Cousins' mate in court over ecstasy haul

A long-time friend of fallen AFL star Ben Cousins has appeared in a Sydney court over the seizure of 45kg of ecstasy in Perth.

The haul is believed to be the biggest of its kind in West Australian history.

Fabian Quaid, 31, on Thursday faced Central Local Court charged with trafficking in a commercial quantity of a controlled drug.

Quaid, arrested on Wednesday at his home in Sydney's northern beaches, was the fourth man charged over an international drug syndicate.

The former taekwondo expert is an old friend of disgraced former West Coast star Cousins.

Cousins reportedly laid low at Quaid's Manly apartment following an alleged cocaine binge in Los Angeles last year that landed him in an LA hospital.

On Monday, police arrested three members of the alleged drug ring in Perth, after last month seizing the 45kg of MDMA (commonly known as ecstasy) from a house in the suburb of Lockridge.

The MDMA powder had been replaced with another substance without the alleged drug syndicate members' knowledge.

It could have been used to make at least 150,000 ecstasy pills worth $4.7 million, Australian Federal Police estimated.

A 58-year-old Sydney man and a 31-year-old Melbourne man have been charged with importing and attempting to possess a commercial quantity of MDMA.

A 39-year-old man from Queensland has been charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of MDMA.

The three appeared in Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday and were remanded in custody.

In a brief hearing on Thursday, Quaid did not apply for bail and it was formally refused.

He was remanded in custody until June 6 when he will appear at the same court via audio-visual link.

ninemsn 22 May 2008

Tel$tra - Smiling as we rip you off !!

When one is a Monopoly one makes up prices as one goes along.

In the ususal manner, a study is undertaken, as to assertain the pain threshold that people are willing to accept for a particluar service

Another way to decide a price is to go the pub with ones Executive Board Members, get sloshed, make up a figure and multiply it by ones Tax File Number. Naturally this 'meeting' is usually Tax Deductable.

One such service offered by Telstra, is that of Overseas Telephone Calls. There is no better way to find out the cost of such a service than from a person in the know.
To connect overseas Telstra pays $0.05, and passes on this saving to the consumer at a cost of $2.00. This equates to a 40 x markup !!!

Corporate Terrorism?? Profiteering?? Definitely not !! Just looking after the customer so that their pockets been laden with unnecessary change !!

Petrol prices 'worry families more than rates'

Higher petrol and food prices are having a bigger impact on households than interest rate hikes, a new survey has found.

Borrowers and non-borrowers also believe their financial situation has worsened during the past year.

Petrol prices in Australia already have soared above $1.60 a litre in some cities as oil prices continue to surge on world markets — and analysts predicts that price will probably hit $1.90 a litre over the next eight weeks.

The survey, part of the latest Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia/Bankwest Home Finance Index, asked respondents to rate how the cost of food and fuel and rising interest rates were impacting on household finances.

Interest rates (3 out of 5) were ranked lower than both food and fuel (3.5 out of 5).

Prime minister Kevin Rudd today said there is no silver bullet to bring down the price of petrol and that the government has done all it can to help the family budget.

ANZ Head of Commodities Research Mark Pervan told ninemsn that crude oil prices could jump up to US $150 a barrel in coming weeks as American families pile into their gas-guzzling cars for the summer holiday season.

"The oil market is very seasonal," Mr Pervan said. "We're about to enter a strong stage in oil demand with the US driving season."

That season begins this Saturday with the Memorial Day long weekend and continues through to Labor Day on September 1.

"The market will watch the Memorial Day weekend very closely," Mr Pervan said. "We tend to see a sharp spike in demand for gasoline in the US, which pushes up US crude oil prices, which in turn affects the price of Tapis crude oil and the Singapore price [of unleaded petrol], which is the benchmark for us here in Australia."

The turnaround time for a jump in US crude prices to be reflected at petrol bowsers in Australia could be as little as one week, Mr Pervan said.

"On current trends we could see crude prices reach US$150 a barrel within eight or nine weeks from now," he said.

Mr Pervan said there was little respite in sight for motorists as demand for oil among emerging economies in China and India only continues to rise.

But he said that a strong Australian dollar was helping ease pressure on bowser prices here, even as oil prices jumped $5 to a record near US$134 a barrel overnight.

In Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Tasmania the highest price yesterday was above $1.62 per litre.

Prices are lower in Queensland than in other states due to the state government's 8.3 cents a litre fuel subsidy.

However, motorists in the state's south-east are paying the highest prices for fuel ever seen in the region.

Some service stations broke the $1.50 mark overnight, while most service stations across Brisbane are selling unleaded for 149.9 cents a litre.

Mr Rudd says steps like the move to a national monitoring scheme have been put in place to reduce prices at the pump.

And he says the budget has provided tax cuts and other measures to help working families with day-to-day costs.

ninemsn 22 May 2008

The Rudd government claims it will look into the price of fuel with a Commission, and a "Petrol" Authority. Currently the government syphons approximatley 60% of the price of fuel into it's own pockets which contributes substantially to the governments current $urplu$.

The current price of Crude Oil is USD135 per barrel, and oil producing countries said they do not want to increase drilling or production.

The government's proposal into a Petrol inquiry board is a waste of taxpayers funds.

Video emerges of Corey's club expulsion

Footage has emerged of notorious teen Corey Worthington being escorted from a Gold Coast nightclub he tried to enter with fake ID.

National Nine News exclusively obtained the CCTV video of Corey entering the club — and then leaving with a police escort.

Despite being Australia's most famous 17-year-old, Corey tried to stroll into Surfers Paradise club Shooters with a female companion at about 2.20am this morning.

Immediately recognised by bouncers, he didn't even make it past the door as police were called.

Gold Coast police confirmed to ninemsn that an underage male was escorted from the venue and issued with a $225 on-the-spot fine.

Melbourne boy Corey has remained in Queensland since reportedly receiving $10,000 per episode for appearing on reality show Big Brother.

He has reportedly been staying at a luxury resort paid for by the show's producers.

Holding / Presenting a fake ID is a CRIME. When will the authorities do something about this instead of glorifying it? Can we in some way involve Dr. Nitschke??

Amorosi 'sang at gangland parties'

Vanessa Amorosi has revealed her "love" of singing at the parties of high-profile gangsters like Carl Williams.

The power vocalist told Nova FM radio listeners how "amazing" it was to sing at the christening party of Carl and Roberta Williams's daughter Dhakota at Melbourne's Crown Casino.

"They had a room in the (Crown) casino all done up … I remember at some point in the night during the show thinking no one will get up and dance and if I start singin' bad I'm just gonna get shot," she said.

Amorosi is making a successful comeback after her song 'Absolutely Everybody' became a smash-hit during the Sydney Olympics while she was still a teenager.

But the years between must have been lean: she claimed mob clients were the only ones "who want you to eat and give you wine and are constantly catering and looking after you", citing another christening — this time on a boat on the Yarra River — that she performed at.

"They spoil me rotten, I love it," she said.

"Usually it's like, 'Amorosi and the band are here, take them to that room, get rid of them, hide them'."

But Amorosi admitted the big money had a potential down side.

"I was like, 'Let's make sure it's a killer show, guys, or it could be a killer ending'," she said.

Amorosi's management refused to comment when approached by ninemsn today.

ninemsn 21 May 2008

It's with stories like this that the general media glorifies criminals and their actions. At the end of the day these people are responsible for putting drugs out onto the streets and ultimately into our children. There is a high level of corruptions within all facets of politics, and at the end of the days it's a loosing battle. This idiolising of criminals is also perpetuated by NOVA FM

Orkopoulos sentenced to 13 years jail

Former NSW Labor minister Milton Orkopoulos, convicted of child sex and drug offences, has been sentenced to at least nine years and three months in jail by a Newcastle court.

Orkopoulos, 50, was found guilty by a jury in March of 28 offences, and pleaded guilty to two other charges at the outset of his trial.

In the Newcastle District Court on Wednesday, Judge Ralph Coolahan set a maximum jail term of 13 years and 11 months for the former Aboriginal affairs minister.

Judge Coolahan spent more than an hour detailing the former MP's crimes which date between 1995 and 2006 and involved the grooming of three young boys with drugs and alcohol in exchange for sex.

He said Orkopoulos used his position of authority and power to win the trust of his victims and introduced one to heroin, an act which he described as "a very serious offence".

"His conduct was premeditated, predatory and manipulative with far reaching impacts," Judge Coolahan told the court.

Sporting grey stubble and struggling to keep his eyes open, the former Aboriginal affairs minister was pale as he took his seat in the dock.

All three of his victims and a number of their family and friends were present in court to learn the former MP's fate.

A number of Orkopoulos' family members also sat in the public gallery.

"The offender was frequently arrogant and often flippant in his evidence and made a number of claims which were patently false."

The judge said significant periods of fulltime imprisonment were the only appropriate sentences for such serious crimes.

Ensuring Orkopoulos was adequately punished, the community was protected and his actions denounced by way of general deterrence were more important considerations than his rehabilitation, the judge said.

© AAP 21 May 2008

He is sentenced to 13 years, but the question remains, when will the justice system let the public down and release him for... wait for it "good behaviour??". There is no rehabilitation for people like this. It's in their blood. Even if you give them a transfusion, it'll still be within them.

Mariah Carey jibes 'send man into road rage'

A Mariah Carey fan has been arrested after allegedly lashing out at another man who mocked his taste in music.

Florida man Zachary Alan Schreiber, 21, attracted the attention of another car when he was driving down a busy street with a Carey CD blaring.

William Greenman, a 22-year-old passenger in another car, directed abuse at Schreiber for listening to the newlywed singer's music.

A war of words erupted, before an agitated Schreiber hurled a beer bottle at his tormenter after both cars had stopped at a red light, NBC News reports.

The bottle missed Greenman, but allegedly hit the car's driver, 21-year-old Christine Bec, in the head.

Schreiber was arrested and charged with shooting a missile into a vehicle and criminal mischief.

Carey was named the most successful artist of the 1990s by Billboard magazine and her latest album 'E=MC2' was released last month.

She became an object of derision in some quarters after the spectacular failure of her semi-autobiographical film Glitter.

ninemsn 21 May 2008

What do you do ?? Some people are not meant to drive past the gates of their Trailer park.

Why is my ass so big ???

Well, if you didn't line up at the fast food place, your ass just might have a chance!!

Australia's asses are getting bigger and bigger. There are many factors that contribute to this, amongst some being; poor choices people make, and the sheer cheapness of junk food from the global franchises, which are being pushed to the unsuspecting consumer at an alarming rate.

At the current rate that asses are expanding, the risk of Global Warming will rise exponentially due to the flatulence emitted. To the benefit of all creatures great and small, DOWNSIZE YOUR ASS !~!

Albion St Eyesore

Melbourne’s City of Moreland, amongst other city councils has the unenviable task of hosting some dodgey suburbs within its infrastructure.

Brunswick West also houses cheap accommodation in the form of housing commission, and flats for low income / people with special needs.

In the never ending quest to upmarket its suburbs, new housing projects are undertaken, and high prices are associated, in order to lure a ‘better’ class of people.

The focus is on a particular project that has been an eyesore for the past two years with zero progress to rectify the incompetence of the individuals involved. An apartment block has been constructed on the corner of Albion St and Meville Rd, Brusnwick West. Irrespective of one’s personal taste, the outside of the dwelling has been covered in bathroom tiles. Over a very short period of time, these titles have slowly been falling apart, in an area where pedestrians walk.

Not only the architect / builder who designed this should be held accountable, but most importantly, the Moreland City Council kindergarten ‘engineer’ who approved this dwelling, should be publicly flogged for such incompetence.

The dwelling has been in this condition for the last two years, with no pregress, creating an eye sore, and most importantly possible dangerous conditions, (which could be open for litigation) for passing pedestrians.

Home sweet prison for tax cheat Wheatley

A man's home may be his castle, but for disgraced former music industry entrepreneur Glenn Wheatley, it will now be his prison.

After 10 months in jail for tax evasion, Wheatley, one of Australia's best-known entertainment identities, returned to Melbourne on Monday to serve out the remaining five months of his 15-month sentence in home detention.

The former rock manager and rock musician was picked up from Beechworth Prison, in Victoria's north-east, in a black four-wheel drive at about 5am (AEST) on Monday.

He had spent 10 months in the medium-security prison and marked his 60th birthday there in January.

He will now spend five further months in home detention in his Spanish-style mansion in South Yarra.

The mansion, complete with huge palm trees and surrounded by a tall, salmon-coloured rendered fence, will serve as both a refuge and prison for Wheatley.

With three media helicopters buzzing overhead and a swarm of media trailing his trip home, Wheatley and his entourage hit Melbourne's peak hour traffic about 8am (AEST).

Driving through the streets of Carlton at a crawl, they first stopped at a Department of Justice building in inner-city Abbotsford, where Wheatley is believed to have had his security anklet attached.

Wheatley's entourage then completed the final stretch home to South Yarra, cruising straight past a huge media throng and pack of curious onlookers camped outside the mansion.

Partially concealed behind the tinted windows of his black Jeep Cherokee, Wheatley swept through the gates of his mansion at about 9.20am (AEST).

Wheatley's wife Gaynor said her husband was glad to be home.

"He hugged the girls like nothing," she told a large pack of reporters outside their home.

When asked if he had asked for anything special for dinner, she smiled and replied: "Roast lemon chicken."

Ms Wheatley said he would be able to resume working.

"He can work. I think we'll be taking a lot of meetings at home. He won't be out and about," she said.

She said he could request to go out.

Wheatley was sentenced in the Victorian County Court to a minimum of 15 months' jail last July.

He had dodged paying $318,092 in tax, hiding money in Swiss accounts and creating bogus off-shore transactions to conceal his income.

The man who once managed Australian pop stars John Farnham and Delta Goodrem pleaded guilty to one count each of defrauding the Commonwealth, failing to aid to the utmost of his power in the administration of property and his affairs contrary to the Bankruptcy Act, and dishonestly obtaining gain.

In April this year, Victoria's Adult Parole Board found he was suitable for conditional release into home detention, imposing 24 conditions on him, including the wearing of an electronic security ankle tag.

Wheatley was the first person jailed as part of the ongoing $300 million Operation Wickenby, the nation's largest white-collar criminal investigation, launched by the Australian Crime Commission and the Australian Taxation Office.

ninemsn 19 May 2008

That's the amount that he got caught for. Jail? Where Jail? He is spending his remainder in the opulence of his house, still able to conduct business. One must also look at the other side of the coin, and look whether those monies where rightly due?

Ashlee Simpson marries rocker Pete Wentz

Singer Ashlee Simpson and rocker Pete Wentz have tied the knot, People magazine reported.

Joe Simpson performed the non-denominational ceremony for his daughter in front of about 150 guests at his home in Encino, California, the magazine said on its website, quoting a representative of the couple.

"We're delighted to confirm that Pete Wentz and Ashlee Simpson were married this evening in front of family and close friends," the spokesperson told People.

Simpson, 23, wore an ivory lace wedding gown by Monique Lhuillier accessorised with a diamond necklace and earrings by Neil Lane.

Her older sister, singer and actress Jessica Simpson, acted as maid of honour.

Wentz's English bulldog, Hemingway, was the ring-bearer.

Guests included Jessica Simpson's boyfriend, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, Nicole Richie and Joel Madden, as well as actor Donald Faison with girlfriend CaCee Cobb.

Simpson and Wentz announced their engagement in April and have been romantically linked since 2006.

The marriage is the first for both.

Several media organisations have also reported that Simpson is pregnant, but Wentz has denied this.

Simpson, 23, released her third music album, Bittersweet World, in April.

Wentz, 28, co-founded Fall Out Boy in 2001. The band has since built a loyal following with albums like its popular 2005 release, From Under the Cork Tree.

Reuters 19 May 2008

Who Gives ?? They'll be divorced soon anyways.

Turnbull denies fuel excise leak

Opposition treasury spokesman Malcolm Turnbull has denied leaking correspondence in which he criticises the coalition's pledge to cut excise on fuel by five cents a litre.

Mr Turnbull's criticism of the policy - the cornerstone of Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson's budget reply speech last week - was contained in an email to Dr Nelson's chief of staff, The Australian reports.

Mr Turnbull's objection was that any temporary political gain from the excise cut was not worth the hit to the coalition's economic credibility, The Australian said.

But in a statement released Monday morning Mr Turnbull denies leaking the potentially damaging email.

"I refer to Glenn Milne's column in The Australian today which refers to correspondence and communications between myself and Dr Nelson," Mr Turnbull's statement said.

"Neither I, nor anyone acting on my behalf, disclosed the existence or the contents of the correspondence to The Australian.

"Naturally I support the policy measures announced in Dr Nelson's budget reply."

heraldsun 19 May 2008

Golden Rule : NEVER ADMIT !! Even if it has your signature (Howard AWB Scandal), your DNA or your iris or rectal (in the near future) scan.

Body of 'train-surfer' found at station

THE coroner will investigate the death of a 20-year-old man who died on the top of Melbourne train overnight.

Police say the Werribee man was train surfing.

It is believed the man got onto the roof of the train at Newport railway station, in Melbourne's west, just after 1am (AEST) this morning.

The body was then seen by passengers at Flinders Street station in Melbourne's CBD around 8.30am (AEST) today.

“He was electrocuted and we believe he was train surfing,” a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.

While the matter was still being investigated, Connex spokesman John Rees confirmed a male was found electrocuted on the roof of the train.

“Apparently he had his hand on the pantograph – the construction on top of the train which comes into contact with the overhead power,” Mr Rees said.

The man's body was recovered by members of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade after power to the train line was switched off.

Police say they will now prepare a report for the coroner.

news.com.au 18 May 2008

Contender for the Darwin Awards (Natures Answer)

Wayne Carey is my new love

EXCLUSIVE: A MELBOURNE woman claims she is Wayne Carey's new love, but pictures show him with Kate Neilson.

Carey and Neilson, who have had a tumultuous relationship, have been seen kissing, canoodling and sharing a room during a break in Brisbane.

At the same time, Melbourne businesswoman Michelle Jones says she has been seeing Carey for a number of weeks.

The brunette says she is not naive about Carey and that the disgraced former footballer is at last getting his life back on track.

. Boring

. mind numbing drivel in between

.

The pair held hands, shared public displays of affection, went for a long walk and shopped for flowers in Queensland early last week.

"They were holding hands, kissed and seemed very much together," a witness said.

Carey did some work in the yard and a family gathering was held at the house last Sunday.

Neilson flew out of Brisbane on Monday for what is believed to be her new base in Sydney.

Carey's Port Melbourne apartment is for sale.

Herald Sun 18 May 2008

Very important frontline news o keep the peasants occupied.

Thank goodness they were shopping for flowers together. I was going to have apoplexia prior to this knowledge. I WILL sleep better now.
What's a Wayne Carey anyway? Is that a drop kick ??

A definite contender for the WGF Award 2008 !!

Max Mosley orgy revelation forces M15 agent to quit

An MI5 agent has resigned after it emerged his prostitute wife engineered the tabloid sting that exposed Max Mosley, the head of motor racing, as having taken part in a sado-masochistic orgy.

An MI5 agent has resigned after his prostitute wife engineered the tabloid sting that exposed Max Mosley, the head of motor racing, for taking part in a sado-masochistic orgy.

The disclosure is deeply embarrassing for Britain's security service and has forced a review of vetting.

The man was a surveillance operative with several years of service. His wife, 38, is believed to have approached the News of the World when she realised that Mr Mosley – a regular client – had booked five prostitutes for a sex session costing £2,500.

.

.

The News of the World published its front-page story on Mr Mosley on March 30 under the headline: "F1 boss has sick Nazi orgy with 5 hookers." Mr Mosley has denied the sessions had Nazi overtones and is seeking damages for what he claim was invasion of privacy.

telegraph.co.uk 18 May 2008

Seeking damages for being busted, for being pure and unadulterated filth?? Absurd !!

Oops forgot, Anglo-Masonic Law System allows you to achieve the impossible.