Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

With Boxing Day been and gone, the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is well underway with contenders making their way towards Hobart.

Over 100 yachts are in this years race and good weather has seen ideal sea conditions for racing out of Sydney harbor.

Sponsored by the likes of Rollex this tournament is well backed financially and followed by many as the years most popular yacht race in Australia.

Australia and India in Cricket Cliffhanger

After the first day of the boxing day test, the cricket fans are loving it. After Australia started well, the Indians through Anil Kumble have fought back well and have the Aussies at 9/337 after the Aussies were 0/150.

We look forward to the next 4 days of classic test match cricket at the MCG.

We have a few months of cricket yet, before we get back into Rugby League and the likes of NRL each week on TV.

Bounce back with John Chow

Well it's been a shame, but this particular site in our blogroll has been sadly neglected. Heck, we didn't even know a PR2 had popped up for this little puppy.

Anyway, in reviving this blog - today we wanted to mention the John Chow experiment we are seeing everywhere on the web. John Chow the blogger was already very popular but we are seeing him discussed EVERYWHERE at the moment! Wot the heck is going on? This guy is larger than life and adored by millions it seems.

Also, in other news - one of our older but non-indexed blogs was the YouTube Pro blogsite. This has been given a heart massage and is back! Bigger and better than ever.

Keep in touch as we get the roll rolling.

NRL Scores Information

Regular NRL Scores and NRL Tables can be found at the NRL News daily updated rugby league site.

Articles for the fans, it's real rugby league chat - every day!

Click the links above to visit the web site.

Sydney Hotel Deals!

Good deals continued to show up in Sydney Hotels this month, with several offering singles for the price of twin share. The weather is improving for Sydney tourists, with the cold and rain stay away. Its the perfect time to visit Sydney and get around town.

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APEC Summit Pressure on Hotels

As the APEC summit nears for Australia in the latter months of 2007, the pressure on the local hospitality industry will be intense.

Sydney especially will have to deal with the large influx of delegates and their support networks and families from around the world.

The NSW government has announced a Public Holiday for the State as the power brokers from the world enter Sydney for meetings.

It's heritage is set back in the ACT, with the inaugural meeting in Canberra in 1989, APEC has since built up to become the biggest regional forum, allowing chat on economic growth, world trade and financial returns in the Asia-Pacific region.

APEC member country economies make up about 70 per cent of Australia's trade and almost 50 per cent of the incoming investment and include 8 of our top 10 export centres.

Having all the leaders here including the: United States, China, Russia and Japan and other key regional partners, APEC places heavy importance to regional stability. Recently, APEC's mandate has expanded to cover several relevant area issues including counter-terrorism, non-proliferation and health issues.

The 2007 meeting in Sydney will be the first time Australia has hosted APEC since the inaugural meeting.

NRL News

Sydney - Kings Cross Accomodation

When staying in Sydney, many travelers tend to stay in the Kings Cross and Potts Point area for cheap access to hotels, motels and hostels. The Kings Cross area has plenty of night life, shuttle buses and easy access to the greater city region of Sydney for travelers.

The only concern for holidaying tourists and backpackers is that some areas of Kings Cross can be a little risky. Certain areas are prone to theft, drug use (NSW shooting gallery) and many 'adult' themed clubs and zones.

By day its fairly safe and accessible, however care needs to be taken at night and traveling around in Kings Cross alone on foot is not recommended.

The Kings Cross Police Station is close by which is helpful, and is regularly staffed with many officers. (The Station is located near the famous Bourbon and Beefsteak Hotel and the famous Kings Cross Fountain)

Other clubs such as the Empire are busy and action packed of a nite.

The Kings Cross area does not sleep, so noise can be an issue for certain hotels and areas around the busy night spot. Take this into account before booking hotels and motels in the area.

NRL News

DOTA Site Forums Added

For those that recently saw our link to the DOTA site:

DOTA Tips

The guys that have brought you all the DOTA tips have now added a forums section to their Defence of the Ancients Tips website.

Direct Link to the DOTA Forums Here

Be sure and visit if you're a DOTA fan, register and post away on the new forums.

Todays Link Brought to you by:

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Adsense Ideas and Tips

AdSense from Google is a very good system for generating revenue for your website. A website on any topic except those containing x-rated material or relating to gambling - are able to be used and promoted with Google Adsense.

Any website format is able to leverage the system, the easiest way is to use 'free blog' services from Google or others. Blogger (www.blogger.com) WordPress (www.wordpress.com) etc are also quick and easy ways to get it up and going.

Adsense takes the content from your page and ads relevant advertisements that users can optionally click.

Hints, tips and more info on AdSense can be found at the Adsense website - http://adsense.google.com and also from specialists such as Joel Comm who have pioneered the AdSense system and done well from it - www.joelcomm.com

Even families creating basic, album, holiday or topic blogs can benefit from google adsense. Add the simple code to your side and the adverts are automatic.

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Sydney Harbour and Rocks Tourist

When staying in and around Sydney Harbour there are plenty of hotels and nice spots to take up for the night.

The Rocks and the general area below the Harbour Bridge is scattered with lovely restaurants of all tastes and provides good atmosphere for tourists and romantics alike.

If you require some hotel recommendations around this area, the following come on good advice:

1. Observatory Hotel Sydney (The) 5 star / equivalent
Hotel Address: 89-113 Kent Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Built like a grand Australian home, the Observatory Hotel has a colonial ambience blending perfectly well with its location near Sydney's historical district, The Rocks.
HOTEL Location: Superbly located near The Rocks and central business district, the Observatory Hotel on
2. Harbour Rocks Hotel Sydney (The) 4 star or equivalent
Hotel Address: 34-52 Harrington Street, Sydney NSW 2000
This charming boutique hotel is a popular destination for all travellers, providing personal service and a unique home away from home ambience in the midst of metropolitan Sydney. Location: Situated in the heart of the Rocks precinct, the Harbour Rocks Hotel Sydney

These are two nice and cosy establishments, with the second being a little better priced. There are many tourist shops in and around the Rocks area of Sydney. There is a Police station located centrally and safety is of no concern. The Circular Quay Rail station is located within 2 minute walk and allows access to all parts of Sydney.

The Sydney Ferries also allow access to Manly, Parramatta and other areas on the riverline.

We look forward to seeing you stay and tour Sydney soon.

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OzPortal

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Melbourne Train Crash 11 Dead

Melbourne, Australia - a brutal train crash has left 10 Australians dead and 1 New Zealander dead.

Melbourne train crash pictures (left)

Police Constable Wayne Wilson said Disaster and Victim Identification staff finished removing the body parts of the victims from the train wreckage today.

The V/Line electric train on route from Swan Hill to Melbourne collided with a large semi-trailer at a level crossing near the Murray Valley Highway, 6 kilometres to the north of the Kerang.

Relatives of the dead and from the families of a 13-year-old boy and an older woman, both from suburb Swan Hill, who died in the crash, made an teary and emotional pilgrimage to the crash site accompanied by several emergency workers and grief counsellors.

Cordoned off sections from the media; the families were allowed to grieve in their own time and in peace.
Some of them sat alone, with their horror thoughts on a grass verge near the mangled carriages while others quietly stood with their heads dipped as they wiped tears from their face.

Police Inspector Mick Talbot said police had a good idea for closure and for people to see what actually happened here.

All the names of the train victims have not been released.

"There was a person who sadly died in a Melbourne hospital and 10 of the bodies were recovered at the train wreck site," Police Constable Wilson said.

A 32-year-old New Zealand man from Wellington is among those who died.

Victorian coroner Iain West says the bodies will be transported to Melbourne for examination.

The death toll was revised up to 11 after Disaster Victim Identification Squad members finished removing the remains of victims from the wreckage today, Senior Constable Wilson said.

Temporary morgue set up

A temporary morgue was set up at the scene of the crash.

There were about eight bodies in the second carriage, a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.

Two people are still unaccounted for and it's not known whether they boarded the train or are among the victims.

Police say 23 people remain in a critical or serious condition.

Victorian Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu and Nationals leader Peter Ryan visited the scene today, expressing their condolences to family members of the crash victims and praising emergency services for their work.

Both leaders said it was too soon to discuss the circumstances of the accident or attribute blame.

"This is a tragedy. [There are] a lot of traumatised people and clearly there's still a lot of work to do," Mr Baillieu said.

"Today's not the time to make any other comments other than to say our prayers are with everybody affected."

Survivor tells of horror

A survivor of the train crash told today of the horror on board.

A passenger identified as Lenley Fraser said she heard a "big bang'', and her carriage filled with dust and debris.

"I saw the lady sitting across from me had facial wounds and another lady was thrown to the floor with blood coming out of her mouth and eye," Ms Fraser told the Nine Network.

She praised the staff on the train for their help after the crash.

"The staff were really excellent,'' she said.

"They were saying to help one another because we can't help you all."

Police ask for patience

Victorian police are asking for patience as they search the train wreckage at Kerang for any more bodies before looking into the cause of the crash.

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Mobile and Cell Phone Hacking

Don't forget to try this mobile phone website with plenty of hacking and general tips.

Mobile Cells - Phones

Check back daily for updates in the mobile phone world.

Backpacker Sydney Accommodation

If you are planning to travel or tour Sydney, Australia and are looking for cheap basic accommodation look no further.

OzPortal today has exclusively allowed backpackers, or budget conscious tourists to stay in private accommodation in Bankstown, which is 30 minutes from Sydney's CBD.

The very large room is currently unfurnished, however in addition to the room there is a small kitchen, twin toilets and a shower which are all exclusive to any traveller wishing to stay.

The cost to rent the room is $30 per night. This is the best price in Sydney. The cost includes: Power, Kitchen, Internet Access, Toilets, Shower and Rear Parking. The accommodation is also directly opposite the train line - meaning travel anywhere in Sydney is very convenient.

The accommodation is based on the first floor of a small business building, where free internet access is provided to the person using the holiday room.

If you would like further information, or would like to book then please send an email to the following address:

asutcliffe@gmail.com

OzPortal hopes to see travellers in Sydney soon, and is happy to provide this service.

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Sydney Accomodation Cheap! Formule 1

If your planning a trip to Sydney for a holiday or to visit friends and you want to stay somewhere on a budget then don't look past the Formule 1 Hotel Motel Chain. Falling under the Rydges banner I believe the Formule 1 motels, which used to be called Formula 1 motels - are scattered throughout Sydney - outter suburbs such as Wentworthville, Campbelltown or inner city Alexandria. They are all under $100 AUD per night and it's basic, clean accomodation where you need it.

Enjoy your stay!

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Oysters with Viagra?

Yes, it's no lie. Oyster farmers in Australia are lacing their oyster crops with viagra for added sales and obviously other things!

Read all the info at Australian link site:

HeyLink!

Will you be eating viagra oysters soon?

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Accomodation Australia and Sydney

Accomodation is plentiful in Australia, especially Sydney.

With several hundred major hotels and hotel chains in Sydney - the likes ok Marriot, Hilton, Park Plaza, Radisson, Rydges, Hyatt, Wentworth, Sofitel and many many more.

When staying in Sydney CBD, it's probably best to stay close to Circular Quay. So choose Hotels such as the Wenworth / Sofitel down that way, Quay West is also at that end and has some form of accomodation.

Tourism and Tourists are extremely welcomed in Australia and for more information be sure and visit websites such as: www.tourism.com.au or similar services.

We look forward to seeing you tour in Australia soon!

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Nokia N95 Wi-Fi Fun and Hacking

A couple of friends of mine have recently purchased the Nokia N95 top of the line mobile cell phone. This Nokia unit is feature packed with wi-fi, gps, web, etc etc.

Hacks for the Nokia N95 aren't out yet, but will be soon.

The wifi on the Nokia N95 is brilliant and very easy to use the N95 for war driving. Simply get the old van out. Drive around and map out the spots u get wlans without security or encryption.

Good deals on the Nokia N95 in Aus are from Allphones. Get the N95 on a plan of like $50 for 24 mths and rental for N95 handset is $24

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Cute Girls in Sydney? Where to find

If you're looking for love or cute girls in Sydney, here are some tips on how to find the opposite sex.

In terms of clubs - singles clubs are the best bet, places such as Sydney Singles, Mingles Singles which are sometimes 'Grab a Granny' type venue.

In terms of hotties on the beach, look to Bondi beach - clovelly beach - stay away from the North side beachs such as Manly, Freshwater and Newport - very snobby and not the kind of girls you want.

Other than these, typically the Milf or mummy type - hunt out Gloria Jeans spots or Starbucks around town - you can generally get milf action out west - Penrith, Blacktown, or even the Hills District.

Just remember - it's a numbers game, finding girls and the right chick - just keep asking - plenty of No's might happen (especially for larger than life computer nerd types) but just keep hounding away.

Be nice, remember NO means NO - if the girl dont want you, dont push yourself on her. There have been some problems with ethnic communities in Australia pushing themselves on women as thats OK in their culture. You'll find yourself in jail if you do this kind of stuff. So behave.

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Crime out of control? Does it pay

A crime wave of sorts is hitting the Oz part of the world at the moment and more specifically the eastern seaboard. States such as NSW and Victoria are seeing a real rise in crime and the more hardened crimes such as home invasion, robbery with weapon or armed robbery and drug crime.

Just this morning, 30 May 2007 - we've had a mother hang her 4 young babies, we've had an Ice Addict armed and dangerous and terrorising the south western suburbs. We've also had armed holdups in inner city Balmain - it's really growing, which is sad.

Maybe Police commissioner Ken Maroney needs to bring back the 21st division and really kick some criminal butts hard?

Either way - crime is paying at the moment and parts of OZ are really under pressure from criminals and thugs.

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Property Prices, Want to buy in Australia?

The property market in Australia is quite varied at the moment. The state of Queensland has a growth rate around the 5% mark, and property investment and development has been kind to many players up there.

In NSW the recently property boom from 1998 onwards came to a slow down around late 2003. Prices really came down, and as taxes and other handouts kill the state of NSW - only now in 2007 is the market starting to rebound. Growth is only around the 1% mark at the moment.

In Victoria it's more of the same, a damp market with something like 2 or 3% movement upwards. Victoria is cold, old and ghastly. Who'd want to live there anyway?

South Australia is doing ok, the low southern state nearing the 10% mark, but the boom state is Western Australia with the mining magnate turning something like 20+% in growth for property - it's the place where money has and will be made.

If your keen on buying property in Australia or near parts of the world such as New Zealand, be sure and visit the website www.Realestate.com.au - which gives a good insight into prices for sale and rental of property.

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Queensland Holiday Destinations Oz!

Queensland or more specifically the Gold Coast is a hot spot for holiday goers form around Australia and around the World. The beautiful Gold Coast is the home to schoolies week parties every year as school leavers from year 12 pack out hotels and accomodation parcels - and of course the 'toolies' who are older folks who join the young fun.

For the older crowd the Gold Coast and Queensland have plenty of spots to fequent. Twin Towns is the home of clubs and poker machines, Broadbeach has some lovely blue water action and crystal clear beaches and don't forget the nightlife in Queensland , Gold Coast of clubs like Melbas, Cocktails and Dreams, Showgirls and The Crazy Horse. All great clubs and icons up there.

You can bunjee jump, race power boats or visit places like Dreamworld, Seaworld, Wet and Wild or Warner Brothers Movie World for good days out with the family. The kids will love it.

Highly recommended, please comment below and tell us about your Queensland Holiday!

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Battlefield Pirates 2 BF Mod

Todays Australian Portal link is for fans of Battlefield / Battlefield 2 - and is a mod for the original game. Australian Internet Users, looking for gaming fun? Check this MOD out -

Called Battlefield Pirates 2 - this mod is very very sleek and enjoyable for all.

Obviously containing Pirates in the place of the Battefield Army Men - is chaos, fun and Australian game play brilliance.

OzPortal presents - Battlefield Pirates 2 - http://www.bfpirates.com/

Hit the link above and enjoy.

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SERP and SEO targetted (Search Engine Based)

This week we will be changing OzPortal to become a similar portal to the likes of Google, Astalavista, Altavista, MSN search and Yahoo!.

We will feature the popular and most common sites on the main homepage and the rest can be searched through our tracking interface.

The idea behind this style of website, is to understand and achieve better SERP (Search Engine Results Pages) and SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Remember to check back regularly to see the new interface. For any tips or hints - please get in touch with us at: asutcliffe@gmail.com

Portal Links

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Sonny Bill Williams and Candice Falzon Goss

Did you hear about Sonny Bill or should we say Dunny Bill? Recently caught up in a toilet with the lovely Candice Falzon!

Pictures circulated quickly - and Oz Portal will have the full run down and pictures of Sonny Bill and Candice Falzon in our post next week.

Stay tuned ...

For those that can't wait - pop over to NRL News to check their full article on the saga. Click here to visit NRL News.

Canberra Raiders Caught in High Speed Chase

Canberra Raiders players Todd Carney and Steve Irwin have been caught up in a Poilce Pursuit in the ACT overnight.

The pair have been suspended by the club pending an investigation.

It's not the first time Carney has been in trouble with the law - involving cars. The talented Rugby League player was earlier this season caught for doing burnouts in his vehicle amongst friends.

For more Rugby League info see NRL News

Virginia Tech Game - V-Tech Rampage / Vtech Rampage by Aussie Youth

An Australian man has created a violent video game based on the Virginia Tech Massacre recently - called VTech Rampage.

The 21 year old has created a wave of critism after making the game, based on the actual crime by Cho Seung-hui. In April Cho Seung-hui killed 32 people when he mowed them down with gunfire in a horrible massacre.

The game's maker, Ryan Lambourn, whos from Sydney's west, has said he won't remove the game from his website or seek to have it taken down from amateur game site Newgrounds.com.

He had said on his website googumproduce.com that he would only remove V-Tech Rampage from the Newgrounds website if he received a $US1,000 ($A1,200) "donation".

For $US2,000 ($A2,400) he would remove it from his own website and for $US3,000 ($A3,600) he would apologise for the stunt.

He said no one had taken him up on his offer.

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Welcome to the Oz Portal.

We will be posting regular articles on anything interesting.

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- Interesting News Stories
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