Bend in the Weather

Often changelogs have important information on why a package was updated. Other times, they are just humorous:

tzdata (2009n-0ubuntu0.9.04.1) jaunty-proposed; urgency=low

* Add argentinas-dst-2009.diff: Disable DST switch for Argentina tomorrow,
as the Argentina government decided yesterday. Careful planning is boring.
Thanks to Margarita Manterola for the patch! (LP: #453165)

-- Martin Pitt Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:22:39 +0200

The Australian Federal government announced the $12.2 billion Household Stimulus Package in the wake of the Worldwide Financial Downturn.

Payments are to have commenced during March, and the Tax Bonus for Working Australians in April. As yet I don't know anyone who has received them?

These payments are made up of:

• A Tax Bonus for Working Australians of up to $900 for eligible taxpayers, depending on income thresholds.
• A Single-Income Family Bonus of $900 to provide additional assistance for families that have one main income earner and may otherwise receive less assistance from the package than dual income families with similar household income.
• A Farmer's Hardship Bonus of $950 which will be paid to farmers and others receiving Exceptional Circumstances related income support.
• A Training and Learning Bonus of $950 to assist students, those returning to study or training, and some income support recipients.
• A Back to School Bonus of $950 per child to assist low- and middle-income families eligible for Family Tax Benefit A with school-age children.

Whether you are for or against them... they are coming.

Has anyone out there received their 'Bonus'?
From all reports they are to be staggered out... yet I don't know an individual yet that has received them.

Would be happy to hear from someone that has got that 'cheque in the mail' so to speak.

(Content removed)

Those after the blacklist may find it at either Wikileaks or google for the list.

I'm perplexed why Australian's have got so swept up in the US Presidency (it's not like a change of government there in the past 30 years has changed much of the Australian-US foreign policy).

In a little over 11 hours, President-elect Barack Obama will be sworn in as their 44^th president. Yeah sure he's the first 'black' man.
I wonder if it will be like Rudd term we're seeing... all hype for 6 months, and the it's just status-quo; no real difference to any other elected president/prime-minister. Many broken promises, red-tape holding up change and the usual BS that goes with politics.

Australia needed a change (Howard had run his term.. and fresh blood was required), though I'm unsure if Kevin was a 'sweeping change' many were claiming. I suspect Obama will be the same. He might take the troops out of some of the war zones raging, but beyond that I can't see a major change in foriegn policy from the US, particularly as they are in a recession and likely to be facing a depression.

I'm expecting the usual over-the-top fanfare like only the US can do tomorrow. Our TVs will be full of it tonight and tomorrow.
For me, I'm not so much interested in all the fanfare, party hats, and balloons... but how he stacks up in a years time.

Really I'll miss Bush. I suspect many news reporters and anchors will as well. So much entertainment from the most 'powerful' person of the Western world. His Bush-isms will last a lot longer than any of his disastrous policy decisions. Comedy writers could not of improved the speeches he delivered!

At least he brought a smile to our faces, a quick chuckle at his expense, and a realisation that any fool with enough cash can run a country.

Just so you can remember how long we've had them and what some of them are... take a read through the Bush-isms. So what are your favourite Bush-isms?