Before-And-After Pics - 10 Famous Cities that Changed Over Time

LONDON, ENGLAND 1920 AND NOW

NEW YORK, NEW YORK USA 1962 AND NOW

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, USA 1937 AND NOW

DUBAI 2005 AND NOW

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA USA 1947 AND NOW

BERLIN, GERMANY 1945 AND NOW

ATHENS, GREECE 1962 AND NOW

DUBAI 2000 AND NOW

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA 1932 AND NOW

TOKYO JAPAN 1945 AND NOW

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Building Bolero -- FLASH MOB!!

The Queensland Symphony Orchestra Moves to South Bank

WONDERFUL!!

YOU WILL REALLY ENJOY THIS!

Click below to view this very incredible

FLASH MOB

in Australia playing a favorite classical piece

Australian Best Weather Pictures

 January: An electrical storm perfectly complements fireworks launched to mark 

Australia Day 2012 celebrations in Perth , in a stunning shot by Matthew Titmanis

 February: A thunderstorm sweeps over the Melbourne suburb of Carrum Downs, captured 

By Flavio Bonicelli

 March: Sunset highlights streets of stratocumulus over Buninyong, central Victoria by Keith Day

April: Majesty and threat - A cumulonimbus with anvil seen beyond wind turbines at Burra, SA                  By photographer Helen Simpson 

 May: Ship in sea fog off McCrae, Port Phillip Bay , Victoria , by photographer Meredith Banhidi

 June: In the wake of a thunderstorm, hail blankets paddocks at Marong , Victoria by John Allen

 July: A squall line associated with a thunderstorm over Era Beach , south of Sydney by 

Photographer Bruce Cooper

 August: The ethereal beauty of a mist bow and fog at Mount Anne in Tasmania by Grant Dixon

 September: A massive dust storm rolls over the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary in the 

Northern Flinders Ranges of South Australia, in this stunning photograph by Peter MacDonald

 October: A thunderstorm threatens the Gold Coast, Queensland by photographer Ann Van 

Breemen

 November: The shadows of cumulus clouds dapple the parallel dunes of the Simpson Desert                       By Steve Strike

December: Lightning illuminates a cumulonimbus cloud over Corio Bay , Victoria by James Collier 

BRAVO

There has been an email going around for years attributing the following quote to the current Australian prime minister, Julia Gillard (starting June 24, 2010) – but it was actually quoted by Australian Prime Minister John Howard (from March 1996 – December 2007)  The correct and original quote is listed below:


This is a GREAT read – Wish OUR own government would take a stand like this – I love the part of being a Christian Nation – founded on and well documented.  That’s right!



http://gloucestercitynews.typepad.com/clearysnotebook/2007/10/prime-minister-.html
Prime Minister John Howard: IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT
America Needs A Leader Like This!

Prime Minister John Howard – Australia – October 17. 2007
Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia , as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.

A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders pledged loyalty to Australia and her Queen at a special meeting with Prime Minister John Howard, he and his Ministers made it clear that extremists would face a crackdown. Treasurer Peter Costello, seen as heir apparent to Howard, hinted that some radical clerics could be asked to leave the country if they did not accept that Australia was a secular state, and its laws were made by parliament. "If those are not your values, if you want a country which has Sharia law or a theocratic state, then Australia is not for you", he said on National Television

"I'd be saying to clerics who are teaching that there are two laws governing people in Australia : one the Australian law and another Islamic law that is false. If you can't agree with parliamentary law, independent courts, democracy, and would prefer Sharia law and have the opportunity to go to another country, which practices it, perhaps, then, that's a better option", Costello said.

Asked whether he meant radical clerics would be forced to leave, he said those with dual citizenship could possibly be asked to move to the other country. Education Minister Brendan Nelson later told reporters that Muslims who did not want to accept local values should "clear off. Basically people who don't want to be Australians, and who don't want, to live by Australian values and understand them, well then, they can basically clear off", he said.

Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques. Quote: "IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians."

"However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the 'politically correct' crowd began complaining about the possibility that our patriotism was offending others. I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to Australia " "However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand." "This idea of Australia being a multi-cultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity And as Australians, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle."

"This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom"

"We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society Learn the language!"

"Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture."

"We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us."

"If the Southern Cross offends you, or you don't like "A Fair Go", then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. By all means, keep your culture, but do not force it on others.

"This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom,

'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'."

"If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted."

Maybe if we circulate this amongst ourselves, American citizens will find the backbone to start speaking and voicing the same truths.

Australia Flooding, January 2011, Part 1

A dear friend who lives in Brisbane Australia sent these to me.
Click Here to see the link where these pictures (and more!) came from - all 163 pictures!


The Flood Waters Come Raging In . . .

It Rains and it Rains

Sometimes only the roof of the houses were all you could see . . .

And the animals needed help too . . .

The Flooding Continued . . .

Finally it stopped raining . . . but the water did it's damage.

The Aftermath . . .

January 2011