News sources

Well, I'm trying to prepare myself for my visit to Australia, as I do before
I go anywhere. Thank god for the internet. I don't have enough detailed
knowledge to know what Australian radio is reliable or whatever. Right now
I'm listening to a show called either "Australia All Over" or "Sunday
Morning with Macca". It's interesting but I'm not sure if it paints an
accurate picture. After all, I know a lot of American radio doesn't
accuratly reflect my life.

I am not quite sure what you mean by reliable, however Australia All Over
does present a reasonable insight to Australian life, etc. Of course, its
content is mainly talkback from Australians and is only as accurate as those
who speak to Macca.

The ABC site http://www.abc.net.au/ gives links to a variety of the
programming of this Government operated network of radio and TV.

The Commissioner

www.the-commissioner.com


"Sheryl Jones" wrote in message
...
Well, I'm trying to prepare myself for my visit to Australia, as I do
before I go anywhere. Thank god for the internet. I don't have enough
detailed knowledge to know what Australian radio is reliable or whatever.
Right now I'm listening to a show called either "Australia All Over" or
"Sunday Morning with Macca". It's interesting but I'm not sure if it
paints an accurate picture. After all, I know a lot of American radio
doesn't accuratly reflect my life.

On Fri, 25 Feb 2005 14:11:57 -0600, "Sheryl Jones"
wrote:

|Well, I'm trying to prepare myself for my visit to Australia, as I do before
|I go anywhere. Thank god for the internet. I don't have enough detailed
|knowledge to know what Australian radio is reliable or whatever. Right now
|I'm listening to a show called either "Australia All Over" or "Sunday
|Morning with Macca". It's interesting but I'm not sure if it paints an
|accurate picture. After all, I know a lot of American radio doesn't
|accuratly reflect my life.
|

Hi Sheryl

Macca's callers give a fairly good idea of country life in Oz. However
his audience IMO tend to be mainly non-city and non-young (like me:-).

But if you listen to his callers, rather than his own opinions, they
give a good representation of the lifestyle outside the big cities.

What, exactly, would you like to know? Remember that you're trying to
get an "accurate" picture of a diverse multicultural society, with a
British historical base and political system, spread across a
continent about the size of Europe but mainly living in five or six
major coastal cities.

Where are you going? What are you interested in?

Just to start you off, for an idea of city life, try these online
newspapers:

The Melbourne Age
http://www.theage.com.au/
The Sydney Morning Herald
http://newsbreak.com.au/?s_rid=WS:smh:top

For an idea of country issues from the farmer's viewpoint:
The Weekly Times
http://theweeklytimes.news.com.au/

In between the two:
The Gold Coast Bulletin
http://www.gcbulletin.com.au/


Cheers, Alan

To "piggyback " on Alan's suggestions, here is a link for many Australian
on-line newspapers - city and otherwise. Have a go at them. Lots of diversity in
Australia as Alan indicated.

http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/australi.htm

Ken

Alan S wrote:

lots of interesting things that have been snipped....

--
This mail & any attachments have been
scanned by the latest definitions from
Norton Anti-Virus............... http://www.symantec.com/index.htm


"Sheryl Jones" wrote in message
...
| Well, I'm trying to prepare myself for my visit to Australia, as I do
before
| I go anywhere. Thank god for the internet. I don't have enough detailed
| knowledge to know what Australian radio is reliable or whatever. Right
now
| I'm listening to a show called either "Australia All Over" or "Sunday
| Morning with Macca". It's interesting but I'm not sure if it paints an
| accurate picture. After all, I know a lot of American radio doesn't
| accuratly reflect my life.

And what sort of life is that.?................"Australia All Over" is a
great programe. I think your question should be ' What is the differance
between Country and Western ? I'd stay at home if I were you! Experiance is
the only way gain knowledge!!!!

Ian S..............

Please encourage travel! Everywhere!!

I am not preaching, but as for one who has been around the globe twice before I
was 27 I now realize that it is BEST to travel when you are healthy - and young.
Then you can savour far off lands and the good/bad there, AND do more travel
close to home and reflect on the good/bad there too.

As for getting detailed knowledge on anywhere... Well what I experienced in
all those far off places - Gundagai, Alice Springs, Charlieville,
Hastings-Napier, and even Saigon has all taken it's place in history. Although I
have thousands of colour slides, I also believe that no matter what we
experience, it is a uniquely subjective one. When I return to OZ (hopefully with
my boys) for a 2-month bicycle trip it will be another unique experience. Only
the weather patterns will be the same - and the actual physical locations of the
communities we will visit.

Finally, what I can say to anyone is "if you get the chance to get out of your
bed some morning and travel - Do So!!"

Travel as far and wide as your pocketbook and health allow. Then return to your
bed and rest. Remember there is no place like home - AND you may like some place
so much that you might decide to make it your new home.

(rant is now off ;-)
Ken
Winnipeg, Canada

"Ian S....." wrote:

| I'm listening to a show called either "Australia All Over" or "Sunday
| Morning with Macca". It's interesting but I'm not sure if it paints an
| accurate picture. After all, I know a lot of American radio doesn't
| accuratly reflect my life.

And what sort of life is that.?................"Australia All Over" is a
great programe. I think your question should be ' What is the differance
between Country and Western ? I'd stay at home if I were you! Experiance is
the only way gain knowledge!!!!

On Mon, 28 Feb 2005 08:02:49 -0600, "Sheryl Jones"
wrote:

|Alan--
| Thanks for all your sources. I realize Australia is a vast and varied
|country and there's no way I can get an accurate picture of every part of
|it. I suppose I'm interested in day-to-day small town life, since that's
|mostly what I'll be seeing. Also, somewhat interested in the political
|climate and social system as a whole. I'll be spending a big chunk of my
|time with relatives in a former coal-mining town about 150 km southeast of
|Melbourne (Wonthaggi). I will be having very brief visits to Port Douglas
|and Cairns (those days have pretty much been taken up by tours). Local
|history--or history of any kind--is always the most fascinating to me. I
|often worry about not getting a balanced enough picture, i.e. I like to try
|learning from several sources and not all white European sources. I will
|also be in Sydney for about three days on my own. I can't say my interests
|in what to do in the brief time are very unique--the opera house, the bridge
|and convict history. (I do realize that before Austrlia, a lot of British
|convicts were sent here--to Georgia and Maryland). Australia has always
|been fascinating to me and I'm just looking forward to actually being in the
|place. I wish I had more time!
|

Wonthaggi's a nice spot. Hopefully, you're not visiting in winter, it
can get a little chilly then.

Be a little wary of sources for your history. For many years, up until
the '60s, we were taught our history seen through arrogant British
eyes. Now, we seem to hear a lot about history seen through angry
native eyes. Both views are skewed, and seen from the extremes. The
truth lies somewhere between.

It's decades since I visited Sydney's Mitchell Library, but I remember
it as one of the best sources of historical information and displays
in town. It may be worth checking on if you have time while in Sydney:

How to get the http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/visit/location.cfm
What they have: http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/
Some history: http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/heritage/
How to find mo http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/find/

If you are interested in a totally different version of our history,
with some truly obnoxious characters - who were also our founding
fathers (MacArthur, Marsden, Boyd and others) - then read "Scoundrels
and Scalawags" by Bill Wannan. For any Kiwis reading, that book's
worth reading for it's links to NZ as well. Unfortunately, it was a
small printing and can be hard to get - I found one here
http://www.booksandcollectibles.com....+AND+SCALAWAGS.
or http://tinyurl.com/4mtcg but there may be cheaper ones around.

As a cheapskate, I got mine from the lending library, but I doubt it
will be in yours.

Enjoy your visit:-)


Cheers, Alan

On Mon, 28 Feb 2005 08:02:49 -0600, "Sheryl Jones"
wrote:

|Alan--
| Thanks for all your sources. I realize Australia is a vast and varied
|country and there's no way I can get an accurate picture of every part of
|it. I suppose I'm interested in day-to-day small town life, since that's
|mostly what I'll be seeing. Also, somewhat interested in the political
|climate and social system as a whole. I'll be spending a big chunk of my
|time with relatives in a former coal-mining town about 150 km southeast of
|Melbourne (Wonthaggi). I will be having very brief visits to Port Douglas
|and Cairns (those days have pretty much been taken up by tours). Local
|history--or history of any kind--is always the most fascinating to me. I
|often worry about not getting a balanced enough picture, i.e. I like to try
|learning from several sources and not all white European sources. I will
|also be in Sydney for about three days on my own. I can't say my interests
|in what to do in the brief time are very unique--the opera house, the bridge
|and convict history. (I do realize that before Austrlia, a lot of British
|convicts were sent here--to Georgia and Maryland). Australia has always
|been fascinating to me and I'm just looking forward to actually being in the
|place. I wish I had more time!
|

Wonthaggi's a nice spot. Hopefully, you're not visiting in winter, it
can get a little chilly then.

Be a little wary of sources for your history. For many years, up until
the '60s, we were taught our history seen through arrogant British
eyes. Now, we seem to hear a lot about history seen through angry
native eyes. Both views are skewed, and seen from the extremes. The
truth lies somewhere between.

It's decades since I visited Sydney's Mitchell Library, but I remember
it as one of the best sources of historical information and displays
in town. It may be worth checking on if you have time while in Sydney:

How to get the http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/visit/location.cfm
What they have: http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/
Some history: http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/heritage/
How to find mo http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/find/

If you are interested in a totally different version of our history,
with some truly obnoxious characters - who were also our founding
fathers (MacArthur, Marsden, Boyd and others) - then read "Scoundrels
and Scalawags" by Bill Wannan. For any Kiwis reading, that book's
worth reading for it's links to NZ as well. Unfortunately, it was a
small printing and can be hard to get - I found one here
http://www.booksandcollectibles.com....+AND+SCALAWAGS.
or http://tinyurl.com/4mtcg but there may be cheaper ones around.

As a cheapskate, I got mine from the lending library, but I doubt it
will be in yours.

Enjoy your visit:-)


Cheers, Alan