Daily Buzz: Phone credit for sex checks

GET AN STI CHECK, TOP UP YOUR PHONE CREDIT.

Young people in Queensland’s mining town Mt Isa will be offered $20 mobile phone credit vouchers if they go and get STI checks. The Queensland Government is offering the deal after a nine-fold increase in syphilis cases since January 2011.

Chief health officer Jeannette Young said syphilis was a serious and potentially fatal illness.

“Syphilis is spread through unsafe sex. Pregnant mothers can also pass the disease onto their babies either in the womb or during delivery,” Dr Young said.

“There’s absolutely no shame in getting treatment if you suspect you have an STI (sexually transmitted illness) like syphilis.

“It’s easily treated and free of charge.”

And here’s what else is on our radar:

1. A little thing called the Federal Budget was handed down last night. Go here for all the details.

2. Comedian Russell Brand has unleashed on a heckler who repeatedly shouted his ex-wife Katy Perry’s name during a gig. “And what is it that you have rattling around your mind, some bizarre combination of alcohol and idiocy … some cocktail of nothing? And yet the confidence to continue shouting. They say of course, don’t they, that empty vessels make the most noise. What an enormous echo of nothingness from you.”

3. Weird thief alert: A South Australian man has been charged with stealing some copper wire from a railway line in the state’s north. 12 kilometres of it. What on Earth did he need 12km of copper wire for? [Edit: OK, OK. We know copper is expensive!]

4. Maurice Sendak, the author behind the classic children’s book Where the Wild Things Are has died at the age of 83. He had a stroke on Friday. “Please don’t go. We’ll eat you up. We love you so.”

5. Channel Nine has announced a new drama/comedy production called House Husbands, a show with a ‘modern twist’ they say. Could be funny. Might not be. What do you reckon?

6.Three Aussies are apparently $25 million richer each after winning the lotto last night. What would you do with $25 mil, who would you help?