Human relative could be rebuilt

Human relative could be rebuilt :

"Anthropologists aim to apply the forensic techniques used to map the human genome to chart all three billion chemical base-pairs in the DNA of man's close but long-dead relative."

This is more like it. 2006 and here we are with the possibility of being able to reconstruct the genetic code of Neanderthal man. That's the sort of this you expect to be hearing in 2006, not the same ole same ole from all the past centuries. For heaven's sake, let's get on with the new millennium, shall we , instead of constantly repeating the same patterns of behaviour from previous centuries. Let's move forward and do something positive.

Giving food to homeless now a crime in Vegas

Scotsman.com Giving food to homeless now a crime in Vegas:

"LAS Vegas has made it a crime to feed the homeless in city parks."

I know it's difficult to judge things from a distance and cultures vary in their approach but starving people lawful? Why are they homeless? Why can they not be fed? There is sure a logical explanation for this very brief article?

Global outrage greets Israel 'war crime' in Qana

Global outrage greets Israel 'war crime' in Qana :

"'We must condemn this action in the strongest possible terms, and I appeal to you to do likewise,' Annan told the council."

As global citizens we do condemn it. As global citizens we have no wish to be a aprt of ongoing death and destruction and the slaughtering of innocents. We are tired of ordinary people bearing the brunt of militaristic annihilation. It has been so obvious that the majority of this plaet just wants to live. They want to help people, they want to reach out and be a part of a developing world. People are tired of their friends, relatives and fellow humans being killed and for what? We are angry. We are fed up. There are more of us and we haven't yet found a way of saying for heaven's sake put he weapons away and leave us alone so we can just live. Too many people . Too many places and we are alarmed our leaders are no more capable than we are of resolving these matters in a competent fashion. Bombing people is not working. Get to plan B.

I'm still an alcoholic, says Gibson

I'm still an alcoholic, says Gibson :

"'I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested, and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable. I am deeply ashamed of everything I said and I apologise to anyone who I have offended.'"

Alcoholism is a disease and it is not cured. It can be put into remission. Mel Gibson has done the right thing to talk about it openly and to be clear about where he has stuffed up. It'll make other drunks confront their problems. Drunks put themselves and everyone else in very painful and unpleasant circumstances. It is relentless and they are like walking time bombs because you never know when they will go off and what they will do. Like anyone else in remission the return of the disease is aggressive. It's another form of addiction and again, an addict is an addict is an addict and cannot necessarily be held responsible for their behaviour. 10% of us are addicts. Addictive behaviour is extreme and destructive. We hammer smokers, what about the drinkers? Not all people can be reasonable drinkers and when they are not they create the sort of chaos and Mel Gibson has done just that. The saddest part is you get such lovely, talented people who become so destructive and other people destructive. Unreliable, obnoxious, dangerous, intrusive, abusive. We need to look at this. An addict has to remain free of the substance to which they are addicted and they have to be careful they do not substitute one addiction for another...unless, of course, it's a productive one like being addicted to sailing or golf.

SA 'doesn't need to recycle water'

SA 'doesn't need to recycle water' :

"SOUTH Australia has already embarked on a $200 million water recycling program that rules out the need to recycle sewage as drinking water, the State Government said today."

Phew! Thank heavens for that. Adelaide water tastes disgusting enough without adding recycled sewage to it!! Oh what bliss it was to be away in another country and have hair which was shiny and manageable... and nice soft clothes. Come back home and it's all dry and hard to get along with again. For goodness sake , please look at the chemical mix in our water. It really is bad. I am sure Mr. Rann will be pleased to know I thoroughly agree with him about making better use of our rain water. It just gushes down the streets and down pipes. Most of us have rain water tanks, but there is still plenty of water just going down street drain. It's stupid. We have to be able to filter that water into storage tanks or something so it can be recycled for watering or coupled with the new Adelaide water treatment invention. I have got my water saving strategies in place as has everyone else I know, so we are willing to help. Show us the way!

NASA mulls mothballing ISS research.

NASA mulls mothballing ISS research. :

"NASA deputy space station program manager Kirk Shireman has been asked if it is true as reported on the NASAWatch.com website that the agency is considering shutting down its research for a year or more for budget reasons, or would pursue other steps.

He replied: 'All those things are under consideration.'"

I have never really looked into what the ISS researches but I have no doubt it is the sort of stuff which will have far reaching impact for us all as NASA has that kind of pioneering, scientific edge reputation. To not research for a year would be sad but I am surprised how much money America can put into all its projects around the place and the bottom line is there is only so much money. Those sorts of budget constraints affect us all and when you get a big bludget outlay, like repairing the damage to New Orleans, then I guess you have to put the people on the ground ahead of future generations. One year is a long time. It goes quickly though and perhaps rather than look upon it negatively, look upon it as a year to really think out the future projects and commitments of NASA. We are in a period of intense change and stopping to catch our breath is not such a bad thing . If it means money is withheld to force us to relook at who we are and what we do, then that's not bad either. Life is about reflecting before you have intense periods of creativity. I am certain if NASA has to slow down for a year , it will only mean they will come up with even better ideas. I think this article is too negative. Money isn't everything and thought at the level NASA can operate will ensure even bigger and better things.I guess the negotiations need to be open and valid.

Sydney 'not ready' for recycled water.

Sydney 'not ready' for recycled water. :

"'I've always said we've assumed the public is not ready and obviously public support and confidence is an important factor as well as the advice of the health experts,' he said."

Recycled water is not something t drink. Given we live in an accident prone world where nothing is guaranteed then I think recyled water can be used in other ways perhaps. It may have missed us, but one of the reasons we live in a disease free society is that we have sanitation and our drinking water is safe. As soon as we put that at risk we put ourselves back to the societies we lived in where effluent and disease ridden water were a hazard for human beings. 6000 children a day die because they do not have drinkable water. We cannot guarantee recycled drinking water would be safe because of the mistakes everyone keeps making these days. Morris Iemma is right.

Japanese delegate ASEAN

Japan launches cold war over room freeze :

"�Japan's government offices and agencies keep the room temperature at 28 (Celsius) degrees. We don't even wear ties,� he said."

Since I am not there I cannot say whether this is over or understated, but the global shortage of energy resources was on the agenda at the ASEAN meeting in Kuala Lumpur. People feel hot or cold and you have to find the happy medium and it's not always easy in some of our weather patterns. We have been through the fire on, fire off, air conditioning on, air conditioning off. I was driving to work with the heater on and driving home with the air conditioner on for quite some time until it settled into cold. Then we seem to get warm pockets of air for a couple of hours and then freezing and then normal. It is no wonder everyone is skitter skattered. It also becomes difficult when where you visit is different from where you live. You body takes time to adjust. I don't see the Japanese Minister as being impolite. He has to speak up if he and his delegation is cold as you have to when you are too warm. We are past the stage in life where you have to keep those sorts of feelings to yourself. Building heating and air conditioning can sometimes be very erratic though. Some parts of buildings work or not work and some work too well or not enough. Setting temperatures in buildings can be a precarious business for some reason.
 

Fishy answer to weight loss

Fishy answer to weight loss :

"An Adelaide study has found that overweight people on a modest exercise plan lose more weight if they also take daily doses of tuna oil rich in Omega 3 fatty acids.

The polyunsaturated fats, found in oily fish and some grains, nuts and vegetables, have cardiovascular benefits but little is known about their contribution to weight loss."

No wonder everyone in Adelaide is eating fish. The only ard thing to take is that it gets mighty whiffy around lunch time with some of the stuff they are eating. I think fish oil should be eaten in the privacy of your own home. A real success is all the fishy things packed in spring water with the delicious seasonings. They are hugely popular and not so on the nose. It's also good to seeing salmon making a big come back...don't know why. I just think the pink is awfully attractive in a meal. Very cheerful on a winery day! And fish oil certainly sustains you against the cold.

Tatiana 'touched' by school sleuths

Tatiana 'touched' by school sleuths :

"Grigorieva had been a regular visitor to a group of Year 3 students at Brisbane's John Paul College, and they have now begun a poster campaign to get the public involved in hunting down the medals.

'It's very, very sweet, I love those kids,' Grigorieva said."

Clearly, Tatiana touches everyone hearts. The little children in Brisbane are as attached to her as we have been in Adelaide and I guess the only good thing about this missing medals is she is finding out just how much she has touched us and how much we actually value her. She is a great sports woman but she is also an inpiration. It is so fantastic the little children have gone all out to try and help find the medals because community and people are where it is out.

Symphony takes orchestra to 'The Edge'.

Symphony takes orchestra to 'The Edge'.:

"The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra is breaking the mould with its latest performance, which puts the rock music of Jeff Buckley, Radiohead and Wolfmother centre stage."

The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra has always been good but people who have heard it recently are raving about it whether they are seasoned orchestra performance visitors or not. It has become a thing you take visitors to see and given so many people are talking about our orchestra then this performance designed to engage younger people in a big way is certain to be the talk of the town. Our orchestra succeeds because it is very flexible and works with the flavour of Adelaide.

Crows set to swoop on injured Eagles

Crows set to swoop on injured Eagles. :

"'We keep playing the game on its merits and if we're not good enough on the day - whenever that may be - we accept that and learn and take something out of it.'"

Well, they are going to do a lot of taking and a lot of learning because they lost to the Eagles inspite of some very spirited play. The Eagles were ready for them and kept the ball off them and the Crows did rally, but they actually weren't ready for the ambush!!! Stunning match because it was so hard played and so hard fought. The Crows have had a fabulous season and this is a good lesson because Craig is right, the Eagles are the form side. We lost to them in the premiership last year and the lesson has come back to the Crows because they haven't learned it yet. They have learned so much, they have played so well. They have given us hours of exhuberance and excitement, but to go up a cog, this is the lesson they have to learn...how to get on top of a side that can just come out and powerhouse it over a brilliant team!!! Go guys!!

Perfumer smells something fishy in Sydney

Perfumer smells something fishy in Sydney :

"'In Sydney, people smell like fish, because you eat so much fish here, like the Romans eat garlic, but in Paris it's chicken; these people are eating so many Rhine chickens that in the street you can always smell them.'"

It must be hard being a "nose " for perfume. You are chosen because you are a nose, but then your nose would lead you to these observations and more!! I would never have picked fish as the smell of Sydneyites!! I wonder what Adelaide dwellers smell of? Pizza? Tuna? Salmon? Can't be bananas any more. Apples! Everyone is eating apples.

What our children really think

AdelaideNow... Revealed: What our children really think:

"It found mums (42 per cent) and dads (31) top the list of most admired people and 62 per cent of children had great confidence in their parents, 64 per cent in doctors, police, 57, and teachers, 49."

Nearly a thousand chcildren between 10 and 17 were surveyed and it's a nice thought that the parents got a tick of approval as well as other bastions like doctors, police and teachers. Maybe things are changing and maybe these new children will make our world more positive.

Escapees hitch ride back to jail.

Escapees hitch ride back to jail. :

"Three New South Wales prison escapees will face court today after being caught when they hailed an unmarked police car and tried to hitch a ride."

I am still laughing. This is hilarious and maybe we need to adopt a bit more of a sneaky approach in our mainstream living to change the balance back to us!! This is so funny.

Minister criticises Labor's childcare plan.

Minister criticises Labor's childcare plan. :

"'The Labor Party has been going on now for months about the lack of places and yet here we have today trumpeted by Mr Beazley Labor's blueprint for child care and there is not one additional place.'"

Okay, prove that ti won't supply extra places. It would create some finance which would be an inducement to create extra places. Yes, the point about costing is valid. It would be good to see large organisations provide onsight child care where appropriate and where numbers warrant it. It would take the strain off pick up and delivery, cut down on the time wasted when illnes and accidents occur. It would take a lot of that time factor out of day care and child care. One of our unis at least has a day care centre close tot he uni. It makes life easier for everyone and provides an interesting diversion for people on the way to or from the campus. The atmosphere is positve and it workd positively within that organisational structure. I think we need to look at it before we shoot it down because we are strained at the moment with regard to day care and are lacking in flexibilty.

Win for grandparents

AdelaideNow... Win for grandparents:

"'What will happen now is that the Commonwealth will come up with a legal description for grandparents in this role - people who have taken on a parenting role,' he said."

Grandparents in a parenting role do need to be financially assisted in the same way as parents. The children often just abandon their children and then the system lands them on the grand parents. There is that kind of expectation but it is the custodial matters which can be the real heart ache in this situation and it is cruel not to clarify them. If grand parents become the substitute parents and finally get the financial support normal parents would, then the stabilty and security they supply needs to be safe guarded so the child isn't sky rocketed back to unstable parents who may regain the child in a period of what becomes short lived stability. In my experience, this is what occurs and it may mean the grandparents never see that grand child again because the child goes interstate with the parents and then they hear second hand that the situation has deteriorated and that the child is at risk. It's very destabilising for the child. I think a time line of care needs to be established. I also believe contact needs to exist but the situations where grand parents become the parents are often when the parents are addicts. It is excruciatingly hard to manage the reality of this but what exists is cruel and I think now this financial support has been acknowledged, we need to look at the rest of the traumatic picture and have the guts to sort it out better than the current mess.

Mental health concerns switch to young people in rural areas.

Mental health concerns switch to young people in rural areas. :

"'We only get this data every five to 10 years and the last one that was taken was in the late 90s which showed there was roughly one in four young women experiencing depression and one in six young men experienced depression,' he said."

I can remember reading a very sad report about the young rural people from that last investigation in the 90s. It discussed how many young people were suiciding because they felt they were a burden to their struggling parents and that they felt they would save moeny that way and how they didn't have food or bed sheets. I was upset because they were peopel in our state and we knew nothing about it in the city. We are very good at organising aid and support. We are very good at addressing emotional issues and dealing with communities in trouble. It would have been easy for us to organise the things people country people had needed. We could even have organised some sanity breaks for them in the city so they were not constantly confronting the pain of country living when the farms are not coping. This is one occasion where the meda could be a useful medium for getting information out for rallying support and infrmation for groups which need help. I think we do need new data. We need our farms and farmers and we can support and help them if we know what the picture is. We have often billeted country kids in town so they can come to city school and get a break ,a different kind of perspective and a chance to think about where they want to direct their lives. It helps the parents too because they can concentrate on the farm . We also need to wise up city dwellers to the opportunities in the country. It's that basic working together which is essential and we need to see the picture first.

Big cat may be stalking western Sydney.

Big cat may be stalking western Sydney.:

"'There are some big paw marks that have been identified that have been identified as panther identifications,' he said."

Someone must know who had something as big as a juguar in their home. It would be harde to hide and disguise and presumably it was owned and now abandoned because a zoo would lnow if it had lost one of its cats. Probably smuggled in and then grew too big to manage. It is important to find it soon, both so it has a safe home and so that Sydney residents and domestic pets are safe.

Australia pulls soldiers from south Lebanon.

Australia pulls soldiers from south Lebanon. :

"The Federal Government says a dozen Australian troops in southern Lebanon will be moved to Beirut to avoid bombing.

The 12 Australians were sent to Lebanon to assist with the evacuation of Australians in the country's south."

This one gets ticks from me. We took some time to get going but now we have things in place we seem to be behaving in a level headed manner. The soldiers are there to protect and assist our people and that is a sensible and practical approach in the middle of the chaos. Knowing our boundaries and our place is important.

ABC finalises breast cancer review panel.

ABC finalises breast cancer review panel. :

"The ABC announced the panel last week in response to staff concerns about the diagnosis of nine female employees with breast cancer over the past 11 years."

I am glad to hear this is going ahead because at one stage it looked like they were going to dicount it. This is breast cancer we are talking about and it's a cluster group and it does seem very odd. We have always been good with breat cancer awareness and it would have been erring from our common sense approach had we failed to investigate this. We have recently looked at male breast cancer too and got that out into the open. The men who have been on television have been very direct and open and very good at demystifying it. Anything which gets our fears out there and dealt with means we will be so much the stronger for it. It's our team spirit which has always resolved issues and taken the strain off those who are suffering.

Teens accused of inciting dog attack.

Teens accused of inciting dog attack. :

"Busselton detectives say the two 18-year-old males broke in to a home in Busselton on Friday night and dragged another 18-year-old living there into nearby bushland.

It is alleged they tied him to a tree then encouraged a dog they had brought along to attack him."

Where are these kids heads and why are we bringing up children like this? Officially they vote in the same queue as me. What is the matter with them?

Plan to cut truants' Centrelink payments criticised.

Plan to cut truants' Centrelink payments criticised. :

"'Students are paid to attend school so this is the appropriate instrument to deal with issues of attendance, no one has to lose their payments.

'Where students are absent all they have need to do is make sure that a note in provided.'"

School have always been there and peole are supposed to go to school. Parents claim a tax payment for having students who are studying full time. There also seem to be payments made to students. Asking school to accomodate to the whims and fancies isn't going to work. When we go to work we have to work within the company expectations. Our job is what we are paid for. We can have some input but not much. Come on. Kids have had to go to school and our teachers wouldn't be popular overseas if they were so hopeless. If students are paid to go to school they need to be there. If their parents are claiming tax benefits for having full time students , then they have to be there at school. Illness, family trauma or whatever can be catered for within this. Sorry to say this but part of strengthening yourself as a human being is managing what you are expected to do and adapting your personality to those who are your colleagues . Until now Austrlaians have been really very good at this. Why indulge some students when the bulk of them appear to trot off to school maybe not wildly enthusiastic but knowing,at least, they can gain from it?

Israeli PM expresses sorrow for UN deaths 'mistake'.

Israeli PM expresses sorrow for UN deaths 'mistake'. :

"'The Prime Minister said he would never fathom the thought that the mistake that was made would be categorised by the UN as an action that was done intentionally,' said a statement released by Mr Olmert's office."

When you get out the weapons and drop them on people , it is no mistake. They are dead. They now have no life. Oops, sorry, just a mistake is not good enough. They are dead. Put the bloody weapons away.

Echidna on road to recovery

Echidna on road to recovery :

"The short-beaked echidna was brought to Sydney's Taronga Zoo for expert attention after being hit by a car and picked up by the roadside at Cessnock in the New South Wales Hunter Valley."

I love it when we get stories like this. We have aways been ones to save the poor, injured animals and I remember a lady at work quite a few years ago bringing a fawn to work and sleeping with it at night to keep it warm and safe and everyone fussing over the wee fawn until it was strong enough to go out into the field again. I also was amazed to see a school girl going out intot he middle of a road to help save a little black puppy which was so terrifies and she scooped it up and cuddled it off somewhere. Poeple here are usually very kind to animals and it is very not us to be cruel. Those stoires are so offensive. I bet every country has its wild life rescue tales. This echidna had severe cuts and a broken foot. They do tend to wander over the road and they do get hit and it's sad. Thank goodness the zoo could fix Cess and mix up a brew to keep it going!

NSW farmers group elect woman VP

NSW farmers group elect woman VP :

"Ms Moxey has been involved with farming for more than 30 years and is part of the family-run dairy operation Moxey Farms at Gooloogong, in the state's central west, and Richmond, in Sydney's north-west."

See? It can be done and why not? Farming is a family affair as are wineries very often. Men and women can work together to produce a balanced world. It is good to see all voices represented. The other vice president is male. It's not just about balancing gender and numbers. It's about getting each perspective represented in an organisation.

Male lawyer courts women's clothing

Male lawyer courts women's clothing :

"A PROMINENT New Zealand lawyer who is bald and mustachioed turned up to court wearing a skirt and blouse and carrying a handbag in protest of what he says is a male dominated judiciary."

Not the first time this man has stood up for women's rights and it is good to see people make a stand for a bit of equity so that both sexes are represented at all levels of our society. It will always be the best person for the job but we seem to be falling into the polarisation of genders in certain areas again. Like our female politicians just can't find a way to be a part of our political system and we have a great set of female politicians and yet there voices are rarely heard and then they are squashed and just can't seem to survive the current system. Poele would point at the women. I point at the system. The sytem is up the creek when everyone can't get heard. You hear the women in parliament on the radio and some of them make some excellent speeches . Is it repaorted? Do we hear about it? So good on this New Zealander for trying to get some balance. We have 2 sexes in society and we need and value them both.

Travel before mortgage

AdelaideNow... Travel before mortgage:

"And when it comes to this year's tax returns, a new report by ING Direct and the Melbourne Institute has revealed more South Australians will fritter the money away than will plunge it into the mortgage."

The article may be small but it is pretty harsh and judgemental. Frittering on holidays or anything else may not be what it is. People are working long hours. Our jobs have become a job and a half and increasingly we are becoming clerks as well as whatever else we do. Then we get to print our own photos, pay our own bills, do our own banking, pay levies for this and levies for that. Do this do that. Come and be a regular person and the pressure is on. Why not get away from it all? Then there is the pressure to have a certain type of home with the right post code, drink the right wine, be in the right coffee shops have the right entertainments and a mobile or two. This is the economy speaking. Travel has become fashionable to help get people away from it all, because people are now curious about other places and because it's the thing to do. How many travel shows have we on TV? The mortgage will always be there and the penalties for paying it off faster are quite severe. It's about having and who developed that as a notion? We'd have to shift the emphasis back to other things if we wanted the mortgage to be a priority. Poeple are paying for everything and working to try and get those things people are supposed to have these days. Modest living has gone by the board and the occasional trip overseas doesn't exist. The haves are doing everything a lot. The have nots don't even have a mortgage. So shift the values in our daily living, ease the pressure, spread the wealth and maybe we'll stop being fritterers. It's only frittering when you disapprove or you think you have more money than others.

Gen X, gen Y - it's generation con

Gen X, gen Y - it's generation con, actually :

"With so much technology at their fingertips and so many screens vying for their attention, marketers simply don't know which way to jump. A single ad campaign with a single message simply won't wash with this generation of media savvy 20-somethings."

Maybe it's true, maybe each generation poses problems and confuses people for a while. Then it all becomes readable, identifiable and old hat. The 20s seem to be very chatty. Some are really extreme. They do know a lot about the world because they have travelled. They laugh at a lot of things and like to make fun of things. They are serious about te environment and some of them are very slick in the way they manipulate technology. But there seems to be a bit of a technology backlash with this younger group too. They are very choosy about what they want and about how they will use it or not. The often don't know all the functions of a gadget but they are happy with the functions they know. They don't explore technology in that sense. So advertising them is not that hard...get mobile!! Talk to them. They like talking!! Then they share their knowledge. So if one of them gets something and by talking they show it's worth having...then the others go out and buy. That simple. If they like it , they buy it. Who else is like that?!

Grigorieva's medals stolen

Grigorieva's medals stolen - irreplaceable:

"The pole vaulter's Olympic, Commonwealth and world championship medals were among the 'irreplaceable sentimental items' stored in a safe stolen from business premises at Tingalpa in Brisbane."

Shame , shame, shame. I hope they are found. Tatiana is someone we have got to know because she has trained in Adeliade and many of us have seen her training. She is well repsected in this community and it's must be awful for her to have all her nmedals stolen from a safe! May they be found soon.

Clinic for game addicts swamped

Clinic for game addicts swamped :

"'These are perfectly decent kids whose lives have been taken over by an addiction,' said Mr Bakker, a former drug addict. 'Some have given up school so they can play games. They have no friends. They don't speak to their parents.'"

I understand that about 10% of a population can become addicted. Addiction is addiction is addiction. It's not using. It's not managing. It's not coping and setting goals and boundaries. An addict is an addict is an addict. You can become addicted to anything if you are an addict! So yes, you can become addicted to computer games, the computer in the same way you can become addicted to drugs, alcohol, sugar. We need to realise that addicts and addiction have traits, behavious and disorders which are similar from one addiction to another and therefore we, as a society need to be far more clued in about what addiction is, what can provoke it, what purpose it serves, how it can be broken. I can rememebr my firend's son being very addicted to computer games. When friend decided to cut down the amount of time spent on games there were angry outburts, depression, arguments, blah blah and all of this was discussed in a sensible way, but the 16 year old became quite monstrous until he finished his withdrawals. Friend had engaged some professional help to settle things down a bit. Addictive behaviour effects everyone and the addict is miserable and not particularly in control of their actions and their reactions if they feel threatened. We do need to help each other and understand this whole addiction matter better.

Govt opens marine mammal centre to help save the whales.

Govt opens marine mammal centre to help save the whales. :

"The facility will bring together 20 groups of scientists from around the country to deliver the best advice on strategic marine mammal conservation and management issues, and create Australia's first internationally competitive research hub on marine mammals."

It's a great idea and given it will utilise the knowledge and skills of so many scientists then it is a wonderful working model for the regeneration of our commitment to our marine life. So many of us value our oceans and our ocean life. So many Austrlaians have a lifestyle based on our ocean life. It is good to get a sound understanding of our marine life in the current times. Whale watching, in particular, has been something inspirational here and to get to know our whales better will only inspire us more to stay in good contact with them.

Adelaide Airport

The new Adelaide airport is very impressive. The parking is so much better than the old one, but the airport is light, airy, well laid out and pretty impressive! It was good to leave from there but it was also a good airport to come home to. It certainly has been well planned and it's good being able to see the planes properly like in other cities. The artwork around the place is understated but certainly adds to the ambiance. Well done, folks!! 

Melbourne pips competition

Melbourne pips competition :

"Melbourne routed Sydney in an independent survey of style and romance, shopping, international sporting and cultural events, theatre, food and restaurants and nightlife."

Tell me about it. A lot of people from Adelaide go over there for the entertainment which misses us and for the clothes and shoes. My friend and her husband have gone over there this weekend for that very reason. It's a short flight and very accessible and has a good atmosphere...but it is also nice to swan around Adelaide. It's the safety issues which are a problem at the moment. A few people are spoiling it for the rest of us.

RSPCA to get more for dog education

RSPCA to get more for dog education :

"'Practising responsible dog ownership and ensuring our pets are well cared for can help reduce the risk of dog attacks in the future,' he said.

'People need to ensure their dogs' welfare needs are met. They also need to make sure their dogs are properly trained and restrained.'"

Our life style has made it difficult for dogs and people to live harmoniously. I grew up with dogs everywhere. They were always around. We knew which ones to avoid and which ones to pat. We also got harassed by some and it was Dad who would go and speak with the owners. It was all very one on one. I have also visited countries where the dogs are around all the time. The kids love it and the owners know where their dogs are and in a community everyone knows whose dog is whose. Many people work full time and so many dogs are kept in a confined space. They are fed, watered, walked and played with most of the time, but our new neighbour is a classic example. She moved in with 2 dogs. She goes out all day. Is out several nights a week. I have never heard her speaking to the dogs or playing with them. They are fed and they bark, bang on the fences and sheds and are just a nuisance. They are nice dogs but they are too confined and have no interaction with the community or anyone. I think they must have gone because it's been awfully quiet around here and there is no sign of them. She leaves them out at night too, so they bark all through the night. Guarding. Well, in communities where the dogs roam, they are quieter. They are friendlier, they are more socialised. Our dogs are kept locked up and then probably go mad wjhen they do go out. You can keep a dog happy and healthy. You need to keep it happy and you need to keep it company one way or another. I have always had a dog and I have always worked, but my dogs have never been complained about and they have always plenty to divert them and plenty of space and then lots of interaction. They also have company most of the time one way or another. The RSPCA is the obvious body to look at this since they probably get the bulk of the problems and know what they are. I have got my last 2 dogs from the RSPCA for this reason...they know the dogs and I can then give them a good home.

Growing thirst of an arid Earth

Growing thirst of an arid Earth :

"But wait a moment before you log on to buy one of those jokey T-shirts advertised on the internet with slogans such as Save Water, Bathe With a Friend. Good message, but you could fill roughly 25 bathtubs with the water needed to grow the cotton needed to make the shirt."

Fred Pearce will be speaking at the International River Symposium in Brisbane on Sept 4th. This peace written by him is a well thought out piece and well worth the read. It is not the quick fix, quick answer, glib approach. There is plenty to consider. We are all stuck in a world where our rivers are running dry and we are all in the situation were we are sitting watching our trees, which have been there for years, just dying. Yes, the world changes and we change with it, but how much of this is actually our fault and our responsibility. What can we do about it. There were some interesting stats on how much water Australians use compared with European conterparts. We might have to have a good , long look at this and start changing our ways.

Beirut

So who is paying for all this destruction and how much is it costing? 

Cigarette butts top beach rubbish

Cigarette butts top beach clean-up rubbish:

"More than 450,000 volunteers removed 8.2 million pounds of debris from 18,000 miles of coastline and waterways in 74 countries during the day-long clean-up in September, the Ocean Conservancy said in a report released yesterday. The group has sponsored the worldwide volunteer effort for 20 years."

Yes, a lot of kind souls get out there and clean up our beaches...something which would not need to happen if we just thought a bit. Took our own rubbish away. Considered others and the environment. It can be done and most beaches have rubbish bins. The French news had a tractor which goes along its more popular beaches and it somehow sifts out all the rubbish and makes the sand look clean and new. The people were very appreciative. I suppose those tractors cost a lot but it's a fantastic idea.

Zizou

Zidane to work with children as penalty for his headbutt:

"ZINEDINE Zidane is to carry out three days of community service after the headbutting incident that marred the World Cup final, football's governing body declared yesterday."

Both Zinedine and Materazzi have had disciplinary action elsewhere and it is not surprising really. The tribunal which has judged this case appears to have heard and judged it with a very level headed approach. Having been in French environment for a week, I have really been brought up to speed on football!! The newspapers and news stands in Noumea were full of Zizou and I read all the articles in the newspapers I bought, but the local radio in New Caledonia was carrying some big programmes and discussions about it and then France Inter, which was also on the radio there, was discussing it. Some people were wearing T shirts :

ZIZOU NE NOUS QUITTE PAS SUR UN COUP DE TETE

(Zizou don't leave us on a head butt)

Zinedine was everywhere and the discussions were very detailed and passionate. I really enjoyed it because all the angles were considered. Coming home on the plane sealed the story for me because they showed a programme of our Socceroos and the pressures on them and the sorts of decisions they had to make. This sport is generating thousands and thousands of dollars. The amount of money riding on it is huge. The players are suffering from the pressure of the almighty dollar. It can mean big money for them, but the expectations are also high and they way they have to live is not necessarily what they want. One of our guys didn't particularly like all the "royal" treatment and fuss made of him. You start to understand then the sorts of pressures which have to be on players in a grand final of the World Cup . Their need to win. Their need to please millions of people. It must be very difficult. When you hear Zinedine speaking he is very quietly articulate , very rational and honest. Disarming. Yes...he was all over the tele as well!! He is like our footballers...a man with a balanced view, but this man is totally in the spotlight all the time and a lot is expected of him. Likewise the Italian players. I am glad the matter is resolved and I am glad Zinedine is working with children for community service. He has children of his own and has a lot to offer young lives. 

Five into 300 for Super Roo

AdelaideNow... Five into 300 for Super Roo:

"'I have one premiership (1998) in 300 games,' said Ricciuto. 'It has been a long gap between drinks. It is a message I will be reinforcing to the young guys around the football club in the next few months - the opportunity to win a premiership does not come around too often. And they are not to be wasted."

The Crows had a big win, a big night and a lot to crow about. Their captain, Mark Ricciuto was celebrating his 300th game. People were wearing their Crows scarves around the shops today. It's not actually something you see a lot except when it gets near the grand final. Today they were just marking an occasion , I think. Showing some appreciation for their team which has been having a really great season. Mark Ricciuto is a good captain. Not one to hog the ball, he lets all the players have a go but his skill with a ball is awesome. He is a footballer. He embodies what football is to us. He's a great player but he's a great guy too. He has shared his skills, his enthusiasm, his belief in the game. He knows what it means and he can get others to understand that too. Premierships aren't that hard to come by, so you have to want more than that and it is what Riccuito shows us every week...sheer bloomin' joy in playing the game which is in the heart and soul of this country.

Port Plaisance

This is Port Plaisance. They were talking on the news yesterday about how Port Adelaide was getting far more tourists than any other part...why not? Look at Port Plaisance. The people owning the moored boats were tinkering. The locals had a shady spot to sit and watch. The tourists loved the plants ,the water and the boats...there are hotels, apartments, a shopping centre and it's just around the corner from the Baie de la Moselle and the markets...But look again. It's that happy knack of allowing nature to predominate but include the things humans like...sea, grass, plants, shopping...No wonder people like the Port over here. Port Adelaide can get that feel. Same as Lake Weeroona in Bendigo...the water and landscape dominate and make a fantastic area for humans. Go team...think plants, water and the rest falls into place!! 

Noumea

The sunshine, the blue skies. What a treat. Not quite as busy as Glenelg here, but the hotels, high rise appartments and shops are not the dominant feature in Noumea. It is the landscape and the ocean. They are still building and redeveloping even as I blog, but they have a canny knack of letting nature predominate inspite of the massive size of some of the buildings. And I could just wander around here as I wished. The French were all out walking, jogging ,wind surfing and then looking incredibly fit in their cycling outfits. They are very fit!! I was happy to doddle along and enjoy the view! 

Petit pain au raisin

This is what I love!! Petit pain au raisin is like croissant and pastry rolled into one and a good petit pain is so delicious and perfect with the morning coffee!! Between that and brioche for breakfast and the baguette...I can confirm I am committed to yeast feasts. Miam, miam...but those petit pain au raisin.... oh, send me one now!! You can't get them here! 

Sharing the bed a no-brainer

Sharing the bed a no-brainer :

"A man's brainpower, scientists say, can be damaged by sharing a bed. When they spend the night with a partner, their sleep patterns are disturbed, whether they make love or not.

This leads to poorer mental agility the next day."

So many things come to mind. Like is that the reason they stay up and get sloshed. Is that why they stay out all night? Is that why they fall asleep on the settee? And it just goes to show that men can't do two things at once!! BUT...how on earth does sleeping with someone affect their mental capacity?! I am speechless...well, not really. I just think there are a whole heap of smart lines for this and men are not going to live it down.

Hicks ad campaign in major papers

Hicks ad campaign in major papers :



"'If the British can get their citizens out of Guantanamo, why can't we?'"

Exactly. Our leaders have made a decision he is guilty. He is currently living outside the law and so are they. The British have been saving our people in Lebanon too, and the Greeks...and heaven knows who else. Our leaders are not very good at saving us. You can go to the GetUp website and sign their letter. Many prominenet Australians have got behind this campaign for no other reason than David Hicks needs a fair hearing and he has been left to rot in Guantanamo Bay. I hope his father will take courage and solace from this because we do care and he has tried to negotiate , listen and speak in such a rational, reasonable way. I can only say what I have said before...he's a great Dad and a great role model for Australians. He has tried to do this in a civilised way and he has tried to be tolerant of systems. He is a marvel but all the time his civility is ignored. There is probably a lesson in there.

MPs get 'backdoor' pay rise

MPs get 'backdoor' pay rise :

"NEW South Wales MPs have received a backdoor payrise following a generous in-house entitlements case, the NSW Greens said today."

I want generous in-house entitlements! I have just had an orange...now I want my generous in-house entitlements...tall, blue eyed, blond hair...swish....and very generous...

Sophie goes back to school.

Sophie goes back to school. :

"The five-year-old was seriously injured when hit by a car three months ago, and she was badly burnt when a car crashed into her pre-school in 2003."

This little girl teaches us so much. Little Sophie is amazing and we are all so excited she is now back at school, where her teachers and school mates seem to be almost as amazing as she is. They are so articulate and caring. Her parents are obviously much more relaxed now and I really appreciate how they have taken the time to spend some time with us on the news and keep us included in the loop. They have acknowedged by doing that they actually understand how much we have all cared. They have let us be part of the extended family supporting them through such a devastating time for them as a family. They are great people and I guess Sophie gets a lot of her emotioanal strength from them.

Aussies trickle out of Lebanon

Aussies trickle out of Lebanon as port chaos continues :

"About 45 more Australians have made it out of Lebanon to Cyprus, after securing places on ships hired by other countries."

The whole situation is a crying shame. The amount of heart ache, heartbreak and damage that people can visit on each other is unbelievable, but it is not the bulk of us. Why is the majority of the world population so powerless? Most of us are not horrible and we help people...like the countries which are currently helping Australians stuck in Lebanon. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Two charged over McDonald's shooting

Two charged over McDonald's shooting :

"Two men, aged 25 and 23, both of Wantirna, were arrested and charged this afternoon with several offences, including intentionally causing injury and firearm offences."

I have been reading about things like this on the Net news and in my local paper. Someone local was bashed with a brick so the offender could access their wallet and mobile phone. I am really disappointed and frustrated I have to go elsewhere to feel safe. Australia has seriously lost it. Kids can't work in the drive in, kids can't be at home, people can't walk on the street. For a week I didn't have to think about whether I should or shouldn't go out. I didn't have to wonder whether I was going to be ripped off or not. I didn't have to worry about my car being smashed or whether I should or shouldn't sit somewhere. I could feel safe. Safe. It is so nice to feel safe. I have a brilliant beach here, just as brilliant as the one I went to...but I can't walk along the beach front like I did in Noumea because I might get bashed here. Some bastard might decide my money is theirs. I don't get why they take phones these days. I could walk down to the shops and get my provisions in Noumea and I didn't have to worry. I am sick and tired of people not being safe here because the majority of us are really great people. Just as nice as the ones I met overseas. I have been to the shops today and the people there are fantastic and we had a lot of laughs as we shopped and stood at the check outs. Adelaide people are nice people...but we are all sick and tired of not knowing whether we should go to the public toilet or not and we are wondering why we live somewhere so nice and the few scumbags hold us to ransom. We cannot enjoy our environment and the fantastic views here. So, yes, I go away when I want to relax. I can no londer relax here and they wonder why the Port is getting more tourists than any other spot in SA...and things like that above will stop tourists. Why would you visit a place with people who have no idea how to be social?

Lebanese civilians fear worst

Lebanese civilians fear worst is yet to come. :

"Frightened civilians in Lebanon fear Israeli bombing will get worse once the evacuation of thousands of foreign nationals is completed."

Yes, they are thinking it will get worse once the foreigners are out. I know from the French news overseas that France was pretty swift to get itself in there and organise its people. De Villepin had gone there himself and was helping to keep spirits up and review the situation from first hand experience. I also know that the French President and ministers have been discussing the whole situation at considerable length. I come home and find out we have not got our people out. The British have started moving them for us.

So what are we all thinking? We are all concerned. We all fear the worst. We are all wondering where this is all headed and why a so called civilised world would allow this to happen. Civilians are paying again. Time and time again civilians are paying the price for these military machinations. For what purpose? What's the point we are all wondering. When will it stop and when will people get in control? All we see are more and more destroyed buildings, more and more destroyed homes, more and more pain and suffering. Where are the weapons coming from and why all the weapons? What is the matter with some people because the majority of us are just so alarmed this can so easily happen again and again and again. You look at the ordinary people and they do not want it. They have had a gutful of this destructive world. So we listen to what the leaders have to say. There is international pressure. Pressure??? So what effect has it had? Pressure has an impact. We are listening to the leaders and they are saying - don't do it, talk about it. Have a cease fire and let's sort this out. Well, yes. We are saying this too. It's obvious, isn't it? Put the bloody weapons away. Just put them away. So the leaders are saying less than we are. They have no better understanding of this than us and they can discuss it less well than we do because we have teased the whole thing out and we have been having some very detailed discussions. It's not helping. It has to stop.

So I say, put down your weapons and talk. There. We are all saying it. So, is it helping? What will help? We have truly had a gutful of people being killed, maimed and destroyed and we have had enough of the hit and run, the pack up and flee and the race to freedom. Freedom? I thank our news for keeping us on the ball. We are concerned. You have no idea how concerned we are. We are thinking again of those ordinary people paying the price and we care about you.

Salut!!

Bonjour. Je suis de retour et parfaitement dans ma bulle!! Well, it was heaps warmer than here. Warm, blue skies, friendly and verry Frrench. I have had such a ball and feel so much better. I love warm!! I have made so many observations and I tell you what...sometimes you just have to go away to value who you are and value the things which others can contribute to you...but it is so bloomin' cold here! See you guys tomorrow.

Gone Fishing

If you do a search for free fishing photos, you come up with these beautiful pictures of Finland. Enjoy this location. It looks so tranquil, peaceful and I hear it's a good fishing spot!! I need to have a blog break. As much as I love it, it's time to pull away for a week and refresh my view of the world. With spots like this , it is not going to be hard. See you in a week...and just behave yourselves, will you?!

Human chain helps save heritage

The Advertiser: Human chain helps save heritage :

"Naracoorte residents staged an overnight vigil to ensure the town's former Sisters of Mercy Catholic convent was not demolished after the Naracoorte Lucindale Council approved developers plans."

Our heritage is being bulldozed with not even a thought. I am so glad the Naracoorte people have got onto this convent. Things happen so fast. One of our oldest houses was bulldozed on the day it was approved to be heritage listed. We are nothing but Legoland and it is awful. We have no regard for our heritage. It's horrible to be in a state where our old buildings are not treasured at all. Money, money, money.

Cow Power

Slashdot | Vermont Launches 'Cow Power' System:

Picture courtesy of The Pet Professor:

"Cow Power costs only 4 cents/kWh more than market price, so a household like mine would only pay $5-6/month more at 100% usage."

About time the cows gave back to the environment since they are supposed to produce so much methane. It's great you can buy electricity straight from the cow's bottom !!! You can't get greener than that!! I say..cow pat power here we come!!

J'accuse? Non! Chirac hails Zidane as a national hero

J'accuse? Non! Chirac hails Zidane as a national hero: "'Materazzi said something very grave to him. I don't know what it was. I know Zizou [Zidane] well and he will not reveal what Materazzi said to him but he will in one or two days' time explain why he had such a reaction.' - Zidane's agent Alain Migliaccio"

Zidane is Zidane. It would be like if Andrew Agassi or Steve Waugh did something like that. He's been around the traps. He has played so many high level games. He is a man of great talent and experience. The truth is out there and the truth will be heard. No one could believe it. No one appears to have judged him badly. Something went very wrong. He is a tough man and has been on the battlefield for his country many, many times. But he is a footballer and a total legend. We have read things from lip readers and there has been much discussion. The concensus where I am is that something awful must have happened because he is not that stupid. This is his last match. Why would he want to go out on a red card? He is expert enough to know what he is doing and so ...what did happen because we are not happy . He is just a fantastic player and if I heard Jason Gillespie had done something like that I would be very worried indeed.

Howard-Costello row a distraction

Howard-Costello row a distraction: Beazley. :

"The Federal Opposition says the leadership feud between the Prime Minister and the Treasurer is a distraction from good governance."

A distraction from Iraq; IR laws, David Hicks...anything but dealing with the real problems we have.

Warehouse closures to affect 1,000 jobs.

Warehouse closures to affect 1,000 jobs. :

"'We think that the Coles organisation have made this decision without any consultation to workers or the union because they can because of John Howard's new workplace relations laws,' he said.

'The new legislation has just made it easier for companies to make these large decisions.'"

A business model is about profit , employers and shareholders and our government keeps supporting a business model. An economy can consider people issues but our economic model is about short term profit . Sod the people.

Youpi!!!!!

Youpi!!!!! Woo-hoooo!!! Yeah!!! I can't believe it. This is so exciting. Such an achievement for my discovery learning and I am so darn proud of myself. 20 000 clickers! Unbelievable. When I started just under 2 years ago I couldn't even get the times right on my blog, had no idea how to post photos, couldn't reformat without crashing everything... and had a stat counter which stuffed up big time. StatCounter, which I have used since, has been so great as have all my visitors and the other little programmes I use to blog along. For all the complaints I have heart about Blogger, I have to say they have been most helpful to me and I accept they muck up sometimes too. Human. Not too often though. I have done so much, achieved so much and used to be so envious of those who had sites with over 20 000 on the site meter. Well, there you go and here I am. I have suffered blog frustration, blog depression, bloggers block, blog despair. I have worked through it all. I have also had a lot of blog satisfaction , blog joy and blog excitement. Today is blog excitement!!! Grand merci and thank you to all my clickers.

Shuttle

Here I am on earth and I am watching images of the Shuttle shuffle and they are just so clear...but the sound is crap!! I cannot believe how much better the images are and how staccato and interrupted the sound is. So from my armchair, as you can see, I am a great critic. I guess it's better to have clear images at this stage rather than brilliant sound and crappy images!! Given they had to go out and check the Shuttle damage and do this and that, well, the clear pictures can only help NASA help themselves! It was so funny when they got to sunbake for a couple of seconds ! It was so cute. Well, I hear they'll be back tomorrow. They said Monday but I think that means our Tuesday. I wish them well. I hope it all goes well and I shall shut my eyes tight and concentrate soooo hard. Oh, heavens, do I panic when the Shuttle is coming back. It is such a cliffhanger event and it never fails to affect me. I shall be thinking of it. Pioneering is not easy.

Rewards in cash for best teachers

Rewards in cash for best teachers :

"INDIVIDUAL teachers and schools who turn out high-achieving students will receive cash bonuses directly from the federal Government under a plan that could help keep the best teachers in public schools."

This is so disgusting. Absolutely reprehensible. We need to get some high achieving kids to attend school first. So many kids seem to be around the place no matter when or where.I am so glad I went to school where we could get an education and our teachers cared about how much we knew. But we had to be there and we had to attend AND we had to put up with the ghastly teachers as well. It was character building. School was about education, not money and I bet Ms Bishop , too, had teachers who taught her well. I actually think Ms Bishop needs to visit a lot of schools before she starts to think whats best for everyone. Like hospitals the system is very complex and pretending to know without any form of consultation whatsoever is a very odd way to govern.

Budgies

Picture courtesy of ABC-KID.comand is for the old lady I met in the pet shop today. I was there buying goldfish. I have had fish all my life and from time to time you lose a few and you have to stock up. I have just had a bad run because it has been unusually cold in Adelaide and even though goldfish can manage the cold, mine just weren't used to it and it put them out of sorts. I lost tropical fish last time it was so cold because my little daughter turned the heater off! A long time ago now....about 1994. Fancy that!

While I was waiting to be served I started taking to an old lady who was obviously buying a bird. I suddenly learned a lot. She was so excited and was really looking forward to having the green and yellow budgie which was her favourite and she thought the colours were so beautiful. She was getting a blue one too to keep it company and had got all sorts of bits and pieces to keep the birds happy and healthy. She was so thrilled they had packed them in box with an Australian flag because she was German and was delighted to have Australian budgies in her home with their own patriotic packaging! It became evident she must have been living alone because she wanted the budgies to make some noise and be someone to talk to and look after. I think she must have lost her husband. Chatting to me made her even more excited that we were happy for her and the pet shop owner made a fuss of her and the young assistant showed her how to get the budgies sitting on her shoulder. She may only have been buying budgies, but the service, the joy and the pleasure had made this important day for her one to be treasured. So this little budgie is for you, wherever you are...and I bet you are talking away to your budgies by now!!

Study highlights SA's ageing population.

Study highlights SA's ageing population. :

"The Social Atlas of South Australia finds that in the past 15 years the number of people over 65 has increased by 35 per cent."

I guess this year's census will clear it up and identify the age breakdown of our population. I think SA could do ageing very well since we have a number of good role models, we have some good facilities and we do the lifestyle/entertainment stuff well without going right over the top. I think Australian cities will develop age preferences, and why no? This way you can muster resources effectively and people can live according to their needs without interfering in generational whims and fancies. In SA you see a good interplay between the generations and the pet shop owner I was talking to today was saying he wanted to develop his pet shop differently because he liked to see the young kids come in and he loved the questions he asked. It's a good pet shop concept.

Howard promised me a handover

Howard promised me a handover :

"'The leadership of the Liberal Party is not determined by John Howard or Peter Costello or indeed any other individual.'"

It's 2006, not 1994. We've moved on. If nothing else you know what electoral promises feel like. Politicians seem to forget we are supposed to be a democracy and we are supposed to have a say. Doing deals is not part of us voting for you. Anyway, get back to work because you now have the same conditions as us and we have no guarantees.

The Crows

And you will play football...and you will enjoy yourselves....and you will remember it's a game....and you will get your skills in order....and you will have a laugh...and my golly gosh are you ever going to train, train,train...and never forget...they are all looking at you and you will just have to give them something to look at...

This man is a genius and thank heavens the Crows signed him up again until 2009...they'd have rocks in their heads if they didn't !! They had another resounding win this weekend and they are just playing superb football...and Port Power needs to remember that because they lost for the second week in a row. They are on a downer and they are starting to lose their spirit. It's silly. It's a game.It's a game that makes money but just remember the football is everything. It goes well, it goes off, it goes up , it goes down. Neil Craig has put the football back into his team because the Crows, too, have felt sorry for themselves before now and thought they were losers and Neil Craig just makes them believe in themselves. They are footballers first. They love football and the guys playing for Port love football too, but they are young...boost them along and turn it around. It's our swimmers approach...look at what you can learn and then move on the positive path. It never fails.

France vs Italy

Lippi says hunger will determine winner:

"'We will see who has the most hunger,' Lippi said. 'Among the many things on the table there will be the organisation of the teams, the technical quality and the great players on both sides.'"

I'd actually like to see the best team win. Not the one with the biggest names or the class acts. I want to see the team which loves football and plays the best football win. I'd like to see it won on goals and not these non stop penalites. Penalties awarded or not awarded. Just play. Play your hearts out, mais, au bout du compte...Allez les Bleus!!! It is Zidane's last match and he has given so much to the game. The Italians can give us some fire. We'll see. If it's about football it will be an electric match. Sometimes finals can be very slow because no one wants to make a mistake and they suss the other team out for a while. I hope it's not like that. But this German World Cup Series has been just great and we are very enthusiastic about it all. Italians and French people here are really getting into the spirit of it and are just so excited. It's good because that joy spreads to all of us. Some want to see France win because we lost to Italy and so they will be right behind France tonight. We tend to know more Italians than French so a lot will follow Italy. The good news is everyone has a positiion and a team to scream for at 3.30 in the morning. It's great. Just faaaaaaantastic.

English carp over Australia's 'river rabbits'

Poms carp over Australia's 'river rabbits' :

"In what most Australians would consider lunacy, English fishery operator Steve Couch has offered more than $600,000 for shipments of live Australian carp."

OMG!!! They can have them. I doubt they have diseases because they are so big, fat, shiny and healthy ( ugly, thouhg. So ugly)but I can understand why they would not want to threaten their own fish. We are the same...but the carp...have them!! Have all you want. We had them in the Torrens and in the Botanic Gardens in the lake by the kiosk. Massive big mouthed things. When my daughter was little she was astounded by how huge they were.Great gaping things. You could feed them heaps . They kept multiplying and in the end we cleaned the river of them so we could actually do things with the water! It was just thick, brown and teeming. Some people eat them here but they have a very muddy taste. Have them. They grow really well! I am curious to know if the Austrlaian ones will shrink in size in the cooler climate. They are so prolofic . I guess they are good to fish and learn fishing.

Ten signs you're tech obsessed

Ten signs you're tech obsessed : "

1. You forget basic bodily functions

Drink, eat, go to the toilet, sleep? Not when virtually there's pimping to be had, policemen to be shot and monsters to be slain."

This is a jolly good article and well worth the read. It's not just a list. It is chock full of interesting information and pleasant diversions....and I am not a tech head. The closest I came was number 10.

Wind farms

Wind farm study confounds critics, says Vic Govt.:

"He says a lot could be achieved if Victoria could reach its target of 1,000 megawatts of wind energy.

'We would reduce greenhouse gases by up to 2.6 million tonnes every year,' he said."

The independent study has shown that Victoria is saving 250,000 tonnes of greenhouse emissions each year by using the eindframs it has. That is truly astounding and a really good sign. Renewable energy is soemthing we can and should invest in. Will it cost more? Oughtn't to. Initially the capital outlay on the wind turbines wil be huge but it can be done in batches. Who has the costing on this? I haven't seen anything to suggest this unless you make a massive change to wind power in one hit. Make sense to swap over.

"A report commissioned by AusWEA in 2004 says Australia can expect the price of wind energy to overlap gas prices between 2008 and 2016 and to overlap coal prices from 2016 on, if wind industry growth here keeps up with global growth."

Germany's wind farms blowing out of control

Fuel

Autopia: "If oil stays above $75 a barrel, you'll see even more interest in FT fuels and research into limiting the C02 impact."

You bet. We do need to look at the cost of fueling our economy. We do need to look at how we are held ransom to oil companies and seriously, this is 2006, we need some cool, cruisy, clean air techno alternative to stinky petrol.

Whale music rules the deep as navy turns down the sonar

Whale music rules the deep as navy turns down the sonar :

"It is the first time forces have been prevented from using mid-frequency active sonar in such an exercise, and was under US Navy legal challenge yesterday."

I am really pleased to hear this because we have had way too many stranded whales and they do seem to co incide with naval activity. It pays to advertise...but... If the navy wants to keep secret then I think they need to get the techno heads onto this one. I can't believe we are unable to develop whale friendly naval technology!

Menus change as fruit, vegie prices soar

The Advertiser: Menus change as fruit, vegie prices soar :

"Cucumbers, snow peas, zucchinis and green beans have also risen significantly. Adelaide Produce Markets Ltd price reporter Wendy Helps said the unseasonally cold weather had contributed to the price rise."

The article carries some good information and reaction to the price rises especially with bananas. We can produce plenty of fresh foods and we shall have to become more flexible. There other , cheaper things to eat and things which are just as tasty. We tend to get into food ruts but we'll just have to keep thinking and reminding oursleves what else can be eaten. The bananas, though, that is tragic. We run on bananas and can't you tell??! We can't live without bananas and we are not happy no deal was done to get us the amount of bananas we normally eat until our own bananas are back in production. We have noticed which other food is imported to fill gaps or compete. We can rattle the lists off.

Canadian charged for urinating on war memorial.

Canadian charged for urinating on war memorial. :

"One week ago, just after an important memorial for a major World War I battle, veterans photographed three men relieving themselves on Ottawa's Cenotaph."

Dirty non flushers. There was a yahoo like that on the beach front here last summer. The big guys with the tatoos just flexed their muscles a bit and looked at him and he stopped doing it. Anyone can pee in public. They should have been asked to clean public loos in the city so they knew where they were.

Brisbane to host men's hard court champs from 2009.

Brisbane to host men's hard court champs from 2009. :

"The Queensland Government is building a $60 million tennis complex in Brisbane to host the tournament that traditionally has attracted numerous highly-ranked players in the lead-up to the Australian Open."

Not the first time Adelaide has had one of our really successful events poached interstate. Just goes to show how good we are . I believe we didn't even get to put in a bid. We must be good. The World Event Tennis in Adelaide has been a huge success over the years. The women's hard court tennis will move from the Gold Coast to Brisbane as well.

We have a huge amount of sport here and , as a country, we host a number of international events. It is growing. There is nothing wrong with rationalising it and looking at what should occur where...and include in that the training for youngsters. Adelaide has been very successful at getting young people into sport so that they then compete at high international levels. We are a good breeding ground for sports people. So, I think the States need to look at it together and come up with a plan which benefits all. Our states are so different and so different events will suits different states. Adelaide will move forward from this. We don't like the way it has been done but we won't waste time on people and things which rain on our parade. We'll get the brollies out and in our usual fashion get out the latte, the focaccia, the fresh salads and just sit and mull it over and we'll come up with something better. Historically we always have. It's be a chance to get our tennis facilities revamped and an opportunity to have a fresh look at things. Life's about change, isn't it? I am sure the tennis players will find Queensland quite different. Plenty to do, but some interesting weather which can be fantastic when it wants to be.

Is that an egg in your pocket?

The Advertiser: Is that an egg in your pocket? :

"Pressed for an explanation, Wayne Frederick Floyd only made matters worse when he told suspicious officers: 'I had a hernia, sometimes my testicle rises'.

A strip search revealed six eggs hidden inside a stocking in Floyd's underwear, leading to his arrest for attempting to smuggle regulated native species."

What an egg. No wonder he fell foul of the law!

iownmydvds.org

iownmydvds.org: "The Australia-US Free Trade Agreement requires new laws which prevent 'circumvention of technological protection measures'. Some companies want the government to go further and ban any access that the copyright owner doesn't allow. This means the movie companies can decide how, when and where you watch your movies. Worse still, this law would apply to more than just DVDs: games, software and music are all included under the 'technological' umbrella. It'll be criminal for anyone to sell you a DVD player which isn't 'authorised' by the movie industry."

I got this vis Slashdot and it's pretty bad when you have to read stuff from another country to know what is going on in your own. Like I had to watch to German news to know why we were getting dust storms (deforestation, what else?)Slashdot was saying we were bracing for this. Don't think so. To quote Big Brother I think it is coming in under the radar. I used to be informed. Now I'm the ignorant public. There is a petition on this site if you are interested. The legislation is bonkers.

Coopers Brewery

Aussie ales wins beer 'World Cup' : "Coopers marketing director and chairman Glenn Cooper said despite Australia's controversial elimination from the World Cup, he took comfort in the knowledge Australia had snared 'the more important World Cup'."

Coopersis not just and Aussie beer..it's South Australian since 1862. What a fantastic achievement from our brewery. They have a really cool site!! Well done, Coopers.

Utilities

You, too, can make a cool logo at Flaming Text.

This flaming text fits my flaming mood! I am so angry. I had come home from work, had a lovely chocolate cake baking in the oven and was trying to fix my poor old washing machine when I had to answer the door. So much for a nice start to the weekend. So much for trying to kick back and relax. When are these utilities companies going to work out I do not want to keep changing? I do not want to keep going from one company to the other? The guy was getting pretty aggressive with me because I didn't want his cheaper price. He was telling me I was stupid because I didn't want to change. He demanded to see my electricity bill and identification!! What? Friday night and I might have spoiled for a fight but I decided I was going to exhaust him and his insulting manner. He didn't accept I was going to make my own mind up on this. He fiiiiinally accepted I was sick of changing and filling out forms. I had to talk pretty damn hard to outtalk him and his spiel. I have had it with utilities companies. I want gas, electricity and a phone line. I don't want unsolicited calls to my silent number and I don't want sales people who think I'm a dimwit. I don't want sales people at all. Don't call me, I'll call you. I just want to pay a reasonable price and I just want utilities in my home. I do not want to chop and change. I do not want to be told I am stupid and do this, do that, show me this , show me that. I just want utilities. That's what they are. Chopping and changing, shopping around, going from one to another is so time consuming and time wasting. They are utilities for crying out loud. Same with the bank. I just want a bank to be my bank. I don't want to have to keep changing the way I operate and I want to be in control of my money. I don't want exorbitant fees for the press of a button on a machine or a computer. It is really annoying. Worse than that. Some things in life need to be stable. Utilities and banking are staples. Just sort it out will you and then let me be a customer. I am appalled by the way I am treated and irritated by people who want to sell me yet another plan. To my credit I got the game plan I wanted and he left smiling and accepted my point of view, but crikey, I had to work damn hard on behalf of the company who supplies me with my gas and electricity. Sod it. I am so annoyed!!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHH!!!!

UN asks countries to help US close Guantanamo.

UN asks countries to help US close Guantanamo. :

"'While the United States Government has legal responsibility for the detainees in Guantanamo Bay, we urge the international community to collaborate actively, constructively and urgently with the US authorities with a view to ensuring that the closure of Guantanamo Bay can indeed take place as soon as possible,' the group said in a statement."

What a good idea, putting on our collective thinking caps and actually resolving a problem. You can't just leave people rotting either because you do not care about them or because you cannot think what to do with them. This was our problem with Baxter. We haven't resolved everything but we have fronted up and tried to make a better effort to get the picture clear and straight. Not dealing with tough problems is not dealing with them. It's a sign you do not have any idea. Dealing with things means you actually know what you are doing because it can be seen you know. No one wants disgusting people running around the community. No one. I can think of some people here who have done some horrendous things to little children and many peole would be happy to see them rot if we know for certain they have done awful things to little children. We still have to understand the mentality though because it's the best way to protect ourselves, so other people are trying to work on understanding them. It is no use avoiding it. We have got to look at the people who are really doing harm and one, work out how we create people like that in our society and two, figure out how we shall manage them. The aim is to stop this behaviour. But before all this has happened there has to be a proper and open risk assessment. We are going to have to be creative in our approach and we are going to have to think it out. Each case needs to be sorted out as we did with Baxter when we finally got the guts to confront it and listen to all points of view. As it stands Guantanomo Bay acts as an inflammatory agent rather than a deterrant.

Banana prices a rip-off, say growers

The Advertiser: Banana prices a rip-off, say growers :

"In the central Queensland city of Mackay, bananas were retailing for $6.99/kg at fruit and vegetable wholesale store Vegies Unlimited. The Action supermarket chain had them at $8.98/kg.
'Obviously there is a huge mark-up (in SA),' he said."

You are joking!! We have been ripped off!!$6.99? We have been paying $13-14 dollars and making jokes about luxury fruit. What is going on? We are going bananas! Between that and petrol we have made some interesting changes at the homefront. The impact will hit later down the track as it always does.

Stop mourning

The STOP MOURNING,GET BACK TO WORK :

"'If you're going to develop a working culture, you can't have a three-month ceremony season and you can't take six weeks off because your cousin has died,' Mr Abbott told an Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara administration meeting yesterday."

True, don't waste your time grieving lost loved ones, get back in the work place and make money for your bosses and shareholders. Is this the economy talking or what? No wonder we cannot care for our little ones. An economy is about profit and not people and doesn't it show?

Web firms fear being forced offshore

Web firms fear being forced offshore :

"They say Australia already imposes the toughest rules in the world for internet operators, who might find it more appealing to transfer their businesses overseas where government has no control over what they show."

So who does govern the Internet and what is the point of having laws in a country if the Internet is a law unto itself? France won a legal battle about Internet regulation and China has, so why is any other country not permitted to enforce its laws on the Net. Is the Net lawless? Deregulated? Unregulated? Spam is subject to laws in different countries. I hate the "other people do it" argument - it's very teenager. Is there an international symposium or forum for international Internet concerns? It is something where we'll, dare I say it, have to work together? The Net is subject to terrorism laws in different places...so let's not go down the road of if you don't do what I say I'll go elsewhere. We live in a community. We have community concerns. Our laws deal with many of those concerns. Do we just dump the laws? Having tough rules doesn't make you bad and having different rules doesn't make you bad. Having no rules doesn't necessarily make you bad either. We need to deal with this. You know...TALK about it. Discuss it.

Allez les Bleus!!

Zidane leads France to World Cup final:

"The 34-year-old Zidane, who retires after the finals and will play the last game of a glittering career at the Olympic stadium, got the winner after 33 minutes by converting a penalty after Thierry Henry's ankle was caught by Ricardo Carvalho."

The young football kids are going to be so thrilled to watch Zidane in action again. 34 or not he is a bloomin' legend and he is living proof, like Agassi, that, these days, you can give so much to your chosen sport and your country even when you are over 30 . There is a real mental flexibility about these men and an enormous capacity to influence others in a good way. Experienced sports people like this are an incredible inspiration and seem to have a broad reaching impact on their audiences. At this stage, Zidane, like Agassi is able to inspire young people everywhere and older people admire their fitness, their expertise and their capacity to reach out and give.

So, Sunday is France vs Italy? Did we expect that? Huang Jianxiang is going to be indescribably ecstatic that Italy is in the final and we all know how much he will be loving them!! France can't be that bad if they knocked out Brazil. It amazes me how many of these matches are decided on penalties or penalty shootouts...which I cannot bear to watch they are such cliff hangers. Defence must be so good the goal scoring is down, is that it? Bon, alors, allez-y et allez les Bleus!

Tasmanian woman alarmed by mammography breakdown.

Tasmanian woman alarmed by mammography breakdown. :

"The Liberals' Jeremy Rockliff has told Parliament a constituent contacted him after she was told mammograms will no longer be conducted at Latrobe in northern Tasmania because the machine has broken down."

All women should be alarmed. The whole pont of mammograms is that they are routine and easily accessible. Let's not stept back, please.

Socceroos

Sometimes its a case of ask not what you can do for your nation but what your nation can do for you, and by now, Lucas Neill who is the Captain of the Socceroos and the rest of his team know that we have so much valued what they have done for us. We are proud, we are appreciative and they know it. Like all Aussie sports people, Lucas has a vision for us and his team and we look forward to seeing it unfirl. We are excited and it's great to see soccer run alongside the football, cricket and the tennis . It is all good stuff. We have good numbers of Italaiand and Germans living here and we thoroughly enjoyed the Italy-Germany match. I am curious to see how the country reacts to france and Portugal tonight because people were raving about the Italy-Germany match. Many stayed up and watched and were glad they did.

Shuttle's Independence Day lift-off

Scotsman.com News - International - Shuttle's Independence Day lift-off:
"The agency's first 4 July launch in 45 years of manned spaceflight provided a welcome distraction from the ongoing controversy over the safety of the foam insulation on the shuttle's fuel tank and the frustration of two consecutive aborted lift-offs due to poor weather at the Kennedy Space Centre."

I am always a nervous wreck over the Shuttle shuffle. I can't bear it sometimes and I don't really see the lift off as a distraction to things falling off it! They can examine it while they are up there and they have some pretty sensitive equipment they can use. Things which drop off and crack are a big worry to me and it doesn't bear thinking about soemtimes. I know space exploration has to be pioneered . I know we'll look back like we have on planes and wonder how on earth we managed and did it and I know that do it we sall. NASA is pioneering all this stuff and they have to take riska. I don't like it when they don't agree but I guess they are not stupid and they give it their best intellectual thought and cogistation. It is always going to be a calculated risk and the ISS people are counting on them. Pioneering is not easy! I am glad it all went well on Independence Day because it was a great thing to happen on their national day. NASA is so much a part of the positive American spirit of conquering new frontiers.

Collie murder

Lawyer dismisses calls to try teenage strangling case in adult court. :

"There have been calls for the two girls to be named and tried as adults, but Mr Clarke has described the comments as ill informed and populist, saying there are already well established systems in place to deal with the case."

Absolutely no one is talking about this. No one has heard of it and no one wants to say anything. I saw one paper headline on the Sunday after the girls had handed themselves in saying they should be tried in an adult court and I believe there is a comment on this blog to that effect. It disturbs me that teenagers are in a no man's land. The hideous crimes against young children have incensed and outraged people and people are quite clear how they feel about those hideous crimes . We live in a nation which does not value its young and we know that now. We live in a nation which has no respect for its young and we are facing up to that. But teenagers? We are silent. The girls have not applied for bail and that is probably a wise decision on somebody's part. The lawyer who claims that any change to the way the case is heard would be "a return to the dark ages" is not going to be heard. What occurred came from the dark ages. A beautiful, talented girl is dead because her friends are supposed to have strangled her the morning after they went out dancing. This is just too unreal. Too surreal. The case will be heard in August and we really need to get to the bottom of this and we need to find a way of dealing with it because our girls go to school and our girls go to dances and our girls overnight with friends. What has happened to the little girls has horrified and changed us all. We are far more mindful and careful and the sad fact is that it has deeply disturbed some people so that now they are frightened to go out or to be themselves and it has fed the sick people in town. There are a lot more of them and people are avoiding certain parts of town because of it. I have had men firends harassed outside toilets and there are people happy to behave in a bizarre way. It is hurting us and we have to get our safety and security back again.