I was here after this PB person, so I can't comment.

Re: courtesy and free speech. This is a private website and it's a courtesy to be even let post here.

Free speech isn't a synonym for shit stirring, in anyone's language.

I imagine his posts get locked as they're considered flamebait by the mods here.

No Australian does eat sand. Australians eat as well as most Western European nations. I say most, as there are some Western European nations that aren't as well off as Australia.

IMHO, Australia isn't a cheap place to run a car. Then again, I've been spoiled by 6 years of US cheapness.

I agree

Although Kong posts are always on the negative side it brightens up this forum no end. In fact when he doesn't post I kind of miss him!!

There are 2 things you can be sure of in Oz and that is there will always be positives and negatives and I want to hear both sides of the debate thankyou very much.

True, most of Kong's postings are cut and paste jobs and he has a style of writing that does not appeal to all but I can live with it.

Another thing too, I've never seen an offensive or abusive thread posted by Kong so what's the problem? He hates Oz, some people on here hate the UK and I don't see the UK haters being locked out of threads.

I personally find his crack ok. If you don't like him you can always put him on your no play list.

The only reason I can imagine Kong being locked out is people are complaining about his negativity and if that's the case people want to take the cotton wool out of their ears and rose coloured glasses from their eyes coz contrary to what some people think Oz aint no Utopia just like the UK isn't.

I hate to see any animals caged especially monkeys so I say to the mods "please release him let him go"

Alternitavley anyone fancy starting a poll to see if Kong should stay or go? I know where my votes going!!


Walla

There was a poll about that very subject a while back - be damned if I can find it though!

The bit about the sand was in response to the type of post that says better to be out of work, poor, dealing with life's problems etc. because at least the beaches are nice

There are not so many of those posts nowadays but there are still plenty that do a good demolition job on the UK.

I do not like those posts because I do not see things that way.

To me they are 'flamebait'.

I would not want to see them locked though.

G

I'm not keen on seeing things locked either, but then again, like most things on the Internet, this board isn't a democracy.

Having never step foot in Europe, let alone the UK, I can't demolish it. I can only go off official established fact, whatever it's worth.

Ned

Can you remember the result?

Walla

Kong dosnt present a balanced view of anything, he / she appears to have an axe to grind about Australia and seems to be hellbent on badmouthing the place do the exclusion of saying anything positive at all. Anyone can go surfing for bad news about a country and post it on here in support of their own views and for every bit of trashtalking kong does about australia I am sure someone could do the same about the UK.... is that the sort of 'balanced view' that should be encouraged? I think not . Personally I have no issue with someone pointing out the drawbacks of a place but when they constantly ram it down my throat, well you have to wonder at their motives.

Private? Really......

Anyone can register, at any time, using any name, even after they've been banned. As Kong has proven.

Personally I have no problem with stimulating a debate by starting a Cut & Paste thread but ... As you have been there and done that Kong, I would like to here reasoned opinions on what you post, rather than a long boring news article (some of which are really old by the way). The point of debate is to hear both sides of the story but you hide behind these cut and paste stories.

It's clear that you don't particularly like Oz. I don't know how long you were there but there must have been some things Aussie that you liked (apart from your wife )

I think that generally speaking you haven't 'abused' anyone unless they started it so I have no problem with offering the negative view of Australia, I'd just like to hear more of your personal views on the subject.

If there was a vote on should he be banned? I'd vote no. If you don't like his stuff people, just ignore him.

Totally agreed.

Couple of positive posts by Kong (surely his time in OZ cant have been 110% bad) would make the cut & paste "negative" more believable

I think it was a thumbs up for Kong. I wanted to check the original poll though...

Kong word to the wise here !!!

As an aussie who hated her first 4 years in UK, I can sympathise what you must have went through in OZ.

(we are even similar in our spouses, you with your OZ wife, me with my UK hubby)

It IS difficult to make the adjustment to a new culture.

Now after 24 years away from OZ and 14 different countries later I can appreciate what you went through and how difficult you found it to adjust to the OZ culture.

Theres no place like "HOME" and it doesnt matter how long you are away, there's still an itch to be scratched about going back.

Its funny really but you and me are looking at things from 180 degs.

I love the fact that I'm back "HOME" and so do you, just that our "Home"s are on opposite sides of the world.



edited for spelling mistakes

It's "privately" owned as opposed to being a publically or Govt. owned website.

Understand now? Space cadet pill wore off, has it?

Ned

I recall something!! Wasn't it just a discussion around Kong? I can't recall it being a full on poll but I could be wrong.

Walla