Bottom of the News… Friday, August 14, 2009

Good morning my fellow Rotarians. Well, my trip down under to Australia was awesome! Great conference, great learnings, lots of food and very cool sight seeing throughout the Sydney area. My favorites were the two tours of the Sydney Harbour, including the great Opera House, one tour by boat at night and the other in a small private airplane. And since I’m a big photo bug, check out my Facebook page where I have tons of cools shots.

Okay, on to the news. Every morning during my trip to the corner Starbucks I would keep my eyes and ears open to “unique” Aussie news, so here’s my report from down under…

SYDNEY, Aus - I learned about an ongoing scam that continues to baffle Australia Police because they cannot recommend a prosecution. Here’s how the scam works… A company takes out a newspaper ad selling cheap imported hard core porno videos. People send in orders and pay by check.

After several weeks, the company writes back to the buyers explaining that under the present
Australian law they cannot supply the materials and do not wish to be prosecuted. So they return their customers' money in the form of their company check. Most people however, do not take those checks to their bank due to the company name… “The Sex and Fetish Perversion Company." Hmmmm, is that the perfect scam???

PERTH, Aus – A lady in Perth sued the state lottery for mental distress. Helen de Cier said she suffered mental distress when her neighbors won the lottery and she did not. Prize winners are chosen by postal code and de Gier would have shared in the $22.2 million if she had bought a $13 dollar-50 ticket (as the Aussies say it) along with her seven neighbors on her block.

de Grier accused the organizers of "emotional blackmail" and demanded compensation, but the court said she LOST and the judgment said that lottery organizers could not be held responsible for those who fail to buy a bloody ticket and then later regret it.

BRISBANE, Aus - Australian doctors plugged a poisoned Italian tourist into a vodka drip after their medicinal alcohol ran out (Hmmm, sounds like health care rationing???). Doctors contend they needed to take such a drastic measure to save his life.

Why? Well, for some unknown reason, the 24-year-old Italian patient had ingested a huge quantity of antifreeze, but when such things happen (I wonder how frequent this might be???), pure alcohol is given to inhibit the toxic effects of the antifreeze ingredients.

Apparently, supply delivery is slow in Australia because the patient was on the straight vodka drip at a rate of three standard drinks per hour AND this occurred continuously for 72 hours in the intensive care unit. The patient made a successful recovery and was quoted as saying he was very pleased with the treatment and care he had received in the Australian hospital. I bet, but I wonder if they charged him by the drink?

Well, no worries mates, that is the Bottom of the News on this Friday, August 14, 2009! ###