Highspeed Internet for Oz
The Australian government is planning on creating a national high speed broadband network at a cost of $43 billion dollars. One of the biggest Internet upgrades world wide. The 8 year project should create 37,000 jobs and give a lift to the slumping economy. This announcement surprised private firms bidding to build a less advanced system for about $10 billion dollars. Firms included Optus of Singapore and Axia NetMedia of Canada.
The hi tech network will deliver speeds of up to 100 megabits per second for 90% of Australia. The government plans to become the world leader by investing in it’s Internet infrastructure. Analysts are skeptical that such actions will produce the much needed economic stimulus required as other G5 nations are pursuing a less aggressive infrastructure upgrade. Only time will tell if Rudd is choosing the right path. NYT
Another interesting topic raised is television. With a faster Internet connection many may choose to download their favorite episodes rather than watching them live costing broadcasters vital advertising revenues. Perhaps this paradigm shift will cause the boost of one media while causing the fall of another. (news.com.au)
Jonathan Pease says he’s not dating jailbait
He’s recent dating history points to an keen eye for young beauties, but Australia’s Next Top Model style director Jonathan Pease has denied he is dating a high school student.
Pease has been controversially linked to Killara High student Hilary Hannigan, an 18-year-old actress he met on the Sydney party scene last month.
While the pair happily posed together at the David Jones Summer Collection Launch two weeks ago, Pease was quick to dismiss any suggestion of romance when Confidential contacted him yesterday. (news)
Students suspended over pet deaths
4 students have been suspended over the slaughter of pets at a regional Victorian high school.
A teacher at Bellarine Secondary College in Drysdale, near Geelong, arrived at the school on Sunday to find three of its agriculture and horticulture program animals butchered.
One of the animals, a pregnant rabbit, belonged to a teacher and the other two were guinea pigs.
It has been reported that a group of teenagers with torches and dogs were seen in the vicinity of the school, near Geelong, on Saturday night. (news)
Robert Ian Drummond goes free, to make more upskirt videos
A former schoolteacher convicted of using a hidden camera to film up the skirts of schoolgirls has walked free from court today.
Robert Ian Drummond, 42, a former teacher at Cromer High School on Sydney’s northern beaches, was convicted last month of producing and possessing pornography.
In Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court today, Magistrate Julie Huber sentenced Drummond to a suspended four-month jail term and a three-year good behaviour bond.
Drummond was charged after a 14-year-old girl noticed him filming up her skirt with a video camera concealed inside a bag placed at her feet in Warringah Mall in May last year. (news)
YouTube fight to be investigated
2 high school students have been filmed having a vicious fight and the footage posted on the internet.
The brawl involves one student wearing a Palmerston High School uniform fighting another bare-chested student, the Northern Territory News reported.
The fight is watched by a group of about 30 classmates cheering the combatants on.
Many of the crowd are also wearing the Palmerston uniform and several students can be seen filming the fight with their mobile phones.
Footage of the fight was posted on international video-sharing website YouTube under the title “St Johns VS Palmo”. (news)
