8 news hits to get your Friday going

Stop, now, what’s that sound…everybody something something. Oh, I give up on song lyrics. It’s Friday. That is the important message I wanted you to take away from this little introduction. It’s Friday and right before we can all take on the weekend with the gusto it deserves, it helps to know a little about what’s happening in Australia and the world out there.

So, without further ado, the news. In tiny pieces.

1. NZ CEO says women are paid less because of lady problems.

Say what? Head of lobby group Employers and Manufacturers Association Alasdair Thompson said women in New Zealand were paid less than men because they took more sick leave. He attributed this to the ‘sick problems’ they have once a month and other family commitments. He quickly added this was not their fault and then apologised altogether after being roundly criticised off air.

2. Under 20s to be banned from buying booze (in bottle shops) in WA?

It may well be so, if a report that makes the recommendation is accepted by the Parliament. Sure, it would still be legal to consume alcohol if you were 18, but 18 and 19-year-olds wouldn’t be able to buy it. It is hoped the move could stem the tide of binge-drinking in the WA, which has the world’s 10th highest rate of alcohol consumption per capita. Wow. Interesting idea, but really, does it make any sense? They’d be banned from bottle shops but not licensed venues, and of legal age.

3. The Federal Government gains $11.8 billion Telstra/Optus deal for the National Broadband Network.

When the Federal Government first announced the $36 billion National Broadband Network, it did not necessarily have the support of Telstra and Optus. Indeed, there was nothing stopping Telstra and Optus keeping its own infrastructure such as copper wire and cable, and therefore maybe customers that could be using the NBN. But now, the Government has signed a deal with both where they will shut down these networks and transfer the customers to the NBN…all for the princely sum of $11.8 billion. The Government says this will make the roll-out cheaper in the long run, the Opposition says it will damage competition.

4. ‘Root Rater’ websites take off in schools around the country.

“Chunky girls, huge thighs…always available for a root for those who are hard up.” That’s one of the descriptions on one of just many Facebook ‘root rater’ feeds. These have been set up from Perth to Bundaberg to Sydney by boys wishing to critique the catalogue of available girls for sex … and even those who are not. They’re usually called ‘frigid’.

5. Video apparently checks out the story of the kissing riot couple in Vancouver

Look, some may be a bit over this story. I am intrigued. Constantly. This video appears to show what happened before the famous photo and looks legit:

6. NSW to pay outlaw motorcycle gang $300,000 after court loss.

The High Court has found a 2009 law introduced by the New South Wales Government to be ‘invalid’ because it deems the Hells Angels a criminal gang and outlaws the ability of individual members to associate together. The law was introduced after the murder of a man outside Sydney Airport. There are similar laws in South Australia and Queensland.

7. Justin Bieber attacked by ‘old man’. Sort of.

The Biebs was knocked over by a fan who jumped a barricade at a New York department store where he was promoting his new fragrance. Just writing that sentence felt all kinds of weird. Biebs was OK and suffered only a minor injury. Crisis averted.

8. The ‘Winklevi’ twins drop their appeal in Facebook court case

It’s over. The twins who say Mark Zuckerberg stole their idea for Facebook at Harvard (and whom were the stars of The Social Network Movie for it) have dropped an appeal to the Supreme Court to take the case further, instead putting up with the $65m they were originally paid as a settlement. End of an era, really…