A boy in China has been killed by an office chair after it exploded while he was sitting on it, according to reports.

The 14-year-old boy died from extensive bleeding after the chair’s gas cylinder burst, sending metal chair parts into his rectum.

While pictures of the chair have swept the internet, they did not reveal the boy's name or when the incident allegedly occurred.

A gas cylinder containing compressed air is typical of adjustable office chairs. An air valve operated by a side handle on the chair may be used to raise or lower the seat.

In 2007, another chair reportedly injured a person after exploding in China.

Newspapers said a 68-year-old man escaped with minor injuries after a 20cm chair piece pierced his bottom.

However, I'm curious about polling in America, since it (seems) to be different from Australia (forgive me if these are ignorant questions!).

- why isn't voting compulsary? 
- why don't people vote? is it laziness? or they don't feel obligated to?
- how old do you have to be to vote?
- what are the criteria for absentee voting (posting a vote in before the election rather than going to the polls on the day)?
- what times are polls open?
- where can you vote?
- do you get time off to vote (how do you have time to spend all day in line waiting to vote on a week day)?
- why do there seem to be such long queues (why don't they open more booths/polling places)?
- how do you handle such prolonged campaigning (it's arduous for me and I live in Australia!!!)
- do you think convicted felons should be able to vote once they are out of jail (I think they can't now, right?). why? why not?


Questions for Australians (other countries too if you want):

- if voting wasn't compulsary would you still vote? why? why not?
- can convicted felons still vote? (I don't think you can in America. I wasn't aware if this was a policy in Australia but maybe I'm ill informed).

Artist and Clifton Beach resident Cindy Lane was painting in her studio when she heard a "couple of loud squawks" coming from the bougainvillea tree in her backyard.

She found the python coiling itself tightly around the bird high in the tree’s branches.

"I considered jumping in to save him, but his last breath was literally being squeezed from him as we approached," she told The Cairns Post.

She said the python took about two hours to complete his meal after "one false start".

"It was difficult to watch but at the same time mesmerising."


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