Me too. That's why I really want to know. Of course it's a novel. And SciFi. So . . .
Maybe I should have waited, and read the book before I jumped right into question asking.
No, it's a fair question. Knowing that it's a novel/sci-fi helps, and I wonder if, since the author is an Aussie, they have a different perception? Hmmm. Maybe not. Maybe it's part of the sci-fi element.
That's interesting. I live in middle America and am not aware of anything, locally being bought up by Australians. Plenty of other nationalities though.
Westfield malls are Australian owned - well, they used to be. Seems that in 2014 the company was split into two: one (Scentre Group) now runs the A/NZ Westfield malls and the other company, Westfield Corp, runs the EU/US malls. But it originally started in Sydney.
No, I don't think 99% of Aussies think that. But there is some controversy over privatising the running of prisons, hospitals, refugee detention centres (shame on us!) and the like. Maybe that's what he really meant???
I agree with Mona and Jenny, Americans influence our culture but they certainly don't run the country. Actually Australia has a much more important relationship with China than American when it comes to imports/exports, students, businesses, and privatisation. Although there was a time when one of our prime ministers was butt buddies with G W Bush.
One of our former prime ministers loved GW Bush so much they were practically butt buddies. Total BFFs. See pictures from the APEC summits in 2003/2004
We get a lot of American culture through all the American tv we get, but I don't feel like it impacts on RL all that much. Of course we have American businesses, fast food places, Costcos, banks, etc., but I don't know anything about them running our prisons or other Australian companies. I think Carey was exaggerating for dramatic effect here.
"Private prisons currently operate in five jurisdictions in Australia: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia. As elsewhere, they are managed under contract with the governments that own the prisons. The companies operating in Australia are the same global behemoths providing their services in the US and UK, in what is a multi-billion dollar industry."
So... broad sweeping generalisations aside, it seems there is some truth to the statement about prisons, although it looks on the surface like the UK has the lead over the US.
Overall, in my experience as a yank in AU, no - it doesn't feel like there's much American influence in business or politics here at all, although I see small signs of improving customer service since I've been here. And I've finally found a place that knows how to make a decent hamburger. ;-)
Thanks, Mona Hanna. Appreciate the input. Like I said earlier, probably should have got a bit more into the book before I started asking questions. But I'm impulsive that way.
Not pickled. Just, I don't know, steamed maybe? Raw? Pickled, I might be able to get on board with, but these just don't do anything for me except make an unholy mess out of whatever I'm wearing. Fried egg is also popular and I've sometimes seen pineapple.
Gourmet burgers are becoming way out there. (But are these gourmet burgers? Or just weird experiments.)
And yes, I can't say I would like to deal with the mess of beet on hamburger. Although golden beets don't seem to have the same propensity to bleed.
The burgers I mentioned above (Huxtaburger) are definitely NOT gourmet, they're just awesome burgers, like the ones you'd get off someone's grill if they were kick-ass barbecuers. :)
The beetroot/fried egg/pineapple toppings are considered standard here, not gourmet. Most Aussies I come across at bbqs consider the fried egg almost a must; beets and pineapples I see less often, but enough to be common.
Beetroot, pineapple, fried egg, tomato, lettuce, cheese slice, beef patty, tomato sauce, bun - you've got to have the lot (in fact that's what most places call that, a burger with the lot) or it's not a proper hamburger. And the addition of pickles is just way too weird, I reckon McDonald's should have removed them from the ingredients for their burgers for Australian restaurants. Most people I know remove them.
Raw beetroot is practically inedible, IMO, it's a bit tough and dry like eating raw parsnip. We have a number of canned food companies who sell canned beetroot (it's pickled and then canned in it's own juice) - Edgell, Golden Circle, Heinz et al - in a variety of ways (sliced, whole baby, diced, etc.). MbD I recommend you go down to your local Coles or Woolworths and buy a small can of sliced beetroot and give it a go. It's quite tart and vinegary, a bit like pickles I imagine. It's very nice in salads, makes the mayonnaise go bright pink.
I love pickled beets! I grew up with these being my secret snack. :) But when I moved here and saw the beets at the supermarket, I asked if they were pickled and I got looked at like I was crazy, so I figured they were just, you know, steamed and then canned or something.
Now I know! :)
(And if you're in the Glenferrie area, or Fitzroy, or CBD and you come across Huxtaburger, I recommend them.)
I've never been to Glenferrie or Fitzroy (I live, shop, and eat in Ivanhoe and only cross its boundaries when forced), but maybe I'll make Huxtaburger in the CBD my next night out with my friends.
How can you just pull pickles off a burger? Doesn't the pickle juice still taint the flavor? (I'm a pickle hating American who just loathes bun-wiper fast food burgers -- where you ask for "no pickle, ketchup or mustard" at MacDonalds and "no pickle" at White Castles and get a burger where they put pickle on and then wiped off top bun so it still tastes bad. My favorite chains are Culvers and Red Robin; used to also like Steak N Shake except they now in-dining are also bun-wipers and at drive-thru locally no longer will do special orders. Non-chains if anyone gets out to Lousivlle, Kentucky, my favorite burgers are at W.W. Cousins and Karem's.) My favorite "gourmet" topping is just a nice bit of grilled onion or a local truffle infused cheese.
Are the fried eggs hard, or like over-easy? I guess if you have to contend with beet juice, then soft yolk is no biggie. Do you eat these with your hands, or with utensils?
I would definitely have to ask for extra napkins.
:D, speaking for myself, I'm a purist: ketchup, mustard, relish, onion. But my husband likes fried egg on his and he does his with the soft yolk (over easy?). It's not pretty at all to watch him eat his burger. Man needs a drop cloth and the garden hose on stand-by.
They're hard to eat with or without cutlery. With makes you look a little ridiculous, without you end up eating the bun faster and are left holding the filling in your hands without any bun to protect you from all the juicy sauces.
I like my hamburger eggs half and half, not completely solid, not fully runny with a crunchy edge around the outside of the white. If they're not going in a burger I actually prefer my eggs soft poached so they can run all over my toast.
Even on all the cooking shows they seem to be adding fried or poached eggs to everything for the yolk to drip over like a sauce. I like it on some things (not handheld sandwiches of any sort because too drippy and can muddle the sandwich flavors)—but not as many things as it's trendy to add to.
I'm finding it laughable how many buffets and restaurants now tout breakfast for dinner. Duh, particularly if you are running a buffet, breakfast is cheapest thing you can serve. I eat home-cooked breakfast for dinner when in the mood. But, if it's dinner time and I crave a fried or scrambled egg -- I'll just fry or scramble one rather than drive somewhere and wait yo be served one.
You're welcome. It's strange how the conversation started out about whether Australians feel that America owns large parts of Australia, and ended up a debate on the best ingredients to put in your hamburger.
Maybe I should have waited, and read the book before I jumped right into question asking.
Also, to be clear, in the US here. So, yeah.
"Private prisons currently operate in five jurisdictions in Australia: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia. As elsewhere, they are managed under contract with the governments that own the prisons. The companies operating in Australia are the same global behemoths providing their services in the US and UK, in what is a multi-billion dollar industry."
Global behemoths include:
GEO (Florida based)
Serco (UK based)
G4S (UK based)
Source: http://rightnow.org.au/topics/asylum-seekers/private-prisons-in-australia-our-20-year-trial/
So... broad sweeping generalisations aside, it seems there is some truth to the statement about prisons, although it looks on the surface like the UK has the lead over the US.
And thanks for those links.
And yes, I can't say I would like to deal with the mess of beet on hamburger. Although golden beets don't seem to have the same propensity to bleed.
The beetroot/fried egg/pineapple toppings are considered standard here, not gourmet. Most Aussies I come across at bbqs consider the fried egg almost a must; beets and pineapples I see less often, but enough to be common.
Raw beetroot is practically inedible, IMO, it's a bit tough and dry like eating raw parsnip. We have a number of canned food companies who sell canned beetroot (it's pickled and then canned in it's own juice) - Edgell, Golden Circle, Heinz et al - in a variety of ways (sliced, whole baby, diced, etc.). MbD I recommend you go down to your local Coles or Woolworths and buy a small can of sliced beetroot and give it a go. It's quite tart and vinegary, a bit like pickles I imagine. It's very nice in salads, makes the mayonnaise go bright pink.
Now I know! :)
(And if you're in the Glenferrie area, or Fitzroy, or CBD and you come across Huxtaburger, I recommend them.)
I would definitely have to ask for extra napkins.
I like my hamburger eggs half and half, not completely solid, not fully runny with a crunchy edge around the outside of the white. If they're not going in a burger I actually prefer my eggs soft poached so they can run all over my toast.
I'm finding it laughable how many buffets and restaurants now tout breakfast for dinner. Duh, particularly if you are running a buffet, breakfast is cheapest thing you can serve. I eat home-cooked breakfast for dinner when in the mood. But, if it's dinner time and I crave a fried or scrambled egg -- I'll just fry or scramble one rather than drive somewhere and wait yo be served one.
This is true.