'Super geek' first to buy iPhone

Brett Howell has crowned himself Australia's "super geek" - the first person in the country to get his hands on Apple's long-awaited iPhone 3G.

The wait is over a for a few hundred hardy souls, who camped outside Optus's Sydney store on a cold and windy winter night to get the phone at midnight (AEST).
Optus held a launch party before opening its doors, treating the hundreds queuing up for the multi-functional device to free pizza, coffee, massages and entertainment as the clock inched toward 12am.
And the man at the head of the line was Brett Howell, a 36-year-old business analyst from Sydney.
Mr Howell began queuing outside Optus's George Street store at 1.15pm (AEST), and said he was surprised to be the only person camped outside the store.
"I was shocked that no one had lined up," he said.
"I'm not a super geek, but apparently I am. I'm Australia's super geek."
Mr Howell said he became hooked on the iPhone, which he called a "mini-Mac", after witnessing the US launch of the original iPhone last year.
"Last year, I happened to be in New York for the launch of the original iPhone and loved it then, and waited and waited for it come to Australia," he said.
"I wanted to make sure I got the phone when it first came out - I didn't want to be the first."
The iPhone 3G is arguably the most anticipated technological release of the year, with the device being launched in 20 countries on Friday.
Apple's new iPhone combines three devices in one, the standard phone, an iPod music player, plus an internet browser.
Such is the fever for the touch-screen device, that analysts predict sales could pass the billion-dollar mark within days.
Thanks to Australia's place in the international time zone, Australians will be among the first in the world to purchase the much-anticipated gadget.
Optus's midnight launch for its registered Sydney customers beat the likes of Telstra and Vodafone, who begin selling the iPhone in the morning.
Telstra stores around Australia will open from between 6am to 9am in anticipation of a rush for the new hand-held device.
Vodafone customers were expected to start queuing at its central Sydney store at 6am ahead of its 7am opening, along with about 100 other Vodafone stores across Australia.
Optus was due to open its doors nationally at 7am, and charge $729 for those wanting to purchase 8GB iPhone upfront.
Third in line outside Optus' Sydney store, Nicki Bam, told AAP she had booked a room at the nearby Four Seasons hotel, and as soon as she picked up her iPhone she planned to rush back to play with her new toy.
"I've booked a room at the Four Seasons, my other half is waiting for me, so I'll go there and play with the iPhone," the 38-year-old manager said.
"I'm a big, big Apple fan. I've been waiting for ages for this. I wanted to be one of the first."
In an admission that might disappoint some Apple fans, Australian "super geek" Mr Howell said he would wait until the morning before tinkering with his new phone.
"The first thing I'm going to do when I get it is go home and put it on charge and go to bed," he said.
"It will wait until the morning - all that matters is that I've got the phone."
A few people were braving the cold outside Sydney's new Apple store, rugged up with books and blankets as the waited for it to open at 8am.
Head of the queue, Elly Hurley, began waiting at 3pm and admitted to being sucked in by Apple's clever marketing.
"It's a sexy piece of kit, it's a fantastic looking phone, and it does lots," the 41-year-old said.
"Apple just market their products exceptionally well and there is just a lot of hype that comes with it, and I got caught up in it."

aap 11 Jul 2008

In the U.S. the 8GB iphone can be purchased for approx. USD$200. Given the current exchange rate, the outright price of the iphone in Australia should be similar.

The ACCC is nowhere in sight in this matter, and the muppets are paying way too much for an overrated device. The Australian Telcos are holding their users at ransom over such technology.

An online survey by ninemsn reveals that 80% of the general public believe that the iphone is OVERPRICED.

British pair arrested for sex on Dubai beach

A British pair are facing a jail sentence in Dubai after being caught having sex on the beach following a night of boozy partying.

Publishing assistant Michelle Palmer, 30, and a visiting British man known only as "Vince" were arrested after a passing policeman allegedly sprung them twice in a compromising position on the Jumeirah beach.

Ms Palmer had reportedly earlier attended an all-you-can-drink function at the Le Meridien Hotel near the Dubai Airport, which offered unlimited beer, wine and spirits for three hours.

She then partied on with Vince at a nearby club, before moving on to another venue after the man was ejected for fighting, the Telegraph reports.

It is alleged that later that night police found the pair having sex on the beach.

Despite the official reportedly letting them off with a warning, the pair were allegedly discovered in the same position shortly after and arrested.

"Because this is known everywhere they're going to make an example of us and we're going to get a higher sentence," the newspaper quoted Ms Palmer as saying.

She is also facing possible charges of assaulting the arresting officer and public drunkenness.

Ms Palmer's employer, the ITP Publishing Group, has since sacked her following an internal investigation.

Sex outside marriage is illegal in the United Arab Emirates, and the pair face between three months and six years in jail.

The pair, who are not believed to be in a formal relationship, have reportedly taken part in a rushed civil marriage ceremony in an effort to reduce any possible sentence.

Local police are in the process of a crackdown on offensive tourist behaviour — including public kissing and topless sunbathing.

ninemsn 10 Jul 2008

These people are TOURISTS. Since when does a country oppress the tourist governing sexual relationships. If this were done in Australia in a similar fashion to the GAY community, there would be an uproar on a GLOBAL scale.

Bigamy in Australia, is also ILLEGAL, BUT it is supported by every government of the day.
Every government accepts the legitimate wife and treats the others as single mothers, who are on our social security system. There is no Out Cry from the general public there

PUBLIC KISSING - could also be affection displayed towards YOUR WIFE.

The world is entering the New Age of the Ottoman Empire.

Mosley 'bled during Nazi S&M orgy'

Motor racing boss Max Mosley was beaten so hard on his buttocks by a prostitute during a sado-masochistic session that she drew blood, the editor of the newspaper he is suing told London's High Court.

Mosley took legal action after the News of the World published pictures of what it said was a "sick Nazi orgy with five hookers".

The 68-year-old admits paying the women for the session, which he says centred on a prison fantasy, but denies it had a Nazi theme and accuses the paper of a gross intrusion of privacy.

The women were wearing black jackets, black boots and a black caps and, at one stage during the session, the group acted out a head lice-checking scene.

News of the World editor Colin Myler told the court the story was one of "legitimate public interest" and insisted there had been "Nazi-style role play" in Mosley's sado-masochistic encounter with the women.

"Blood was drawn," he added, under cross-examination by Mosley's lawyer James Price. "I know it was drawn because he had a plaster on his bottom. I think it was after he'd had 15 beatings of the cane."

Mosley is the president of world motor sport's governing body the FIA (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile) and the son of Sir Oswald Mosley, a British fascist leader of the 1930s.

He has admitted speaking German during the session, which took place in a flat in upmarket Chelsea, west London, because the language sounded harsh and suited the dominant role he was playing.

Under cross-examination, Myler admitted that the newspaper had not sought a translation of Mosley's German comments before running the story.

afp 10 Jul 2008

Surprised ??? Not really... I wonder if there will be any allegations of boys involved?? Isn't that usually the deal in Anglo-Masonic circles??

I wonder what order he failed to listen to from the lodge. This kind of scandal is usually in reply to a failed order, and its usually sexually oriented.

The expression on the monkey (sorry, legal team member) on his left just about sums it up.. "BUSTED! We can't do JACK for him."

Petrol hits $1.75, recession tipped

The federal government has ordered an investigation into reports some petrol stations have been caught red-handed holding back fuel at the cheapest time of the week.

The price of petrol skyrocketed to a record high overnight, stoking fears that the Australian economy could be lurching towards recession.

The latest surge in prices comes amid ongoing reports some service stations are discouraging motorists from filling up at the cheapest time of the week, often on Tuesdays, by placing "not in use" signs on bowsers.

Some service stations in Sydney were on Thursday morning selling unleaded fuel for $1.75 a litre - more than 17 cents higher than Wednesday's average price of $1.58 listed by the NRMA.

Melbourne and Adelaide also recorded record highs prices of $1.75 for unleaded fuel.

The federal government has asked Petrol Commissioner Pat Walker to investigate claims petrol retailers are misleading motorists as to the availability of cheaper fuel.

Some motorists have reported being able to fill up their cars at bowsers that displayed "out of use" signs.

"There may be a legitimate reason for this," federal Assistant Treasurer Chris Bowen told ABC Radio.

"Often service stations keep a very small amount of petrol in a tank, not enough to keep cars serviced but they keep petrol in there because it's not good practice for them to let the tank run completely dry," he said.

"But it is concerning that this is happening several weeks in a row."

The latest surge in petrol prices have also boosted fears the Australian economy could be sliding towards recession.

"It's starting to push us into very dangerous territory," NRMA president Alan Evans said.

"We're already seeing people cutting back on discretionary expenditure quite significantly because they don't have many alternatives to using their car," he said.

"I'm really concerned it might have such a significant effect that it pushes us towards recession."

He said price jumps like Thursday's could not be excused as part of the weekly price cycle.

"The sort of jumps we're seeing - you just can't shrug your shoulders and say this is part of the weekly cycle - it really is going to badly effect the economy," he said.

If prices continued rising at this rate we might see petrol at $2 a litre before Christmas, he said.

"Hopefully we might see at least a plateau for a while, but if the trend continues, if there are any upsets in the Middle East, then I'm really fearful of what the consequences might be," he said.

Meanwhile in Perth, BP service stations are charging up to 165.9 cents for fuel on Thursday, although the average metropolitan price is $1.59 a litre.

The state government's FuelWatch program, run by the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection, reports 145 service stations are offering unleaded fuel below the average price of $1.59.

Diesel is $1.88 a litre on average, however some petrol station owners are charging as much as $1.92.

The consumer watchdog later cleared a Sydney petrol station of denying consumers access to cheap fuel.

However, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) petrol commissioner Pat Walker says he is still waiting for an investigation to be completed into claims the Shell Coles Express in Padstow put an "out of use" sign on bowsers during the cheapest time of the week.

"I am pleased to indicate preliminary findings by an investigator from the Office of Fair Trading are that it was simply one bank of petrol was closed for safety and security reasons," Mr Walker said.

"The owner and proprietor said the bank was out of the line of sight of the console operator and he was concerned about the threat of drive-offs."

Mr Walker said petrol was still available at other pumps at the station and there was no evidence of a widespread problem.

"This is a timely reminder for petrol retailers to be honest and truthful in their representations to consumers in terms of availability of supply of petrol," he said.

Mr Walker said breaches by operators of the Trade Practices Act could result in fines of $22,000 for individuals and $1.1 million for companies.

ninemsn 10 Jul 2008

One of the largest scams/farces of our time is the great fuel rip-off.

The so called investigation that will allegedly be initiated by the government WILL be FRUITLESS.

Fuel or rather the Oil Empire is in the hands of the minority, or rather the financiers and its price is controlled accordingly. It is naive to think that the people highly placed in politics are unaware of this. This so called 'public' exhibition is too stupify the masses into believing that there will be something done. History shows that it never has and IT NEVER WILL.

One must also remember that the Great Depression of the 20's was deliberately created by the financiers in order to wipe out the middle class, in America as it did.

Similarly, the approach of the financiers is to WIPE OUT ANY savings the middle class has. It has also been announced the the Reserve Bank is increasing its interest rates. The biggest problem is that they are telling the people that it is for THEIR BENEFIT.

Mr. Walker is a spineless individual who is LYING to the general public. Petrol companies have been caught out so many times, BUT from the authorities point of view there is "NO EVIDENCE". Just exactly on who's payroll is he ???

What they're saying to you is that you WILL be shafted $2 / litre by Christmas.