Wednesday, January 31, 2007

I'm not a francophile

It wasn't the famous French arrogance that convinced me of this, it was the oh so brave bombing of the Greenpeace ship - the Rainbow Warrior and the French nuclear testing in the South Pacific that did it - go shit in your own backyard Jaques.
This is why I had such a belly laugh when I read about this Google Bomb in todays SMH.

Search Google for French military victories. The first site found is a faux Google page that suggest instead that perhaps you meant French military defeats which in turn links to this rather funny account of their numerous defeats.

No wonder they need the bomb.

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Net Casting Spider

net casting spider
Deinopsis subrufa waiting for dinner just outside our front door.

Monday, January 29, 2007

It's not enough to want to cook my planet -

- now they want to take the sky from me.

Now go buy the wrist band that looks like the sky form the Earth-That-Was.

Shiny

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

I saw Shania up close

"Shania" (N720HT) the Erickson S-64 Air-Crane Helitanker came and visited the Uni yesterday taking a break from the fires to Sydney's north to put out what could have become a major fire in the Lane Cove Vally and West Pymble. It and another water bombing helicopter did about 5 trips to and from the university lake (big pond) and sucked enough water out that it no longer lapped over the spillway by about 3 feet.
The Fire was about 2 km from our house - Alex was at home and had the important papers and some kids cloths ready to go if they got evacuated.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Accidental search result

I am sure that none of these people wanted to know about my holiday.


rainforest "endangered plants " -species
Ecl%C3%A2mpsia
saddam half brother in vidio
sitting+watching+a+game
Puerto+Rico+Kids
andreas scholl
mango jam port douglas
it's life Jim but not as we know it

The last one is my fav

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Briss

Went to my daughters god-father's son's Briss last night.



o O o o<
-|- --> --[ ]-- --> -|- --> -|- + o
/ \ | /|\ / \
/ \

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Monday, January 15, 2007

Between 500 and 3,000 snake bites occur each year in Australia

Another young person has died from a snake bite in Sydney. So, just in case you find yourself on the wrong end of an Eastern Brown, or a Death Adder or an Inland Taipan or any Australian Snake or the Funnel Web Spider (but not for a Red Back or other spider).

Rest - as in lie down and don't move - stick the hand or foot that was bitten up on your backpack or a log or up hill or one your friend.

Bandage with a board bandage wraping from the body out towards the extremity - note - don't tourniquet just firm pressure like a good hand shake. don't cover or touch the wound. Most Australian snakes have grooved not hollow fangs so most of the venom remains on the skin. Washing or touching or wrapping the wound site will introduce more venom into the wound. Additionally, traces on the skin can be used to identify the snake and select the appropriate antivenin. Venom travels through the lymphatic system so your bandage is meant to stop or restrict lymphatic fluid, not blood. If you don't have a bandage you can use your jeans or a folded shirt. The lymph system has those little valve things that along with muscular contraction pump the fluid around - so not waving your bloody arm or leg around in agony will go along way towards keeping you alive. Don't move, not even to pee - just pee in your pants.

Send for help - you are with a friend aren't you? no - how about your mobile phone or a bit of shouting. If you really are out in teh sticks you may need to start a bush fire to get attention - I reckon that that will bring people looking quick smart

Don't be a bloody idiot and walk several kilometers on a hot day for help - you will be dead

For a Red Back just use ice - the venom is necrotic and slow moving any way. Reducing the circulation will only serve to increase the local effect without changing the survivability of the bite.

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Kayak down Lane Cove River



I went for a bit of a paddle on Saturday. Putting in at at Delhi Rd, near the steakhouse and turning around just before Linley Point. It was a lovely afternoon, excepting that the only sunscreen that I could find was old and didn't work properly.

How was I to know you had to shake the bottle?
P1130017

Monday, January 08, 2007

Odd scales

I can't decide between these as my all time fav odd scales.

Torino Scale - The Torino Scale is a method for categorizing the impact hazard associated with near-Earth objects (NEOs) such as asteroids and comets that want to blast your ass sky high.

Scoville scale - The Scoville scale is a measure of the "hotness" of a chili.

Schmidt and Starr pain scales - So, who calibratedthese? and can I just say the Americanism 'chili peppers' is painful to hear - its a 5 on the pain scale - don't say it. Chilly is not a half word like 'mother' in Oakland, please for the love of Baal drop the word 'pepper'

-----------

Edit - I just remembered another -
Kardashev scale - The Kardashev scale is a general method of classifying how technologically advanced a civilization

New Years Tails

PC300009
PC300003
Bit late but we've been busy, you know buying new cars and fitting baby seats and stuff.
New years saw several hours of frivolities at the Vella's new house, who welcomed us not just with the house, cold beer, fantastic company and a hot barbie, but with the news that Pen' is up the duff - congratulations team Vella!!
After a few (5) quiet ones the girls were fading so we headed over to another friends house for a quieter ambiance and, curiously, one of the best views in Sydney - looking down the Harbour from the top of Heart Break Hill. The French champas was quite nice too.

It's life Jim, but not as we know it

cut and past from todays SMH

Friday, January 05, 2007

Listening Too


with thanks to the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and Andreas Scholl