Monday, September 16

Tag: Australia

Indigenous Australian Firm Gives Tesla A Run For Its Money
30Dec By superadminNo Comments
ART & ENTERTAINMENT

Indigenous Australian Firm Gives Tesla A Run For Its Money

A small Australian company owned by indigenous aborigines is taking on corporate giants as the country's fledgling home solar battery industry gets off the ground. Although the Brisbane-based upstart, AllGrid Energy, is in direct competition with the world's home battery marquee player, Tesla, it sees the company's presence in Australia as healthy for its own bottom line. AllGrid’s marketing manager, Deborah Oberon says while sales of Tesla’s Powerwall have begun, it has spurred an interest in its own offering. The company has started delivering its system to customers in South Australia and Queensland. Oberon says although orders were “ticking along”, 2016 will be “the year that storage really starts to kick off in Australia”. “Once Tesla’s system is available in February, th...
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Rare Sea Snakes Previously Thought Extinct Found Off Western Australia
22Dec By superadminNo Comments
CULTURE1

Rare Sea Snakes Previously Thought Extinct Found Off Western Australia

Scientists from the prestigious James Cook University (JCU) in Australia have discovered two critically endangered species of sea snakes, previously thought to be extinct, off the western coast of the land down under. According to the researchers, it is the first time that the snakes were spotted alive and healthy since they seemed to disappear from their only known residence on Ashmore Reef more than 15 years ago. The study’s lead author Blanche D'Anastasi from JCU stated that, “This discovery is really exciting, we get another chance to protect these two endemic Western Australian sea snake species. But in order to succeed in protecting them, we will need to monitor populations as well as undertake research into understanding their biology and the threats they face.” The discov...
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New Zealand Making A Statement With New Flag Design
11Dec By superadminNo Comments
ART & ENTERTAINMENT

New Zealand Making A Statement With New Flag Design

A new flag might be coming to New Zealand, as the country has settled on a finalist that could soon replace the current flag. The new design features a black and blue design with a silver fern and red stars. The proposed flag is properly titled Silver Fern. The Silver Fern beat out a similar design that featured the colors of red, white and blue. While late and overseas votes still need to be tallied, it is expected that the Silver Fern will prevail, although the winning margin is narrow enough that the result could still change. From there, the new flag design will compete with the old flag design in a vote that will take place in March. This vote will decide whether to keep the old flag or move forward with the new one. Many New Zealanders have complained that the old flag looks to...
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Bitcoin’s Suspected Founder’s Australian Home Raided By Police
9Dec By superadminNo Comments
ART & ENTERTAINMENT

Bitcoin’s Suspected Founder’s Australian Home Raided By Police

The Sydney home and office of a man “outed” by tech websites as the creator of Bitcoin were raided by Australian police this week. Bitcoin is a virtual cryptocurrency created in 2009 by - until now - an anonymous mathematician. The raid in Sydney happened just hours after the websites, Wired and Gizmodo, claimed that Craig Steven Wright, a 44-year old academic, was most likely the mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto - the pseudonym used by the creator of Bitcoin. The use of Bitcoin as a currency is a very interesting phenomenon. Banks are not needed in order to conduct Bitcoin transactions between private individuals and/or entities and therefore no middle man is involved. Transactions can be conducted without using names and there are no fees. In addition to the benefits of anonymity,...
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Australia Fumes, Threatens To Sue Japan Over Annual Whale Hunt
7Dec By Patricia SteensNo Comments
CULTURE1

Australia Fumes, Threatens To Sue Japan Over Annual Whale Hunt

In its latest attempt to curtail the horrific practice of whale hunting, Australia is currently threatening to take a legal fight straight to the Japanese government regarding the Asian country’s resumption of its annual whale hunt in the Antarctic Ocean. Last week, a Japanese whaling fleet left port and headed towards the Antarctic, ignoring condemnation from the rest of the world. Last year, the International Court of Justice rejected Japan’s claims that their yearly hunts are for “scientific purposes.”   Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Environment Minister Greg Hunt issued a joint statement Monday morning indicating that the capital is “working with other like-minded nations to build international consensus” against Japan's controversial whaling practices.   Desp...
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Cable Who? Netflix Gains 2.5M Subscribers First Six Months In Australian
18Nov By superadminNo Comments
MOOLAH

Cable Who? Netflix Gains 2.5M Subscribers First Six Months In Australian

The streaming video company Netflix has obtained approximately 2.5 million Australian users during the first half of this year. This recent estimate was made by the Australian Communications and Media Authority by questioning more than 1,500 adults about the way they watch content. Netflix began offering services in Australia earlier this year in March. By June, estimates showed that the company had more than 1 million users in Australia. The exact figures for the number of Netflix users were not able to be obtained because the company does not publicly disclose its number of users on a per country basis outside of the United States. On the authority’s website, a message was posted that read, “Subscription video on demand is growing rapidly in Australia, becoming an increasingly popular ...
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Scientists Are Finally Able To Track This Rare Endangered Species
11Nov By superadminNo Comments
CULTURE1

Scientists Are Finally Able To Track This Rare Endangered Species

Conservationists have finally been able to identify and tag elusive speartooth sharks which live in murky tropical waters and are incredibly hard to find. After being tagged, the endangered creatures were promptly released back into the wild. The tags will send data to researchers for the next two months. With this data, researchers hope to learn more about the sharks. Based on estimates from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, there are less than 2,500 of these sharks in the tropical river waters of Australia and Papua New Guinea. Researchers want to know more about where these sharks migrate and what kind of threats they face. Only two sharks were tagged by researchers. They were tagged by Richard Pillans, who is a representative of a prominent national research...
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UN Finally Putting Foot Down Against Australia’s Forced Sterilization And Refugee Policies
11Nov By superadminNo Comments
ART & ENTERTAINMENT

UN Finally Putting Foot Down Against Australia’s Forced Sterilization And Refugee Policies

Australia is now being scrutinized by the United Nations (UN) over its practice of sterilizing disabled persons and for its treatment of asylum seekers. Australia has been facing the ire of international humanitarian groups for awhile over its questionable actions. But now, the UN is finally calling for an end. The issues are the hot topics at this week's meeting of the United Nation's Human Rights Council (UNHRC) forum being held in Geneva. Leading the charge against Australia is the United Kingdom, which is calling for "legislation to prohibit sterilization without consent from the individual". Australian law permits parents of disabled persons to make decisions regarding sterilization, and also allows court-issued sterilization orders. Both of these practices have attracted widesp...
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Australia Calls In The Dogs To Help Ailing Penguin Population
5Nov By Ronald DowlingNo Comments
CULTURE1

Australia Calls In The Dogs To Help Ailing Penguin Population

Australia has a long history of losing its native wildlife at the hands - well, paws and teeth - of imported species. When European settlers arrived at the land down under in the 1800s, they brought lots of animals with them, such as cats and foxes. These imports rapidly bred and eventually killed off dozens of Australia’s native mammals, birds and other animals. The demise of many native animals still occurs today. In October of 2004, a local newspaper reported that, in one episode, foxes had killed 180 penguins on Middle Island, off the coast of southern Australia. By 2005, the island’s population of little penguins had dwindled from over 800 down to less than 10. Once foxes began decimating the populations of little flightless penguins along Australia’s southern coast, the birds r...
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Volvo Testing Kangaroo Avoidance System To Stop Deadly Animal Strikes
31Oct By superadminNo Comments
MOOLAH

Volvo Testing Kangaroo Avoidance System To Stop Deadly Animal Strikes

Swedish car maker Volvo is developing a new type of “kangaroo detection” system that is hoped to reduce the number of collisions between motor vehicles and the cute marsupials. In Australia, the kangaroo reigns as Australia’s largest marsupial and it is involved in animal-car collisions throughout the country. When it runs, a kangaroo can reach speeds up to about 37 miles per hour. Volvo estimates that there are more than “20,000 kangaroo strikes on Australian roads each year costing over $53 million in insurance claims.” Volvo already has the “City Safety” system which is designed to scan the road ahead of the vehicle for pedestrians and animals by using a radar sensor and high-resolution camera. The system then automatically hits the brakes if necessary. According to Martin Magnusson...
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Australian Officials Paid People Smugglers To Take Immigrants Away From Their Country
28Oct By superadminNo Comments
ART & ENTERTAINMENT

Australian Officials Paid People Smugglers To Take Immigrants Away From Their Country

According to Amnesty International, officials in Australia have allegedly paid people smugglers to turn back their boats when coming to the country. Amnesty International also says that Australian officials have made violent threats towards immigrants seeking asylum, and the organization claims to have evidence showing that this reported behavior is true. Allegations of such behavior originally emerged in June, and Australia has done everything in its power to deny these rumors. Australia has a zero tolerance policy regarding migrant boats approaching the country. Based on this policy, no migrants or asylum seekers are permitted to reach Australia by boat. When officials from the country locate a boat, they intercept the vessel at sea, either telling them to turn back or in some cases, ...
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Support Grows For U.S. Challenge To South China Sea Claim Despite Growing Tensions
27Oct By superadminNo Comments
ART & ENTERTAINMENT

Support Grows For U.S. Challenge To South China Sea Claim Despite Growing Tensions

The USS Lassen, a United States guided-missile destroyer, navigated through the South China Sea in an area known worldwide as international waters, but claimed as Chinese waters by the country’s communist government. China responded to the sail-by by denouncing the action. However, China’s regional rivals outwardly supported the action taken by the United States. The Philippines regarded the sail-by as an action that could restore the region’s “balance of power” and to check China’s self-proclaimed rights to the area. President Benigno Aquino III said the move was “meant precisely to say that there are norms as to what freedom of navigation entails.” He hoped the sail-by would correct China’s improper infringement of international waters. In addition to Malaysia, Taiwan, Brunei and Viet...
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Astounding New Evidence Shows That Life On Earth May Have Existed Much Earlier Than Originally Thought
21Oct By Monica OakleyNo Comments
CULTURE1

Astounding New Evidence Shows That Life On Earth May Have Existed Much Earlier Than Originally Thought

Scientists from UCLA and the University of Colorado recently made a discovery that has led them to believe that life may have existed on Earth earlier than they initially thought. Based on fossils that were recently found, scientists now have reason to believe that life existed on Earth as far back as 4.1 billion years ago. That is 300 million years earlier than when most scientists say life on our planet originated. At that time, Earth was nothing more than a volcano-filled planet. This new discovery changes the way that scientists view Earth, and it also presents the possibility that life might be more common throughout the universe because it seems to initiate very quickly. For the record, scientists believe that the Earth is about 4.5 billion years old. To produce life in just 400 m...
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Facebook Photos Could Be Used In New National Facial Recognition Database
21Oct By superadminNo Comments
ART & ENTERTAINMENT

Facebook Photos Could Be Used In New National Facial Recognition Database

The Australian government might soon be harvesting images from social media websites such as Facebook in order to prevent terrorism. The news was confirmed by the country’s attorney general. Last month, Australia’s Justice Minister Michael Keenan made the announcement that the Australian government was planning on spending $18.5 million in order to develop a system of facial biometric matching. The technology is simply being referred to as “the capability”. The main goal of the technology would reportedly be for the government to put a name and a face on terrorist suspects. Officials have confirmed that photos will be able to be retrieved from social media websites in order to be used in the new system. However, officials will be restricted based on existing legal regulations and privac...
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Australian Citizens Collect Incredibly Deadly Spiders In Order To Produce Antidote
15Oct By superadminNo Comments
ART & ENTERTAINMENT

Australian Citizens Collect Incredibly Deadly Spiders In Order To Produce Antidote

Once a year, officials from the Australian Reptile Park turn to the public to help them catch the funnel-web spider. The spider, which lives in gardens and trees in Australia, is known for being extremely deadly. Since 1981, citizens have managed to capture thousands of the spiders and take them to the Reptile Park. At the park, officials use the spiders to produce an antidote to prevent casualties from spider bites. The program saved the lives of 65 people who were bitten by the funnel-web spider last year. The spider is mostly found in eastern Australia, and it is somewhat common in the city of Sydney. However, the call to the public for help this year is more urgent than usual. Officials from the park say that they need 200 male spiders on an annual basis in order to produce enough a...
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Futuristic Pill Could Give People The Effects Of Exercising Without Doing Anything
14Oct By superadminNo Comments
WELLNESS

Futuristic Pill Could Give People The Effects Of Exercising Without Doing Anything

Scientists might someday be able to develop a pill that would allow people to receive the benefits of exercising without having to actually exercise. The news comes as researchers are continuing to make progress in identifying the molecular processes that occur when people exercise. Scientists at the University of Sydney in Australia recently had a breakthrough when studying molecular processes. Their study involved having men engage in high-intensity exercise for a duration of ten minutes. The men were then analyzed to see how the exercise affected the activity of the proteins in their bodies. The scientists found that about 1,000 different molecular changes occur in the muscles that are activated during rigorous activity. While it’s only an initial study, it did offer scientists the fi...
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Australia Announces Plan To Exterminate Two Million Feral Cats
14Oct By superadminNo Comments
ART & ENTERTAINMENT

Australia Announces Plan To Exterminate Two Million Feral Cats

Australia has announced its plan to protect several threatened species by destroying millions of feral cats. However, the plan has its detractors, drawing criticism from some animal rights activists and celebrities including Brigitte Bardot and English pop star Morrissey. Gregory Andrews, Australia’s threatened species commissioner, has responded to critics of the plan stating that feral cats continue to prey on more than 100 threatened species. He further noted that they have already been a “major contributor” to the extinction of almost 30 species of mammals in Australia over the past 200 years. He specifically listed some of the species destroyed in part by the feral cats: the desert bandicoot, lesser bilby, big-eared hopping-mouse, and crescent nailtail wallaby. He described these sp...
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After Years Of Huge Growth Australian House Prices Poised For Correction
5Oct By superadminNo Comments
ART & ENTERTAINMENT

After Years Of Huge Growth Australian House Prices Poised For Correction

There isn’t much good news on the horizon if you are an aspiring homeowner in Australia. Analysts warn that the already massive bubble in the nation’s real estate will likely get even larger, as government officials are too fearful to reverse the trend. Sydney and Melbourne properties are estimated to be nearly 20% overvalued, according to Goldman Sachs, with Sydney prices now exceeding those in London. Furthermore, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) states that prices this year are expected to rise by almost 10%. Strategist Kay Van-Petersen of Saxo Capital Asia worries that increasing economic instability in China could lead to a wave of capital into Australia. “The government has to try and talk it down and say it's inflated, but at the same time all they can try and do is contr...
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Scientists Discover Incredibly Poisonous Snake In Australia
1Oct By Ronald DowlingNo Comments
CULTURE1

Scientists Discover Incredibly Poisonous Snake In Australia

Australia is already well-known for its amazing variety of poisonous creatures, and now scientists have added one more snake to the list. The snake is called Acanthophis cryptamydros, also known as the Kimberley death adder. As the name implies, the poisonous reptilian originates from Kimberley, Australia, which is in the northwestern portion of the continent, and its victims are added to the death toll of poisonous snakes. Scientists previously believed that all of the death adder snakes were members of the same species. However, during a recent study of the snakes in the region, scientists discovered that the Kimberley death adder was a separate species altogether. The Kimberley death adder has more in common with death adders from the desert than it does with its closest relatives in ...
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Abundance Of Artificial Light Messes With Reproductive Patterns Of Wallabies
30Sep By Quinn SolsbyNo Comments
CULTURE1

Abundance Of Artificial Light Messes With Reproductive Patterns Of Wallabies

In a new study conducted in Australia, researchers have determined that the over-abundance of artificial light disrupts the reproductive cycle of wallabies. The miniature cousins of kangaroos, wallabies are found in the plains and forests of Australia, New Guinea and one of New Zealand’s islands. Their reproductive patterns are generally very time-specific and this new research shows how artificial light can mess with those cycles. Wallabies mate in October, but the female’s body relies on the sun for cues as to when to deliver her babies. She holds the embryo dormant until after the summer solstice, which occurs in December down under. Essentially, the natural, predictable shortening of days and the decreasing daylight triggers the female’s body to create and produce melatonin. This...
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United Nations Cancels Australia Visit Citing Offshore Detention Facilities
26Sep By superadminNo Comments
ART & ENTERTAINMENT

United Nations Cancels Australia Visit Citing Offshore Detention Facilities

The United Nations cancelled a visit to Australia recently after criticizing the country’s policies in relation to detention centers it operates on the Nauru and Manus Islands. Australia aspires to take a seat on the 47-member UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), so the news came as an unwelcome setback. Australia’s passage of the Border Force Act this year outlawed disclosures about operations at the detention centers by immigration personnel employed there, with the potential penalty of up to two years in prison. The United Nations’ Special Rapporteur, Francois Crepeau, was due to conduct an investigation of the detention centers on Sunday and cited the law as reason for the cancellation. Mr. Crepeau stated that his visit would be unproductive due to the new law and that Australia has ...
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Australian Volcanoes Found To Be Joined Together By Massive Underground Lava River
17Sep By superadminNo Comments
CULTURE1

Australian Volcanoes Found To Be Joined Together By Massive Underground Lava River

Scientists recently realized that what they had thought were several small unrelated chains of volcanoes in Australia is actually one giant connection that is 1,240 miles long. This chain is now considered to be the world’s largest chain of volcanoes. Researcher of seismology and mathematical geophysics at Australian National University, Dr Rhodri Davies, along with his colleagues, plan to present evidence for what they are calling “Earth’s longest continental hotspot track” in a new study. Although hotspots are not usually associated with the boundaries of tectonic plates, they are able to form above “mantle plumes” that begin at the boundary of Earth’s mantle and core. The scientists were aware of four different tracks of past volcanic activity in eastern Australia. However,...
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Australia Launches First Airstrikes Against ISIS Targets In Syria
17Sep By superadminNo Comments
ART & ENTERTAINMENT

Australia Launches First Airstrikes Against ISIS Targets In Syria

Australia’s Royal Air Force conducted its first ever air strikes against ISIS in Syria on Monday it was reported later in the week. The strikes are a fundamental addition to the strong allied union of multiple states that seeks to free Syria from oppression by the terror group ISIS and the first known involvement of Australia in the coalition. Australian Defense Minister Stephen Andrews said on Wednesday, “Two days ago, Australian Hornet fighter aircraft destroyed a Daesh armoured personnel carrier with a precision-guided missile.” Daesh is the derogatory local name for ISIS. The airstrikes targeted one of the group’s armored personnel carrier hidden in a compound belonging to the terror network. Andrews said, “That information was reported back to the combined operations centre by o...
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Political Chaos Sees Australia With Fifth Prime Minister In Five Years
14Sep By superadminNo Comments
ART & ENTERTAINMENT

Political Chaos Sees Australia With Fifth Prime Minister In Five Years

Australia has a new Prime Minister following a dramatic and somewhat ironic leadership ballot today. Malcolm Turnbull has become the country's 29th prime minister after he beat out controversial current Prime Minister Tony Abbott in a leadership battle which has been brewing for some time, but which came to a head with today’s ballot amongst ruling Liberal Party members. Turnbull's victory is ironically similar to the 2010 coup staged by former prime minister Julia Gillard against Kevin Rudd. Abbott's overthrow highlights the inner turmoil of the Liberal Party and Australian politics in general, as Turnbull, the former communication Minister, is the country's fifth prime minister in five years. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was elected deputy prime minister in an easy 70 to 30 vot...
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Australia Takes Steps To Stop Being World’s Extinction Leader
18Jul By superadminNo Comments
CULTURE1

Australia Takes Steps To Stop Being World’s Extinction Leader

After years of neglect and reckless inactivity toward the saddening loss of animal species, the Australian government is stepping up activity to save dozens of species at the brink of extinction. Australia already has the worst extinction record in the world. For a species, being classified as close to extinction in the country is as good as hammering the last nail on the coffin. The government’s response to calls for their increased presence in the preservation of wildlife is a welcome relief but will it be enough to save an entire species? Australia’s Department of Environment recently launched the Threatened Species Strategy on Thursday. The strategy which was launched in Melbourne at the Threatened Species Summit seeks to protect animals and plant species nearing extinction. Reports ...
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Australian Government Latest To Face Lawsuit Over Climate Change Inaction
1Jul By superadminNo Comments
ART & ENTERTAINMENT

Australian Government Latest To Face Lawsuit Over Climate Change Inaction

Australian environmentalists plan to sue their government for its slow response to climate change, following legal action taken in the Netherlands that resulted in a landmark court decision which ordered its government to hurry up and cut greenhouse emission. The legal action was taken by Dutch environmental group Urgenda. Climate change has been a major political issue in Australia for some time, especially after the present Government headed by Prime Minister Tony Abbott last year repealed a carbon tax that was introduced in 2011. The carbon tax was intended to reduce the impact of climate change and according to experts had been successful. Ariane Wilkinson a spokesman for legal firm Environmental Justice Australia, said her firm had “several clients” that were “very concerned about ...
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World’s Largest Private Piece Of Land Is Now For Sale
29Jun By superadminNo Comments
MOOLAH

World’s Largest Private Piece Of Land Is Now For Sale

The world's largest private piece of real estate, which is down-under in Australia, is up for grabs. The land, which is made up of 10 working cattle ranches, takes up 11 million hectares and has a price tag of $325 million. It is listed as the “largest private, non-monarchical, non-state landholding on earth.” Potential buyers wanting to inspect the combined territory, which also includes a stud farm and a feedlot, will have to spend several days flying across four Australian States: Queensland, the Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia. One of the stations, Anna Creek, is the largest cattle station/ranch in the world. It is larger than Ireland taking up over 30,000 square miles. Selling agent Don Manifold of Ernst & Young South Australia, which is the official ...
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Australia’s Top Two Terrorists Reportedly Killed In Drone Strike
23Jun By superadminNo Comments
ART & ENTERTAINMENT

Australia’s Top Two Terrorists Reportedly Killed In Drone Strike

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says authorities are in the process of confirming reports that two of the country's most wanted terrorists have been killed while fighting for ISIS in Iraq. Australian media are reporting that Khaled Sharrouf and Mohamed Elomar were both killed by a drone strike that took place in the Iraqi city of Mosul. Sharrouf gained infamy last year when he tweeted a picture of his seven-year-old son holding a severed head, captioned "That's my boy." U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry referred to the picture as "one of the most disturbing, stomach-turning, grotesque photographs ever displayed." Sharrouf and Elomar are notorious ISIS murderers, frequently tweeting pictures of themselves with the decapitated heads of Syrian government fighters. After seeing...
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Australian Human Trafficking Scandal Worsens As Spies Reported To Have Paid Smugglers Multiple Times
18Jun By superadminNo Comments
ART & ENTERTAINMENT

Australian Human Trafficking Scandal Worsens As Spies Reported To Have Paid Smugglers Multiple Times

Australian spies have reportedly been systematically paying people smugglers if they agree to turn back asylum seeker boats, according to new reports. Both Labor and the Coalition governments are said to have approved the covert payments while in government but the Labor party made them on land in Indonesia to prevent boats leaving for Australia, according to new Australian press reports on Thursday. Unlike the recent scandal involving 65 asylum seekers last month, the prior payments were made discreetly and only once the boats had returned to Indonesia. Spies then met the traffickers there and paid them for returning home. Former prime minister Julia Gillard, playing word games, insists her government did not make payments to people smugglers at sea. Just what the difference is remains...
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Australian PM Caught Paying Criminal Syndicates To Return Migrants Home
16Jun By superadminNo Comments
ART & ENTERTAINMENT

Australian PM Caught Paying Criminal Syndicates To Return Migrants Home

Prime Minister Tony Abbott dodged new questions on Sunday about whether Australian officials paid people smugglers thousands of dollars to return 65 asylum seekers to Indonesia, saying only that his government is "prepared to do what is necessary to keep the boats stopped". Mr Abbott was asked four direct questions about the claims in Canberra on Sunday, including whether Australian taxpayers had a right to know the government was funding a criminal syndicate. Both Abbott and Immigration Minister Peter Dutton would not comment on the operation. The questions come after the United Nations interviewed asylum seekers who allegedly witnessed the handover of money, prompting Abbott to be asked whether the Australian government would be launching an investigation into the claims. "Again I kee...
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