Satellite highlights widening ozone hole.:
"The seasonal ozone hole over Antarctica has widened sharply this year, making it the biggest hole since 2000 and the third largest on record, according to measurements reported in Paris by the European Space Agency (ESA)."
I thought we'd got it smaller? Evidently not. We just carry on as though it's not there. Can't we patch it? Sew it up with a big space needle? Make some replacement gas and fill it in? Stop Polluting? Well, now, there's a thought. No, no, we'll just ignore it again. Bugger the melanomas.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Mobile phones.
Study finds no brain cancer link to mobile phones. :
"Amid public concern about a possible link, the scientists who conducted the largest study so far on the subject said they could not rule out a higher risk over a longer period."
It's like microwaves. No one really cares. Theya re more concerned about he phone toweres than the phones. People are not oging to give up their phones. The towers are something different. People are VERY particular about where the towers are and how harmful they can be. Poepl even give mobiles to their children. That's how much they don't care about tumours. But this study does seems to contradict other studies, because other studies have said mobiles cause tumours and sterility. Since we a re hellbent and inseparable from our mobiles I guess we are all doing the field work for the scientists.
"Amid public concern about a possible link, the scientists who conducted the largest study so far on the subject said they could not rule out a higher risk over a longer period."
It's like microwaves. No one really cares. Theya re more concerned about he phone toweres than the phones. People are not oging to give up their phones. The towers are something different. People are VERY particular about where the towers are and how harmful they can be. Poepl even give mobiles to their children. That's how much they don't care about tumours. But this study does seems to contradict other studies, because other studies have said mobiles cause tumours and sterility. Since we a re hellbent and inseparable from our mobiles I guess we are all doing the field work for the scientists.
Bob Carr
Reaction to suicide attempt:
"'Helena and I just want to send a message to John Brogden that he should look to his future,' Mr Carr told ABC Radio today.
'As far as we're concerned, this incident is behind us, it should be behind him.
'The world accepts that all of us make mistakes and he's got a big future as a politician, a member of this community and as a father of his son, Flinders.
'We wish him well and we want to encourage him to move beyond this thing.'"
Bob Carr is very straight forward and very down to earth. He is a loss to politics. I appreciate he just needed to leave because he had had enough. His was a big job. The unpleasantness with John Brogdon has highlighted a number of dysfunctional aspects of our society. Mark Latham was hounded out of the limelight in a similar relentless fashion. He became ill with it. John Brogdon apologised for his stupidly, hurtful remarks right there on the screen for all of us to see. But then people were going to drag out more and more and more. He was apparently a very promising politician. I said before I should hate to be famous because anything you say or do is grist for the media mill. Yes, the media needs to report. John Brogden has been made to sound very 60s. We are way past that. But then the papers were referring to Bob Carr's wife.How nonpolitically correct is that?? Bob Carr has said it all...Helena. Her name is Helena Carr and she did appear to be very hurt by the remark, but it was between her and Bob and John. Bob Carr has spoken simply and effectively. The incident is over. Having opened your great trap, the best you can do as a human being is make amends. Apologise. John Brogden did more than most because he did it right out in the open in front of the countryand it appeared to be straight form the heart. He might have chosen to pay a personal visit to the Carrs and say he'd apologised in private, but he did it so we could all see and hear. Was it our buiness? To the extent he'd made an uncalled for nasty, stereotype, racist remark which was so unnecessary. He is a public figure, we are supposed to be non sexist and non racist. But I don't think even a saint would get past the media these days. There's being human. There's being normal. There is a fine line. We are unforgiving. I should have thought Bob and Helena Carr were quite capable of defending themselves, like the rest of us have to when stupid ,hurtful comments are made. We all have recourse to the laws if we want them. Real life is not Big Brother.We are not supposed to be under 24 hour surveillance. What we haven't worked out is where the line is and people are being driven to despair because we are being so sanctimonious. So where is the line? No one will be a politician. No one will be in the public eye. Where are we going to put the line because this case raises that question loud and clear. Bob Carr, in his inimitable fashion has dispelled the sensation and put the humanity back into it. That has always been his talent.
"'Helena and I just want to send a message to John Brogden that he should look to his future,' Mr Carr told ABC Radio today.
'As far as we're concerned, this incident is behind us, it should be behind him.
'The world accepts that all of us make mistakes and he's got a big future as a politician, a member of this community and as a father of his son, Flinders.
'We wish him well and we want to encourage him to move beyond this thing.'"
Bob Carr is very straight forward and very down to earth. He is a loss to politics. I appreciate he just needed to leave because he had had enough. His was a big job. The unpleasantness with John Brogdon has highlighted a number of dysfunctional aspects of our society. Mark Latham was hounded out of the limelight in a similar relentless fashion. He became ill with it. John Brogdon apologised for his stupidly, hurtful remarks right there on the screen for all of us to see. But then people were going to drag out more and more and more. He was apparently a very promising politician. I said before I should hate to be famous because anything you say or do is grist for the media mill. Yes, the media needs to report. John Brogden has been made to sound very 60s. We are way past that. But then the papers were referring to Bob Carr's wife.How nonpolitically correct is that?? Bob Carr has said it all...Helena. Her name is Helena Carr and she did appear to be very hurt by the remark, but it was between her and Bob and John. Bob Carr has spoken simply and effectively. The incident is over. Having opened your great trap, the best you can do as a human being is make amends. Apologise. John Brogden did more than most because he did it right out in the open in front of the countryand it appeared to be straight form the heart. He might have chosen to pay a personal visit to the Carrs and say he'd apologised in private, but he did it so we could all see and hear. Was it our buiness? To the extent he'd made an uncalled for nasty, stereotype, racist remark which was so unnecessary. He is a public figure, we are supposed to be non sexist and non racist. But I don't think even a saint would get past the media these days. There's being human. There's being normal. There is a fine line. We are unforgiving. I should have thought Bob and Helena Carr were quite capable of defending themselves, like the rest of us have to when stupid ,hurtful comments are made. We all have recourse to the laws if we want them. Real life is not Big Brother.We are not supposed to be under 24 hour surveillance. What we haven't worked out is where the line is and people are being driven to despair because we are being so sanctimonious. So where is the line? No one will be a politician. No one will be in the public eye. Where are we going to put the line because this case raises that question loud and clear. Bob Carr, in his inimitable fashion has dispelled the sensation and put the humanity back into it. That has always been his talent.
US Air Force's teleportation study
Boing Boing: US Air Force's teleportation study:
"Now at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Austin, Texas, Davis reached both pessimistic and optimistic conclusions in his study. On one hand, he concluded that 'Star Trek'-style teleportation faces enormous obstacles, partly because it would require the development of extraordinarily high-speed computers and would consume mind-boggling amounts of energy. Also, it would encounter all kinds of physics headaches generated by the principles of quantum physics..."
I was talking the other night about alternatives to the petrol consumption in our society and wondered if we had worked out teleporting yet. As the Boing-Boing site explains, the US airforce has been working on it but we don't yet have the technology to enable it. Bugga! The Chinese have been doing studies with mindpower and can get extraordinarily gifted children to teleport matter through solid walls. What about extra ordinarily gifted adults? If I start today, will I be able to get that cup of tea into he lounge at least and maybe by next year go on short jaunts to the beach? Some scientists seem to think it won't happen except in our dreams and the strength will be in conning others into thinking we can do it!!?? No, I actually want to do it. Not pretend I can. I have no need to con. I want to save money on petrol and have fun at the same time. All work , no play and high oil prices are just so deadly dull, people. Brain numbing. So is anyone going to come up with some clever transport alternative in my lifetime, wormholes, vortexes, time warps , negative inversion realities are not what I had in mind. Just scooting through space. Or what about little glitzy shoes with wings or some rocket like contraption? Come on, you can do it. You know you want to.
"Now at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Austin, Texas, Davis reached both pessimistic and optimistic conclusions in his study. On one hand, he concluded that 'Star Trek'-style teleportation faces enormous obstacles, partly because it would require the development of extraordinarily high-speed computers and would consume mind-boggling amounts of energy. Also, it would encounter all kinds of physics headaches generated by the principles of quantum physics..."
I was talking the other night about alternatives to the petrol consumption in our society and wondered if we had worked out teleporting yet. As the Boing-Boing site explains, the US airforce has been working on it but we don't yet have the technology to enable it. Bugga! The Chinese have been doing studies with mindpower and can get extraordinarily gifted children to teleport matter through solid walls. What about extra ordinarily gifted adults? If I start today, will I be able to get that cup of tea into he lounge at least and maybe by next year go on short jaunts to the beach? Some scientists seem to think it won't happen except in our dreams and the strength will be in conning others into thinking we can do it!!?? No, I actually want to do it. Not pretend I can. I have no need to con. I want to save money on petrol and have fun at the same time. All work , no play and high oil prices are just so deadly dull, people. Brain numbing. So is anyone going to come up with some clever transport alternative in my lifetime, wormholes, vortexes, time warps , negative inversion realities are not what I had in mind. Just scooting through space. Or what about little glitzy shoes with wings or some rocket like contraption? Come on, you can do it. You know you want to.
I feel as if I'm leader, says Costello
The Australian: I feel as if I'm leader, says Costello :
"In the past 48 hours, Mr Costello has made strategic television appearances and, while he has avoided setting deadlines or making demands for a leadership change, has fuelled the speculation and claimed a large slice of credit for governing Australia in the past nine years."
Well, Mr. Costello can say that all he wants and may well believe it but there is a large gap between feeling like the leader and actually being the leader. Sometimes one position suits you perfectly and another position is the ruin of you and we have had some excellent examples of that in politics in recent times. The danger is for people to aspire to something and then find out it is not the position where they shine. Howard and Costello have been a unity and it is that unity which has worked. Change the dynamics and you will change the outcome as so many politicians have discovered much to their chagrin. Mr. Howard has proved himself to be one of a kind. Handing leadership over does not make a leader. More often it has been the downfall of a person. Mr. Costello needs to live in the present and the future will take care of itself. Engineering things has been working but it is sending our world topsey turvey.
"In the past 48 hours, Mr Costello has made strategic television appearances and, while he has avoided setting deadlines or making demands for a leadership change, has fuelled the speculation and claimed a large slice of credit for governing Australia in the past nine years."
Well, Mr. Costello can say that all he wants and may well believe it but there is a large gap between feeling like the leader and actually being the leader. Sometimes one position suits you perfectly and another position is the ruin of you and we have had some excellent examples of that in politics in recent times. The danger is for people to aspire to something and then find out it is not the position where they shine. Howard and Costello have been a unity and it is that unity which has worked. Change the dynamics and you will change the outcome as so many politicians have discovered much to their chagrin. Mr. Howard has proved himself to be one of a kind. Handing leadership over does not make a leader. More often it has been the downfall of a person. Mr. Costello needs to live in the present and the future will take care of itself. Engineering things has been working but it is sending our world topsey turvey.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
CSIRO diet
News in Science - CSIRO diet gets a grilling:
"'The concept was to reduce [fats and carbohydrates] and keep protein as the centre of the diet and increase it a bit,' says co-author of the new diet, Dr Peter Clifton, research director at CSIRO Human Nutrition."
If you want to read the criticisms of the CSIRO diet, then this is the article for you. Everyone I know has been raving about it and I have never known a diet to cause such a buzz since everyone went on the Aitkins diet or the Israeli army diet where you ate mountains of apples. The book keeps selling out here and everyone keeps borrowing the copies other people have until they can get their own one. People seem to like focussing on protein and I can only assume it's because they eat too much fat and carbohydrate and need a reason to stop. Me? No. I love my bread and I love my apples and dates. I can't live without carbohydrate. But I am not overweight and I haven't been struggling with my fitness. What I can say is this CSIRO diet has cause enough hype and buzz to get people off their bottoms at thinking about their weight, health and fitness. If it is having that catalytic effect , then I view it as a good thing. People tend to even out once they are more in control and feeling better about themselves. Better than carrying on feeling sluggish, dull, fat and awful. It's the short term bursts they need to get started. Not everyone is disciplined about dieting or weight management, so they need a kick start.
"'The concept was to reduce [fats and carbohydrates] and keep protein as the centre of the diet and increase it a bit,' says co-author of the new diet, Dr Peter Clifton, research director at CSIRO Human Nutrition."
If you want to read the criticisms of the CSIRO diet, then this is the article for you. Everyone I know has been raving about it and I have never known a diet to cause such a buzz since everyone went on the Aitkins diet or the Israeli army diet where you ate mountains of apples. The book keeps selling out here and everyone keeps borrowing the copies other people have until they can get their own one. People seem to like focussing on protein and I can only assume it's because they eat too much fat and carbohydrate and need a reason to stop. Me? No. I love my bread and I love my apples and dates. I can't live without carbohydrate. But I am not overweight and I haven't been struggling with my fitness. What I can say is this CSIRO diet has cause enough hype and buzz to get people off their bottoms at thinking about their weight, health and fitness. If it is having that catalytic effect , then I view it as a good thing. People tend to even out once they are more in control and feeling better about themselves. Better than carrying on feeling sluggish, dull, fat and awful. It's the short term bursts they need to get started. Not everyone is disciplined about dieting or weight management, so they need a kick start.
Trade deficit
Trade deficit widens. :
"Australia's trade deficit widened during July to $1.46 billion seasonally adjusted.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics says the trade gap increased by $54 million on the previous month."
So, we are going really well, then? Is it our best deficit ever? That would at least be an achievement. Apparently, it's nothing to be worried about and a huge improvement. So how come if I ran my own budget like that I'd be flat on my backside? How can economies take liberties ordinary humans may not?
"Australia's trade deficit widened during July to $1.46 billion seasonally adjusted.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics says the trade gap increased by $54 million on the previous month."
So, we are going really well, then? Is it our best deficit ever? That would at least be an achievement. Apparently, it's nothing to be worried about and a huge improvement. So how come if I ran my own budget like that I'd be flat on my backside? How can economies take liberties ordinary humans may not?
City ready for terror attack
The Advertiser: City ready for terror attack: Giuliani :
"'(But) it seems like your law enforcement and public safety systems here in Sydney ... are first rate.'"
I don't think so. For the second day in a row someone has taken train keys in Sydney. This allows them access to our trains. Now you'd think with the tram and bus escapades of late, our public transport system, which seems to be the thing which is crashed, bashed, smashed and exploded on a regular basis in parts many and varied, would WAKE UP and hold on to its keys...and work out a system to keep them SAFE. Unbelievable. Safety first.
"'(But) it seems like your law enforcement and public safety systems here in Sydney ... are first rate.'"
I don't think so. For the second day in a row someone has taken train keys in Sydney. This allows them access to our trains. Now you'd think with the tram and bus escapades of late, our public transport system, which seems to be the thing which is crashed, bashed, smashed and exploded on a regular basis in parts many and varied, would WAKE UP and hold on to its keys...and work out a system to keep them SAFE. Unbelievable. Safety first.
Record tobacco haul
The Advertiser: Customs seize record tobacco haul:
"'The seizure is one of the biggest ever made by Customs,' Regional New South Wales Director of Customs David Collins said.
An equivalent amount of tobacco imported legally would have attracted Commonwealth duty and taxes amounting to more than $1.8 million."
The customs people are really on the ball. They have found goodness knows what. I wouldn't have thought about importing tobacco because everyone is so anti smiking here. Maybe parts of Australia aren't and it's worth it. You'd get such a mouthful from most people for trying to sell tobacco. Mind you, I caould well imagine real tobacco, if that is what it is, would be less harmful and less polluting than the chemical cocktail masquerading as cigarettes. It would be interesting to know. But look at the amount the duty and taxes make from tobacco. Unbelievable. The anti smoking campaign here has been a real people driven peer pressure initiative which snowballed and snowballed. Any changes to laws have been as a result of the people initiative.
"'The seizure is one of the biggest ever made by Customs,' Regional New South Wales Director of Customs David Collins said.
An equivalent amount of tobacco imported legally would have attracted Commonwealth duty and taxes amounting to more than $1.8 million."
The customs people are really on the ball. They have found goodness knows what. I wouldn't have thought about importing tobacco because everyone is so anti smiking here. Maybe parts of Australia aren't and it's worth it. You'd get such a mouthful from most people for trying to sell tobacco. Mind you, I caould well imagine real tobacco, if that is what it is, would be less harmful and less polluting than the chemical cocktail masquerading as cigarettes. It would be interesting to know. But look at the amount the duty and taxes make from tobacco. Unbelievable. The anti smoking campaign here has been a real people driven peer pressure initiative which snowballed and snowballed. Any changes to laws have been as a result of the people initiative.
Mystery moths swarm in
The Australian: Mystery moths swarm in :
"Dennis Hopkins, an entomologist with the SA Research and Development Institute, said the moths were believed to be a species known as lesser budworm.
The moths have a wingspan up to 4cm, a reddish-brown wing pattern and distinctive forewing markings."
I didn't have thiose moths last night. We were invaded by heaps of whitish moths about a centremetre and a half long and rather well fed looking. Heaps of them under the pergola. I was going to get a photo but it started pouring with rain and that was that, but they hung about the window all night. They weren't there today. I have never seen moths in such great numbers. We get ghost moths sometimes and a few wee ones, but not these whitish ones. They were "swarming" or whatever moths do and were quite clear about hanging out together and then the storm came in. We have had stick insects too and I haven't seen those in years.
"Dennis Hopkins, an entomologist with the SA Research and Development Institute, said the moths were believed to be a species known as lesser budworm.
The moths have a wingspan up to 4cm, a reddish-brown wing pattern and distinctive forewing markings."
I didn't have thiose moths last night. We were invaded by heaps of whitish moths about a centremetre and a half long and rather well fed looking. Heaps of them under the pergola. I was going to get a photo but it started pouring with rain and that was that, but they hung about the window all night. They weren't there today. I have never seen moths in such great numbers. We get ghost moths sometimes and a few wee ones, but not these whitish ones. They were "swarming" or whatever moths do and were quite clear about hanging out together and then the storm came in. We have had stick insects too and I haven't seen those in years.
Monday, August 29, 2005
Sunnis
Sunnis refuse to back draft constitution:
"At stake in the talks is the definition of Iraq: whether it is an amalgam of identities and regions, or a well defined state with a strong central government."
Well, they need to keep talking and all the reported talk I heard today from the various voices sounded remarkably like political debate! I guess they need to decide whether they want to separate religious and state powers and that has been a long debated issue of most democracies. Then they might want to consider separating judicial and state powers and that too has been long debated in democracies. The fear of this constitution being rejected is the country plunging into civil war. Look back over other consitutions being written. The prices of agreement caused blood pressure to run high and voices to speak loudly. People are talking about things which they hold so true to themselves. It may be a silly question, but have the Iraqis had access to constitutions from other nations? Have they had representatives from other nations talking to them about how they solved some of the issues? We cannot expect them to uphold a western democracy when there is no one in the country who can know what that means. You can't put a middle eastern head on a westerner and vice versa ...which is why we need to let them sort it out in their own way. It's true, a civil war would just destabilise the whole region. There would be so much anger...as there has been in any other civil war which would spill over. The Iraqis have come so far in such hideous circumstances and are probably faring a lot better than we have done in our history. Their resilience is remarkable. Initially it will be an amalgam. It takes a while for different people to work and live along side each other. There is still a division between Scotland and England but there is a working relationship which was hard won. They just need to keep talking and probably working on something as a team so they have some sense of achievement. All talk and no work makes people fidgety.
"At stake in the talks is the definition of Iraq: whether it is an amalgam of identities and regions, or a well defined state with a strong central government."
Well, they need to keep talking and all the reported talk I heard today from the various voices sounded remarkably like political debate! I guess they need to decide whether they want to separate religious and state powers and that has been a long debated issue of most democracies. Then they might want to consider separating judicial and state powers and that too has been long debated in democracies. The fear of this constitution being rejected is the country plunging into civil war. Look back over other consitutions being written. The prices of agreement caused blood pressure to run high and voices to speak loudly. People are talking about things which they hold so true to themselves. It may be a silly question, but have the Iraqis had access to constitutions from other nations? Have they had representatives from other nations talking to them about how they solved some of the issues? We cannot expect them to uphold a western democracy when there is no one in the country who can know what that means. You can't put a middle eastern head on a westerner and vice versa ...which is why we need to let them sort it out in their own way. It's true, a civil war would just destabilise the whole region. There would be so much anger...as there has been in any other civil war which would spill over. The Iraqis have come so far in such hideous circumstances and are probably faring a lot better than we have done in our history. Their resilience is remarkable. Initially it will be an amalgam. It takes a while for different people to work and live along side each other. There is still a division between Scotland and England but there is a working relationship which was hard won. They just need to keep talking and probably working on something as a team so they have some sense of achievement. All talk and no work makes people fidgety.
Bishop defiant over call for headscarf ban.
Bishop defiant over call for headscarf ban. :
"But Ms Bishop continues to support comments from her Victorian colleague, Sophie Panopoulos, saying the headscarf is symbolic of a clash of cultures and it is time to take a stand."
It will be a clash of cultures if this is kept up. Many people have come to this country and have kept their mode of dress for some time. Once they've settled in they adopt a a style of dress for which we are famous...the relaxed attire. It takes time. It will take more time if people have been oppressed and it will take more time if women have been sanctioned and punished for not wearing particular forms of attire. The scarf is about covering the hair. There are also some groups who have to keep women's legs covered. When that has been your way of living it has to stay like that until you resolve it in a different culture. To force such issues shows we lack understanding. To say Christmas carols have ben banned is another issue and needs to be resolved in a different arena. That is what living in a multicultural society is about. I saw a woman at the shops on Saturday. She had her hair all brushed out and held in a pony tail with a big hair slide. Normally her culture would expect it to be plaited. Then she was wearing a blouse and a T shirt and then a long , fawn linen skirt and a lovely pair of our leather shoes. Culturally she was half and half but she looked really nice and her dress mirrored where she was at in terms of living in a new country. At school, the children will often come around quite quickly. To "make a stand" about a form of dress which is about modesty and which has been strongly required in the country of origin is not very logical and shows little faith in our lifestyle. When we were in Vanuatu we were told to dress more modestly if you went into town, but if, as a woman, you went into town in shorts and a string top, you felt totally inappropriately dressed. No one said anything, no one treated you badly, you just knew it wasn't what you wore in Port Vila, so next time you put on a light blouse and a skirt/sarong or pair of summer pants . We all talked about it. No one had said exactly but you picked up the cues just by being there and it taught me a lot about how people can teach you without saying a word! No lectures, no bans, no punishments...just being there. The magic of peer pressure.
"But Ms Bishop continues to support comments from her Victorian colleague, Sophie Panopoulos, saying the headscarf is symbolic of a clash of cultures and it is time to take a stand."
It will be a clash of cultures if this is kept up. Many people have come to this country and have kept their mode of dress for some time. Once they've settled in they adopt a a style of dress for which we are famous...the relaxed attire. It takes time. It will take more time if people have been oppressed and it will take more time if women have been sanctioned and punished for not wearing particular forms of attire. The scarf is about covering the hair. There are also some groups who have to keep women's legs covered. When that has been your way of living it has to stay like that until you resolve it in a different culture. To force such issues shows we lack understanding. To say Christmas carols have ben banned is another issue and needs to be resolved in a different arena. That is what living in a multicultural society is about. I saw a woman at the shops on Saturday. She had her hair all brushed out and held in a pony tail with a big hair slide. Normally her culture would expect it to be plaited. Then she was wearing a blouse and a T shirt and then a long , fawn linen skirt and a lovely pair of our leather shoes. Culturally she was half and half but she looked really nice and her dress mirrored where she was at in terms of living in a new country. At school, the children will often come around quite quickly. To "make a stand" about a form of dress which is about modesty and which has been strongly required in the country of origin is not very logical and shows little faith in our lifestyle. When we were in Vanuatu we were told to dress more modestly if you went into town, but if, as a woman, you went into town in shorts and a string top, you felt totally inappropriately dressed. No one said anything, no one treated you badly, you just knew it wasn't what you wore in Port Vila, so next time you put on a light blouse and a skirt/sarong or pair of summer pants . We all talked about it. No one had said exactly but you picked up the cues just by being there and it taught me a lot about how people can teach you without saying a word! No lectures, no bans, no punishments...just being there. The magic of peer pressure.
Tent Embassy
Govt in talks to remove Tent Embassy campers. :
"The Tent Embassy was set up outside Old Parliament House more than 30 years ago and Territories Minister Jim Lloyd says it is time for a change."
It's a brilliant concept...our aborigines having a tent embassy. Let's just think about it as a concept before we get all "thing". Aboigines are people of the land. They are the original inhabitants of this continent. The have a culture which is so much older than ours. So, let's think a minute and let's apply the Australian approach to this which is:
1. consultation 2.innovation 3.ingenuity 4.co operation.
The aboriginal community , our artists and town planners could probably come up with an idea which incorporates the tent city concept in 2005. The tent city represents a frame of mind. There are no walls and no closed doors. It is open. You can't get rid of it as such, but it could be revamped in keeping with aboriginal beliefs and lifestyles in the year 2005.
I was staggered how in Vanuatu a lot of the buidings had no windows but were great palces to be and meet and had a very open , inviting feel to them. The market was a very interesting open design and some of the larger meeting places were large open huts/wooden structures with wooden shutters which were "inside/outside" buildings. Seamless integration of inside and outside places. I think we could come up with something stunning. It's not too hard, it's something we are good at...venues.
"The Tent Embassy was set up outside Old Parliament House more than 30 years ago and Territories Minister Jim Lloyd says it is time for a change."
It's a brilliant concept...our aborigines having a tent embassy. Let's just think about it as a concept before we get all "thing". Aboigines are people of the land. They are the original inhabitants of this continent. The have a culture which is so much older than ours. So, let's think a minute and let's apply the Australian approach to this which is:
1. consultation 2.innovation 3.ingenuity 4.co operation.
The aboriginal community , our artists and town planners could probably come up with an idea which incorporates the tent city concept in 2005. The tent city represents a frame of mind. There are no walls and no closed doors. It is open. You can't get rid of it as such, but it could be revamped in keeping with aboriginal beliefs and lifestyles in the year 2005.
I was staggered how in Vanuatu a lot of the buidings had no windows but were great palces to be and meet and had a very open , inviting feel to them. The market was a very interesting open design and some of the larger meeting places were large open huts/wooden structures with wooden shutters which were "inside/outside" buildings. Seamless integration of inside and outside places. I think we could come up with something stunning. It's not too hard, it's something we are good at...venues.
Urine tests in Bali clubs
The Advertiser: Urine tests in Bali clubs :
"AUSTRALIAN tourists visiting Bali nightclubs will be forced to provide urine samples during random drug raids, according to the head of Bali drug squad."
Is it just Australian tourists or any tourists? In fact, anyone who goes to the clubs? The article makes it sound like it's just Australian tourists. Surely the random tests would be for everyone as the drug and alchohol road tests are here?
"AUSTRALIAN tourists visiting Bali nightclubs will be forced to provide urine samples during random drug raids, according to the head of Bali drug squad."
Is it just Australian tourists or any tourists? In fact, anyone who goes to the clubs? The article makes it sound like it's just Australian tourists. Surely the random tests would be for everyone as the drug and alchohol road tests are here?
Oil
The Australian: Oil sends stocks down :
"The oil price rose to new records, about $US70 a barrel, with fears that it could go even higher as hurricane Katrina in the United States threatens supply."
Well, it sure ain't the good oil any more. Okay, so the hurricane hitting the gulf of Mexico where the oil rigs are probably isn't a good idea when it comes to oil prices. But how come they keep going up and up and the prediction is to 100 dollars a barrel? They were saying on the news on my way home you'd never get people to give up their cars and lifestyle with cars and so they'd just keep paying the extra. So waht is the matter with us? Why the fixation on oil? Why the lack of flexibility? Why not work on the alternatives so we are not constantly held to ransom? And it also means increases in air fares. Don't they want us to travel any more? I think we need to work on teleportation. How far are we with that anyway and how many people have we lost in space trying to get it working?!! Beam me up, I don't like these oil prices. Maybe we need to go back to the simple life, heh?
"The oil price rose to new records, about $US70 a barrel, with fears that it could go even higher as hurricane Katrina in the United States threatens supply."
Well, it sure ain't the good oil any more. Okay, so the hurricane hitting the gulf of Mexico where the oil rigs are probably isn't a good idea when it comes to oil prices. But how come they keep going up and up and the prediction is to 100 dollars a barrel? They were saying on the news on my way home you'd never get people to give up their cars and lifestyle with cars and so they'd just keep paying the extra. So waht is the matter with us? Why the fixation on oil? Why the lack of flexibility? Why not work on the alternatives so we are not constantly held to ransom? And it also means increases in air fares. Don't they want us to travel any more? I think we need to work on teleportation. How far are we with that anyway and how many people have we lost in space trying to get it working?!! Beam me up, I don't like these oil prices. Maybe we need to go back to the simple life, heh?
Sunday, August 28, 2005
An oldie but a goodie
Can you raed tihs? Olny srmat poelpe can.
cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The
phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde
Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the
olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit
pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a
porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by
istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot
slpeling was ipmorantt!
I got this one in an email today. I have seen others and they always intrigue me. It's how the world is at the moment. You can read it but the spelling is totally bizarre.
cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The
phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde
Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the
olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit
pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a
porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by
istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot
slpeling was ipmorantt!
I got this one in an email today. I have seen others and they always intrigue me. It's how the world is at the moment. You can read it but the spelling is totally bizarre.
More sacrifice in Iraq
Bush warns of more sacrifice in Iraq :
"'Our efforts in Iraq and the broader Middle East will require more time, more sacrifice and continued resolve,' said Bush, who has spent most of August on vacation at his 648-hectare ranch."
The death toll for Americans in Iraq has increased considerably. The death toll for Americans in the middle east over many years has been very high, so Cindy Sheehan's question is not an odd one for an American to ask:
"How many more are you willing to sacrifice before you say enough is enough?"
She should not be deemed to be difficult because she wants to know why so many Americans are losing their lives for what seems to be an ongoing mess and has been an ongoing mess for years. If people could see things changing or could see the point of all of this, then they would not ask so called difficult questions. You don't throw good money after bad, do you? You don't keep putting people into die if there is no clear image of how all this death is improving things. It's hard, I know it's hard. The middle east and its political make up is like liquid crystal and very difficult to understand. Using a western headset to make sense of something middle eastern is impossible. So we sit here hurting and baffled because we can just see not stop destruction and a country being reduced to rubble and so many soldiers just losing their lives and for what? One day it may all be better, but the Americans are paying a very high price .
In Beirut in 1983 a suicide truck broke through the barricades of the US marine base. 241 Americans were killed. So were 58 French people. During the 80s there were ongoing attacks on French and American embassies in Lebanon. When terrorists took the Kuwaiti airliner in 1984, again, Americans were killed. But it goes on through the 90s and now the new millennium, so you can understand why Cindy Sheehan asks how many. Ostensibly the middle east is still very unstable and what exactly western intervention is achieving is very unclear to us. We get news, we get spin, we get propaganda, but we don't get it at all. Maybe the leaders get it. Maybe the military gets it. We don't, so saying Americans have to sacrifice more when they don't understand really what this is all about, is a big ask, given they and the French are the two nations who have consistently lost lives trying to resolve issues in the middle east.
"'Our efforts in Iraq and the broader Middle East will require more time, more sacrifice and continued resolve,' said Bush, who has spent most of August on vacation at his 648-hectare ranch."
The death toll for Americans in Iraq has increased considerably. The death toll for Americans in the middle east over many years has been very high, so Cindy Sheehan's question is not an odd one for an American to ask:
"How many more are you willing to sacrifice before you say enough is enough?"
She should not be deemed to be difficult because she wants to know why so many Americans are losing their lives for what seems to be an ongoing mess and has been an ongoing mess for years. If people could see things changing or could see the point of all of this, then they would not ask so called difficult questions. You don't throw good money after bad, do you? You don't keep putting people into die if there is no clear image of how all this death is improving things. It's hard, I know it's hard. The middle east and its political make up is like liquid crystal and very difficult to understand. Using a western headset to make sense of something middle eastern is impossible. So we sit here hurting and baffled because we can just see not stop destruction and a country being reduced to rubble and so many soldiers just losing their lives and for what? One day it may all be better, but the Americans are paying a very high price .
In Beirut in 1983 a suicide truck broke through the barricades of the US marine base. 241 Americans were killed. So were 58 French people. During the 80s there were ongoing attacks on French and American embassies in Lebanon. When terrorists took the Kuwaiti airliner in 1984, again, Americans were killed. But it goes on through the 90s and now the new millennium, so you can understand why Cindy Sheehan asks how many. Ostensibly the middle east is still very unstable and what exactly western intervention is achieving is very unclear to us. We get news, we get spin, we get propaganda, but we don't get it at all. Maybe the leaders get it. Maybe the military gets it. We don't, so saying Americans have to sacrifice more when they don't understand really what this is all about, is a big ask, given they and the French are the two nations who have consistently lost lives trying to resolve issues in the middle east.
Poor housing in Baghdad
This is from The Australian site. It says the women are protesting about poor housing in Bagdad. I am pleased they have the energy and spirit to protest and I am pleased to hear they actually have any housing at all...so yes, give these women a break and let them have houses to live in like you and me.
Old shed gives blokes a new lease on life
The Advertiser: Old shed gives blokes a new lease on life :
"Lower North's men's health worker, John Monten, based in Clare, said everyone was very enthusiastic about Jingle's Shed and its benefits for the community. 'The concept is really just starting. It is a new direction for men's health,' he said."
The men are so excited about their new shed. So, what is it with men and sheds? Already, they have the community thing happening. People just need there spot to get away from it all and their mates and somehow health and well being appear. People need people and it can be done so simply. I hope to hear more news of Mr. Dobbie and his shed and how it's all progressing.
"Lower North's men's health worker, John Monten, based in Clare, said everyone was very enthusiastic about Jingle's Shed and its benefits for the community. 'The concept is really just starting. It is a new direction for men's health,' he said."
The men are so excited about their new shed. So, what is it with men and sheds? Already, they have the community thing happening. People just need there spot to get away from it all and their mates and somehow health and well being appear. People need people and it can be done so simply. I hope to hear more news of Mr. Dobbie and his shed and how it's all progressing.
Outrage over company jibe
The Advertiser: Outrage over company jibe :
"It also included 'Thoughts for the Week', which read: 'The customer isn't a moron – it's you and me and our family. We are someone else's customer.'"
well, I hope you understood that, I didn't. Would be good for the company to do some lessons in clear expression and grammatical accuracy. As it stands they have offended their workers who took it to mean that they were morons. Clarity of expression could have avoided the ill feeling and the unpleasant repercussions. Companies and business run on the goodwill of the workers.
"It also included 'Thoughts for the Week', which read: 'The customer isn't a moron – it's you and me and our family. We are someone else's customer.'"
well, I hope you understood that, I didn't. Would be good for the company to do some lessons in clear expression and grammatical accuracy. As it stands they have offended their workers who took it to mean that they were morons. Clarity of expression could have avoided the ill feeling and the unpleasant repercussions. Companies and business run on the goodwill of the workers.
Protests mark tunnel opening
The Australian: Protests mark tunnel opening :
"'What I suspect will happen is that it will cause chaos in east Sydney,' he said.
'What the Government should be doing is investing serious money in public transport to give people alternatives to cars.'"
Sydney has 2.1 metres of new road tunnel and the Sydney siders don't seem to be very happy.We have had quite a bit of it reported here and it seemed like people were being forced to use the tunnel and then pay what seemed to be an exorbitant toll. There were some rivers saying their usual routes were cut off and blocked and then they had to use the tunnel and pay the fee. Others have been dismayed with the safety issues relating to the tunnel. There were some accidents whilst building the tunnel and apparently it cannot recycle fresh air properly at peak times so the outlets from the tunnels into the surrounding areas will be putting out some exremely polluted air. They are not happy! For this state of affairs to be happening one can only assume there was little consultation and too much hurrying to complete it. Maybe not, but it is certainly getting a lot of attention now and people want the whole public transport issue in Sydney looked into. That is a must because Sydney people were really dismayed with public transport options when I was travelling around. It used to have fantastic public transport. Mind you, we have had a revamp of our public transport with more buses and new timetables. Last week, its first week, was chaos. People didn't know the times. Two buses of the same number were turning up at the same time. Bus drivers were oblivious to the new times. Buses had the wrong numbers on them. Implementation dip? I should say so. It can only get better!!
"'What I suspect will happen is that it will cause chaos in east Sydney,' he said.
'What the Government should be doing is investing serious money in public transport to give people alternatives to cars.'"
Sydney has 2.1 metres of new road tunnel and the Sydney siders don't seem to be very happy.We have had quite a bit of it reported here and it seemed like people were being forced to use the tunnel and then pay what seemed to be an exorbitant toll. There were some rivers saying their usual routes were cut off and blocked and then they had to use the tunnel and pay the fee. Others have been dismayed with the safety issues relating to the tunnel. There were some accidents whilst building the tunnel and apparently it cannot recycle fresh air properly at peak times so the outlets from the tunnels into the surrounding areas will be putting out some exremely polluted air. They are not happy! For this state of affairs to be happening one can only assume there was little consultation and too much hurrying to complete it. Maybe not, but it is certainly getting a lot of attention now and people want the whole public transport issue in Sydney looked into. That is a must because Sydney people were really dismayed with public transport options when I was travelling around. It used to have fantastic public transport. Mind you, we have had a revamp of our public transport with more buses and new timetables. Last week, its first week, was chaos. People didn't know the times. Two buses of the same number were turning up at the same time. Bus drivers were oblivious to the new times. Buses had the wrong numbers on them. Implementation dip? I should say so. It can only get better!!
Army needs u
'Army needs u': ADF mulls SMS recruitment. :
"Young people could soon receive direct SMS messages from the Australian Defence Force (ADF) encouraging them to sign up.
The employment tactic is being considered as part of a Federal Government review of Defence Force recruitment and retention."
I hope not. I hope they will not SMS young people. Where will they get the mobile numbers ? If the Government can access our mobile numbers and send us messages according to their needs then this is no longer a democracy, but then again, it hasn't been for a while. It's outrageous. If the army were so great, the young would flock to it. Could the young be showing some common sense? Don't be so reckless.
"Young people could soon receive direct SMS messages from the Australian Defence Force (ADF) encouraging them to sign up.
The employment tactic is being considered as part of a Federal Government review of Defence Force recruitment and retention."
I hope not. I hope they will not SMS young people. Where will they get the mobile numbers ? If the Government can access our mobile numbers and send us messages according to their needs then this is no longer a democracy, but then again, it hasn't been for a while. It's outrageous. If the army were so great, the young would flock to it. Could the young be showing some common sense? Don't be so reckless.
MP urges school headscarf ban.
MP urges school headscarf ban. :
"She says Australia should allow Muslim women to follow their religious beliefs as freely as any other women.
'What [Mrs Bishop is] saying to me is on one hand our Government is supporting the freedom of the people in Iraq and [she's] saying to me as an Australian Muslim woman that I cannot exercise my freedom of religious rights,' she said."
In time, people who wear a veil, or scarf may abandon it. It is not something you insist upon because of what it means to Muslim girls to show their hair. It's like insisting women should not be allowed to wear trousers. Some nations still have modesty as part of their dress code. Some nations still have clothing for each sex. Some nations have taboos on what can and cannot be revealed in public. Since we have gone past that and infact, do not care whether people are properly attired or not, then we need to be mindful that some cultures still enjoy a belief in appropriate apparel and modest clothing. The veil is not quirky clothing. It is not a fashion item. It's about hiding your hair and being a woman of that culture. Later on, these women may chose to abandon their veils because they are living in our society, but I wouldn't want to have to wear a grass skirt and coconut top because that is island dress in some places, even if I did choose to live there. It's how you are brought up.
"She says Australia should allow Muslim women to follow their religious beliefs as freely as any other women.
'What [Mrs Bishop is] saying to me is on one hand our Government is supporting the freedom of the people in Iraq and [she's] saying to me as an Australian Muslim woman that I cannot exercise my freedom of religious rights,' she said."
In time, people who wear a veil, or scarf may abandon it. It is not something you insist upon because of what it means to Muslim girls to show their hair. It's like insisting women should not be allowed to wear trousers. Some nations still have modesty as part of their dress code. Some nations still have clothing for each sex. Some nations have taboos on what can and cannot be revealed in public. Since we have gone past that and infact, do not care whether people are properly attired or not, then we need to be mindful that some cultures still enjoy a belief in appropriate apparel and modest clothing. The veil is not quirky clothing. It is not a fashion item. It's about hiding your hair and being a woman of that culture. Later on, these women may chose to abandon their veils because they are living in our society, but I wouldn't want to have to wear a grass skirt and coconut top because that is island dress in some places, even if I did choose to live there. It's how you are brought up.
Iraq constitution set for parliamentary vote.
Iraq constitution set for parliamentary vote. :
"Iraq's Parliament will vote on a constitution on Sunday regardless of the minority Sunni position on the draft, parliament Speaker Hajim al-Hasani said."
It's a massive step forward and we are all hoping that the things which care not wholly agreed upon can be resolved in time. That is a democracy. I well remember the discussion, debate and at times, hair pulling, when we were trying to agree upon the preamble to our constitution. In the end , you have to put it down and agree to it and know that when you want to come back to it to tinker and make changes, you can. It's about the majority . It's about the things which most people agree to. Sometimes, in time, the majority will come around to a minority view because it can be demonstrated that it is worth having. I hope the Sunnis can find worth in the constitution they have all worked on even though they have particular disagreements about some of it. From here I cannot say who is right and who is wrong and what I think. I don't know if it is good to have all autonomous regions deleted except the Kurdish North. I do know that the states here want to be the states they are. No state would want to be dissolved, annexed or amalgamated. These things are very close to the hearts of Australians. I do know that in Iraq , the parliament has worked for a long time on its constitution and that is a good thing. I do know they have appeared to have listened to each other. What they have now is a greater understanding of the "sticking" points for them and these are the things which have become clear and can now be dealt with. I say this and sound as though it's not much. It is much, a very great deal, because these things are the things which people hold in their hearts and those things are always difficult to compromise on and the thought of change can be very threatening. I hope the consitution will pass the referendum in October. It'll be such a huge step in the right direction.
"Iraq's Parliament will vote on a constitution on Sunday regardless of the minority Sunni position on the draft, parliament Speaker Hajim al-Hasani said."
It's a massive step forward and we are all hoping that the things which care not wholly agreed upon can be resolved in time. That is a democracy. I well remember the discussion, debate and at times, hair pulling, when we were trying to agree upon the preamble to our constitution. In the end , you have to put it down and agree to it and know that when you want to come back to it to tinker and make changes, you can. It's about the majority . It's about the things which most people agree to. Sometimes, in time, the majority will come around to a minority view because it can be demonstrated that it is worth having. I hope the Sunnis can find worth in the constitution they have all worked on even though they have particular disagreements about some of it. From here I cannot say who is right and who is wrong and what I think. I don't know if it is good to have all autonomous regions deleted except the Kurdish North. I do know that the states here want to be the states they are. No state would want to be dissolved, annexed or amalgamated. These things are very close to the hearts of Australians. I do know that in Iraq , the parliament has worked for a long time on its constitution and that is a good thing. I do know they have appeared to have listened to each other. What they have now is a greater understanding of the "sticking" points for them and these are the things which have become clear and can now be dealt with. I say this and sound as though it's not much. It is much, a very great deal, because these things are the things which people hold in their hearts and those things are always difficult to compromise on and the thought of change can be very threatening. I hope the consitution will pass the referendum in October. It'll be such a huge step in the right direction.
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Masked teenager arrested at anti-Howard protest.
Masked teenager arrested at anti-Howard protest.:
"A 15-year-old masked demonstrator wearing a giant John Howard mask has been arrested and formally cautioned for disorderly conduct during the Prime Minister's visit to South Australia."
I doubt that Mr. Howard is that easily intimidated and I am sure he'd probably expect to see a 15 year old wearing a big mask of his face . If all the boy did was wear a mask, he is hardly disorderly. He is behaving like a 15 year old...of the right kind. The wrong kind throw rocks, stab people, take pills, abuse people, spit on them and ask for money.There are people who wear masks all the time. Not a problem.
"A 15-year-old masked demonstrator wearing a giant John Howard mask has been arrested and formally cautioned for disorderly conduct during the Prime Minister's visit to South Australia."
I doubt that Mr. Howard is that easily intimidated and I am sure he'd probably expect to see a 15 year old wearing a big mask of his face . If all the boy did was wear a mask, he is hardly disorderly. He is behaving like a 15 year old...of the right kind. The wrong kind throw rocks, stab people, take pills, abuse people, spit on them and ask for money.There are people who wear masks all the time. Not a problem.
Four arrested in $72m drug bust.
Four arrested in $72m drug bust. :
"The drug is a key ingredient in speed and police believe the seizure could have a potential street value of $72 million."
At least one of these a week is reported and I would say the police and associated organisations are becoming more confident and cannier in dealing with drugs and drug busts. There is huge money in it for the dealers and the top of the pyramid and there is massive heartache and misery for the bottom end and perhaps a few good times. No one begrudges someone a good time but we seem to have had a lot of death, destruction and desecration which has come with the four letter D word, so it's in our interests to keep finding the hauls. The other apporach is to take the money out of it. How, I don't know. We could always stop the venues that promote the stuff from having it. Would raves really change if people could balloon their heads? If they could keep it to themselves and not affect the rest of us maybe we'd ignore it, but the trouble with drugs is the hospital staff and doctures have to try and keep the peopel alive when they are so young and parents have to worry about their kids and then they drive, or become involved in such anti social behaviour. This precludes saying, well, if they are silly enough to take the stuff, let them. So this persistence by the police is having an effect, you can feel it. There's some panic out there in the community, but on the whole we have started to restore the balance. Peole always seem to need to have something to alter their brains. Maybe we need something which less lethal, not illegal and less of a income generator.
"The drug is a key ingredient in speed and police believe the seizure could have a potential street value of $72 million."
At least one of these a week is reported and I would say the police and associated organisations are becoming more confident and cannier in dealing with drugs and drug busts. There is huge money in it for the dealers and the top of the pyramid and there is massive heartache and misery for the bottom end and perhaps a few good times. No one begrudges someone a good time but we seem to have had a lot of death, destruction and desecration which has come with the four letter D word, so it's in our interests to keep finding the hauls. The other apporach is to take the money out of it. How, I don't know. We could always stop the venues that promote the stuff from having it. Would raves really change if people could balloon their heads? If they could keep it to themselves and not affect the rest of us maybe we'd ignore it, but the trouble with drugs is the hospital staff and doctures have to try and keep the peopel alive when they are so young and parents have to worry about their kids and then they drive, or become involved in such anti social behaviour. This precludes saying, well, if they are silly enough to take the stuff, let them. So this persistence by the police is having an effect, you can feel it. There's some panic out there in the community, but on the whole we have started to restore the balance. Peole always seem to need to have something to alter their brains. Maybe we need something which less lethal, not illegal and less of a income generator.
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Coffee parlours flock to India
Coffee parlours flock to India:
"Next week, Coffee World, a gourmet coffee chain launched by Global Franchise Architects (the promoter of Pizza Corner India) in Thailand, will open its first outlet in Bangalore.
In April next year, the Rs 600-crore (Rs 6 billion) Ravi Jaipuria group will bring in the Costa coffee brand through a franchisee tie-up with the � 1.8 billion Whitbread PLC of the UK."
I found to reference to this on the Scotsman.com. I am shocked!! Scandalised! I thought the Indians were tea drinkers and connoisseurs! How could they? What will this do the wonderful tea culture and tea products from India? See what happens when we go global? I am certain you can drink tea with wifis, mp3 players and paninis. Tsk. Tsk. What is the world coming to?
"Next week, Coffee World, a gourmet coffee chain launched by Global Franchise Architects (the promoter of Pizza Corner India) in Thailand, will open its first outlet in Bangalore.
In April next year, the Rs 600-crore (Rs 6 billion) Ravi Jaipuria group will bring in the Costa coffee brand through a franchisee tie-up with the � 1.8 billion Whitbread PLC of the UK."
I found to reference to this on the Scotsman.com. I am shocked!! Scandalised! I thought the Indians were tea drinkers and connoisseurs! How could they? What will this do the wonderful tea culture and tea products from India? See what happens when we go global? I am certain you can drink tea with wifis, mp3 players and paninis. Tsk. Tsk. What is the world coming to?
Hello Kitty
Channelnewsasia.com: " Hong Kong's die-hard Hello Kitty admirers are once again paying tribute to their favourite cartoon character.
A large-scale exhibition in the territory attracted more than 1,000 fans on the first day and a riot almost broke out when most of them weren't allowed in before a limited edition toy sold out."
This has been a real success story. Some characters just have huge appeal from one generation to the next and such universal appeal. Hello Kitty is 30 years old but is still going strong and the exibition in Hong Kong appears to be a runaway success. There is no mention made of whether the exhibition will tour. I am certain it would be well patronised wherever it went because Hello Kitty is everywhere and everyone has a soft spot for it.
A large-scale exhibition in the territory attracted more than 1,000 fans on the first day and a riot almost broke out when most of them weren't allowed in before a limited edition toy sold out."
This has been a real success story. Some characters just have huge appeal from one generation to the next and such universal appeal. Hello Kitty is 30 years old but is still going strong and the exibition in Hong Kong appears to be a runaway success. There is no mention made of whether the exhibition will tour. I am certain it would be well patronised wherever it went because Hello Kitty is everywhere and everyone has a soft spot for it.
Energy police
Channelnewsasia.com: "'Energy audit teams' will begin unannounced spot checks next week of government offices, colleges and universities and state-owned corporations to ensure they meet the guidelines, Energy Undersecretary Peter Abaya said.
Under the new rules, government buildings must replace ordinary light bulbs with energy-saving fluorescent lamps and set air conditioning units at 25 degrees Celsius, turning them off an hour before the close of office hours, Abaya said."
I love the sound of this...the Energy Police. Spot checks on buildings and organisations to see if they are being energy efficient. No idling of vehicles in parking lots...I love it!! As an energy conservationist and a recycler from way back I have been stunned at how we just waste resources and pay no heed and don't mind if things get damaged because " the insurance will pay for it". This whole notion of waste is anathema to be. I have always tried to lead by example rather than censure. I have always tried to facilitate the conservation of our non renewable resources. I am not a green nutter...I just want plants, trees, animals, clean air and an end to wanton waste!! I think all countries should have conservation police! I can't believe, for instance, that people still use incandescent ighting when you can show them the fluorescent and energy saving globes, although dearer to start with, save so much money and energy in the long term. They still refuse to buy them. They still insist on leaving lights on...and I am so sick and tired of gadgets with lights and lamps you do not need. When it's off , it should be off. There is no need for a little light on everything. Please, bring me the conservation police!!
Under the new rules, government buildings must replace ordinary light bulbs with energy-saving fluorescent lamps and set air conditioning units at 25 degrees Celsius, turning them off an hour before the close of office hours, Abaya said."
I love the sound of this...the Energy Police. Spot checks on buildings and organisations to see if they are being energy efficient. No idling of vehicles in parking lots...I love it!! As an energy conservationist and a recycler from way back I have been stunned at how we just waste resources and pay no heed and don't mind if things get damaged because " the insurance will pay for it". This whole notion of waste is anathema to be. I have always tried to lead by example rather than censure. I have always tried to facilitate the conservation of our non renewable resources. I am not a green nutter...I just want plants, trees, animals, clean air and an end to wanton waste!! I think all countries should have conservation police! I can't believe, for instance, that people still use incandescent ighting when you can show them the fluorescent and energy saving globes, although dearer to start with, save so much money and energy in the long term. They still refuse to buy them. They still insist on leaving lights on...and I am so sick and tired of gadgets with lights and lamps you do not need. When it's off , it should be off. There is no need for a little light on everything. Please, bring me the conservation police!!
Jarrod Stehbens tried to fight off shark
Victim tried to fight off shark, witness says.:
"Jarrod Stehbens had been diving on a reef several kilometres offshore.
Only his breathing apparatus and buoyancy vest have been recovered. A search of the area has been called off."
This has obviously been the talk of our town today and the pragmatism we have is not only evident in this article, but throughout our community. This is a sad, sad thing and the families of shark attack victims have to have an amazing amount of humanity and emotional strength to deal with it. As a marine biologist, Jarrod Stehbens appeared to be trying to manage the situation with a very cool head and a logical approach. Divers are not put off by this. Divers love the ocean and an attack like this is not going to stop them diving because they love seeing their underwater world and know that sharks are a part of it. They are in no way thrill seekers. They just want to know about the underwater world. When people are killed on roads it doesn't stop us from getting into our cars. We have a better chance of stopping road accidents than diving mishaps because divers are notnoted for their irresponsibility on the whole. They are very careful. We can change speed limits to try and stop road accidents but drivers who speed do not change their behaviour. There is only a possibility they might change if they are caught. So we need to change our approach.Divers are usually looking for information or photographs. Some use shark pods on their boats or on their person to try and dissuade sharks . The personal ones can cause a shock to anyone who bumps into them and so they can be a deterrent to the diver. The shark pods, though, seem to dissuade sharks quite effectively. But it also seems to be the opinion of divers I spoke to that the sharks are living in waters which are increasingly depleted of their food sources. This is something we can have an effect on, something we can work on and something we are able to change. It's the divers who have information which could be used to resolve some of this . They understand the ocean and it's not something we can control from up here with no inside knowledge. We were all thinking of Jarrod Stehbens today even though we didn't know his name and we had all spared a thought for the diving friends we had.
"Jarrod Stehbens had been diving on a reef several kilometres offshore.
Only his breathing apparatus and buoyancy vest have been recovered. A search of the area has been called off."
This has obviously been the talk of our town today and the pragmatism we have is not only evident in this article, but throughout our community. This is a sad, sad thing and the families of shark attack victims have to have an amazing amount of humanity and emotional strength to deal with it. As a marine biologist, Jarrod Stehbens appeared to be trying to manage the situation with a very cool head and a logical approach. Divers are not put off by this. Divers love the ocean and an attack like this is not going to stop them diving because they love seeing their underwater world and know that sharks are a part of it. They are in no way thrill seekers. They just want to know about the underwater world. When people are killed on roads it doesn't stop us from getting into our cars. We have a better chance of stopping road accidents than diving mishaps because divers are notnoted for their irresponsibility on the whole. They are very careful. We can change speed limits to try and stop road accidents but drivers who speed do not change their behaviour. There is only a possibility they might change if they are caught. So we need to change our approach.Divers are usually looking for information or photographs. Some use shark pods on their boats or on their person to try and dissuade sharks . The personal ones can cause a shock to anyone who bumps into them and so they can be a deterrent to the diver. The shark pods, though, seem to dissuade sharks quite effectively. But it also seems to be the opinion of divers I spoke to that the sharks are living in waters which are increasingly depleted of their food sources. This is something we can have an effect on, something we can work on and something we are able to change. It's the divers who have information which could be used to resolve some of this . They understand the ocean and it's not something we can control from up here with no inside knowledge. We were all thinking of Jarrod Stehbens today even though we didn't know his name and we had all spared a thought for the diving friends we had.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Flea-collar alert for mothers to be
The Advertiser: Flea-collar alert for mothers to be:
"Biotechnology lecturer Dr Fiona Young said her research on 30 women was the first to show the effect the chemical, Amitraz, had on the human pregnancy process."
Apparently , Amitraz can block ovulation in rats and could well stop women becoming pregnant because it interferes with ovulation. It never ceases to amaze me hoe laterally thinking our scientists are and how they look at EVERYTHING to try and get to the bottom of things.
"Biotechnology lecturer Dr Fiona Young said her research on 30 women was the first to show the effect the chemical, Amitraz, had on the human pregnancy process."
Apparently , Amitraz can block ovulation in rats and could well stop women becoming pregnant because it interferes with ovulation. It never ceases to amaze me hoe laterally thinking our scientists are and how they look at EVERYTHING to try and get to the bottom of things.
Immigration Department.
Family considers legal action against Immigration Dept.
"Relatives of a Syrian woman are considering legal action against the Immigration Department after her death.
Aziza Agha, 79, died two days after she was forced to travel to central Melbourne for a consultation with a departmental doctor earlier this month."
Inspite of how it may appear, most of our government departments are realistic, approachable, straight forward (in a government way!) and adept at connecting with their public. They often seek to make changes to benefit their communication with us. Centerlink, for instance, even though it can take the phone off the hook or whatever when it feel swamped, has created so many ways to try and help people get it right and achieve and attain the services they require and has revamped the Net access and site so they work better. I have always had friendly and helpful service from any government department I have contacted. My ownly stumbling block was the superannuation board but after 5 years of persistence I managed to resolve the matter quite easily!! The Immigration Department, however, has demonstrably been intractable, inept, unkind, uncaring and intransigent. It has consistently treated people abominably and it needs to be restructured so that it serves its purpose because currently its purpose seems to be to cause people misery and great pain. As a system it is too unwieldy and too incapable of showing any humanity. As a representative of us as a nation it is too destructive to our image. We are not that unkind, not that uncaring and not that incapable of managing crisis.Nor are we that bungling. Until the Immigration Department stopped listening to the commonsense practices we have had in Australia we managed any number of situations and people because communication and co ordination have always been our strengths as a nation. THe ID needs to communicate better, more efficiently, caseworkers need to have all the information and medical practicioners and psychiatrists need to be listened to. No one else ignores them.
"Relatives of a Syrian woman are considering legal action against the Immigration Department after her death.
Aziza Agha, 79, died two days after she was forced to travel to central Melbourne for a consultation with a departmental doctor earlier this month."
Inspite of how it may appear, most of our government departments are realistic, approachable, straight forward (in a government way!) and adept at connecting with their public. They often seek to make changes to benefit their communication with us. Centerlink, for instance, even though it can take the phone off the hook or whatever when it feel swamped, has created so many ways to try and help people get it right and achieve and attain the services they require and has revamped the Net access and site so they work better. I have always had friendly and helpful service from any government department I have contacted. My ownly stumbling block was the superannuation board but after 5 years of persistence I managed to resolve the matter quite easily!! The Immigration Department, however, has demonstrably been intractable, inept, unkind, uncaring and intransigent. It has consistently treated people abominably and it needs to be restructured so that it serves its purpose because currently its purpose seems to be to cause people misery and great pain. As a system it is too unwieldy and too incapable of showing any humanity. As a representative of us as a nation it is too destructive to our image. We are not that unkind, not that uncaring and not that incapable of managing crisis.Nor are we that bungling. Until the Immigration Department stopped listening to the commonsense practices we have had in Australia we managed any number of situations and people because communication and co ordination have always been our strengths as a nation. THe ID needs to communicate better, more efficiently, caseworkers need to have all the information and medical practicioners and psychiatrists need to be listened to. No one else ignores them.
Shark attack
Search under way after shark attacks diver. :
"A major search is under way in the waters off an Adelaide beach this evening for a man who has been taken by a shark.
The man was diving with three others when he was attacked two kilometres off Glenelg Beach, just after 4:00pm ACST."
Has the world gone mad or what? Are we out of control or what? Am I going to get blogger depression or not because how long can the insanity last and how much is too much and when are we going to be able to get a grip? This is not the time of year for shark attacks. It's our second one now after the one in December. Same spot. There's an artificial tyre reef which divers like and there's also recreational fishing that far off our coast too. We do not know who it is because the family has to have a chance to come to terms with it all. Divers have been saying that our waters are noticeably missing the bigger fish and over the years the number of fish has depleted. So maybe these shark attacks are also brought on by the fact we have over fished our waters commercially. The sharks don't have enough food and are cruising the coast. Fishermen have known they have been around there. We really have to look at what's going on. The states where they have been putting shark nets up they have been catching whales and having to rescue them. We have made some changes to our fishing laws but I think we need to look at some interim measures and divers are going to have to be mighty careful.
Sad, sad, sad. It was a marine biology trip.
"A major search is under way in the waters off an Adelaide beach this evening for a man who has been taken by a shark.
The man was diving with three others when he was attacked two kilometres off Glenelg Beach, just after 4:00pm ACST."
Has the world gone mad or what? Are we out of control or what? Am I going to get blogger depression or not because how long can the insanity last and how much is too much and when are we going to be able to get a grip? This is not the time of year for shark attacks. It's our second one now after the one in December. Same spot. There's an artificial tyre reef which divers like and there's also recreational fishing that far off our coast too. We do not know who it is because the family has to have a chance to come to terms with it all. Divers have been saying that our waters are noticeably missing the bigger fish and over the years the number of fish has depleted. So maybe these shark attacks are also brought on by the fact we have over fished our waters commercially. The sharks don't have enough food and are cruising the coast. Fishermen have known they have been around there. We really have to look at what's going on. The states where they have been putting shark nets up they have been catching whales and having to rescue them. We have made some changes to our fishing laws but I think we need to look at some interim measures and divers are going to have to be mighty careful.
Sad, sad, sad. It was a marine biology trip.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Happy Blogday!
It's my bloggiversary today. My blog is one year old. Blogging is one way of having your cybercake and eating it, so help yourselves. I have spared no expense!
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Trashy tenants want a house
The Advertiser: Trashy tenants want a house :
"'It seems to me there's no excuse for not taking a very firm line because it's unacceptable behaviour,' she said. 'And if, because of issues (like drug addiction or mental health problems) someone is not capable of looking after a place and behaving inappropriately, they don't belong in independent accommodation.'"
Of course they want a house. Having wrecked one, they will then realise they can't live in it. It is horrible living next to someone who crashes and destroys their home and lets it become a rubbish tip. It's unsettling and very depressing. It can also be unnerving and having experienced it myself and knowing others who have lived in similar circumstances, you are very much on your own and feeling very stressed with destructive neighbours. The problem is they are usually leading dysfunctional lives for one reason or another. Grouping them in areas will only exacerabate the problem since dysfunction appeals to dysfunction. We manage that kind of thing here better because we are all stable, so people who are desructive of their homes don't last long and move on. Action has to be taken. For a start there needs to be an easy way of letting people know these people are damaging houses. Secondly, there needs to be some kind of support with their dyfunctional behaviour. Thirdly, I think the age of destruction is moving on because we have become heartily sick of people without boundaries. We get what we are prepared to accept. We have changed and the younger ones coming through have some boundaries. This is not a large percentage of the overall population. Peer pressure, police pressure, government pressure can all be brought to bear. It's hard catching them if they moonlight which is often the case, which is why some sort of early detection needs to be put in place. Angry people usually have a reason to be angry. People who are destructive usually have so much anger and usually for a reason. That can be dealth with. Maybe those who cannot be controlled have to lose every thing. What then will happen? They will probably destroy the neighbourhood. Maybe they need "bash proof" housing. In Vanuatu , as a man, you cannot marry until you are able to build your own home. They build them from trees and banana leaves and they are very intricate and strong. Maybe we have to get people building their own homes. Maybe they would be less likey to destroy them. We are usually pretty good at thinking ourselves out of these destructive patterns once we look upon it as a community responsibilty.
"'It seems to me there's no excuse for not taking a very firm line because it's unacceptable behaviour,' she said. 'And if, because of issues (like drug addiction or mental health problems) someone is not capable of looking after a place and behaving inappropriately, they don't belong in independent accommodation.'"
Of course they want a house. Having wrecked one, they will then realise they can't live in it. It is horrible living next to someone who crashes and destroys their home and lets it become a rubbish tip. It's unsettling and very depressing. It can also be unnerving and having experienced it myself and knowing others who have lived in similar circumstances, you are very much on your own and feeling very stressed with destructive neighbours. The problem is they are usually leading dysfunctional lives for one reason or another. Grouping them in areas will only exacerabate the problem since dysfunction appeals to dysfunction. We manage that kind of thing here better because we are all stable, so people who are desructive of their homes don't last long and move on. Action has to be taken. For a start there needs to be an easy way of letting people know these people are damaging houses. Secondly, there needs to be some kind of support with their dyfunctional behaviour. Thirdly, I think the age of destruction is moving on because we have become heartily sick of people without boundaries. We get what we are prepared to accept. We have changed and the younger ones coming through have some boundaries. This is not a large percentage of the overall population. Peer pressure, police pressure, government pressure can all be brought to bear. It's hard catching them if they moonlight which is often the case, which is why some sort of early detection needs to be put in place. Angry people usually have a reason to be angry. People who are destructive usually have so much anger and usually for a reason. That can be dealth with. Maybe those who cannot be controlled have to lose every thing. What then will happen? They will probably destroy the neighbourhood. Maybe they need "bash proof" housing. In Vanuatu , as a man, you cannot marry until you are able to build your own home. They build them from trees and banana leaves and they are very intricate and strong. Maybe we have to get people building their own homes. Maybe they would be less likey to destroy them. We are usually pretty good at thinking ourselves out of these destructive patterns once we look upon it as a community responsibilty.
Big no to prisoner dumping
The Advertiser: Big no to prisoner dumping [21aug05]:
"'I don't think it's appropriate for us to be accepting interstate parolees simply because it's administratively convenient for NSW,' Ms Nelson said.
'They asked for informal supervision of anyone being transferred here without checks being done on appropriate accommodation and support. We don't do that with our own parolees, why should we do it for NSW?' she said."
Other states haven't wished to participate in this scheme, so I'm with Ms. Nelson on this one. It's very odd. I should have thought, however, that we would ensure parolees have accomodation and support before they are paroled. That is a factor in success in the outside world I should have thought. If NSW can't cope, sending the problem elsewhere is not going to help and given the distance it would be hard to manage as such. They are 2000 km away and it might be useful and helpful to parole someone from one state to another, but I would imagine that would be managed as now, on a case by case basis. If NSW is unable to manage the workload, they need to consider the radical approach of empying more people to do the job and if that is a funding issue, then that needs to be made public.
"'I don't think it's appropriate for us to be accepting interstate parolees simply because it's administratively convenient for NSW,' Ms Nelson said.
'They asked for informal supervision of anyone being transferred here without checks being done on appropriate accommodation and support. We don't do that with our own parolees, why should we do it for NSW?' she said."
Other states haven't wished to participate in this scheme, so I'm with Ms. Nelson on this one. It's very odd. I should have thought, however, that we would ensure parolees have accomodation and support before they are paroled. That is a factor in success in the outside world I should have thought. If NSW can't cope, sending the problem elsewhere is not going to help and given the distance it would be hard to manage as such. They are 2000 km away and it might be useful and helpful to parole someone from one state to another, but I would imagine that would be managed as now, on a case by case basis. If NSW is unable to manage the workload, they need to consider the radical approach of empying more people to do the job and if that is a funding issue, then that needs to be made public.
Woodrow Wilson award to honour Howard's leadership.
US award to honour Howard's leadership. 21/08/2005. ABC News Online:
"Mr Howard's award will be recognised in a recorded message from the US President George W Bush, who will also deliver a message to Australians."
I can't wait.
This article tells me nothing apart from Mr Howard being the first person to receive it outside Europe and North America. Does that mean someone in Asia has received it or the South Pacific? What is it for? How did he get it? What are the criteria? Another feather in his cap. If nothing elsee, he has been the only person I know to thrive as a Prime Minister. He has looked better and better . Most people get older and more worn out in the position of Prime Minister or president. Like the Queen, Mr. Howard stays looking alert and well. He should get an award for that.
"Mr Howard's award will be recognised in a recorded message from the US President George W Bush, who will also deliver a message to Australians."
I can't wait.
This article tells me nothing apart from Mr Howard being the first person to receive it outside Europe and North America. Does that mean someone in Asia has received it or the South Pacific? What is it for? How did he get it? What are the criteria? Another feather in his cap. If nothing elsee, he has been the only person I know to thrive as a Prime Minister. He has looked better and better . Most people get older and more worn out in the position of Prime Minister or president. Like the Queen, Mr. Howard stays looking alert and well. He should get an award for that.
Qantas flight makes emergency landing.
9 hurt as Qantas flight makes emergency landing. 21/08/2005. ABC News Online:
"The control tower reported seeing smoke as the plane landed and an emergency evacuation of the 178 passengers and 13 crew was conducted."
How many more planes? How much more faulty equipment? This is getting to be very serious, but hoorah for an alert control tower and a classy crew. They blame it on a faulty indicator. If my car indicator blew smoke every time it malfunctioned, I'd be more than worried. Smoke from the cargo area? I believe as annoying as it is, we are going to have to go over aircraft with a fine tooth comb. I have never heard of so many crashes, faults, accidents, mishaps with aircraft in my life. It's heartening to know that the control crew and the airline crew were awake and fuctioning. Clearly it saves lives and expensive equipment. Please put them on your Christmas list.
"The control tower reported seeing smoke as the plane landed and an emergency evacuation of the 178 passengers and 13 crew was conducted."
How many more planes? How much more faulty equipment? This is getting to be very serious, but hoorah for an alert control tower and a classy crew. They blame it on a faulty indicator. If my car indicator blew smoke every time it malfunctioned, I'd be more than worried. Smoke from the cargo area? I believe as annoying as it is, we are going to have to go over aircraft with a fine tooth comb. I have never heard of so many crashes, faults, accidents, mishaps with aircraft in my life. It's heartening to know that the control crew and the airline crew were awake and fuctioning. Clearly it saves lives and expensive equipment. Please put them on your Christmas list.
Helpem Fren
If you are looking for a job in the South Pacific AusAid has a couple of positions advertised in the Port Vila Presse. We are part of the South Pacific but it is not readily acknowledged here and it's fortunate that the South Pacific nations themselves are working towards their own improvement goals. This job is to help restore stability and positive progress to the Solomon Islands: AusAID - Call for Expressions of Interest
Saturday, August 20, 2005
Germ-Fighting Undies
British Soldiers Get Germ-Fighting Undies - Yahoo! News:
"LONDON - British troops combating the heat and dust of
Iraq and Afghanistan have a new weapon in their armory — germ-fighting underwear. The antimicrobial underpants have been introduced by the Ministry of Defense as part of a new desert uniform for soldiers. They are the first undergarments issued to British troops, who traditionally have had to supply their own."
I got this via a link from Slashdot. It reads very funnily. Silver impregnated undies for germ fighting is a bizarre image, but still. Bottom line?? :) All soldiers should have them. At various times I have had relatives in the clean up of Cyclone Tracy in Darwin and surveying in New Ginea. One thing they could have done with is something to combat hot, humid, unpleasant conditions. The rellie from the cyclone clean up suffered mercilessly from a nasty tropical crotch rash for years after. The PNG one broke out with one after he got back and was luckier. It cleared up after a year. So, for all those poor humans who are required to serve in unpleasant climates , these silver undies will be a godsend. Inhabitants of these areas wear light cotton clothing, or tribal clothing or very loose clothing. Military wear is totally inappropriate for these areas, so some thought about creature comfort is going to be welcome. Bad enough they put their lives at risk, to have avoidable itchy scratchies which they have to endure is the pits.
"LONDON - British troops combating the heat and dust of
Iraq and Afghanistan have a new weapon in their armory — germ-fighting underwear. The antimicrobial underpants have been introduced by the Ministry of Defense as part of a new desert uniform for soldiers. They are the first undergarments issued to British troops, who traditionally have had to supply their own."
I got this via a link from Slashdot. It reads very funnily. Silver impregnated undies for germ fighting is a bizarre image, but still. Bottom line?? :) All soldiers should have them. At various times I have had relatives in the clean up of Cyclone Tracy in Darwin and surveying in New Ginea. One thing they could have done with is something to combat hot, humid, unpleasant conditions. The rellie from the cyclone clean up suffered mercilessly from a nasty tropical crotch rash for years after. The PNG one broke out with one after he got back and was luckier. It cleared up after a year. So, for all those poor humans who are required to serve in unpleasant climates , these silver undies will be a godsend. Inhabitants of these areas wear light cotton clothing, or tribal clothing or very loose clothing. Military wear is totally inappropriate for these areas, so some thought about creature comfort is going to be welcome. Bad enough they put their lives at risk, to have avoidable itchy scratchies which they have to endure is the pits.
Indonesia's global role
The Jakarta Post - Indonesia 'must play leading global role':
"'Speaking about changes, people are usually faced with three options: whether we should be part of the change, follow the change or lead the change. Indonesia, God willing, surely cannot only be a follower in the changing world but, as former president Sukarno and others showed us, we should be able to lead on certain issues in international relations. This is our ultimate goal, and we can only achieve it if we are doing well at home, such as creating good governance, so we can have strength, capacity and credibility to do more in world affairs,' he said."
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is discussing the role for Indonesia in the world. So far, with the Aceh peace deal in Helsinki they are showing a pretty sound protocol and plan for dealing with long term, violent disputes. When the signing was shown on TV you could see that the mediator in Helsinki was so touched and moved and proud of the fact two violently opposed groups could reach an agreement and feel free to speak their minds. That's the key. This is where Indonesia may well serve as a model of good practice. But the unfortunate occurrence of the tsunami has put Idonesia in a global focal position too. Knowing about people , knowing about how they go about things, know who they are and where they are helps. Many Indonesians helped our aid workers up there even though they had absolutely nothing themselves. Many Indonesians have a resilience which we have lost. Indonesia is many things. And the President talks of reform as well. Well, I recommend laughter as I said before. Indonesia will find its place as it continues to come out of itself and make itself known to others.
"'Speaking about changes, people are usually faced with three options: whether we should be part of the change, follow the change or lead the change. Indonesia, God willing, surely cannot only be a follower in the changing world but, as former president Sukarno and others showed us, we should be able to lead on certain issues in international relations. This is our ultimate goal, and we can only achieve it if we are doing well at home, such as creating good governance, so we can have strength, capacity and credibility to do more in world affairs,' he said."
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is discussing the role for Indonesia in the world. So far, with the Aceh peace deal in Helsinki they are showing a pretty sound protocol and plan for dealing with long term, violent disputes. When the signing was shown on TV you could see that the mediator in Helsinki was so touched and moved and proud of the fact two violently opposed groups could reach an agreement and feel free to speak their minds. That's the key. This is where Indonesia may well serve as a model of good practice. But the unfortunate occurrence of the tsunami has put Idonesia in a global focal position too. Knowing about people , knowing about how they go about things, know who they are and where they are helps. Many Indonesians helped our aid workers up there even though they had absolutely nothing themselves. Many Indonesians have a resilience which we have lost. Indonesia is many things. And the President talks of reform as well. Well, I recommend laughter as I said before. Indonesia will find its place as it continues to come out of itself and make itself known to others.
The Ashes
The Hindu : Sport : Something special is happening in England:
"Australia could still win at Trent Bridge and romp to a 3-1 victory. So far, though, so very good. Beyond dispute this Ashes confrontation has been wonderful as a ferocious and desperate challenger suffers an early fall, rises to his feet, shrugs off the blow and in this moment of revelation, launches the sort of counterattack needed to convince observers that, far from being over, the fight has just begun."
This article and tribute is fromThe Hindu and is a lovely , enthusiastic piece about the English cricketers. It is good to see the English get back into their match. It has been great to have two good teams pitted against each other. This article demonstrates the joy you can have when your team just never ceases to amaze you. We have been lucky, we have had great cricket players and great teams to watch for a long time. They guys get tired and worn out because they run hard and it is not easy being a hero in Australia. We often damn with faint praise here and it's a bit harsh when guys get out there year in year out and bring us some fantastic sport and an inspirational attitude. So it's good to see someone bolster the English team , because wehn you have two good teams playing it's just heaven as a spectator. Like the last Crows and Port match. The Crows won but he whole match was a great match to watch and these things add to you as a human being. We should never take our sports people for granted. They make us well and take us out of it all and give us enthusiasm for life.
"Australia could still win at Trent Bridge and romp to a 3-1 victory. So far, though, so very good. Beyond dispute this Ashes confrontation has been wonderful as a ferocious and desperate challenger suffers an early fall, rises to his feet, shrugs off the blow and in this moment of revelation, launches the sort of counterattack needed to convince observers that, far from being over, the fight has just begun."
This article and tribute is fromThe Hindu and is a lovely , enthusiastic piece about the English cricketers. It is good to see the English get back into their match. It has been great to have two good teams pitted against each other. This article demonstrates the joy you can have when your team just never ceases to amaze you. We have been lucky, we have had great cricket players and great teams to watch for a long time. They guys get tired and worn out because they run hard and it is not easy being a hero in Australia. We often damn with faint praise here and it's a bit harsh when guys get out there year in year out and bring us some fantastic sport and an inspirational attitude. So it's good to see someone bolster the English team , because wehn you have two good teams playing it's just heaven as a spectator. Like the last Crows and Port match. The Crows won but he whole match was a great match to watch and these things add to you as a human being. We should never take our sports people for granted. They make us well and take us out of it all and give us enthusiasm for life.
Andrew Thomas
The Advertiser: Thomas: I'll be your science ambassador :
"ADELAIDE-born astronaut Andy Thomas will consider taking up an ambassador role for science in SA, following an invitation from Premier Mike Rann.
Speaking to The Advertiser this week, Dr Thomas discussed his latest mission including the future of the NASA space program, his health following his recent trip to space and rumours he was reprimanded following negative comments he made about the shuttle launch."
Have we had a science an ambassador before? It's a great idea to use someone who has been in the thick of science to be an ambassador for our SA science programmes and achievements. For a small state we come up with a lot of scientific ideas and break throughs and have a commitment to science which tends to run through our society. Having Andy Thomas as an ambassador would be good for us and would maybe fit in with his current life. I hope he didn't get ticked off by NASA for his comments about safety. For a start, they have been borne out by the independent investigation, for seconds he was up there with the others and constantly reminded of Columbia and for thirds he comes from Adelaide. We always are the first to get in there and say if we think something is not quite right. Our councils, parents, schools, politicians , doctors...you name it are used to hearing about what we think if we are not happy. It in no way implies we do not approve of the person, organisation or system. It means we know things could be better. We say what we think but we still keep our end of the deal. I didn't think he'd said anything out of the ordinary. We were all worried sick when the foam fell off and the fuel line wasn't quite right. We knew NASA was doing what it could to be as careful as it could be, but we weren't the ones up in the shuttle. Most of us would have been sounding off pretty solidly if we'd been up there!But, that was what I liked about this Shuttle mission. It was just so normal in lots of ways and NASA was kind enough to let us participate in the normality of it. Technicians getting cranky, people on the ground getting frustrated, tech heads trying to fathom it all. The conversations we heard were just so normal. REAL. NASA could have blocked it all and cut it all out and edited what it wanted. The fact is, they didn't and it made the whole mission so much better and , do you know what, the astronauts and NASA were a team which got that shuttle everyone is complaining about back home, even if it does have to be piggy backed for the last bit.
"ADELAIDE-born astronaut Andy Thomas will consider taking up an ambassador role for science in SA, following an invitation from Premier Mike Rann.
Speaking to The Advertiser this week, Dr Thomas discussed his latest mission including the future of the NASA space program, his health following his recent trip to space and rumours he was reprimanded following negative comments he made about the shuttle launch."
Have we had a science an ambassador before? It's a great idea to use someone who has been in the thick of science to be an ambassador for our SA science programmes and achievements. For a small state we come up with a lot of scientific ideas and break throughs and have a commitment to science which tends to run through our society. Having Andy Thomas as an ambassador would be good for us and would maybe fit in with his current life. I hope he didn't get ticked off by NASA for his comments about safety. For a start, they have been borne out by the independent investigation, for seconds he was up there with the others and constantly reminded of Columbia and for thirds he comes from Adelaide. We always are the first to get in there and say if we think something is not quite right. Our councils, parents, schools, politicians , doctors...you name it are used to hearing about what we think if we are not happy. It in no way implies we do not approve of the person, organisation or system. It means we know things could be better. We say what we think but we still keep our end of the deal. I didn't think he'd said anything out of the ordinary. We were all worried sick when the foam fell off and the fuel line wasn't quite right. We knew NASA was doing what it could to be as careful as it could be, but we weren't the ones up in the shuttle. Most of us would have been sounding off pretty solidly if we'd been up there!But, that was what I liked about this Shuttle mission. It was just so normal in lots of ways and NASA was kind enough to let us participate in the normality of it. Technicians getting cranky, people on the ground getting frustrated, tech heads trying to fathom it all. The conversations we heard were just so normal. REAL. NASA could have blocked it all and cut it all out and edited what it wanted. The fact is, they didn't and it made the whole mission so much better and , do you know what, the astronauts and NASA were a team which got that shuttle everyone is complaining about back home, even if it does have to be piggy backed for the last bit.
Discovery gets a piggyback home.
Discovery gets a piggyback home. :
"The space shuttle Discovery has begun the return journey to its Florida home port from its landing site in California, riding piggyback on top of a modified Boeing 747 jumbo jet."
It's hilarious in a way that the shuttle has to be piggybacked home!! It's been all that way out into space and back from the ISS and now it's too tired. "Can you carry me??" Not only that, the poor carrier has to make two stops in Oklahoma and Louisiana before it can get the shuttle back to Florida. Just like when you really piggy back someone! You'd think that flying across country would be a doddle after all that space flight. One day we'll have a shttle that can fly out into space and across our normal air space. Won't that be something.
"The space shuttle Discovery has begun the return journey to its Florida home port from its landing site in California, riding piggyback on top of a modified Boeing 747 jumbo jet."
It's hilarious in a way that the shuttle has to be piggybacked home!! It's been all that way out into space and back from the ISS and now it's too tired. "Can you carry me??" Not only that, the poor carrier has to make two stops in Oklahoma and Louisiana before it can get the shuttle back to Florida. Just like when you really piggy back someone! You'd think that flying across country would be a doddle after all that space flight. One day we'll have a shttle that can fly out into space and across our normal air space. Won't that be something.
Friday, August 19, 2005
Gaza Strip
Clashes turn ugly as riot squads evict last of hardline resistance
"ISRAELI police and troops broke the last bastions of resistance to the Gaza pullout yesterday after storming synagogues in two hardline settlements.
Clashes were much uglier than previously, with troops using water cannon on fellow Jews in Kfar Darom and protesters throwing acid at riot police, wounding several."
When you are on the other side fo the world, it is very difficult to understand and empathise with the raw reality of others. Sometimes you are totally oblivious to the fact others actually have a reality. Much can be said about bringing other people's problems into your lounge room when you have your own life to deal with. By now, we work out our own position on that because we are "media savvy". I was wondering how exactly the media in Australia would manage the Gaza Strip pull out. It has been quite clear it would be a tense and difficult time and an event with a massive impact on the people actually there. I have been more than pleased that Australia has not pussy footed around the event, has not seen it as news we don't really need to know about and has shown a remarkable diversity of coverage. It has , by far, been the best reporting we have had and we have had some excellent reporting just lately. Our reporters have shown intelligence, verve, initiative and have abandoned the pedestrian in favour of more meaningful and personal news. Every day our radio and our TV news have brought us carefully constructed and thought provoking news from the Gaza Strip. It has been reported. We haven't had a "line" or "spin" and that has what has been remarkable about the reports. Where possible, not often, we have heard how individuals are thinking and coping. We have seen people in the Gaza Strip walk away from their homes with dignified resignation. We have seen people whose hearts are hurting and whose homes must be abandoned. We have seen their anger, their tears, their frustration. We have seen soldiers trying to manage the anguish and be burnt by acid and yet still manage it all because it was agreed and it had to be done. Because my news hasn't told me what to think, I have felt sorrow for the people who have made that area their home. One lady who had been there for 23 years said her whole life was there. I understood that. So much happens in a family in 23 years and when you bring up your family then where you live becomes a focal point. We heard one lady smash all the windows in her home so she could get out her anger before she went on with her new life. Tonight, at the end of the news, they showed two old Palestinian men looking on in their white robes and their amazingly calm faces full of wisdom. We have seen angry Palestinians too, and Palestinians showing they know what this means to the Israelis, and yet the images in some way have shown that this is the stuff of life and as heart rending and gut choking it all is, it also means a new beginning. I have been so glad the Israelis who wanted to get so emotional and angry have been allowed to do so. It is a terrible thing which is happening to them even though it has been decided this is right. I cannot comment on that. The old Palestinian men seemed to have a calmness about them which made me think they have learnt a lot in their life and knew that this would help and just had to be gone through. I do not think the Israeli people would be thinking that but half of them had accepted it. It's not something I can comment on so far away. I am just glad we have been able to see and hear it each day without the overlay of an "angle". I am so glad it has been our first class reporting. I think it is better , given that it has to be done, for it to be over and done with so everyone can get on with it and I hope the people can talk about what happened to them for as long as they need for them to get it out of their system. I also hope that all those people sprayed with the blue water dye will not be treated too harshly, because, this is such a traumatic thing for them to leave the Gaza Strip. I know that and I am here. Miles away. It was their home, but it was also the Gaza Strip. It meant so much to them and they cannot be condemned for fighting for what they believe in and it was really not fighting...it was resistance. They made a stand, that's all. The acid, though, that wasn't one of their better ideas.
"ISRAELI police and troops broke the last bastions of resistance to the Gaza pullout yesterday after storming synagogues in two hardline settlements.
Clashes were much uglier than previously, with troops using water cannon on fellow Jews in Kfar Darom and protesters throwing acid at riot police, wounding several."
When you are on the other side fo the world, it is very difficult to understand and empathise with the raw reality of others. Sometimes you are totally oblivious to the fact others actually have a reality. Much can be said about bringing other people's problems into your lounge room when you have your own life to deal with. By now, we work out our own position on that because we are "media savvy". I was wondering how exactly the media in Australia would manage the Gaza Strip pull out. It has been quite clear it would be a tense and difficult time and an event with a massive impact on the people actually there. I have been more than pleased that Australia has not pussy footed around the event, has not seen it as news we don't really need to know about and has shown a remarkable diversity of coverage. It has , by far, been the best reporting we have had and we have had some excellent reporting just lately. Our reporters have shown intelligence, verve, initiative and have abandoned the pedestrian in favour of more meaningful and personal news. Every day our radio and our TV news have brought us carefully constructed and thought provoking news from the Gaza Strip. It has been reported. We haven't had a "line" or "spin" and that has what has been remarkable about the reports. Where possible, not often, we have heard how individuals are thinking and coping. We have seen people in the Gaza Strip walk away from their homes with dignified resignation. We have seen people whose hearts are hurting and whose homes must be abandoned. We have seen their anger, their tears, their frustration. We have seen soldiers trying to manage the anguish and be burnt by acid and yet still manage it all because it was agreed and it had to be done. Because my news hasn't told me what to think, I have felt sorrow for the people who have made that area their home. One lady who had been there for 23 years said her whole life was there. I understood that. So much happens in a family in 23 years and when you bring up your family then where you live becomes a focal point. We heard one lady smash all the windows in her home so she could get out her anger before she went on with her new life. Tonight, at the end of the news, they showed two old Palestinian men looking on in their white robes and their amazingly calm faces full of wisdom. We have seen angry Palestinians too, and Palestinians showing they know what this means to the Israelis, and yet the images in some way have shown that this is the stuff of life and as heart rending and gut choking it all is, it also means a new beginning. I have been so glad the Israelis who wanted to get so emotional and angry have been allowed to do so. It is a terrible thing which is happening to them even though it has been decided this is right. I cannot comment on that. The old Palestinian men seemed to have a calmness about them which made me think they have learnt a lot in their life and knew that this would help and just had to be gone through. I do not think the Israeli people would be thinking that but half of them had accepted it. It's not something I can comment on so far away. I am just glad we have been able to see and hear it each day without the overlay of an "angle". I am so glad it has been our first class reporting. I think it is better , given that it has to be done, for it to be over and done with so everyone can get on with it and I hope the people can talk about what happened to them for as long as they need for them to get it out of their system. I also hope that all those people sprayed with the blue water dye will not be treated too harshly, because, this is such a traumatic thing for them to leave the Gaza Strip. I know that and I am here. Miles away. It was their home, but it was also the Gaza Strip. It meant so much to them and they cannot be condemned for fighting for what they believe in and it was really not fighting...it was resistance. They made a stand, that's all. The acid, though, that wasn't one of their better ideas.
Former detainees not coping
Former detainees not coping with life outside, spokesman says. :
"A human rights lobby group says some released asylum seekers have been pleading to be taken back to the Baxter detention centre in South Australia because they cannot cope with life outside."
Yes, there has been no thought put into the welfare of these people at all. Locked up in severe conditions and then set free, yes, they will want to run back to lock up. That is something which is noted in prisoners and long term hospital cases. Sad, sad, sad that we have shown ourselves to be so clumsy and uncaring. We are not like that at all. We haven't been like that and we are embarrassed. Safe houses, safe areas, controlled conditions. We need to get in there in a way in which we are hugely successful in this country and just bridge that gap. We are immensely practical in our human relations so we shall just have to work out some strategies to create a buffer zone for those people who have suffered enough. Put yourselves in their shoes and heaven forbid you would have to go through what they have gone through. It is such archaic treatment of people. We were way past that.
"A human rights lobby group says some released asylum seekers have been pleading to be taken back to the Baxter detention centre in South Australia because they cannot cope with life outside."
Yes, there has been no thought put into the welfare of these people at all. Locked up in severe conditions and then set free, yes, they will want to run back to lock up. That is something which is noted in prisoners and long term hospital cases. Sad, sad, sad that we have shown ourselves to be so clumsy and uncaring. We are not like that at all. We haven't been like that and we are embarrassed. Safe houses, safe areas, controlled conditions. We need to get in there in a way in which we are hugely successful in this country and just bridge that gap. We are immensely practical in our human relations so we shall just have to work out some strategies to create a buffer zone for those people who have suffered enough. Put yourselves in their shoes and heaven forbid you would have to go through what they have gone through. It is such archaic treatment of people. We were way past that.
ISS spacewalk.
ISS crew successfully complete spacewalk. :
"It was the eight spacewalk for Commander Sergei Krikalev, a Russian cosmonaut, while flight engineer John Phillips , a US astronaut, was making his first."
Lost in the news about the space shuttle being grounded for being naughty and not being allowed to fly again for a while by its strict parents, is the 5 hour space walk by two of the ISS crew. 5 hours walking in space. Is that a lot of walking? How far can you walk in space with all that equipment and body suit? How hard is it? They were doing maintenance and organising science experiements. We were talking about that today. If the shuttle is grounded, how will the ISS crew get home? And how bored to death are they locked up up there in their ISS and not really being able to walk and see birds and trees?What can they actually do? Can they play ping pong? Cards? Do they have to read? How do they keep fit? Are they given puzzles to keep their minds active and can they cook steak? Can they watch TV? What do the poor things do. Once you get over the oooh-aaah phase, what then? I mean, for me, it is absolutely astounding we have people up there in a space station trying to benefit us and pioneer for the future. Can they talk to us down here on a reglar basis and in an easy way? Thanks to Jacques Cousteau, we know so much about the under water world and how that works. We don't seem to hear much about the space world past the floating around bit. Do the space programme people assume we don't want to know? Well, if our converstion is anything to go by, we had an hour's discussion about "space life" and what we thought and it was one of the most animated discussions I have had lately. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
"It was the eight spacewalk for Commander Sergei Krikalev, a Russian cosmonaut, while flight engineer John Phillips , a US astronaut, was making his first."
Lost in the news about the space shuttle being grounded for being naughty and not being allowed to fly again for a while by its strict parents, is the 5 hour space walk by two of the ISS crew. 5 hours walking in space. Is that a lot of walking? How far can you walk in space with all that equipment and body suit? How hard is it? They were doing maintenance and organising science experiements. We were talking about that today. If the shuttle is grounded, how will the ISS crew get home? And how bored to death are they locked up up there in their ISS and not really being able to walk and see birds and trees?What can they actually do? Can they play ping pong? Cards? Do they have to read? How do they keep fit? Are they given puzzles to keep their minds active and can they cook steak? Can they watch TV? What do the poor things do. Once you get over the oooh-aaah phase, what then? I mean, for me, it is absolutely astounding we have people up there in a space station trying to benefit us and pioneer for the future. Can they talk to us down here on a reglar basis and in an easy way? Thanks to Jacques Cousteau, we know so much about the under water world and how that works. We don't seem to hear much about the space world past the floating around bit. Do the space programme people assume we don't want to know? Well, if our converstion is anything to go by, we had an hour's discussion about "space life" and what we thought and it was one of the most animated discussions I have had lately. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Rare Southern Toadlet
I found this picture on the Australian site. Isn't it so cute? Melbourne has been doing a frog census. I just love us. We care so much about our wildlife. It belongs so much to us, so it's so unusual when we start to destroy our environment and our wild life. We go to extraordinary lengths to fins out what we have around us so we can live with it. Like the giant inch ants which have decided to come and live in Adelaide. We hate them because they bite and hurt and make your feet swell up, but we have been trying to find the work around. At least they are lone foragers! They just pop up anywhere they want. So...Melbourne has found this little rare toadlet and the endangered Growling Grass Frog. 900 volunteers helped with the census and there's a great picture on this news story:
Ribbit-ing news for frog lovers
Rankings of Australian Universities
Rankings of Australian Universities:
"This list shows the international ranking of Australian universities that have been included in the top 100 universities as determined by the
Times Higher Education Supplement
* 16 Australian National University
* 22 University of Melbourne
* 33 Monash University
* 36 University of New South Wales
* 40 University of Sydney
* 49 University of Queensland"
And now for the top 40 universities in Australia:
Latest News:
DEST Teaching Performance Rankings August 2005
This is the official league table of teaching standards compiled by the Federal Education Department. An explanation of the scaling method follows the table:
University Score
1 - University of Wollongong 34.24
2 - Australian Maritime College 30.79
3 - University of Melbourne 29.93
4 - Swinburne University of Technology 29.33
5 - University of Queensland 28.73
6 - Australian National University 26.95
7 - University of New England 25.56
8 - University of Canberra 24.25
9 - University of Ballarat 24.08
10 - University of Sydney 23.93
11 - Murdoch University 23.49
12 - University of Western Australia 23.42
13 - Australian Catholic University 22.73
14 - Monash University 22.16
15 - Macquarie University 19.96
16 - La Trobe University 19.83
17 - Charles Sturt University 19.44
18 - University of Technology,Sydney 18.72
19 - Victoria University 18.65
20 - University of the Sunshine Coast 18.44
21 - Deakin University 18.35
22 - Griffith University 18.25
23 - Edith Cowan University 17.91
24 - Curtin University of Technology 17.45
25 - University of Newcastle 16.31
26 - Flinders University 16.02
27 - University of Southern Queensland 15.39
28 - Southern Cross University 14.83
29 - RMIT 14.49
30 - James Cook University 14.17
31 - Queensland University of Technology 13.67
32 - University of New South Wales 13.56
33 - University of Western Sydney 12.85
34 - University of Tasmania 12.00
35 - Central Queensland University 11.49
36 - University of Adelaide 10.54
37 - University of South Australia 10.11
38 - Charles Darwin University 9.05
The scaling method used in preparing this league table has five components:
1) CEQ (Course experience questionnaire) generic skills: 17.91% weighting
2) CEQ good teaching: 18.5%
3) CEQ overall satisfaction: 18.9%
4) Students in full-time employment after they graduate: 11.48%
5) Those that go on to full-time study: 10.29%
6) Drop-out or attrition rates: 10.65%
7) Student progress or pass rates: 12.26%
As you can see, Adelaide has done remarkably well!! We used to be right up there in the education stakes. Time to regroup and rethink we seem to be into an education implementation dip.
"This list shows the international ranking of Australian universities that have been included in the top 100 universities as determined by the
Times Higher Education Supplement
* 16 Australian National University
* 22 University of Melbourne
* 33 Monash University
* 36 University of New South Wales
* 40 University of Sydney
* 49 University of Queensland"
And now for the top 40 universities in Australia:
Latest News:
DEST Teaching Performance Rankings August 2005
This is the official league table of teaching standards compiled by the Federal Education Department. An explanation of the scaling method follows the table:
University Score
1 - University of Wollongong 34.24
2 - Australian Maritime College 30.79
3 - University of Melbourne 29.93
4 - Swinburne University of Technology 29.33
5 - University of Queensland 28.73
6 - Australian National University 26.95
7 - University of New England 25.56
8 - University of Canberra 24.25
9 - University of Ballarat 24.08
10 - University of Sydney 23.93
11 - Murdoch University 23.49
12 - University of Western Australia 23.42
13 - Australian Catholic University 22.73
14 - Monash University 22.16
15 - Macquarie University 19.96
16 - La Trobe University 19.83
17 - Charles Sturt University 19.44
18 - University of Technology,Sydney 18.72
19 - Victoria University 18.65
20 - University of the Sunshine Coast 18.44
21 - Deakin University 18.35
22 - Griffith University 18.25
23 - Edith Cowan University 17.91
24 - Curtin University of Technology 17.45
25 - University of Newcastle 16.31
26 - Flinders University 16.02
27 - University of Southern Queensland 15.39
28 - Southern Cross University 14.83
29 - RMIT 14.49
30 - James Cook University 14.17
31 - Queensland University of Technology 13.67
32 - University of New South Wales 13.56
33 - University of Western Sydney 12.85
34 - University of Tasmania 12.00
35 - Central Queensland University 11.49
36 - University of Adelaide 10.54
37 - University of South Australia 10.11
38 - Charles Darwin University 9.05
The scaling method used in preparing this league table has five components:
1) CEQ (Course experience questionnaire) generic skills: 17.91% weighting
2) CEQ good teaching: 18.5%
3) CEQ overall satisfaction: 18.9%
4) Students in full-time employment after they graduate: 11.48%
5) Those that go on to full-time study: 10.29%
6) Drop-out or attrition rates: 10.65%
7) Student progress or pass rates: 12.26%
As you can see, Adelaide has done remarkably well!! We used to be right up there in the education stakes. Time to regroup and rethink we seem to be into an education implementation dip.
Toad audit finds single cane toad
The Advertiser: Toad audit finds single cane toad :
"Hundreds of residents in Darwin and surrounding rural areas searched for cane toads in backyards last night, amid fears growing numbers of the pests may have reached the Northern Territory capital."
The toads are 40 Km south of Darwin and will invade in the next wet season, but the people of Darwin have done well and FrogWatch has done a remarkable job of keeping an eye on the toads and thereby helping the people in Darwin to stay in control. It is 70 years since the cane toads were introduced in Queensland to control sugar cane pests. Great biodiverity decision, that one! Mostly they get it right. The FrgWatch folk have been extremely organisised and , from what we hear on the radio, they seem to have a good sense of humour too. The systematic approach will eradicate them eventually, because a systematic approach is persistent and patient.
"Hundreds of residents in Darwin and surrounding rural areas searched for cane toads in backyards last night, amid fears growing numbers of the pests may have reached the Northern Territory capital."
The toads are 40 Km south of Darwin and will invade in the next wet season, but the people of Darwin have done well and FrogWatch has done a remarkable job of keeping an eye on the toads and thereby helping the people in Darwin to stay in control. It is 70 years since the cane toads were introduced in Queensland to control sugar cane pests. Great biodiverity decision, that one! Mostly they get it right. The FrgWatch folk have been extremely organisised and , from what we hear on the radio, they seem to have a good sense of humour too. The systematic approach will eradicate them eventually, because a systematic approach is persistent and patient.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Summit to discuss Pacific security force
Summit to discuss Pacific security force :
"Creating a regional security force in the Pacific is on the agenda for discussion at a meeting of Melanesian leaders in Papua New Guinea this week.
The 16th Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) summit at Goroka in PNG's highlands will discuss the need for such a force and the possibility of it becoming a Pacific Forum entity, says PNG's Foreign Minister Rabbie Namaliu."
You see, it's on everyone's agenda. The situation in the Solomon Islands has brought about this item for discussion, but everyone has military strategies on their agenda because they want to be able to deal with violence and be prepared to deal with it. The conference of the Melanesian leaders will encompas much more than that because they will also be looking at migration, trade, diseases as well as their security issues. It's a pity, that as Australians, we are not more aware of the issues which are in the South Pacific. It is after all, our local neighbourhood and a lot of people don't even know that New Caledonia is French speaking and 2 and a half hours from Sydney. They sometimes think Noumea and New Caledonia are two separate places. As for Tuvalu? Great name! Where is it??! And they use Australian currency. We need to liven ourselves up a bit in that respect now we've woken up.
"Creating a regional security force in the Pacific is on the agenda for discussion at a meeting of Melanesian leaders in Papua New Guinea this week.
The 16th Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) summit at Goroka in PNG's highlands will discuss the need for such a force and the possibility of it becoming a Pacific Forum entity, says PNG's Foreign Minister Rabbie Namaliu."
You see, it's on everyone's agenda. The situation in the Solomon Islands has brought about this item for discussion, but everyone has military strategies on their agenda because they want to be able to deal with violence and be prepared to deal with it. The conference of the Melanesian leaders will encompas much more than that because they will also be looking at migration, trade, diseases as well as their security issues. It's a pity, that as Australians, we are not more aware of the issues which are in the South Pacific. It is after all, our local neighbourhood and a lot of people don't even know that New Caledonia is French speaking and 2 and a half hours from Sydney. They sometimes think Noumea and New Caledonia are two separate places. As for Tuvalu? Great name! Where is it??! And they use Australian currency. We need to liven ourselves up a bit in that respect now we've woken up.
China and Russia in military exercises
Channelnewsasia.com: "The week-long exercises with naval ships, bombers and fighter planes began in the Russian city of Vladivostok and will later move to the Yellow Sea and the area off the Jiaodong peninsula in eastern China's Shandong province.
Chinese defence officials said the exercises would focus on the ability of Russian and Chinese forces to fight separatism and terrorism, while strengthening mutual trust between two of the world's major powers."
We have had miltitary exercises over here with military personnel playing war games in different parts of Australia much to the consternation of locals. The military always argues that it has to "practise" and that it keeps them in a state of preparedness. I'd rather do without, but I suppose I take the point that I lock the doors on my home and I suppose the military is a way of locking the doors on your country. With the London and Madrid bombings, the attacks on the Russian school and all the various other examples of people being destructive in a major way, most countries are looking at how they can best defend themelves and have a ready force to provide extra assistance in a time of major emergency. Like the military response to the tsunami affected countries was efficient and really helpful. I hate military stuff. I hate it, but I can see the value of a military approach to things and having military equipment. It's the destructiveness of it. I guess people just want to dissuade the loose cannons around the place who would blow up hotels, schools, railway stations...you name it...It's a sad, sad world, but China and Russia have had their fair share of major incidents as well, and the London bombings seem to be the final straw for the world. We might have thought we could resolve the situation with nutter bombers, but now we are starting to feel insecure and have taken recourse to military defence...sad. Other countries have been invited to watch the wargames. Iran, India, Pakistan have representatives there.
Chinese defence officials said the exercises would focus on the ability of Russian and Chinese forces to fight separatism and terrorism, while strengthening mutual trust between two of the world's major powers."
We have had miltitary exercises over here with military personnel playing war games in different parts of Australia much to the consternation of locals. The military always argues that it has to "practise" and that it keeps them in a state of preparedness. I'd rather do without, but I suppose I take the point that I lock the doors on my home and I suppose the military is a way of locking the doors on your country. With the London and Madrid bombings, the attacks on the Russian school and all the various other examples of people being destructive in a major way, most countries are looking at how they can best defend themelves and have a ready force to provide extra assistance in a time of major emergency. Like the military response to the tsunami affected countries was efficient and really helpful. I hate military stuff. I hate it, but I can see the value of a military approach to things and having military equipment. It's the destructiveness of it. I guess people just want to dissuade the loose cannons around the place who would blow up hotels, schools, railway stations...you name it...It's a sad, sad world, but China and Russia have had their fair share of major incidents as well, and the London bombings seem to be the final straw for the world. We might have thought we could resolve the situation with nutter bombers, but now we are starting to feel insecure and have taken recourse to military defence...sad. Other countries have been invited to watch the wargames. Iran, India, Pakistan have representatives there.
Smaller and smaller - soon a PC on your belt
The Advertiser: Smaller and smaller - soon a PC on your belt :
"The Tinmith-evo5 virtual-reality system merged computer game-style graphics with a high-speed computer processor and a global positioning system – or GPS."
The world never ceases to astound me. Wearable computers and computers which can project onto a table and you can interact with them. Would the magnetic field interfere with your human system? It's amazing how people get the ideas and then can work with other people to devise and develop things which we soon take for granted. They are trialling all this at Uni SA. Unbelievable.
"The Tinmith-evo5 virtual-reality system merged computer game-style graphics with a high-speed computer processor and a global positioning system – or GPS."
The world never ceases to astound me. Wearable computers and computers which can project onto a table and you can interact with them. Would the magnetic field interfere with your human system? It's amazing how people get the ideas and then can work with other people to devise and develop things which we soon take for granted. They are trialling all this at Uni SA. Unbelievable.
Parliament guards told no more 'mate'.
Parliament guards told no more 'mate'. :
"'I can't see too much difference between someone being described by the Prime Minister as a good bloke and someone else being described as a mate or being addressed as mate,' he said."
Get the linguists onto this. "Mate" has become a general, all purpose ,non offensive word to communicate with men. The "how's it going" is still very colloquial but "mate" has become the generic term we often use for "sir" and is used to speak with people whom we do not know and who may or may not present as a problem. We consider it, in most circles, to be too pompous to be using "madam" or "sir". There are some places where it will occur and be perfectly normal and acceptable. The environment of Parliament House is not one I am familiar with. I have heard Dads call their sons "mate"..."Come on , mate"; "I think you're tired, mate". "Matie" is now colloquial. I have heard police and rescue people say, "Are you all right there, mate?". It can be comforting. Air stewards would never use mate. Nor would most department store personnel , but some shops use "mate" and men seem to react favourably to it because it is a non threatening , friendly form of address. Other languages use "monsieur" and "madame" and their equivalents and it makes those sorts of social transactions very straight forward. In New Caledonia I was always "madame" and I loved it and it's really great, but call me "madam" in English and I think it's dreadfully overdone and I do not like it. I tolerate it if I have to, I just think , in English, it is largely silly. "Mate" as it is currently used, is very polite, but may not fit the environment of Parliament House. They need to look at the other language usage employed on the daily basis. Are they allowed to say "G'day" or do they have to say Good morning? Do they respond "I'm fine" when asked if they are okay? Do they wish each other a good day ? Have a nice day? Enjoy your day? They need to work out their level of daily politesse.
"'I can't see too much difference between someone being described by the Prime Minister as a good bloke and someone else being described as a mate or being addressed as mate,' he said."
Get the linguists onto this. "Mate" has become a general, all purpose ,non offensive word to communicate with men. The "how's it going" is still very colloquial but "mate" has become the generic term we often use for "sir" and is used to speak with people whom we do not know and who may or may not present as a problem. We consider it, in most circles, to be too pompous to be using "madam" or "sir". There are some places where it will occur and be perfectly normal and acceptable. The environment of Parliament House is not one I am familiar with. I have heard Dads call their sons "mate"..."Come on , mate"; "I think you're tired, mate". "Matie" is now colloquial. I have heard police and rescue people say, "Are you all right there, mate?". It can be comforting. Air stewards would never use mate. Nor would most department store personnel , but some shops use "mate" and men seem to react favourably to it because it is a non threatening , friendly form of address. Other languages use "monsieur" and "madame" and their equivalents and it makes those sorts of social transactions very straight forward. In New Caledonia I was always "madame" and I loved it and it's really great, but call me "madam" in English and I think it's dreadfully overdone and I do not like it. I tolerate it if I have to, I just think , in English, it is largely silly. "Mate" as it is currently used, is very polite, but may not fit the environment of Parliament House. They need to look at the other language usage employed on the daily basis. Are they allowed to say "G'day" or do they have to say Good morning? Do they respond "I'm fine" when asked if they are okay? Do they wish each other a good day ? Have a nice day? Enjoy your day? They need to work out their level of daily politesse.
Howard relishes Labor Senator's Telstra comments.
Howard relishes Labor Senator's Telstra comments. :
"Senator Conroy told ABC Radio in Melbourne earlier this week that the ownership structure of Telstra makes no difference to most Australians one way or the other and what they care about is cheaper prices and better services."
Trouble is, when you are famous, or a public figure, everything you say is quoted and made much of. It's a pretty cynical view of Australians that we don't actually care who owns what as long as we get what we want at the price we want it. Senator Conroy has rather put things on a plate for Mr. Howard and the strength of Mr. Howard is that he never misses an opportunity. This article, however, points out that in context Senator Conroy is very opposed to the sale of Telstra. Things become twisted so easily in the media these days. Like the police killing the Brazilian in London. The coverage of the incident at the time and what is now being reported by the lawyer bears no ressemblance. Facts disappear and reappear in a different shape, so they are probably not facts. When it comes to phone lines and any utilities I care about who owns them. I certainly care about a long term reliable service and I care about the fact I can contact people easily with regard to utilities. We have had carriers with better prices but they have disappeared so we have gone back to Telstra or Optus. Too many choices with utilities always results in erratic prices and erratic delivery and a possibility of no delivery at all if the carrier is not rock solid in who it is and what its prime consideration is. The ownership of Telstra is by taxpayers, so maybe we do not care and just want a cheap price. When asked earlier this week , 70% of us said we didn't want the sale to go ahead. It's a mistake to think that the sale of Telstra and better services will go hand in hand. It's not a logical thought that one. To use our common parlance, I am not saying it won't result in better services and I am not saying it will. That will be evident later on down the track. What we need to decide now is whether we sell it or not. Blah blah blah.
"Senator Conroy told ABC Radio in Melbourne earlier this week that the ownership structure of Telstra makes no difference to most Australians one way or the other and what they care about is cheaper prices and better services."
Trouble is, when you are famous, or a public figure, everything you say is quoted and made much of. It's a pretty cynical view of Australians that we don't actually care who owns what as long as we get what we want at the price we want it. Senator Conroy has rather put things on a plate for Mr. Howard and the strength of Mr. Howard is that he never misses an opportunity. This article, however, points out that in context Senator Conroy is very opposed to the sale of Telstra. Things become twisted so easily in the media these days. Like the police killing the Brazilian in London. The coverage of the incident at the time and what is now being reported by the lawyer bears no ressemblance. Facts disappear and reappear in a different shape, so they are probably not facts. When it comes to phone lines and any utilities I care about who owns them. I certainly care about a long term reliable service and I care about the fact I can contact people easily with regard to utilities. We have had carriers with better prices but they have disappeared so we have gone back to Telstra or Optus. Too many choices with utilities always results in erratic prices and erratic delivery and a possibility of no delivery at all if the carrier is not rock solid in who it is and what its prime consideration is. The ownership of Telstra is by taxpayers, so maybe we do not care and just want a cheap price. When asked earlier this week , 70% of us said we didn't want the sale to go ahead. It's a mistake to think that the sale of Telstra and better services will go hand in hand. It's not a logical thought that one. To use our common parlance, I am not saying it won't result in better services and I am not saying it will. That will be evident later on down the track. What we need to decide now is whether we sell it or not. Blah blah blah.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Making money with uranium
Making money with uranium :
"Now, uranium is the hottest commodity on the Australian share market, following the Federal Government's move this month to take control of the Northern Territory's uranium assets, and declare them open for business."
Yes, it's all about profit and not people. Are the Northern Territory people happy about this? No. Does it matter? No. Did we think we had a democratic society where we had the right to voice our opinion? Yes. Does that matter? No. Money, money, money. And what will be the legacy we leave? We have become so greedy. Why?
"Now, uranium is the hottest commodity on the Australian share market, following the Federal Government's move this month to take control of the Northern Territory's uranium assets, and declare them open for business."
Yes, it's all about profit and not people. Are the Northern Territory people happy about this? No. Does it matter? No. Did we think we had a democratic society where we had the right to voice our opinion? Yes. Does that matter? No. Money, money, money. And what will be the legacy we leave? We have become so greedy. Why?
'Tech rage' hits one in three
'Tech rage' hits one in three:
"FOR one in three office workers, tech rage has become a trigger for everyday workplace 'tanties', new research shows.
A survey of 400 office workers in Sydney and Adelaide, who were asked to consider the effects of modern technology on their life, found modern technology is an increasing cause of major stress."
Tech rage can hit at home too. Technology can be immensely frustrating if you are prepared to let a lump of plastic rule your life. In one workplace I saw a worker about to slam his fist on a "stupid" photocopier. They always jam and play up when you are in a rush. I said what I just said then...it was just a lump of plastic. Fortunately, he saw the funny side of it and it broke the moment. I have also been in the position where the rage continues because the computer, printer whatever "won't work". No, it won't! It's a lump of plastic. Get up and walk away. I have the attitude that technology will react with an equal amount of force when you are negative. I always stay calm. It works most of the time and if the lump of PVC or whatever it is doesn't work, I don't care. If it can't be done then I wait until it's fixed or I'm ready to fix it myself. We were talking about all this technology today about how much paperwork it creates, how sore it makes your eyes, how it makes you sit down more and how it swamps you with "busy" work. Is it worth it? Is it really efficient? How much does it cost and what is the price of worker sickness from stress and technology related disorders??? What is the price at home? A friend of mine was saying his kids keep putting their mobile phones through the wash because they forget to take them out of their pockets. I never keep mine in my pocket so I hadn't thought of that. Technology costs. Is it worth it? As is the custom these days, I shall say maybe yes and maybe no. My own particular bête noire is mobile phones in cafés, on trains, at meetings, when you have visitors...I think it is so rude and you often get too much information as the enforced listener.
"FOR one in three office workers, tech rage has become a trigger for everyday workplace 'tanties', new research shows.
A survey of 400 office workers in Sydney and Adelaide, who were asked to consider the effects of modern technology on their life, found modern technology is an increasing cause of major stress."
Tech rage can hit at home too. Technology can be immensely frustrating if you are prepared to let a lump of plastic rule your life. In one workplace I saw a worker about to slam his fist on a "stupid" photocopier. They always jam and play up when you are in a rush. I said what I just said then...it was just a lump of plastic. Fortunately, he saw the funny side of it and it broke the moment. I have also been in the position where the rage continues because the computer, printer whatever "won't work". No, it won't! It's a lump of plastic. Get up and walk away. I have the attitude that technology will react with an equal amount of force when you are negative. I always stay calm. It works most of the time and if the lump of PVC or whatever it is doesn't work, I don't care. If it can't be done then I wait until it's fixed or I'm ready to fix it myself. We were talking about all this technology today about how much paperwork it creates, how sore it makes your eyes, how it makes you sit down more and how it swamps you with "busy" work. Is it worth it? Is it really efficient? How much does it cost and what is the price of worker sickness from stress and technology related disorders??? What is the price at home? A friend of mine was saying his kids keep putting their mobile phones through the wash because they forget to take them out of their pockets. I never keep mine in my pocket so I hadn't thought of that. Technology costs. Is it worth it? As is the custom these days, I shall say maybe yes and maybe no. My own particular bête noire is mobile phones in cafés, on trains, at meetings, when you have visitors...I think it is so rude and you often get too much information as the enforced listener.
Telstra wallows below $5
Telstra wallows below $5 :
"TELSTRA'S share price slipped today after the Federal Government approved its full sale, wallowing well below $5, though a huge number of shares were traded on the stock exchange."
"Wallows"???? "Wallows"??? Of course, bringing the shares down while people are trading gets shares at good prices. Just wait. After they have "wallowed" and the huge trading is over, they will go up. Share traders are not stupid and markets are "driven."
"TELSTRA'S share price slipped today after the Federal Government approved its full sale, wallowing well below $5, though a huge number of shares were traded on the stock exchange."
"Wallows"???? "Wallows"??? Of course, bringing the shares down while people are trading gets shares at good prices. Just wait. After they have "wallowed" and the huge trading is over, they will go up. Share traders are not stupid and markets are "driven."
Telstra sale good news
Telstra sale good news: analysts (17-08-2005):
"'Australia's primary concern is, and should remain, that the telecommunications industry maintains its competitive nature, and we are still a long way from any clarity about how that will be achieved once Telstra is fully privatised,' she said."
I love how people see financial gain for some as "inevitable". Yes, privatisation of a successful company will create a lovely nest egg for some and again, we at the other end of the line, will be paying for it as we are for petrol. As the voters and citizens we are contributing extremely well to those who hold the shares in these companies and play the markets. Telstra is about share holders. Softening the blow with stuff about the country services is only to get it privatised and making an income stream for the shareholders. In that sense it is inevitable because we constantly click over to the dollar and constantly forget people are far more important than money. I am getting tired of a world which just keeps looking at profit and overlooking safety, relationships, service, loyalty, dependability, ownership, belonging, knowledge. Who cares what belongs to whom as long as someone is getting rich out of it? If it costs people more and the service is not quite right, bad luck. The thing is, people can be used to generate profit and as such are replaceable and expendable because you can make more people . They're pretty cheap in that sense, so a world revolving around profit is only playing lipservice to people. People. Not individuals. A world which values individuals will know each person is unique and not replaceable. There was only one Gandhi. One Jacques Cousteau. One Mother Theresa. One Sylvia Pankhurst.
"'Australia's primary concern is, and should remain, that the telecommunications industry maintains its competitive nature, and we are still a long way from any clarity about how that will be achieved once Telstra is fully privatised,' she said."
I love how people see financial gain for some as "inevitable". Yes, privatisation of a successful company will create a lovely nest egg for some and again, we at the other end of the line, will be paying for it as we are for petrol. As the voters and citizens we are contributing extremely well to those who hold the shares in these companies and play the markets. Telstra is about share holders. Softening the blow with stuff about the country services is only to get it privatised and making an income stream for the shareholders. In that sense it is inevitable because we constantly click over to the dollar and constantly forget people are far more important than money. I am getting tired of a world which just keeps looking at profit and overlooking safety, relationships, service, loyalty, dependability, ownership, belonging, knowledge. Who cares what belongs to whom as long as someone is getting rich out of it? If it costs people more and the service is not quite right, bad luck. The thing is, people can be used to generate profit and as such are replaceable and expendable because you can make more people . They're pretty cheap in that sense, so a world revolving around profit is only playing lipservice to people. People. Not individuals. A world which values individuals will know each person is unique and not replaceable. There was only one Gandhi. One Jacques Cousteau. One Mother Theresa. One Sylvia Pankhurst.
Oil clips carriers' wings
Oil clips carriers' wings:
"ASIAN carriers are starting to feel the pinch from sky-rocketing oil prices and the pain may worsen after crude futures have soared to an unprecedented $US66 a barrel, analysts said.
Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific, one of the world's top airlines, is already sounding the alarm after its half-year net profits to June dropped to $214 million from $227 million a year ago."
All airlines will be feeling the burden of oil at 66 US dollars a barrel. They are saying it will get to a $1.30 a litre here. Apart from the fact no one cares and it won't change and we will be told that is how it is, why is it? How does oil get to be that expensive? Why? Who benefits? Why? This article says:
"New York's main contract, light sweet crude for September delivery, soared past $US66 a barrel for the first time ever this week, driven by US refinery outages, Mideast tensions and continued strong demand for gasoline in the United States."
Well, if this is so why is our petrol so expensive? How does the Middle East put petrol up? Why has the US got outages? To me it all seems such a weird way to run the world, but then, I am not an economist. We are paying extra, airlines are paying extra. Who is getting the extra? If stressing makes things more expensive, why stress? Why not have peace and quiet? Now, there's a thought.
"ASIAN carriers are starting to feel the pinch from sky-rocketing oil prices and the pain may worsen after crude futures have soared to an unprecedented $US66 a barrel, analysts said.
Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific, one of the world's top airlines, is already sounding the alarm after its half-year net profits to June dropped to $214 million from $227 million a year ago."
All airlines will be feeling the burden of oil at 66 US dollars a barrel. They are saying it will get to a $1.30 a litre here. Apart from the fact no one cares and it won't change and we will be told that is how it is, why is it? How does oil get to be that expensive? Why? Who benefits? Why? This article says:
"New York's main contract, light sweet crude for September delivery, soared past $US66 a barrel for the first time ever this week, driven by US refinery outages, Mideast tensions and continued strong demand for gasoline in the United States."
Well, if this is so why is our petrol so expensive? How does the Middle East put petrol up? Why has the US got outages? To me it all seems such a weird way to run the world, but then, I am not an economist. We are paying extra, airlines are paying extra. Who is getting the extra? If stressing makes things more expensive, why stress? Why not have peace and quiet? Now, there's a thought.
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
The Ashes
FOX SPORTS | Ashes Tour 2005 | Punter draws heavy fire :
"RICKY Ponting scored a courageous back-to-the-wall 156 as Australia escaped defeat on an extraordinary final day of the third Ashes T"
We are all so tired and sleepy today. The plan was, as always, to watch a bit, tape the rest and sleep the rest of the night. Once again, both teams put on a fantastic match. Another cliffhanger. Another spellbinder. I can't remember the Ashes being this exciting and I do not remember anyone, except the cricket fanatics, staying up to watch it. Both teams are supplying us with great cricket and that is why this series is so incredible. People forget that in a span of a career any one team member will be having a good, bad or mediocre run a particular innings or series. We are looking at some pretty solid cricketers and all I can say is...well done. The thing which has been most obvious here is that we have had admiration for the wonderful matches which both teams have provided us with. We have been having some animated discussions and even those who normally find cricket yawn material can talk about this match because two strong sides have crystallised the magic in cricket and for that...thank you , thank you, thank you. We'll be back to watch the next test!! And do you know what? We are talking more about the cricket than the football! Can you believe that??!!
"RICKY Ponting scored a courageous back-to-the-wall 156 as Australia escaped defeat on an extraordinary final day of the third Ashes T"
We are all so tired and sleepy today. The plan was, as always, to watch a bit, tape the rest and sleep the rest of the night. Once again, both teams put on a fantastic match. Another cliffhanger. Another spellbinder. I can't remember the Ashes being this exciting and I do not remember anyone, except the cricket fanatics, staying up to watch it. Both teams are supplying us with great cricket and that is why this series is so incredible. People forget that in a span of a career any one team member will be having a good, bad or mediocre run a particular innings or series. We are looking at some pretty solid cricketers and all I can say is...well done. The thing which has been most obvious here is that we have had admiration for the wonderful matches which both teams have provided us with. We have been having some animated discussions and even those who normally find cricket yawn material can talk about this match because two strong sides have crystallised the magic in cricket and for that...thank you , thank you, thank you. We'll be back to watch the next test!! And do you know what? We are talking more about the cricket than the football! Can you believe that??!!
Telstra sale
The Australian: Country warms to Telstra but doesn't want it sold :
"COMMUNITY opposition to the full privatisation of Telstra is growing, with 70 per cent of Australians against the $30 billion share sale despite increasing satisfaction with telecommunications services in the country."
I seem to remember the Telstra sale was an election issue. It may even have been an election promise, but who cares? We have never wanted to sell our main telecommunications carrier. We didn't want to lose Arnotts , either, but who listens to us. No, we want to have the majority of Telstra owned by Australia. Telstra has worked with us for a long time and eventually gets to providing some very good ideas and service. The whole issue of who owns our public utilities ought to be being discussed, as the experiences of other countries with privatised utilities. But I now live in a country where my voice just goes out into cyberspace or fresh air. 70% of us do not want it sold. How many communications companies have fallen flat? Optus and Vodaphone seem to be in there but the names of others come and go. We'd be off down the same road as the electricity and gas provision. I cannot begin to share with you what a rare privilege it has been to be party to privatised utilities.
"COMMUNITY opposition to the full privatisation of Telstra is growing, with 70 per cent of Australians against the $30 billion share sale despite increasing satisfaction with telecommunications services in the country."
I seem to remember the Telstra sale was an election issue. It may even have been an election promise, but who cares? We have never wanted to sell our main telecommunications carrier. We didn't want to lose Arnotts , either, but who listens to us. No, we want to have the majority of Telstra owned by Australia. Telstra has worked with us for a long time and eventually gets to providing some very good ideas and service. The whole issue of who owns our public utilities ought to be being discussed, as the experiences of other countries with privatised utilities. But I now live in a country where my voice just goes out into cyberspace or fresh air. 70% of us do not want it sold. How many communications companies have fallen flat? Optus and Vodaphone seem to be in there but the names of others come and go. We'd be off down the same road as the electricity and gas provision. I cannot begin to share with you what a rare privilege it has been to be party to privatised utilities.
Illegal wildlife trade
Internet fuels illegal wildlife trade: study. :
"'So the really serious organised criminals can get away with selling very rare endangered species that are highly protected by law and they've got very little chance of being picked up or fined, or prosecuted.'"
Well, that settles that then. We'll leave it at that , shall we? We have fixed and dealt with allsorts of cyber problems, but I guess this one is too big for us. I have always held the view that if we thought up a way to DO something, we can think up a way to UNDO it.
"'So the really serious organised criminals can get away with selling very rare endangered species that are highly protected by law and they've got very little chance of being picked up or fined, or prosecuted.'"
Well, that settles that then. We'll leave it at that , shall we? We have fixed and dealt with allsorts of cyber problems, but I guess this one is too big for us. I have always held the view that if we thought up a way to DO something, we can think up a way to UNDO it.
Monday, August 15, 2005
One more rung & we join world's elite
The Australian: One more rung & we join world's elite :
"Australia is on the second rung, alongside Switzerland, Iceland, Denmark and Canada. Ahead are the developed world's elites: Ireland, Norway, the US and Luxembourg. Below are the former stars of the world economy, such as Japan and the also rans of the European Union."
We need to get off our bums and get thinner, that's what we need to do. Get our health and happiness back. Stop eating hormone covered grapes, hormone fed beef, Snickers and Mars and start running around the streets and beaches. I think we cannot be judged to be on the top rung of anything if we are not fit, happy , healthy and proud of ourselves. Wealth means nothing when you have no sense of self and no self to be satisfied with. Smug is out. Snacking is out. Depression is out. Get up and go. The best reform we could have is laughter.
The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter.
Mark Twain
"Australia is on the second rung, alongside Switzerland, Iceland, Denmark and Canada. Ahead are the developed world's elites: Ireland, Norway, the US and Luxembourg. Below are the former stars of the world economy, such as Japan and the also rans of the European Union."
We need to get off our bums and get thinner, that's what we need to do. Get our health and happiness back. Stop eating hormone covered grapes, hormone fed beef, Snickers and Mars and start running around the streets and beaches. I think we cannot be judged to be on the top rung of anything if we are not fit, happy , healthy and proud of ourselves. Wealth means nothing when you have no sense of self and no self to be satisfied with. Smug is out. Snacking is out. Depression is out. Get up and go. The best reform we could have is laughter.
The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter.
Mark Twain
Aborigines need 'fair go' in art profits
The Australian: Aborigines need 'fair go' in art profits :
"'The Aboriginal people always end up losing and I want to stop that,' he told The Australian from his property at Malanda, outside Cairns in north Queensland. 'I want to see Aboriginal people get a fair go.'"
Tribal people are often exploited because they see art as an integral part of living and not as a means to earning income. They often produce very beautiful functional pieces which then become priceless "artefacts" in our society. Art and culture are one and the same. Theur art is theui life and an expression of their living. We then "market" it because we like it and it is taken out of context and given a fiscal value. tribal people need to be shown how this works so htat they can determine what happens to their art and understand how it could be used to create an income stream. The difference between a subsistance lifestyel and an economy. We should not exploit them because they have different values. We should show them our values so they can decide and choose to participate or not. They should be taught to be the major stake holders in the development of their artistic talents, because "new age" tribal art will take on a new meaning, image and impetus.
"'The Aboriginal people always end up losing and I want to stop that,' he told The Australian from his property at Malanda, outside Cairns in north Queensland. 'I want to see Aboriginal people get a fair go.'"
Tribal people are often exploited because they see art as an integral part of living and not as a means to earning income. They often produce very beautiful functional pieces which then become priceless "artefacts" in our society. Art and culture are one and the same. Theur art is theui life and an expression of their living. We then "market" it because we like it and it is taken out of context and given a fiscal value. tribal people need to be shown how this works so htat they can determine what happens to their art and understand how it could be used to create an income stream. The difference between a subsistance lifestyel and an economy. We should not exploit them because they have different values. We should show them our values so they can decide and choose to participate or not. They should be taught to be the major stake holders in the development of their artistic talents, because "new age" tribal art will take on a new meaning, image and impetus.
Painter charged with art heist
The Australian: Painter charged with art heist:
"Nationally acclaimed Queensland artist Richard Dunlop, 44, was charged with stealing after police raided his suburban Brisbane home last Friday and took possession of several hundred oils, sketches, prints and etchings."
I don't know why, but I was really surprised to read this. I have always considered artists to be people of integrity who who value art, not steal it. I suppose he had an eye for excellent pieces. I have never thought of artists being charged with art theft because they are creators. Is this common? I have always thought artists above this sort of thing. Silly me.
"Nationally acclaimed Queensland artist Richard Dunlop, 44, was charged with stealing after police raided his suburban Brisbane home last Friday and took possession of several hundred oils, sketches, prints and etchings."
I don't know why, but I was really surprised to read this. I have always considered artists to be people of integrity who who value art, not steal it. I suppose he had an eye for excellent pieces. I have never thought of artists being charged with art theft because they are creators. Is this common? I have always thought artists above this sort of thing. Silly me.
Southern Brown Bandicoot
Good news. Our Southern Brown Bandicoot
has made a comeback and has been spotted around our hills areas. They have been under siege from cats and dogs and a dwindling landscape, but hey are adapting and coming back. Flexibility is the name of the game. Threatened species stages comeback
Too fat
The Advertiser: One in four will be losing battle of the bulge by 2013 :
"The report also found obesity no longer was restricted to children or older generations and the 25 to 40 age bracket was also battling the bulge."
The report mentions lifestyle as a factor in this and considering the waist widening has been occurring more since 1991 then we need to look at how people are living. Telling them to fit exercise in when they are working long hours, when they are exhausted and when they have more than enough to do isn't going to work. They'll just keel over. We need to look at how we are living. A lot of people are no longer cooking for themselves, not growing their own food, not gardening and have so many gadgets for housework. Some people don't do their housework and gardening. Affluence means they engage others. Most jobs are far too sedentary and meeting rich because we have increased the number of office jobs. People are tied to computers, TVs , games machines. We have decreased our natural activity and add that to the placid diversions we have, it is a recipe for the widening waist. Not many kids can been seen running sorund and lots of hoe snow have no gardens. Back yard cricket has become a thing of the past. Healthy activity as part of a normal lifestyle is gone. We need to look at how we are working and living and change our approach. There are too many cars for us to bike ride safely and most people overuse their cars because walking isn't particularly safe. We have become sitters. That builds fat.
"The report also found obesity no longer was restricted to children or older generations and the 25 to 40 age bracket was also battling the bulge."
The report mentions lifestyle as a factor in this and considering the waist widening has been occurring more since 1991 then we need to look at how people are living. Telling them to fit exercise in when they are working long hours, when they are exhausted and when they have more than enough to do isn't going to work. They'll just keel over. We need to look at how we are living. A lot of people are no longer cooking for themselves, not growing their own food, not gardening and have so many gadgets for housework. Some people don't do their housework and gardening. Affluence means they engage others. Most jobs are far too sedentary and meeting rich because we have increased the number of office jobs. People are tied to computers, TVs , games machines. We have decreased our natural activity and add that to the placid diversions we have, it is a recipe for the widening waist. Not many kids can been seen running sorund and lots of hoe snow have no gardens. Back yard cricket has become a thing of the past. Healthy activity as part of a normal lifestyle is gone. We need to look at how we are working and living and change our approach. There are too many cars for us to bike ride safely and most people overuse their cars because walking isn't particularly safe. We have become sitters. That builds fat.
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