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old hand
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old hand
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 866 |
Thanks Hev - confirmed my understanding. Which puts the "Surprise!!" / "Spontaneous decision" of Elton John to get married to Renee whatsername years ago in Sydney into complete b***sh** category. Somebody knew about it for at least 30 days.
We have Federal and State Law for just about everything in Oz. It's very important that this be so because it requires lots of duplication of jobs (state to state and state to Canberra). This is the best way that's been found so far to minimise unemployment.
There are very few constants between states however. Popular items for nationalisation are things like gay reform (well behind the eight ball in Tasmania) and mandatory sentencing in WA (and the NT) on the "three strikes and you're out" principle.
Until recently, WA was a happy recalcitrent with its road rules. Use of hand held mobiles was OK until only a few months ago (banned everywhere else), maximum speed limit is 110km/h c/f 100 everywhere else - except for the NT - where there is NO speed limit outside the metro area. Our acceptable limit of alcohol in fully licensed drivers was 0.08 when all other states it was 0.05. Because most state road funding is doled out by the federal government however, WA was forced to bring these rules in line with other states - or risk losing much of the funding.
Each state also operate their own drivers' licensing scheme and, although I believe moves are afoot to nationalise it, ones driving record is only applicable to the state the license is issued. Thus, if you accrue sufficient points to lose your license in one state, you can get a "clean" license if you establish a residence interstate. (I implemented this when I moved from NSW to WA - was getting near the points limit. Must say however that after 17 years in WA my record has been exemplary.)
stales
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189 |
From my layman's persective on the sport, I think Canada's Pelletier and Sale skated a flawless and magnificient program in the pairs figure skating and earned the Gold Medal (but I could be wrong). Anybody else have a humble opinion on this?
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Joined: Aug 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409 |
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 320
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 320 |
There's no question--this was a major goof. It's an advantage to the TViewer that figure skating is seen live and not encapsulated like the outdoor daytime events. Seeing the Russian couple, then the Canadians, it was crystal-clear, even to the casual viewer who may not know a sit-spin from a triple-toe loop, that Sale and Pelletier had it iced, so to speak. Now, with the talk of deals and collusion among the judges, it's hard not to feel cynical about the whole Olympic scene, which many of us once thought of as squeaky-clean.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 477
addict
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addict
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 477 |
it's hard not to feel cynical about the whole Olympic scene, which many of us once thought of as squeaky-clean
What?  It's not? Oh my...
And for the record ... I think Canada wuz rubbed too!
Hev
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
>which many of us once thought of as squeaky-clean.
but the world of skating has been like this for years and years, so the story goes. give me a race of some kind (or some game where you put a ball in back of the net, first time) where the outcome mostly is decided by the athletes.
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400 |
NBC (company that has US rights to air the games) conducted an informal poll (ie, viewers were invited to comment) and the tally was 96% for Canada, 4% Russians..i didn't vote, but i'd be in with the 96%--
it was so clear the canadians were better. even i could see it, and i know almost nothing about figure skating.
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Joined: Nov 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439 |
The Russian man landed badly on two "jumps" and the program was pretty safe and staid.
The Canadians performed a complex and daring program absolutely flawlessly!
CANADA RULES ... and they wuz robbed.
I can't wait until they have computers tracking the skaters and comparing the performance to the "perfect" execution of figures and scoring them ... lets dump them judges!
OK all you tech folks out there ... lets get busy with that ...it can be done, can't it?
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
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