Andrew Aigner-Muehler

Adelaide, South Australia, AUSTRALIA


Joined July 18th 2007

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Live Life like there isn't tomorrow. Life is no dress rehearsal.

Andrew Aigner-Muehler
Andrew Aigner-Muehler
D.O.B- 25th October 1973
Place of birth- Adelaide, South Australia

Graduated from Hove College in East Sussex UK, majoring in public relations, marketing, advertising. Also studied journalism and taking part in the college newsletter.

Worked on the news team at 93.7 Triple M (now radio 3D)

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Another weekend, another road trip, and this time it is back to Beijing, again. This weekend had a purpose. The purpose was to visit the Great Wall in its original condition. Again I travelled to Beijing with a friend who also wanted to visit the same section.

We arrived at the Dongzhimen Long Distance bus station around 8:00am to catch bus number 980 to Simatai part of the wall.

The bus that takes you half way for 15rmb drops you off half way at a bus stop that has no connecting bus to the wall. You need to barter a taxi the other 65 kilometres. There are half a dozen taxi drivers waiting for the many tourists that get of this bus. The taxi’s do start at 240rmb, but do not settle for that price, especially when around Dongzhimen bus station you can jump into a taxi for 150rmb for a return trip.

Simatai part of the Great Wall
Simatai part of the Great Wall


This day, we were lucky, my friend and I met up with 6 other foreigners who were going to the same part of the wall, which half of the group speaking really good Chinese. After an hour and a half and walking half way down the street we managed to get a taxi to take the eight of us to Simatai for 80 rmb. At the time we thought we were being ripped off, but after the taxi trip, we now know we got an absolute bargain, we should have really paid 150 rmb or something like it.

Simatai part of the Great Wall
The chair lift up.


Once at the Great Wall it will cost 40 rmb to get in, just to walk up to the Great Wall. I suggest you pay an extra 30 rmb and take the chair lift up, for a good view, and save your energy, and then walk back down.

Once you get of the chair lift, a good pair of walking or hiking boots would come in handy, at places it is quite rough and steep. You will also pass many hawkers trying to sell you hand fans and t-shirts. Shortly after, you will be on top of the Great Wall. You will take in the fantastic views of the Wall winding it self throughout the hills, every time you take a foot step.

Simatai part of the Great Wall
Simatai part of the Great Wall


I suggest walking to the right first and then walk to the left as the exit down is on the far left near tower two. You will reach the Wall at tower 6. To the right you can only walk so far as you will come to an end and if you go any further, you are at risk at paying a 200 rmb fine for entering a prohibited area. It is very tempting to jump this fence and go further as the Wall climbs a steep peak, that looks safe to walk, but you are being watched by many security guards who are quick to jump up once you break the rules.

The walk down is even better, walking alongside the lake. If you like, you can take the flying fox down.

Simatai part of the Great Wall
The walk down from the Wall.


Once at the bottom, you will have the same trouble as getting to the Simatai part of the wall and that is getting a taxi back. Going back we were able to barter a taxi down to 160 rmb which took us back to the terminus to catch the 980 bus back to Dongzhimen.

You will need a full day a Simatai, including the time getting there and back. You will spend 3 to 4 hours travelling to and from the wall, and around the same time there.

Beware! Food and drink are quite pricey at the wall; expect to pay three times the amount unless you buy before you go.

I would have to say it is way better than the wall at Shanhaiguan that I have already seen, but again you need to see where the wall starts or meets the sea.

Simatai part of the Great Wall
Simatai part of the Great Wall

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This must be the best job in the world, when someone like myself can take so many weekend trips away to parts of China, just last week I was able to pop down to Xian, Luoyang and Zhengzhou and now this weekend popping back to Datong for four days to see what I misses out the last time.

On the Thursday, a friend and myself left Chengde on train service K7712 at 1330pm to Beijing (hard seat - 41rmb). We arrived into Beijing at 1748pm and spent the few hours in the evening walking around before catching the train to Datong.

The train to Datong which is service number 1133 leaves Beijing West station at 2303pm and arrives into Datong at 0520am the following morning (hard sleeper – 102rmb).

As I was with a friend who hadn’t travelled to Datong before, and I had. I was willing to return back to some of the tourist attractions that I already had visited on a previous visit. If I was not a good friend, as well as, if it was a place that I did not like the previous visit, I would not have done it.

We did the same route or timetable that I mentioned on my previous trip to Datong, with going to the Hanging Temple at 6am Friday morning, then followed by going to the Yuncang caves in the afternoon.

On this visit, I noticed a lot of changes happening with both of the attractions, this time the lake/ river in front of the Hanging Temple was bone dry due to building work happening a little further up from the temple, and the builders needing the river/ lake as a road. This ruined a perfect picture for any tourist. Also with the Yuncang Caves all the shops and buildings in front of the caves were knocked down leaving rubble and mountains of dirt. The nice grassed area outside of the Caves was also gone. So many changes in less than a month.

Wooden Pagoda -Yingxian
Wooden Pagoda -Yingxian


The following day, we headed out to Yingxian to visit the Wooden Pagoda. The best way to get to the Wooden Pagoda according to the English speaking guys in CITS is too take the local bus, bus number 30 to the terminus from the railway station, it will cost you 1rmb. Bus number 30 will also take around 45 minutes to reach that terminus.
Once at the terminus, the bus will stop by the gate, walk down the back towards the office and/or waiting room and buy your tickets for the public bus, it will cost you 20rmb to Yingxian.

Wooden Pagoda -Yingxian
Wooden Pagoda -Yingxian


The bus to Yingxian will take 2 to 2 and half hours.

The bus is also quite slow as every half an hour or so, it will stop at some checkpoint for a check, you will have something like 6 checks.

When you reach Yingxian, the Wooden Pagoda stands out from the main road entering Yingxian, so does the long distance bus station. You will not get lost.

In reading books, a lot of books will say Yingxian is a small village, really it is a small town but quite big. On the other hand the city does look like a small village with all the traditional buildings. Down by the Pagoda, you will agree with me, if you go there, that down by the Wooden Pagoda in Yingxian it is quite attractive and beautiful.

The view of the surrounding street around the Wooden Pagoda
The view of the surrounding street around the Wooden Pagoda


When you walk out of the long distance bus station turn left and walk almost a kilometer, once you walk this much keep a look out on the left hand side, down a street, you will see it.

The Wooden Pagoda will cost you 60rmb to get in.

The Pagoda is set in a garden which is cemented with a lot of flowers.

You can walk up to the third level of the Pagoda but not any further. The stairs are quite steep and still in its original condition. What I could see the Pagoda has never been restored, the beams are rotting away, the signs on the third floor are faded and never been touched up.

The third floor of the Wooden Pagoda
The third floor of the Wooden Pagoda


It is interesting to see how the beams were locked in.

Inside the Wooden Pagoda
The interlocking rotting beams, Inside the Wooden Pagoda


On the ground floor you have a giant Buddha statue that you can walk around and view from the front and back, though you can not take photos of it, but people do.

The Giant Buddha inside the Wooden Pagoda
The Giant Buddha inside the Wooden Pagoda


Out the back you have a few temples that you if you practice the Buddha religion, you can say a prayer.

Inside one of the temples set away from the Wooden Pagoda
Inside one of the temples set away from the Wooden Pagoda


You will not spend more than 45 minutes here. Yeah! It is a long way to go for 45 minutes but it is a place to see in China. It is the best Pagoda to see.

Outside of the Wooden Pagoda
Outside of the Wooden Pagoda


On leaving the Wooden Pagoda take 15 minutes or so to look at the architecture down the main streets adjacent to the Pagoda, as mentioned already it is really attractive.

The view of the surrounding street around the Wooden Pagoda
The view of the surrounding street around the Wooden Pagoda


We managed to leave at 1pm on the bus back to Datong, which took again 2 and half hours to get back, because of the distances you need probably a day to do this unless you can do a deal with a taxi. We were given an offer that was for 280 yuan, to leave the station at 8:30am and head down to the Wooden Pagoda at Yingxian, spend 45 minutes there after a one and a half hour taxi ride, and then head out to the Great Wall which is between Datong and Hohhot, take a walk in the mountains and a walk on the wall, in parts where it is crumbling and then a taxi back into Datong. We both regretted we did not do this. I strongly agree you do this.

The next morning we left Datong at 0833am on train service number K616 and got back to Beijing West station around 1415pm in a hard seat costing 54rmb.

Before I end another chapter of my travelling, I have still have to say that nothing changes my view on this city, yeah the outskirts may be dirty and run down, but the city is still hustling and the people here are still way more polite and friendly than anywhere else I have so far visited.

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Another long weekend gone by which meant another short break away. This time I headed off to Xian, Luoyang and Zhengzhou for a quick 72 hour road trip to see what I want to see.

On the Friday afternoon, I hadn’t my normal classes, so I was fortunate to hop on the 13:30pm train from Chengde to Beijing (service number K7712 costing 41rmb for a hard seat) before making my way to Beijing West station to take train number T43 to Xian at 21:36pm (costing 256rmb for a hard sleeper). This train arrived into Xian just minutes before 9am. From there, I walked out the station and to my left where all the long distance buses congregate, where bus number 306, of which is a coach takes you to the Terracotta Army. It will take around one hour by coach as it drops off a few people along the way at the Hot Springs. The coach cost 7rmb each way.

Once at the Terracotta Army, you may need to go to the toilet, wait until you are inside the gates as the toilet outside will charge you for using a dirty toilet.

Vault/ Pit 1..Terracotta Army
Front of the building of Vault/ Pit 1..Terracotta Army


On the way to the ticket booth, as well as past the entry gate, you will be greeted by many apparent English tour guides wanting to show you around. You can purchase English audio from the ticket booth, but if you like me, and you rather read than listen, and do it at your own pace, you just then buy the admission ticket. The Terracotta Army will set you back 90rmb.

One you walk through the gates, you then have a 10 or 15 minute walk to the vaults/ pits or site.

Inside Vault / Pit one...Terracotta Army
Inside Vault / Pit one...Terracotta Army


Once at the site, the building to your right, the exhibition hall, will only let you in once, but the rest of the buildings you can re-enter when you want.

Pit one to your left as you approach the buildings (opposite side to the exhibition hall) is what most people go there to see, but toward the back of the hall at Pit one, they are still working.

Pits two and three also still have excavation work going on, but they are not as good as Pit one.

Really, to be honest, when you go there, you need to have an open mind; it was nothing like I thought it was going to be like. Firstly, I did not expect the pits to be under modern roofs or sheds. Thought it was still impressive and you need to go.

After the Terracotta Army, I headed back into town, and boarded a local bus (one Yuan) to head down to the Big Goose Pagoda, Small Goose Pagoda and Bell Tower. I do not know how they get people to go into the Big Goose Pagoda as it is a very unattractive building from the outside, the only good thing down there was the fountain display.
Really, I am not going to say much about Xian as it is a very over rated city which is full of pollution, has not got the places to eat ie the outdoor barbecues that all the other cities have and noticeable gangs on the streets. I was not even in the city of Xian for 30 minutes walking around before witnessing a gang running and chasing a man on a bike, pulling him of the bike and forcing him into a van, with many on lookers looking on. Not a site you want to see as a tourist.

Xian
Just out the front of Xian railway station looking down the street


I honestly do not know why foreign students want to go and study in Xian.

That night I boarded the train T198 from Xian to Luoyang at 00:28am costing 101rmb for a hard sleeper. The train gets in around 5:30 in the morning where you exit the station, walk to you the left of the concourse and board local bus number 81 for 1.5rmb which takes you to the Longmen Caves. You do not have to worry about where to get off as the start of the route is the train station and the terminus is at the Caves, but expect a long walk to the gates past many stalls.

There is nothing else to see in Luoyang but the Longmen Caves, so if you are on a tight schedule, I suggest arriving by train into Luoyang, then visit the caves and head straight out again. A perfect stop over city on route to Xian or Zhengzhou.

Longmen Caves
Outside the main gates of the Longmen Caves at around 6:30am in the morning


While I was at the Longmen Caves the stalls were not open.

You will arrive at the gate some 30 minutes before the gates open. Where you can take a sit on the bench and watch the many anglers with their rods trying to fish. The Longmen caves are set in a bit of a valley on either side of the river and the early morning fog or smog.

The Longmen Caves will set you back 120 Yuan. They do accept union pay cards, but make sure you have cash on you, as I could not see a ATM.

Longmen Caves
Longmen Caves


Honestly, if you have been to Yuncang Caves in Datong or are planning too, do not worry about Longmen Caves. Yes! There are more caves, but the detail is not as good, and most of the Buddha’s heads are missing. It just is not as well preserved as the Yuncang caves.

Longmen Caves
Longmen Caves


At the Longmen Caves, expect a lot of walking up and down the side of the mountain, as it is the only way to view the caves.

Longmen Caves
Longmen Caves


The best time to view the caves would be at 7am when the gates open, as there is no one around but you.

There are a few caves on the other side of the river, which I could not see, as I did not know how to get in. The only negative about doing it early, there are no staff showing you the way.

To sum up the Longmen caves, to me they were not worth the money; I would rather pay 120rmb at the Yuncang Caves instead of the 60rmb. On the other hand, the scenery and the surroundings at the Longmen caves is much better than at Yuncang.

From the Longmen caves, I headed back into the city of Luoyang where I jumped on a long distance bus to Zhengzhou which cost 40rmb for a 3 hour bus trip. From Luoyang, you can buy a seated ticket on the train, so I suggest pay the extra 20 rmb and go by bus.

By lunchtime, you should have made it into Zhengzhou. You will be dropped of at a long distance bus station somewhere in Zhengzhou, but just in front of the bus you get of will be a bus taking you into the train station.

If you walk to the train station, face it and then turn around, walk to you left diagonally and there will be bus number 16 that takes you to Yellow River Park for 5rmb in each direction. This bus is full all the way for the 45 minute or so journey. If you do not get a seat on the bus the first time, wait until the second bus.

Yellow River Park
Yellow River Park


The park closes at 6pm, so I suggest as soon as you get into Zhengzhou, board the bus to Yellow River Park, to see everything here you need probably 6 hours. DO NOT READ ANY BOOKS ABOUT THIS PLACE. I WARN YOU. I am travelling with Rough Guides, and almost did not go. I only went there to chew up time, and am I glad I went now. The park was the highlight of the three cities that I went too.

Yellow River Park
Yellow River Park


Yellow River Park will cost 30 rmb to get in. You can pay an extra 20 rmb for a ride on one of those golf caddies if you are lazy and do not feel like the walk up there. There is a lot of walking up and down the mountains to check out different views of the river, also to check out temples that sit at the top of the peaks. Some of the trails are quite steep to climb. All the trails are stepped and cemented though. Definitely have a bottle of water on you. You can walk down to the river and relax on the river bank and even have a picnic down there. After visiting the park, I am now looking forward to travelling south China. I now have the insight of what China can look like when it is green.

Yellow River Park
Yellow River Park


Yellow River Park
Yellow River Park


If you have time and a normal weekend free head down to Zhengzhou and go to Yellow River Park. Tickets to Zhengzhou to and from Beijing are very hard to get, I warn you. I tried to get tickets over a two month period. They sell out very quickly. With Zhengzhou, there is not much to visit there, though there is a lot of hustle and bustle around the city with heaps of shops and cheap markets. Good for any girl who likes to shop. When walking around the main part of the city in front of the train station beware of turning buses turning behind buses.

Railway station square, Zhengzhou at night
Railway station square, Zhengzhou at night


Try the food in Zhengzhou as well, there are so many choices of places to eat especially down the alley ways or even set up in many of the shops. The street to the right of the station, if you have your back to the station, is lined with food stalls on the pavement.

A ticket back to Beijing from Zhengzhou leaving at 22:16pm in the evening will cost you 167rmb for a hard sleeper.

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Another long weekend in China, meaning an extra long weekend for myself, which meant a weekend away to Datong.

Well, what do I say about this city


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The past couple of weeks, it has really sunk into me, you really need to know your school before you teach there. By this I mean, at least have a few conversations by email or instant messenger before you actually arrive, because when the times get tough, there is not anything to fall back on, and the times get tougher.

While teaching in China, you will notice at a young the Chinese are full of energy, they are so keen to learn, but as they reach their teenage years, they lose that energy, they become shy and they lose their confidence


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Travel - Where do I begin?

April 25th 2009 05:40
Where do you want to go? How long for? How you going? Why you going? Are all questions that you have to think off when planning to travel. Once this is decided don’t just jump into the first package or airfare you see. I suggest stay away from travel agents. Travel agents are dead. They will charge you their commission firstly, and then most travel agents are just going to book your airfare and hotels from the web anyway. I have seen it in China, once you go through a travel agent in person or on the web they up the price or for example in China they say prices in U.S dollars which is the same numeral value as in Chinese Yuan, so you are actually paying 6 or 7 times the value what you will pay if you bought in China at the tourist attraction/ hotel or train etc. So, I suggest plan and book yourself through websites, booking direct. It will save you so much time. This way if you do have any special requirements ie disabilities or eating for example you can speak to the company direct. Travel agents will never pass on 100% of the information. Again, when booking do not take the first price you see, start searching 6 to 12 months before you go. These websites will start with cheap airfares or accommodation from 6 to 12 months before departure; this will save you hundreds or maybe thousands of dollars. A lot of these websites have happy hours each day, and then have special periods each month. Once you know, you have found an airfare or accommodation at a price that you can not beat, and then take it. But, you got to do your research. Booking over the web will again save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars than going to a travel agent. Once your flight is booked, and your accommodation is booked around the days that you want to spend in a place, you can then concentrate on the smaller things like the trip checklist below. With tours, again you need to do research, ask around to people who have traveled there, for example buying a tour in the U.K for the U.K will be more expensive than buying in Australia for the U.K, but then buying a tour in Australia or U.S.A for China is way way way more expensive than buying in China for China. You also need to find out if the tour goes to where you want to go, it may also only make a short quick stop there, sometimes it is better to plan a tour yourself and go by your self or friends/ family and just do one day tours. One more thing to add on accommodation, if traveling by yourself or with just a partner or friend, I suggest do not stay in hotel, it is a waste of money. How much time really are you going to be in that hotel, you are not going to spend all day in it and at night time you are sleep, so you do not care. If you are spending the days inside of your hotel room, then you may as well stay at home. Hostels are the next big thing. Most hostels these days are becoming like hotels at quarter the price for a double room with an ensuite and TV, and also you are able to meet other tourist quite easily. To me, Hostels are a better option than Hotels. One thing you do have to think off as well, when overseas your travel plans change, you hear or see things that you did not know off before you left. Me personally, when I travel overseas or to a destination, I just buy by airfare or transport there and the first stops accommodation, so at least you have accommodation for the first night or two, and take it from there after you speak to people who are in that country or region, but everyone is different.

At the Airport
At the Airport. No turning back. Your luggage is on the plane. You are about to go on a adventure or dream holiday of a lifetime.

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When will the people of Australia ever learn and not to listen to the rubbish that the Liberal party of Australia dribble out of their mouths.

After the Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey said on Thursday to reporters in Sydney that the "Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will never deliver a surplus budget and 300,000 workers will lose their jobs under Labor


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Chapter 17 - Forbidden City

April 21st 2009 12:35
This weekends plan was to head down to Zhengzhou for a day trip to see the Longmen Caves and Song Shan, but due to unexpected changes I did not go. Instead of wasting a weekend I chose to spend the day with in the Forbidden City, just one of the things that I wanted to see in China mostly.

But firstly, this weekend I learned a lesson, and that lesson was to pre-book my train tickets. From Beijing, there are trains every hour from Zhengzhou, but they are totally full. The trains leave from Beijing West which is around a 20 minute walk from the Military Museum stop on the subway line


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Another weekend has just gone by, and I have just taken another weekend trip. This time too Harbin.
I was lucky enough to have a five day break from my teaching duties. The students had exams on the Thursday and Friday, meaning that I had no classes for those two days. Already, I have a three day break, and for the living life of me, I was not going to sit around Chengde for five days and be bored. So, I jumped on the train at 06:53 am Thursday morning to Shenyang costing 110 rmb for a hard sleeper. Most of this journey, I did lie down, as I have seen this part of the country before, as I have already traveled it twice.

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25
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Is GOALwen going home?

April 6th 2009 05:28
After Newcastle Uniteds two nil loss to Chelsea on the weekend, it all but seems like the Geordies will be a Championship team next year.

The Geordies are currently sitting third from the bottom in the Premiership, and are four points from the safety position


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Recent Comments

Honestly, I can not tell you. I will only say what I see and hear. Since, being here I have not seen a protest, as you can see on travellers journey.com I travel a lot on my weekends off, as I have three sometimes four or five day weekends. Only thing you hear about land is the land from Qinghai to Tibet, when they built the railway, they had to disturb as least amount of land as possible, to keep it like nature. With CCTV I think it is state run, but they cover a lot of issues for atleast a week that are currently going on ie Tibet, global recession, the stimulus package here, coca- cola buy out of a drink company, the Rio steel deal with special guest from America and Australia in a bit of a debate. but again, it is nothing unusual, every country has its problems, like the ex-Australian government would not apologise to stolen Aboriginal families, and now this government has. The ex-government along with Hanson were totally racist against the Asians, apart of the reason they tightened up the Asylum laws. South Africa was the same in the apartied days with black and whites and land and all that. You basically learn when you travel to keep out of other countries business. every country has faults.

I watch CCTV9 a lot over here which the English channel of the Chinese station CCTV, and all we hear about is how the economy is growing. The Premier and the President are always overseas dealing with countries, they sign so many trade deals with up and coming nations in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. You do not hear anything about a government being over thrown. there are so many new estates, roads, high buildings and other infrastructure being built as well here. They are in the middle of a 50 billion dollar river diversion scheme over here as well because of the lack of waters in some areas, something that Australia should have done 10 years ago. If you read the press at the moment, they are looking at a 7 percent growth at the moment for later this year, which is way more than any other country. To tell the truth this country is the best place to be while other countries are going through the global recession, there are a lot of jobs here especially teaching, and the money and benefits are so good. I am so surprised the Rudd has not done a deal with a company over here in sending people over who are unemployed and have no committments ie family in Australia. It will solve a unemployment problem in Australia, plus we have to claim our earnings with the Australian tax department of which they may get tax moeny out of it. Why not give people a incentive to teach in china for 8 months. The need is there.

Cheers for the comments, please be free to add that clip here. Keating to me was one of Australias best Prime Ministers, but I think Kevin Rudd outdoes him, Rudd was my local MP in Brisbane before making the move back to Adelaide, he really does care about the people and he is so down to earth. Good luck in finding a job, I say it wont be too far off, this recession will not last as long as our last one. Australia is so much in a better position, especially with Ruddy working with the Chinese closely, something that Howard did not do. The Chinese love Ruddy. China, I can see now will be the next powerhouse not the USA or the European Union. You just hear so much good stuff over here. I currently live in China, and I will stay here until the economy gets better, as my job is safe, as the need for teachers over here is so strong.

What makes me laugh about the opposition is they are still in the days off Howard and Costello. They will not move forward. Costello is just sitting there waiting to make a challenge closer to the election, so he by-passes all this bickering and fighting.
They are also thinking they are in power by knocking everything that Rudd comes up with to re-build Australia.
Yes! I can see Labor Rudd government will leave the first term with a slight deficit, but they need to, they just have so much to re-built and spend on infrastructure it is not funny. The Howard dynasty if you want to call it that, really stuffed up the country, and they are taking the credit what Paul Keating did for the country, but he did not have enough time to see the results, and they admitted that at the start, but they take it on as their own work.

It was the opposite in Australia, they called it a Ruddslide to the Labor party over the Liberal Party, mainly due to workplace relation laws, which made it so easy for businesses to sack people, and put them on a non-reward wage under the old government. Rudd is halfway through his term now, luckily for him, Australia's economy is ina good shape, and the stimulus packages he has brought in will only just kick the economy into gear. Hopefully, the Australian public see this. The ex-government like in the USA totally stuffed up the country here, you have no idea, and the worst thing is, John Howard our ex-PM was in bed with George W Bush as you probably know.

Yes! for sure. I feel sorry for those three leaders who have just came into power within the past year or so, Brown of the UK, Rudd of Australia and Obama from the USA, these are all good leaders who have the ability to become the best leaders that thier countries have ever had but because of their predecessors, besides Blair of the UK which caused the recession, these newly leaders will suffer and probably only be in term once, they probably wont get re-elected. All we can just hope that the people of their countries have a brain and can see how good they are.

Comment by Andrew Aigner-Muehler
on Jerry Seinfeld Returning To TV

February 27th 2009 14:51
I don't think anything else he does, will ever beat what he acheived with Seinfeld. Seinfeld is one of the best comedies ever, up their with Friends. His new sitcom, may take away from Seinfeld. It may be a flop, affecting his recidual income with Seinfeld sales.

Comment by Andrew Aigner-Muehler
on Does Heath Really Deserve an Oscar?

February 27th 2009 14:45
Yeah! I totally agree. Heath Ledger was a great actor. I have seen a few of his roles, but I honestly think, if he was still with us today, that he would not have won the oscar. I think he won it on sympathy.

Comment by Andrew Aigner-Muehler
on Why They Should Dump The WBC

February 26th 2009 14:19
Hey Mark.
Good story, but you have to think as well. What is more important these days your country or your club? I know your club pays you the big bucks, but still, when you are young you will do anything to play for your country.
As well, the sport needs a higher profile competition, as you said, the olympic competition, professionals are not allowed to play, the world championships, again, the professionals are not allowed to play. If you look at basketball, the professionals are allowed to play, what is the difference between basketball and baseball. The world baseball classic is the only way, to see who is the best country. The birth of baseball started with the Americans, but in recent years, baseball has belonged to the Cubans and the Japanese. All the major league has to do, who have owner rights to the competition is to bring in a rule, if your chosen and you dont play, they are suspended from the major league. When you look at it, it is mainly the U.S.A team who does not field their best team, and the U.S.A have to stand up and realise the major league competition is no longer the elite competition. The major league has to also get away for calling the major league winners the world champions, because they are not the world champions, they are not even the club world champions. I also know the Cubans do not field the professionals, and it is not because they dont want to play, it is political.
What the major league has to do is to take a leaf out of the English Premier League. Those players will do anything to represent their country. They play so many different competitions per week or fortnight.
I think the FA and FIFA have done it right.
So, I think world baseball classic should stay or dump the competition along with the world championships and have a baseball world cup, and keep the baseball like football in the olympics for under 25s.
Good story though. A story for debate.

Hi there!
I value your comment. But, have you actually worked for him yourself? If you have, you have the right to say things like that, but please say why? If you have not, I suggest you keep comments like that to yourself. Yes, I have read the comments on google, but it is only from the one person. How do you know this lady, was not a right bitch. She might be a lady complaining about everything. You did not hear Michaels side, on it. When there is a personality clash, one side will do everything possible to destroy that other person. It is the same thing what happened with me and Kelley, I wrote bad things about her in my last book or blog, because I had a bad experience, but other people, may have had good experiences with her.
Back on Michael, there are still teachers with him now, which were with him during that incident, they did not leave A.I.T.A, they could have easily got another teaching job, there are so many opportunities and vacancies over here, but they stuck with him.
Again, I have known Michael for 3 years, he has never shown any bad signs towards me. He has spoken to me politely. He went out of his way to get me a teaching position here with in a month, at short notice.
Until, sometimes bad happens like that to me, or you, or to any one else. I think we should keep our opinions to ourselves.
We do not really know the full story. You are only going by, what you read on line. One persons comments. Who was a Australian. As we all know Australians are loud mouth whinging complaining pricks who will make life hard for anyone. Why do you think, I have not spent much time there in the past years. I am so sick of the shallowness of Australians.