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A reader writes and supplies photographic evidence: "On my way to the theatre to a matinee of Priscilla, I caught the heel of my boot in a hole, fell heavily and fractured my left wrist. This happened on a section of the recently completed "pedestrian friendly Queen St", as described in City Scene on June 8. The sentence I found most ironic was: "Larger pavers and tree gratings installed flush with the footpath are designed to reduce the risk of pedestrians stumbling or tripping." While I was waiting to be taken to the hospital, a man also stumbled in the same area. Fortunately he wasn't wearing high heels."
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After reading the latest comment from Education Minister Chris Carter, Paul Tong has come to the conclusion that politicians must think we are idiots. "Carter said the Government had put $5 billion into education since 1999. This year's amount was 4.4 per cent of the gross domestic product, compared with 3.5 per cent in Australia. What he failed to mention was that Australia's 3.5 per cent comes to around $32 billion, while our 4.5 per cent comes to a grand total of $5.5 billion."
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The British Government pays soldiers $153,000 in compensation if they lose a leg in battle. In March, though, the Defence Ministry paid $533,000 to a civil servant who injured his back while lifting a printer, and in May it paid $666,000 to an army paratrooper to settle a claim of "humiliating and demeaning" treatment. The soldier had undergone sex-change surgery, converting from "Ian" into "Jan," yet was ordered by the Army to report for a physical exam dressed as Ian. (Source: News of the Weird)
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Today's Webpick: Regular talking head Dana is obviously away and this fill-in newsreader segues without thinking from his intro into the top news story. Watch it here.
These are the very best online videos from Ana's online magazine Spare Room.
