What Steven Cousley Does

My latest Squidoo lens for your perusal. I know “foriegners” are often bewildered by some of the language we use in Australia. Some times we do it just to have a bit of fun with them but the most common phrases are part of our vernacular. Take a look at the list of Aussie words and phrases on the site and if you think of any that need to be added, leave a note in the guestbook. How To Speak Australian Slang.

Albert Namtjira was the first Australian Aboriginal to be recognised nationally and internationally as an artist. He is best known for his landscape paintings which he painted using watercolours in a western style. He painted the country that he lived in, that he was part of, the land of the Arrernte (Aranda) people in the Western Macdonell Ranges area of the Northern Territory.

Albert lived from 1902-1959. He was born near the site of the Herrmansburg Lutheran Mission near Alice Springs. He was named Elea by his parents but while he was still a young boy his family moved to the mission where he was baptised and given the Christian name Albert. After receiving a western style upbringing on the mission, he returned to the bush at the age of 13 where he was initiated and learnt the traditional ways of his people. This exposure to his culture inspired the love and respect for his country that he would later show to the world through his art. At the age of 18 he married Ilkalita, a girl from a neighbouring tribe. He spent several years supporting his growing family by doing odd jobs and spent some time as a camel driver which allowed him to see more of central Australia. After returning to the mission, his wife was baptised as Rubena.

In 1934 Albert was introduced to western painting by two artists who exhibited at the mission. When one of these artists returned two years later to paint, Albert acted as his guide in return for lessons in watercolour painting. These two months were the only art tuition he was to receive. He excelled and quickly developed his own painting style. His landscape paintings were rich in the colours of the native bush and illustrated the rugged terrain of his home lands.

His first exhibition in Melbourne in 1938 consisted of 41 paintings and was quickly sold out. Subsequent exhibitions in Adelaide and Sydney were equally successful. Albert was soon to become a celebrity, even noting Queen Elizabeth II among his fans. Even though he appeared to enjoy the fame, Albert was not comfortable with big city life, and always enjoyed returning home to his land and family.

Despite his success, Albert preferred the simple life. Sharing what he earned with all of his family in the traditional way. When he wanted to lease a cattle farm for his family, he was prevented by the laws that existed at the time because he was an Aborigine. He tried to build a house in Alice Springs but again he was prevented by the law. It was a ridiculous situation for Albert. He was famous, but because he was an Aborigine he was not recognised as a citizen and was prevented from owning land.

Public outcry over Albert’s situation forced the government to grant him citizenship in 1957. It was 10 years later before the rest of Australia’s Aboriginal population would be granted the same rights.This meant that Albert would now be able to own land, would be able to vote, would be able to enter a hotel and be allowed to buy alcohol.

Unfortunately the restrictions that remained for other Aboriginal people resulted in Albert’s demise. Because of his traditional family values, Albert shared all he had with his family. This resulted in him breaking the white man’s law. He was found guilty of supplying alcohol to Aboriginals. In 1958 he was convicted and served 2 months imprisonment. His conviction and time in jail broke his spirit. He lost his interest in painting and in life. Albert died as a result of heart disease in 1959.

Performance of Rare Australian Coins

It’s well known that rare collectible coins have great investment potential and Australian rare coins are no exception. In fact some examples, such as the famous 1930 penny, are among the rarest and most valuable collectible coins to be found. In times of economic instability, investors look towards precious metals and coins for security. Coins can be volatile in the market but are often regularly seen to outperform precious metals.

While uncirculated coins will naturally have the highest value, there is plenty of value to be found in coins of lower quality. For example, a coin that is fairly common in the marketplace, such as an 1889 gold sovereign of average condition, will probably attract a price around 10% higher than the gold it contains. The value will certainly increase with the quality of the coin. Find the same coin in near mint condition and you can expect a return four or more times higher than the intrinsic gold value. In the market for Australian sovereigns, there are around 250 known different date and mint mark combinations, 150 of these are considered common, the rest are scarce to rare.

Gold coins are not the only ones of value to astute collectors. If you can manage to come across an average 1930 penny, expect a return in excess of $20,000. Only around 2000 of these coins made it into circulation and are now very rare. Even more so the proof edition of this coin, only six were produced. Three of these are now in private collections and are valued at over $1,000,000.

It’s not age that has the greatest influence on the value of coins, but rarity and demand in the marketplace. Australian half sovereigns can be more valuable than ancient coins. In the last 5 years some uncirculated half sovereigns have more than doubled in value. In the same period, uncirculated type 2 Adelaide pounds (not as rare as the type 1), have increased from $28,000, to $120,000.

The table below lists some examples of the investment performance of some Australian coins in recent years. For more up-to-date information on coin values, please visit the Australian Rare Coin Ready Reckoner.

Tomato and Mint Sandwiches

Tomatoes and mint are commonly grown in home gardens in Australia and the two go well together. If you don’t grow your own you can find them fresh in your local store. Dried mint would work as well, but fresh is best.

These delicious little sandwiches make a tasty treat to have with your afternoon tea. Quick and easy to prepare and light enough that they won’t ruin your dinner. This recipe should be enough to serve 4 people.

Ingredients

4 thin slices of your favourite bread

Butter or margarine for spreading

1 tomato

2 sprgs mint leaves

Sugar

Salt and Pepper

Recipe

1. Wash the mint under cold water and pat dry between paper towels.

2. Pluck the leaves from the sprigs and chop finely.

3. Thinly spread each slice of bread with the butter or margarine. You could skip this step if you wish but it does help to prevent the tomatoes from making the bread soggy.

4. Thinly slice the tomato and cover two pieces of bread with the slices.

5. Sprinkle sugar, salt and pepper over the tomato slices.

6. Now sprinkle the chopped mint leaves over the top.

7. Put the remaining pieces of bread on top.

8. Cut each sandwich into 4 triangular pieces.

9. Arrange on a plate and garnish with some extra mint sprigs

10. Serve immediatley or chill in the refrigerator until time for serving.

That’s it, simple and delicious. For another tasty variation, you could use cucumber instead of tomato and leave out the sugar.

Fighting Unfair Bank Fees in Australia

The key to fighting excessive bank fees is to know the terms and conditions of the accounts you use. In recent years, most Australian banks have increased fees or introduced new fees. Be aware of the terms in the fine print. When you activate an account you are accepting the conditions imposed by the bank and this usually includes a disclaimer that the bank can change the conditions.

One of the newer ways that banks are robbing us, is with the use of “shadow limits”. Supposedly all credit cards have a credit limit determined by the bank and accepted by you. However, the banks may allow a transaction to go overlimit, up to a certain point. They won’t tell you what that “shadow” amount is. They will charge you an overlimit fee. As I see it in that situation, the bank has two choices. They could just decline the transaction, which in the case of credit cards, can result in no extra fee, or they allow the transaction, and charge you extra. It’s easy to see which option is better for the bank. If your account remains overlimit they will charge you the fee every month until you reduce the balance.

Shadow limits can also apply to ordinary savings or cheque accounts. When an account is low on funds and a transaction would result in overdrawing the account, the bank may reverse the transaction and apply a dishonour fee. Some banks will allow the transaction, again, up to some unknown limit, and apply a similar fee for over drawing the account. They may even charge you the same penalty several times in one day if multiple transactions are involved. The resulting fee can end up costing you more than the actual amount of the withdrawals. Ask your bank if your account has a “shadow limit” and if you don’t want it, ask them to remove it.

Over the last 5 years, credit card fees and penalties have been on the rise. The best way to fight this is to shop around for a low fee credit card. When transferring a balance to a new card, again check the fine print on the new card. Be sure there is no hidden surprises. If you don’t need or don’t use the extras provided by a high fee card, change the card.

If you are not happy with the fees your current bank is charging you, shop around. Make a list of the account features that are most important to you, and start looking for another bank or credit union that will provide just the features you need. Don’t be caught paying for services you won’t use. You can visit the banks/credit unions themselves to ask questions, but you can also do a lot of research online. It’s easy to do a search for information on specific account types and you will also find forums where others discuss their own banking experiences. It’s your money, take control of it.