Bill Bryson was wrong about Canberra!
Jul 18th 2006 | 6:22 pm
#76
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,375
Re: Bill Bryson was wrong about Canberra!
Originally Posted by Amazulu
You have a point about Australia being a bit slack about getting their citizens out but the question has to be asked, what the f**k are 25000 Australian citizens doing in Southern Lebanon? It's not exactly an area of the world known for it's stability & peace. Seems to me that these people are Lebanese who emigrated to Australia a while back, got Aussie citizenship & then moved back to Lebanon. In other words Australia has been a country of convenience for them, a stable country where they can get citizenship, move back to Lebanon (where they would rather be) & then use as a bolt hole when the shit hits the fan in Lebanon & get all the benefits of being an Australian citizen. The Australia government does have a legal obligation to get them out that's for sure but it is not their fault that the logistics of getting them out are so difficult. It does happen to be on the other side of the world from Australia & Australia does not have a blue water navy or strategic airlift capability.
Melb and sydney have huge Leb communites, aus brought them out in the 10 pound era and before, to work in farms and vinyards etc, they were OZ's cheap labour, since then many generations have formed and as they are a tight knit community families have come out to join them. Pretty significant part of australias immigration history, most of them were born here, dont think they really came out as a bolt hole for the present situation.
However like many races a lot of comment is made about them sticking together, not really integrating, forming areas, and still having strong ties to the homeland. No opinion on that other races
do that too.
Jul 18th 2006 | 6:24 pm
#77
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,235
Re: Bill Bryson was wrong about Canberra!
Originally Posted by JaneandJim
No, but probably the most predictable. And he is most definitely not just starting to be irritated by Arkon, which is what he said. Even Vash doesn't jump onto every Arkon post.
Jane
Jane
Its probably just that Hutch has more stamina than most...everyone else has just run out of "give-a-shit-juice"....and most of us just dont anymore, is all....
I say good on Hutch...he has as much right to post whatever he likes as Arkon does...
Jul 18th 2006 | 6:30 pm
#78
Born to be ignored
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,138
From: Anstead, Brisbane
Re: Bill Bryson was wrong about Canberra!
Originally Posted by Hels
I say good on Hutch...he has as much right to post whatever he likes as Arkon does...
Anyways, I'm sure he'll reply for himself when he's back online.
Jul 18th 2006 | 6:42 pm
#79
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,235
Re: Bill Bryson was wrong about Canberra!
Originally Posted by JaneandJim
I didn't say he hasn't, I also have the right to correct him when he says something that's not true.
Anyways, I'm sure he'll reply for himself when he's back online.
Anyways, I'm sure he'll reply for himself when he's back online.
From what I can see, you didnt actually find anything he said untrue...you just didnt agree with him.....thats 2 very different things!!
Something alot of people on this forum get confused with.....
Jul 18th 2006 | 6:45 pm
#80
It's got to be purple....
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 527
From: Glaswegian in Canberra
Re: Bill Bryson was wrong about Canberra!
So glad to hear that you enjoyed your visit to Canberra and it was refreshing to read all the positive things you said about it.
Like my fellow BE Canberran SASBEAR, I can't say enough good things about the place.......I love it here. We live in the south of Canberra (an area called Tuggernanong) and I have to say that I much more prefer the south side as opposed to Belconnen, etc. Purely because we have great views of the surrounding hills and are surrounded by lovely countryside.
I rarely venture into the actual city centre because we have everything we need in our own little town centre.
Anyway if you decide to settle in Canberra maybe we can have another BE get together, and you and your family can come along. (Bit worried that me and ZX may be "too common" for you though.....lol).
Wendy
Like my fellow BE Canberran SASBEAR, I can't say enough good things about the place.......I love it here. We live in the south of Canberra (an area called Tuggernanong) and I have to say that I much more prefer the south side as opposed to Belconnen, etc. Purely because we have great views of the surrounding hills and are surrounded by lovely countryside.
I rarely venture into the actual city centre because we have everything we need in our own little town centre.
Anyway if you decide to settle in Canberra maybe we can have another BE get together, and you and your family can come along. (Bit worried that me and ZX may be "too common" for you though.....lol).
Wendy
Jul 18th 2006 | 6:47 pm
#81
Born to be ignored
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,138
From: Anstead, Brisbane
Re: Bill Bryson was wrong about Canberra!
Originally Posted by Hels
From what I can see, you didnt actually find anything he said untrue...you just didnt agree with him.....thats 2 very different things!!
Something alot of people on this forum get confused with.....
Something alot of people on this forum get confused with.....
Jul 18th 2006 | 6:54 pm
#82
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,235
Re: Bill Bryson was wrong about Canberra!
Originally Posted by JaneandJim
He said he was "starting" to be irritated by Arkon. I said he has been irritated by Arkon for a long time. Which bit of that would you say was untrue?
Ohhhhh I see!!! So you dont think he could have meant 'starting' to irritate him today??? Or 'starting' to irritate him this particular thread??
Jul 18th 2006 | 7:06 pm
#83
Member of Mumo-land
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 771
From: DownUnder
Re: Bill Bryson was wrong about Canberra!
[QUOTE=thatsnotquiteright]If I ever wanted some decent acreage, I'd consider Canberra.
I happen to think, on balance it offers the right person a perfect
I also like Canberra. I've lived in Vic, NSW (I know where Arkon is talking about where s/he lives - bogan land!) I totally get what Arkon means).
Isn't most of the land Crown Land though so is only available on leases?
Go for it Arkon!
I happen to think, on balance it offers the right person a perfect
I also like Canberra. I've lived in Vic, NSW (I know where Arkon is talking about where s/he lives - bogan land!) I totally get what Arkon means).
Isn't most of the land Crown Land though so is only available on leases?
Go for it Arkon!
Jul 18th 2006 | 7:31 pm
#84
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 10,158
Re: Bill Bryson was wrong about Canberra!
Originally Posted by arkon
It all went wrong when vash wrongly assumed I had changed my view of Australia because I liked one city,
I suppose what's confusing, Arkon, is that you said you liked Canberra, and that you'd handle living there, yet in the next breath you still condemn Australia as a dreadful place.
It therefore beggars belief that you'd 'tolerate' living in a city you like in a country you hate.
Why? Why put yourself through it? Just sell up and go back to the country you do love!
You have in the past said that you dislike ALL Australia and ALL Australians are thick... That's not the case therefore is it? Obviously what you said was a massive generalisation and it's good to see that you can find something about Australia that you do like, but don't live in a country you hate. That's ridiculous.
Jul 18th 2006 | 7:44 pm
#85
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 10,158
Re: Bill Bryson was wrong about Canberra!
Originally Posted by JaneandJim
Are you stalking me? 
Jane
Jane
Not yet.
... although as I was on the thread before you, shouldn't I be asking if you're stalking me?
Last edited by iPom; Jul 18th 2006 at 7:46 pm.
Jul 18th 2006 | 8:05 pm
#86
Member of Mumo-land
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 771
From: DownUnder
Re: Bill Bryson was wrong about Canberra!
Originally Posted by iPom
I suppose what's confusing, Arkon, is that you said you liked Canberra, and that you'd handle living there, yet in the next breath you still condemn Australia as a dreadful place.
It therefore beggars belief that you'd 'tolerate' living in a city you like in a country you hate.
Why? Why put yourself through it? Just sell up and go back to the country you do love!
You have in the past said that you dislike ALL Australia and ALL Australians are thick... That's not the case therefore is it? Obviously what you said was a massive generalisation and it's good to see that you can find something about Australia that you do like, but don't live in a country you hate. That's ridiculous.
It therefore beggars belief that you'd 'tolerate' living in a city you like in a country you hate.
Why? Why put yourself through it? Just sell up and go back to the country you do love!
You have in the past said that you dislike ALL Australia and ALL Australians are thick... That's not the case therefore is it? Obviously what you said was a massive generalisation and it's good to see that you can find something about Australia that you do like, but don't live in a country you hate. That's ridiculous.
s/he is stressed out with expat life at times and vents on here.
You can't pick people up on everything they say. Emigrating is not the same for everyone.
Time heals for some and not for others. Arkon's just trying to find a place s/he's happy with and what's wrong with that? Arkon's the one who's going through it after all.
Arkon, I hope you find what you're looking for.
Jul 18th 2006 | 8:06 pm
#87
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 9,316
Re: Bill Bryson was wrong about Canberra!
Originally Posted by arkon
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…..â€
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…..â€
They also spent a bucket load of money searching for him and picking him up. Aus also did quite a lot for the 2004 tsunami using ships that would normally patrol the Pacific and Indian oceans. Obviously Aus should reassess the size of its Mediterranean fleet in light of the recent problems in the Lebanon.
Jul 18th 2006 | 8:06 pm
#88
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,808
Re: Bill Bryson was wrong about Canberra!
Originally Posted by shorrock
FYI - Canberra airport is International.
For anybody who hasn't landed at Canberra airport, on the terminal it says
"Canberra International Airport"
I think the only international flights are the ones with the US of A Prez on it. But I think about 3 years ago you could get a flight to Fiji from Canberra.
By the way. I spent 3 years in Canberra for work and would move there in a blink of an eye lid.
KS
For anybody who hasn't landed at Canberra airport, on the terminal it says
"Canberra International Airport"
I think the only international flights are the ones with the US of A Prez on it. But I think about 3 years ago you could get a flight to Fiji from Canberra.
By the way. I spent 3 years in Canberra for work and would move there in a blink of an eye lid.
KS
I think they had to cut down a few trees up the end of the valley so Airforce 1 had enough clearance on take off. If I remember rightly they upgraded the runway just for the odd 747... I think the excuse at the time was "in case of an emergency".
Canberra has got a lot going for it. Easy to get around and good facilities. Certainly the pick after Brisbane.
It doesnt now have all the subsidised services it used to have to encourage people to move there.
WW
Jul 18th 2006 | 8:08 pm
#89
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 9,316
Re: Bill Bryson was wrong about Canberra!
Originally Posted by ozzieeagle
....
The way you bend facts to suit yourself, is starting to become very Irritating
The way you bend facts to suit yourself, is starting to become very Irritating
Jul 18th 2006 | 8:13 pm
#90
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 10,158
Re: Bill Bryson was wrong about Canberra!
Originally Posted by mumomonty
I think you should give Arkon a break.
s/he is stressed out with expat life at times and vents on here.
You can't pick people up on everything they say. Emigrating is not the same for everyone.
Time heals for some and not for others. Arkon's just trying to find a place s/he's happy with and what's wrong with that? Arkon's the one who's going through it after all.
Arkon, I hope you find what you're looking for.
s/he is stressed out with expat life at times and vents on here.
You can't pick people up on everything they say. Emigrating is not the same for everyone.
Time heals for some and not for others. Arkon's just trying to find a place s/he's happy with and what's wrong with that? Arkon's the one who's going through it after all.
Arkon, I hope you find what you're looking for.
Hang on, he started the thread and I am asking a perfectly legitimate question.
The guy is perfectly capable of answering for himself.
Posting on this message board is a given that the poster will get opinion, disagreement and agreement. I'm sure Arkon is intelligent enough to recognise that if he doesn't want those opinions, he wouldn't post.
I think Arkon found a place he was happy with and that was the UK, if you read his past posts.
