Nerf sics lawyers on Nerf blogger Martyn Yang

Hasbro lawyered up on a fanboy blogger after he posted widely available images of a Nerf gun on his website. Australian Nerf fan boy Martyn Yang reviews Nerf guns on his blog and was contacted by Hasbro, who said they wanted to give him Nerf products as freebies for his readers. In a classic case of bait-and-switch, Hasbro asked the Australian civil servant and webmaster for the blog Urban Taggers to give them his address so they could send him the Nerf products. Once Yang sent them his Canberra address, Hasbro sent its Baker & McKenzie lawyers to serve him papers. Baker & McKenzie investigators later turned up and spooked Yang’s neighbors. Hasbro demanded that…

Australia carbon tax has Gillard in a sweat

In 2010, Australian Labor Party candidate Julia Gillard promised not to introduce a carbon tax if elected PM. She won by a razor thin margin. Heavy reliance on coal means Australia is of the world’s worse carbon dioxide polluters. Many Australians are outraged at Gillard’s U-turn. Carbon will cost A$23 per ton for large polluters for the first three years. The price afterwards will be set by the market. Opposition leader Tony Abbott has lambasted Gillard’s scheme as a job killer that will harm competitiveness. Former leader Malcolm Turnbull has so far stayed silent. Gillard’s alliance with the Greens will help her pass the scheme, but if Labor loses the next election Abbott has vowed…

Has Rooster Todd Carney blown his second chance?

Todd Carney has a history of alcohol-related troubles. He once fled the scene of a car chase and left fellow Raider Steve Irwin to get the sack. He doesn’t handle drinking too well leading the Raiders and the NRL to give him the boot in 2008. But in 2010, Carney seemed to have left his troubles behind. He signed for the Roosters and won the Dally M. Alas, trouble soon found Carney again. The Roosters have suspended him for drinking. His days in Australia appear numbered. Will he fare better where drinking is tolerated more?

Aussie MP’s vices leave Gillard on the edge

Aussie Member of Parliament Craig Thomson once headed Australia’s Health Services Union. Records show he used his HSU credit card for prostitutes. Evidence also suggests Thomson made ATM withdrawals from the account totaling over A$100,000. The allegations surfaced after current HSU head Kathy Jackson requested a probe which has snowballed over the last 3 years. Thomson still hasn’t answered the claims. Now it seems someone is trying to intimidate his opponents. Prime Minister Julia Gillard is in no position to force Thomson’s hand. He is the only pillar left holding up her coalition government. ENGLISH:

Child beauty pageants under fire Down Under

Some Australian parents are up in arms after an American child pageant organizer announced that it will debut Down Under next year. Parents who enter children in pageants often spend huge amounts of money to pay for dresses, hair styling, and make up. Young children often undergo adult beauty procedures like waxing, wearing hair extensions and fake lashes. The kids are also taught to say and do things that maybe they don’t understand. Psychologists say parents are sending the wrong messages to their kids adding that they attract pedophiles by sexualizing their children. However, parents argue that the contests help boost children’s self-confidence and that it is not all about fame and money. ENGLISH:

Prince William wraps up Australia/New Zealand royal holiday

Prince William’s visit to towns damaged by Cyclone Yasi delighted the Australians. He also announced he may return for his honeymoon. William said the ‘dreadful’ weather back home in the UK had made him ‘far too pasty,’ and that the Ozzie sunshine might be just what the doctor ordered. Prince William remarked he had always wanted to swim the Great Barrier Reef. What other Australian activities will William want to try? Meanwhile, Kate Middleton is stuck back in dreary England while her fiance lives it up Down Under. Will she go crazy with the wedding plans in his absence? With just a few weeks to go before the nuptials, the media is desperate for anything…

Casey the Punisher scores victory against bullies

Internet censors have been trying to prevent the spread of a bullying video from Australia. In it, a middle school student is body slammed after punching an older boy twice his size. Sources say 16-year-old Casey Heynes had been repeatedly mocked in school, leading him to eventually snap. He and the other boy were suspended after the fight. Child experts don’t share in this sentiment. They say Casey should have alerted a teacher rather than fought back and that the video will only spur more violence. As for Casey’s assailant, he probably won’t be bullying for a while. The boy, thought to be named Ritchard, might have finally learned the meaning of “pick on someone…

AFL’s Ricky Nixon absconds after teen alleges affair

AFL player manager Ricky Nixon is at the center of a media storm after the 17-year old girl renowned for the ‘Dickileaks’ photos made allegations the two had a month-long affair. Nixon left Australia, possibly for Ireland, after the girl released mobile phone footage of a semi-naked man who appeared to be Nixon in her hotel room. Before absconding, Nixon admitted visiting the girl in her hotel room, but denied an affair. Do you think Nixon is guilty as charged? Leave a comment below.