Wanna Bet?

Some of our faithful readers (as far as we can tell, there are 16 of you) may not be aware that gambling is legal in Australia, but it must be in "clubs."  We are proud members of the Hellenic Club (I signed my name on the membership card as Christos Ikinopolous), The Returned and Services League Club (I am running for All-High Water Buffalo - you should see the hat - straight out of Fred Flintstone with the horns and everything - but somehow I can't see Debbie as Barney), and the Southern Cross Club/Yacht Club (nothing clever to say about that).  All of them have what they call "pokies" rather than slot machines.  I guess because you poke the buttons?  Who knows why they call them that but there you have it.

 The Evil Pokie

Anyway, every club has them but then as you enter the den of iniquity where they keep them, they have signs warning you that gambling is addictive and can destroy your family (and maybe cause tooth decay as well, who knows?).  This is like the big SMOKING KILLS label on every pack of cigarettes here or the anti-drink-driving campaign (I need to do a  post on that one - the ACLU would have legions of lawyers down here protecting our "rights" to kill ourselves as well as perfect strangers).  They also have all these pamphlets all over the place offering helpful advice. (Comment:  sometimes I think the various state governments think the average Australian can't think for him or herself - because they feel they have to nag you before you do anything even remotely fun so they can say "I warned you!"  Remember the long sign on the overhead tram on the "signage" page?  That's a great example.  (Some people here think Australia is a "nanny state."  I think it's more of a "I Told You So - Don't Come Crying To Me!" State).  From what I can see, the average Australian just pays his taxes and does what he wants anyway.

So, here are a couple of the pamphlets - and these are the tamer ones.  Remember - call us at any time of the day or night.  We care. 

Now get back while I try to win the rent.

 
Oh yeah - in other news,

Australia switched Prime Ministers today.  Kevin Rudd was shown the door.  Done in by his own party (Labor - think the Democrats, while the Opposition is the Liberals - think Republicans.  I know, it's confusing, but then everything down here is upside down) no less.  Here, you elect a party to power and then the insiders pick the PM.  And then it appears that that PM spends the next however many months looking over his shoulder and wondering what all that whispering and closed door stuff is all about.  And then one night (like last night) your best friends show up on your doorstep and start talking about how nice it is in Italy this time of year, etc.  The next thing you know there you are in front of the microphones with your family behind you talking about all the things you're proud of having done (emphasis on the past tense).

 In happier times...courtesy of The Age publication.
New PM (former deputy PM) Julia Gillard on the right.

Here's a local take on it...

http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201006/r590778_3778836.asx
 
Interesting time to be here to see this all happen.
At least it pushed General McChrystal off the front page, right?  Right?