Sydney - Australian stocks shifted into reverse late Monday after getting an initial bounce from the long-awaited US bail-out package. 

The ASX 200 slipped 97 points, or 2 per cent, to close at 4,807. 

Initial enthusiasm evaporated as analysts digested the terms of a package that may cost US taxpayers 700 billion US dollars. The details of the package appeared to sap confidence. 

Melbourne, September 29 : Aussie researchers behind a website offering free online treatment for fear of spiders, scientifically know as arachnophobia, are afraid that a huge response from people may crash their site.

However, the group behind the website, Feardrop, still want people to test out their treatment.

University of Tasmania psychiatry researcher Philippa Cannan, one of the persons behind the online treatment website, points out that about five per cent of the adult population experience some form of phobia, with higher rates found among females than males.

She says that many people suffer arachnophobia, some with seriously dangerous panic reactions and intrusive checking behaviour, but still few of them seek treatment.

Melbourne, Sept. 29 : New South Wales has been identified as the most racist of Australia’s six states.

According to a report in The Australian, a lead researcher on the project, Kevin Dunn, has put this development down to Sydney being the focus of international migration to Australia.

He said people were asked which cultural/ethnic groups do not fit into Australian society, and found that New South Wales topped the list with 46 per cent of survey respondents saying some ethnic groups should not be in the country.

Sydney - Australians are concerned about climate change but want others to pay for curbing the greenhouse gas emissions that cause it, an opinion poll released Monday said.

Melbourne, Sept 28 : With owners refusing to pick up their dogs’ mess, it has now been decided that a DNA test will be conducted on the animal’s droppings to track down the owner and send them a fine.

The approach has won support from councillors in Sydney, North Sydney, Woollahra, Waverley and Ashfield and is also being tested overseas.

The idea was generated by Genetic Technologies, Australia''s largest canine testing laboratory, and it wants to implement the DNA testing scheme and is also preparing detailed submissions for councils.

According to them, dogs would be given a mouth-swab while they''re being microchipped at the vet and their DNA stored on a database.

Melbourne, Sept 28 : The famous two-piece or bikini may soon be out of circulation, with more and more women complaining that wearing it reveals certain body parts that they wish to hide.

In a study, that was conducted by Jenny Craig, 65 per cent Australian women hate the shape of their stomachs so much that they would not wear a bikini, reports the Daily Telegraph.

According to the study, which spoke with 400 women across the country, the body parts that women are most concerned with are their waistlines, with only 14 percent saying their thighs.