I Like Movies

@Carazaa Our TV is very mixed, but mostly parochial. It's the government run stations, ABC and SBS that give the best coverage. SBS in particular runs international news channels, so it's possible to get reasonable world news coverage. I can't comment about US news coverage, because I've never experienced it. But, from what I've heard (and you seem to confirm it), it is very parochial.

I don't think Australia has had the gun culture that seems to be prevalent in the US. Since the Port Arthur shooting, semi-auto firearms were banned, with some exceptions. Initially, there was a lot of public outcry about this, with claims of taking away our right to own what we wanted, but that seems to have been fairly short lived.

Marijuana is used quite a bit over here, as are many other recreational/illicit drugs. I have some strong issues on this topic, but that would be for another thread.

I wish I could say our food was cheap, but unfortunately it isn't. At least it's good.

We are a country of individuals, but we don't seem to have the same desire to prove our individuality as the Americans seem to have. It would be fair to say that we are different; not better, not worse, just different.

@Carazaa I'd advise you to watch the movie. A good story line, some excellent acting and one of the best soundtracks, in my opinion, ever 😀

@Bushranger Ok, good to know! I will

@Bushranger I do watch other countries news to keep up like BBC, Sveriges TV, as well as American world news, and I read the paper too. But its very ethnicentric here. I like the weather in California a lot, skiing in the winter, hiking in the summers, and beaches, and its very multicultural. There are 4 climates within 2 hours, mountain climate -10c to +25 C, desert climate 5-40 C , valley climate 10-35 C, and coast climate 10-25 C. I like the coast the best.

@Carazaa I like the coast too, but there's usually too many people there. Have found some very nice, deserted beaches though.

@Bushranger The Northern coast is deserted here looking like Ireland, and the southern coast is packed and commercialized with towns and restaurants all over like what you see in the movies.

@Carazaa Well, you wouldn't find me on the southern beaches, then, lol. I like very small, quiet places. That's why I spend a lot of my time inland.

@Carazaa Australia does a lot more international news than the US. As Bushranger says, some media is more parochial, but the ABC (BBC equivalent here) and SBS have strong international news content. SBS is a multicultural station, and I watch a LOT of nordic TV series and movies, particularly Danish and Swedish - they do it so well. I think since Forbrydelsen in 2007 they have produced amazing material. We call it Nordic Noir. And it is dark! My favourite was the Bridge (Bron/Broen) a joint Swedish/Danish production - the Brits/French and US copied it, but the original is the best. Sofia Helin plays the single most interesting police character I've ever seen on screen.

@Abstraction You live in Australia too?

@Bushranger 👍 me too!

@Carazaa Yep, I'm an aussie.