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Monday 12th August 1996

International:

Oh what a dilemma! Following the discovery of traces of life on Mars the squeals from NASA are deafening.

"We don't have the technology to do it cheaply, and we don't have the money to do it expensively," said Donna Shirley, manager of the Mars Exploration Programme at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

"We are trying to do this with a (Mars) budget of US$100 million a year, which is about the cost of making an ordinary picture."

Yes sweetheart, but it would also feed the starving in Burundi, house the homeless in your home city, or fund thousands of social support schemes.

But, Star Fleet Commander Bill is sure to come to your aid and will lavish the cause with an open ended barrel as you guys approach the silly season of President making. Who gives a cotton thieving damn when you consider the state of your poor while you fight about a piece of life the size of a 1mm human hair.

All things considered I reckon that it is just a con job by NASA to get more funds and to kick thinga laong a bit. Wonder who thought this one up!

Political:

Treasurer Peter Costello yesterday swung the big stick at the Labor party and the Democrats saying that there would be an interest rate jump if they combined to block the budget in the Senate.

The opposition immediately accused him of "crude blackmail".

Costello also advised that the government would hold off making any big changes to the superannuation system in the Budget.

Business:

Here are some interesting stats on the comparative costs of running a car in Australia:
Car Purchase Price Cents per km. Costs per week
Daihatsu Charade 1.3 Manual HatchAu$16,73931.94 c Au$92.07
Toyota Corolla csi 1.6 auto sedanAu$25,96941.14 c Au$118.62
Ford Laser Liata 1.6 lxi manual hatchAu$27,05244.75 c Au$129.05
Toyota Camry csi 2.2 manual sedanAu$27,84646.03 c Au$132.72
Mitsubishi Magna TS Executive 2.6 auto sedanAu$29,67247.54 c Au$137.08
Holden Commodore Executive 3.8 auto sedanAu$30,45749.08 c Au$141.55
Ford Falcon GLi 4.0 auto sedanAu$31,55951.16 c Au$147.53
Subaru Liberty LX auto sedanAu$30,47851.41 c Au$148.20
Toyota Tarago Getaway 2.5 manual wagonAu$50,20472.70 c Au$209.68
Holden Statesman V8 auto sedanAu$53,63275.11 c Au$216.63
Nissan Patrol ST 4x4 petrol manualAu$54,50976.28 c Au$219.94

Sport:

Social:

Seems like we have a population explosion in Australia, not of the two legged kind mind you, but of feral pigs! Last year's drought breaking rain has seen numbers blow out to an estimated 10 million (or one pig to less than two people) - all in the east of the country - stretching from southern New South Wales to the northern tip of Queensland.

Natural resources Department figures show that the feral pig population can blow out 500% in just twelve months... a frightening thought! Graziers lose up to 30% of their newborn lambs to pigs which eat virtually anything.

Except for the safflower, they feed on all types of agriculture including seed, grain, fruit and vegetable crops such as bananas and even sugar cane.

Pigs have done enormous damage in the country's national parks and are notorious for digging out and eating the eggs of ground nesting birds. it is now estimated that there are as many feral pigs as feral cats roaming the countryside.

And here we live in paradise, cloistered from the vagaries of the introduced species...

Global Gripe of the day:

Personal trivia, from the global office:

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