Hello Tiger

"Hi Bill!. How are you doing mate?"
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Tasmania Has Outdated Laws on Freedom of Speech

Tasmania has draconian old fashioned laws against freedom of speech. If a person wants to comment on the Internet about the upcoming state election he/she must leave address and name on the website. Digital Tasmania, Electronic Frontiers Australia, Civil Liberties Australia and the Australian Privacy Foundation have condemned the law. What is Facebook to do when it has a policy of keeping the identity of those who comment, private.

Many people like to talk about political issues without letting others know how they vote. This is to avoid harassment or potential damage to their careers because of public perception.

It seems most Tasmanians do not know of the law and are ignoring it anyway. Some political candidates are also making comments without giving their names. Tasmania's Electoral Commission says that people must abide by the law. Those making comments must leave their names in the "about me" spots on Facebook for example.

If anyone is brought to court over this matter the political party that wins the election will be thrown out at the next election for sure.
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Pup in Safe Paws

"I'll keep you safe, son."
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New Weapon to Fight Cane Toads

At last - a solution to Australia's can toad problem. Decades ago the pest was introduced from Hawaii to combat bugs that were attacking sugar cane, but instead of eating the target beetles the cane toads went about settling down here and have been destroying the native habitat ever since. Cane toads have recently reached Perth in Western Australia. Now they are established in every Australian state.

Everything has been tried to kill them from hitting them with sticks, gassing them with carbon dioxide, to freezing them. None of this has had any effect on their numbers. A way has now been found, however, of killing off the pests. Placing a few teaspoons of cat food next to ponds in the Northern Territory attracts meat eating ants. When the baby can toads appear from the pond they are eaten by the ants.

Most native creatures are affected by the poisonous toxin put out by can toads. Fortunately, the ants are fully resistant. All the toad eggs hatch at the same time, so if you activate the ants you win the battle. The ants kill 98 percent of baby toads in the first two minutes. Eighty percent of survivors die of inuries during the next day.

Already do-gooders are complaining, saying ants killing toads is inumane. One species killing another is as natural as it can get. What else can be done? Are we expected to give them a packed lunch and send them on they way?
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Great View Dog

"Wow! What a great view."
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Cane Toad Survives a Plane Flight Across the Country

Australian cane toads really get around, in most unlikely ways. A cane toad got into a golf shoe then survived a plane trip from Brisbane to Perth. It stayed in the shoe six days before being discovered by the shoe's owner.

Apparently, this is not unusual. The pests are very tough and resilient.

In the above case, quarantine authorities would not comment, though a spokesperson did try to make out that it was a tree frog. The owner of the shoe lived in Brisbane for many years and said it was definitely a cane toad.

It seems cane toads won't have to walk across the top of Australia (as they steadily are). Crossing the country is far easier by plane.

Cane toads are intelligent as well. It is known that if water is scarce they will follow a cow drawing moisture from cow pats until the cow eventually reaches a river or dam.
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Cat Needs Help

"Get me out of heeeeeeeeeere!"
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Bull Ants Feed at Twilight

Bull ants do not feed during all daylight hours. Observation has shown that they feed at twilight. When the sun is brighter for longer, for example in summer or there is no cloud cover, they forage for food later in the day. When the sun is darker, earlier, they search for food sooner in the day. It was believed that all insects fed according to circadian rhythms, but this does not seem to be the case.

Activity in the nest was affected by cloud cover. But outside activity that involves feeding occurs at twilight. Obviously, they are feeding during these short intervals to avoid predators. Most animals that eat ants would be inactive at twilight.

Tests were done at ANU in Canberra. Bull ants were put in containers where diffused light was altered. It was found they only fed when the light was set at a particularly low level. Evolution does take some winding paths. This shows though that evolution develops in a rational way.
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