My sister was a research scientist and she moved to Canberra 10 years ago, she married an Australian and really enjoyed living in Canberra. Calvary Hospital is lovely she had very good health care there.

Well if you have to ask, you clearly havn't spent much time there to find out. The difference in attitude from most people that I met and spoke to was just so far away from what we have seen elsewhere. I know that the other cities have suburbs that would also fit the bill with the different type of people but when you take the place as a whole, Canberra had a much better ratio of what the snob in me would call, better people who you wouldn't mind having as neighbours.

Missing the point as usual, I still think Australia is crap, but I have now found a single city now that I would consider living in. So no I don't think I'm wrong. One decent city doesn't make me change my view of the rest the place. Even things like the evacuation from Lebanon pisses me off, The rest of the world send ships, busses and choppers to get their people out and Australia tells it’s citizens to hunker down and wait, or worse hitch a ride on another nationals war ship. To watch what’s been going on, on the news this week I would much rather have my British passport on me when abroad than the Australian one. I only hope if the situation was the other way around and it was Australian warships evacuating their nationals that they would be so generous and let the brits leave on them too. But somehow I doubt it, Not enough tick boxes on the boarding pass to cover such a situation.

For me it’s the Australian attitude I have as much of a problem with as the actual physical place. “60 rockets have just been fired at Israel but the raiders just beat the Wallabies 6-0, and wern’t we great at football, Australia were the stars of the tournament……The surfs up at the beach and the rest of the world just doesn’t exist…..”

You should really stop watching Channels 10, 7 and 9.

Well I only get 4 terrestrial so that only leaves SBS and thank fuuk that one exists, So fairs fair SBS does cover global stuff a bit better than the rest and the lack of adverts during films are a great change. If anyone ever doubts me when I say the news is crap, just get foxtell or AusStar, watch Skynews Australia for an hour then swap to BBC news and just see and feel the difference. No contest.

Don't you get the ABC? Oh well, if you move to Canberra, you'll be able to pick it up there.

What a shame you're still saying all of Australia is crap (apart from Canberra of course). For a moment there you were almost on the path to salvation.

Never been so can't comment, but if you all liked it Arkon, and you sell the property, then give it a go - nothing to lose and you might find you're still here in 20 years time

God no. Have pity.

If I ever wanted some decent acreage, I'd consider Canberra.

I happen to think, on balance it offers the right person a perfect professional and lifestyle mix. Profession to hobby farmer in 30mins.

I'm not so sure. Have to admit, if you actually read a decent paper then you find them covering the story too. I think its all bluff and emotion how some complainants complain of the Aussies reporting nothing but sport - its just not true. In some papers in some editorials they're almost apolosing for it, and the letters page - which is often the real yardstick of a paper - have people taking about world affairs. Sometimes I make a point of noticing what is in the papers and if they are covering world affairs - they are! Stay away from the tabloid media, tv or print. Just because the Herald Sun(VIC) and Telegraph (NSW) have huge circulations and a monopoly over what is essentially a tabloid market does not mean they are the be all and end all. Australia does not have the mass circulations and variety of the British press - tough. Stick with the Age, Australian, SMH or turn to the internet.

Someone said that frankly the Aussies don't have the physical assets to recover civilians like other nations like the UK who are also closer - I don't know - I don't keep a watching brief over that sort of thing anymore. Have you ever worked in 'joint' crisis situations or logistics - and I'm not talking about internet mail order operations.

Wrong again Arkon.... Australia was criticised after the Hurricane that affected New Orleans, for Announcing that it had a capable rescue force before any other Nation, up and ready to get it's citizens out of the Superdome, along other commonwealth Citizens. They were prevented by the Americans as it would have caused acute embarresment and possible riots around the dome. The forces that were to be used were the ones on "Training missions" in the US. Australia also has forces in Cyprus and Iraq, that could have been used. I dont think they were in a position to start flying Sea kings into Lebanon, without intense diplomatic lobbying, with the Hostilities that are current.

The way you bend facts to suit yourself, is starting to become very Irritating

Or switch on the radio.

I find Faine (sic) in the morning and the bloke who presents the Tonight? programme in the evenings on ABC quite switched on.

Totally, utterly agree.

Arkon's motto: Never let the facts get in the way of a grand-standing myopic rant.

Have to disagree with you there. You have been irritated by Arkon for a very very long time.

This thread didn't start off with a rant. It just became one after everybody jumped in to criticise. Arkon is a red rag to a bull to a lot of posters. His past rants are always going to be held against him, even when he posts something positive.

Jane