and drug abuse. Shortened life expectancy.
Learning to be nasty, thoughtless, selfish and disrespectful. Reinforcement of these traits.
Mental and emotional problems.
STDs.
Tolerance and enjoyment of filth (muck like filth).
Injury.
Criminal records.
A start in the criminal lifestyle.
Regrets.
Ruined lives.
Increased number of ‘deadbeats’ in their personal network.
Unwanted pregnancies.

I am sure you can think of more.

The Police, who are much maligned yet stand between us and a descent into all kinds of lawlessness, are severely stretched during schoolies, having to call in extra manpower from other regions in Queensland. This of course assists the non schoolie criminal element who can take advantage of lower Police presence elsewhere. I expect they are rubbing their hands with glee.

Of course, not all schoolies are as described above; however, very significant numbers of them are, which is of course the key point and ‘big picture’.

I am wondering whose side these ‘civil libertarians’ are really on. They term themselves ‘civil’.

Perhaps we should also consider the quality of parenting and schooling that these schoolies have had. Having a good time is one thing, but to come here and behave as they do, in such large numbers, is another. Parents and teachers bear significant responsibility.

In my view, schoolies define who they (and their parents/school teachers) are by what they DO. Need I say more?

As the good Lord Jesus Himself said: “By their fruit you shall know them”. Wonderfully logical.

I am not religious and, like the multitude who do not attend church, I too am called a ‘sinner’ by church-goers in private (they usually don’t call you a sinner to your face). This is not some ‘religious rant’; the words from the Bible are just so apt in this situation.

Schoolies – Oink – I know it’s not a human sound, but I guess that if you behave like a pig then you must be a pig.

Schoolies (what ‘little darlings’) will soon start in Surfers Paradise. is a post from: Joy Wizard Blog

Tasmania trip

Alex Webley — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:42:17 +0000

I have not posted much on my blogs recently because I went on a trip to Tasmania, Australia’s most southerly State.

Tasmania is much cooler than where I live on the sub tropical Gold Coast. Tasmania has a much older feel to it with a strong sense of the colonial past.

We landed in Launceston, in the north, having flown with Virgin Blue from the Gold Coast via Sydney. Virgin Blue service was great, as it usually is, and we experienced no hassles. On arrival at the airport we collected our pre booked hire car from Budget. Our experience with Budget was excellent and I will write a separate post about the research I conducted prior to booking, as well as the service we received; which I am sure will be useful to people contemplating car hire.

So, top marks to Virgin Blue and Budget.

The first day and night were spent in Launceston with a look around the town, which included a visit to Gourlay’s Sweets – Australia’s oldest surviving lolly shop – founded in 1896 buy a guy from Motherwell in Scotland. (We did not visit the factory which is on the outskirts of town). Unfortunately, due to the presence of my supervisor (wife), I was unable to stock up with loads of sweets/lollies. Cry.

Note: Sweets is an English/British term. Lolly is the Australian equivalent.

While in Launceston we also hiked up into the Cataract Gorge Reserve – a beautiful place.

I will write more about our Tasmania trip in due course, however you will find more information on my wife’s blog:

Our trip to Tasmania.

(She has written a much better post than mine, and has included some photos).

Tasmania trip is a post from: Joy Wizard Blog

Australia – "The Lucky Country"

Alex Webley — Wed, 27 May 2009 01:24:18 +0000

Australia has long been considered “The Lucky Country”.

Australia shines as place to be in global crisis

This attitude has insulated us from some of the effects of the current economic downturn.

Why is this?

Because a significant amount of the severity of the financial climate today is due to fear and negativity.

Much is self inflicted.

Focus on the good. There is much.

In any case, things will get better.

We have had booms and busts before. It is cyclical. Yawn.

Perhaps we can also use this time to have a good look at ourselves and readjust – improve. Oh, the excesses of recent times! The strange and bizarre activity.

One reason we have such a mess is because we are so badly led. Yes, we have poor leaders and many of us voted for them.

And we are so badly led partly because we have a system (which is not really democracy at all) where mass self interest and blinkered thinking influences policy.

It’s barmy really.

Since when have the hordes of lemmings rushing towards the cliff been right?

I am reminded of the last days of Rome.

Australia – "The Lucky Country" is a post from: Joy Wizard Blog

Joy Wizard » Australia

Amazing! Bird sounds from the Australian lyre bird – David Attenborough – BBC wildlife

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