TheBanyanTree: Oh Good Grief!

[Tom Smith]

Woofie quietly dropped the bomb"  "You have to retire in Malaysia as
soon as you turn 58.  They wanted to know what the retiring age was
in Australia and I said there no longer was one, cus the govt wants
everyone to keep working -cuz they have run out of money to pay you
a pension." 

    Since I can't really tell if your tongue is in cheek on this one, Woofie,
I'll take the wild ride and assume this is reality in Australia.   Except 
then I have to wonder why I haven't heard of any protests..  The 
French went nuts over a couple years' postponement.  I thought Australia
was labor-friendly..  Never met a meek mute mate.  What's happened 
down under?  A news blackout?  Conservative takeover?  What happened 
to all the employee contributions to thier pensions?   Something similar 
seems fermenting in our own Washington DC pirate den..

Nice pic of the Malasian cops.  I'm intrigued by the silver-tipped black
stick in the hand of one of them.  A magic wand would sure make a
cop's life easier!

Cheers,
 Tom