A Bike Story Worth Reading

Australia is a land of very high quality bicycle racers, with track riders especially good at high level events such as Olympic games and World Championships.


To succeed at this level all factors must be aligned...........and the very best equipment used. Small errors cannot be tolerated- with Shane Kelly's pedal clip error in the final of the kilometre time trial event in the 1996 Olympics being a classic example.


This story concerns the development of the bike used by track riders in Australia at major events since about 1999, and including the 2000, 2004, 2008 Olympics.


http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2011/s3109543.htm


This link leads to a story about this bike, the Bike Technologies or BT bike, with a characteristic curved top tube. The bike is fantastic - riders just rave about it. But there is a dark side - intrigue, possible illegal activities by the Dutch cycling authorities and some funny things occurring.


Definitiely worth reading if interested in cycling.

The Christmas Wishlist

Yes, many people have one.

With fantasy, flair and farflung thoughts a Christmas wishlist needs to be innovative, far reaching but with the odd easy and low cost item to allow for those without extensive budgets to be accomodated.

Mine had for many years a new expensive roadbike with bells and whistles on the list. Something that probably I needed to actually specify very accurately.......and I did! BUT....it was a lot of $$$, even very seriously many $$$, and even more in the Pacific peso, as it was then called, the $ Australian. It never appeared, and thoughts strayed to more sensible items.

The Aussie dollar is now worth around parity with the US $, and yes, I have a NEW BIKE!!! The two items are only partially related though......my son sort of talked me into it after he and his wife unveiled new serious road bikes at Christmas. I did not need much convincing though, with good bike prices somewhat more reasonable now, as well as carbon fibre frames a little less expensive overall.

It is a serious road bike with a carbon fibre frame and good componentry. But I have yet to give the bike a decent road work out.

The bike shop was doing a great business in bikes........and I even met a colleague from Darwin [now in Brisbane] also buying a new bike......tis the new bike season!

All the weather has done is RAIN since Christmas. In both Brisbane and Darwin. Maybe tomorrow, maybe it will get a workout!

Christmas Headlines, Puns and Bad Jokes - in Bad Taste

All of these have a 2010 and Australian theme. Some are in quite bad taste......others just witty.

Enjoy.......

If not Australian, think about the context. Many are very clever. From a collection of about 50, courtesy of a column in the Australian Financial Review.


Sleigh intercepted off Christmas Island

Buy Hambag

Six white bloomers drying in the blazing sun

Who’s Santa’s Favorite? Rudolph the brown-nosed reindeer!!

Rudolph the green-nosed reindeer- proudly powered by polar panels

Oh yuk!! Dad’s got a bum cracker!

Wreck the malls with shopping trolleys...ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.

Police to Granny with a bottle of sherry: come with us, you’re a well known trifle-maker!

It is Christmas

Merry Christmas to All

A Modern FIRST Christmas

No, I did not make this video on you tube........but it is worth a look. Over 2 million hits and still rising rapidly.

A take on the first Christmas, 2010 style!

use the link -www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZrf0PbAGSk

or watch it here:
WOULD NOT LOAD:

"Tis the Monsoon Season

A brief sojourn away and now it is all awash.............the monsoon is here...........TODAY!!

Wet, overcast, a breeze from the north west, heavy leaden skies to the west, deepening low pressure across the Maritime Continent [ that is metspeak for Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand etc and north Australia], cooler [ well a few degrees], and promise of more rain.

Yes.......the north west monsoon is brewing up north of Darwin and expected to deepen over the next few days.

Had heavy rain on dusk this evening............just RAIN.....no lightning or thunder, and coming from the north west. All sure signs that a monsoonal burst is almost upon us.

Yes.....it is tricky to get washing dry on a line, even under cover; and yes, water can be ankle deep in the gutters during rain showers. BUT, it is cooler.

That near constant cloud cover does drop the day time temperature although to temper that, the solar hot water system, delivering ultra hot water recently will not be so efficient.

And the green tree frogs are singing big time this evening too.

It is all good!!

Hot, Humid, Storms - NO CHANGE

Tis' the crappy weather season. That horrible, still, humid, sticky and HOT time of year - November and December.

If only there was a breeze!!

Last night did cool a little, with a lovely breeze late in the evening. Absolutely necessary.

It has been around 29 - 31C by 0800hrs most mornings over the past week, but it has really been NO breezes that is the most trying. Doing almost anything, and you lather into a sweaty mess.

Normally, most days earlier in November, a breeze had developed by around 1200 - 1300 hrs - and while the temperature does not change much [around 32 - 34C], at least there is a cooling breeze across the body, and you FEEL better. But not over the past week or so, and humidity has been in the 80 - 95% range most mornings, with a hot burning sun cheerfully beaming down.

We are really in the middle of the doldrums, weather wise.............

And most working staff are in full action, trying to complete projects before Christmas vacation. Very easy to be in full sweat mode.

At least that hot sun is good for the solar hot water system!!

Losing a Friend

Well.........sort of, although not as most people will suppose.

A tree is being given the first part of a significant makoeover today. A very large african mahogany. It is a great tree, with excellent timber too.



It is a friend........the only tree still standing on our house block of land, when we purchased the lot after Cyclone Tracy. Not only did it survive Cyclone Tracy, there have been a few more cyclones since then, although not as fierce. All were handled with aplomb and ease. Lost leaves, the odd branch........but still it stands there, magnificent, large and VERY shady. It has grown into a very significant tree providing shade for all of the cul de sac in which we live, a very shady street. So with some reluctance it had to be addressed.

We have been awaiting the completion of undergrounding powerlines, which is now close to finalisation, and remaining overhead lines are de-energised. Time to wave au revoir to our friend, although it is NOT being totally removed. NO!!

But it does need a serious pruning, with many large limbs now over the house, the solar hot water system is shaded and much less efficient, birds are dropping seeds and bird droppings into the spa pool and all over the roof , and there is a danger from some branches falling and maybe causing damage / problems as they weaken and fall.

It has been a bit of a problem........a few weeks ago there was to be a start, but after the monstrous crane arrived, it was deemed "too hard". Anyway, after further deliberations, today is to be the day. A second attempt.

Things went ok for awhile...........limbs were cut, limbs were lifted, limbs were run through the shredder. BUT................a watermain burst, under one of the outrigger placement arms of the monster crane. Oh hell!!!

That required instant repair, as it is the main water supply to all residences in the street.
So work stopped again.

Some limbs are gone............but still more to go.

Until next time...............au revoir..................again!

UPDATE - it has not been all good above on the roof either. A broken glass panel on the solar hot water system, and a very serious whack on the side of the hot water tank - it is not leaking, but has seriously damaged the outside galvanised tank, and may mean the insulation will get wet.

Holy toledo........more tree created issues!

Had Enough of Gen Y????

Gen Y can be a difficult group to deal with, especially in the work place.

One Australian, well respected, commentator seems to also have had enough, enough to say it like it really is.

Over indulged, vacillating and unable to complete tasks [ let alone multi task], and expecting to rise to be CEO within the first week of starting work, many fit the image in the article.

Read it yourself.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/executive-lifestyle/generation-misled-by-the-great-lie/story-fn6njxlr-1225955378555

It definitely pulls NO punches about Gen Y. While many have posited on how to accommodate for this group in the workforce, such schemes may not be the way forward.

It has had quite a lot of site visitors too.

Orchids are Fantastic

Pat's Delight this is called..............a truly great Vanda orchid!

Probably the best of type I have grown of this variety, with the greatest number of individual flowers, each about 80-100mm diameter.

Well worth a little effort to water and fertilise regularly.

Another Day, Another Nick

A life outdoors in the tropics has its drawbacks, with the potential for skin cancer one of them.

Another quite small skin cancer was surgically removed from the lower back today. Means no swimming for a few days, blast it. One at this visit to the skin doctor.................that is good!!!

Six months ago a rather nasty, but undetected by me, skin cancer was removed off the side of the nose, along with four other little beasties elsewhere on the body.

One this time is good, and even better, none on the face or arms, common "places of interest".

Apparently, there is often a peak of activity and skin cancers that develop, with a gradual decline in appearances of the blighters after that. Hopefully, I am on the reducing part of the curve now, although eternal vigilance is still needed!

It is prudent, and good insurance to have a regular six monthly check.

Spring is Blooming - so are Waratahs

While not spring in the tropics, it is in New South Wales.

To celebrate the event, waratahs are flowering - large, glorious, red and beautiful. The state flower of NSW - it is beautiful. Photographed at Katoomba, near Echo Point. This was being grown in a private garden, not as a natural specimen in the bush.

Enjoy it!

Sport, Head Trauma, Crash Test Dummies and Life

Australians love their football. Whether it be AFL, rugby [ the one played in heaven], rugby league [the working man's game] or as a late starter - soccer, oh sorry.........football.

But there is a new concept that seems to be achieving a somewhat higher profile. Are our kids who play these football codes being exposed to trauma that might rebound on them and be leading them to an early grave?

That premise is explored in the recent article on the ABC web site about head trauma in footballers. It is real.

As an ex rugby player [of both types] at semi professional level, I sure have experienced a few big hits. Even dislocated my neck playing. But I also find the gratutious heavy handed pushing and bumping, heads included - off the ball - that is common in AFL, as a bit farcical. In rugby you mostly do not have much happening unless involved with the ball. As for soccer, well maybe not heads, but there sure are plenty of knee and leg injuries to make up for less head trauma.

Would you let your children play rugby or AFL after reading this? -
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/40626.html

Does it make you think??

Torres Strait Pigeons - New Home

The Torres Strait Pigeons used to arrive in Darwin about this time of year [very early pre- wet season], stay for the wet season, and leave in February or March.


They seem to now be permanently here, or at least there are many now who seem to make Darwin home. In Darwin house yards we have an abundance of palms trees, especially Carpentaria palms and they absolutely love to eat the medium sized, bright, red seeds. These seeds are quite acidic, and the pulp around the seed can burn your hands.........they love to eat that and then drop or sometimes excrete the actual seed kernel, along with some acidic waste pulp. That material can lift paint off cars!!


There has however, been much ado in our backyard lately........a breeding pair of the pigeons has established a nest in a palm tree in the back yard. Since residency has been established, we have had two significant storms along with very strong winds in front of the storm rain. They do seem secure in the site now.



Very early days..........definitely no eggs yet.


Watch this space for updates.




It is unusual, as I cannot remember seeing Torres Strait pigeons breeding in our yard before, yet we have had plenty of palms. We have a few large trees, so bird nests are not unusual, but most of the nests seem to be those of honeyeaters, another common bird in backyards.

A Tree Climbing Dog??

Well, actually..........NO.

However, it is VERY disconcerting to hear the sound of an apparent dog bark coming from up in the trees surrounding our house. We have a locally resident barking owl in our neighbourhood.

First noticed a few weeks ago on a quiet still evening, coming from behind the house, then in the large African mahogany at the front, near the street, then in the next door neighbour's trees.

A good quality torch was grabbed.........and there it was, back in the mahogany, then flew off a little way. Since then there has been a fairly regular cry in the evening.

We do have many trees around us, so there is plenty of sites to use.

There is a lot of information on this site: http://birdsinbackyards.net/species/Ninox-connivens
and some quality photos here - http://www.ntbirds.net/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=10

Obviously not so common in other places but it seems to be fairly common here in Darwin. The bird call is just like a quiet dog bark.

FOUND - A New Tropical Frog

Frogs are supposed to be the barometer of the environment. If that is true, then the NT is doing ok............a new frog has been found!!

Rumour also hath it that there may be more.......

After all, the region is relatively unexplored for both flora and fauna, so one could expect these sorts of events, I guess.

But.......it is a new frog, and is as yet unnamed.

More about it here http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/20/3016622.htm including a photo. There are more on the ABC web site too.

And not to be outdone, a new plant was also found recently, near Emerald Springs [ see more here - http://oldfartz-on-tour.blogspot.com/2010/09/emerald-springs-revisited.html ] south of Darwin. This plant however, does have a name - Alysicarpus suffruticosa - a close relative of buffalo clover.

The Weeping Rosewoods are DYING

What a difference a year makes......................

This is what the trees were like a year ago, shown in the middle photo

http://monsoon-frog.blogspot.com/2009/11/yellow-flowers-but-be-quick.html

The weeping rosewoods have beautiful yellow flowers, and are magnificent shady trees.

BUT........a dreadful disease is slowly killing many of the now large trees around Darwin.

The photo below was taken today.......and all the trees in the previous post, about 10 months ago are DEAD, very dead!!!

The problem was first noted in the main city area, and these trees are alongside Bagot Road, at Millner, in the northern suburbs of Darwin, maybe 12 -13km from the first dead trees.

It is hoped disease resistant lines will be available in maybe a year or so, but till then, there will be a lot more trees dead, and sadly, it is the larger specimens that seem to die.

And there are a lot of these trees around Darwin.

Its OVER........

Australia has a new government................but for how long?


Plenty of pundits [ on both sides of politics] are saying the new Labor government will be lucky to last 18 months.


It will be an absolute roller coaster of a ride so watch out.................


There are plenty of media stories around on all major channels.

The cartoon seems to sum up well the predicament of the new Prime Minister.























[cartoon "borrowed" from Punch magazine]

Election 2010 - Ongoing Saga

One week after the election, and we still do not have an outcome at national level.

Remember the Chinese saying.........'may you live in interesting times".............seems it is, and might be for a while yet.

Lots of column inches in the newspapers, and almost any other media. Still.

Most recent comment seen late this evening was that one of the key 'non-aligned" players thought there might be certainity by the end of this coming week.

A friend commented to me today............"do we need them?? Country is still functioning, thanks to the bureaucrats!"

Election 2010

It was election day in Australia yesterday. I guess we do get to vote, so that is something.

BUT.............the cartoon from the AFR on Saturday, says it best, I think.

We in the NT seat of Solomon, appear to have a newly elected member of the Parliament lower house............a woman, Natasha Griggs, from the CLP. Bye bye Damian Hale - he was voted out!

But at national level, who knows???

Chinese Milk and Dairy Products- More Problems??

Recent reports are surfacing in China about high hormone levels in young children who have been drinking a particular milk brand of powdered milk.

Some children have been tested for hormone levels and results indicate that these are at levels equal to adult women, and the young children have been developing breasts.

The suspicion is that hormones fed to dairy cows to boost production are being found in milk. This livestock production practice is generally banned in most countires.

Comes back to the same issue.............do you trust Chinese food, especially fresh food imported to Australia?

Other than milk, there are a lot of fresh and frozen vegetables from China arriving in Australia via New Zealand, where they are repacked and get to qualify as "free entry" since they are now ostensibly "from New Zealand".

I for one am very unsure about food quality control in China.............let alone issues around corruption and poor production practices. While milk from China does not come to Australia, it does get exported to some other countries of SE Asia.

read more here-
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/entertainment/7733883/china-milk-powder-blamed-for-baby-breasts/

No doubt there will be more media coverage.

Hot July Night [ with a wink to Neil Diamond]

It is July. The coolest [ note- NOT coldest] month of the year...........or it used to be. A time when Darwinians could gloat, just a little, at southerners, as the night temperature dropped below 20C, usually consistently, along with clear sky and warm but not too hot days. And a nice cool E / SE wind during the day. No doonas, nor even a light blanket, but at least a sheet on top and mostly not even an overhead fan going.

One expects a hot August night in the northern summer, but it should be a cool July night here!
BUT..........

It just ain't so.......

The past three nights have seen three of the hottest July nights on record for Darwin. Friday night equalled the previous hottest minimum for July of 25C, followed by Saturday night with a new record of 25.8C as the hottest minimum for July. But wait, that is not all.........last night was an even hotter night with a minimum temperature of 26.6C. Yes............that is the mimimum temperature, not yesterdays maximum.

It was 29C in the office as I opened the door this morning around 0800.

At least we have been sitting up at night watching the Tour de France on TV, not getting off to bed. But last night it was around 30C at 0100 this morning, and we decided...............the air conditioner got a run, after really crappy sleeping nights over the past few nights!

So we had a resonable sleep.

But an air conditioner for night time use in July????? That is crazy!

Sexy High Heels?

Nothing like a great pair of womens' legs, accentuated in a nice pair of high heeled shoes.

Just ask any leg man!

However, it is not all good, health wise, according to recent research work, explored further here:

http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2010/07/19/2957864.htm?site=science&topic=health

In essence, wearing high heels too much shortens the calf muscles and increases the thickness of the Achilles tendon, leading to further leg and ankle problems. Remedies are discussed in the article, but it means less good legs to look at.

Hardly likely to be replaced by this, though.........

The Dry Season Is Here and Frogs Are on the Move

Sounds like a conundrum.........but it seems to be true.

Trouble is, the move has been to come inside the house.......into the toilet bowl, and other damper places.

Anyone who has lived in the tropics will know that frogs in strange places are inevitable. BUT.....that is usually when the weather is wet, and frogs are common. At the present time although we have been away for 8 days, we have found frogs inside the closed house on returning.

I know we had cracker night [fireworks] and some dogs and cats get frightened..........could that have caused the frogs to hide inside too? Or have they just sought out a nice quiet dark place, not quite as dry as outside, where the humidity is very low [not so good for frog skin]?

Whatever.............too many frogs in the loo, too many on the tiled floors inside the house, not to mention the few also jumping around on the outside tiled terrace area. Those on the floor definitely a bit on the dry side, although the toilet bowl dwellers were having a great time!

Clammy frog fingers are not a pleasant experience when visiting the loo, however! Had to go...... all of them!

Red Bull Art of Can

Red Bull is a well known sports drink, and they sponsor a very exiciting aeroplane race at locations around the world too.

And they also sponsor an art prize............ for art made from aluminium cans. Darwin is well known for the Beer Can Regatta where the boats are made from cans, and a local from Darwin also constructed and sailed a beer can boat from Darwin to Singapore in the 1980s. But an art prize for cans???



In 2010 it is in Singapore and the art work is truly spectacular. The on line catalogue does not do the art work justice - photos I think are a little washed out, and slightly over exposed, for what are shining examples of creativity by Singaporean artists.


Have a look at : http://www.redbullartofcan.sg/ [not - .com.sg!!] for more information. Links to earlier exhibitions too.


Art show closes 11 July.......at *Scape in Singapore............but the web site will remain.

The top photo is titled - Samurai, but it is not listed in the catalogue. Definitely my favourite. Lower photo - title is "Very Happy'.

More photos being posted shortly at http://www.flickr.com/ at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/surfie999/4795292361/in/photostream/?rotated=1&cb=1279182337843

Studies Give Coffee a Positive Rap

The pundits say that tea is good for you. Well, it now seems that for us coffee drinkers there is a benefit too, so one can indulge in a great coffee.......now knowing it is good for your health, with 3-4 cups being a good 'dose" daily.

Recent studies show coffee makes you sharper, lowers cancer risks, reduces neural degeneration and age related brain damage.

It also seems to lower risks of incurring stroke and coronary diseases, by at least 19% in studies on female patients over the past 25 years. That is a significant longitudinal study.

Read more here -http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/41475

So, coffee drinkers..............here's to us!

Lunar Eclipse Last Night

We were among the lucky ones.............a great view of the eclipse last night.

There was no prior announcement locally, although not a surprise. I was coming back from swimming training, and noticed a small gap on the moon. A bit odd Methinks.........looks suspiciously like a small lunar eclipse.

Checked it out online after getting home..........and we would get a great view! Only seen across the Pacific, Australia and eastern Malaysia. Darwin had a great view, as moon rose almost into the eclipse as sunset was around 1830hrs and moonrise just after 1900hrs with the eclipse commencing soon after that. Photo is very similar to early stage from last night, but is from an earlier one in 2001, taken in the US by Richard Seaman.

Maximum coverage was about when the moon was high in the sky, so it was a great view, on a clear cloudless dry season night, with maximum cover in Darwin at about 2100hrs.

While we usually know what it is today, I wonder how ancient peoples wondered about the events??

Identity Theft IS Real

No, it has not happened to me........well, not yet, as far as I know.

Recent data from Australia, and this is probably similar elsewhere in westernised countries, is that while people are concerned, they do little..........really.........NOTHING to prevent it occurring.

There are simple steps you can take that can reduce the chance of it happening. And it includes not getting boozed and losing your wallet or mobile phone too!! A bit of an issue with the 20 somethings, from reports.

Australian credit agencies reckon there are a few simple practices that do help this not happening and recommends you take a few steps to make it a bit harder for the crims, to effectively deflect them from you to easier targets:

1. Check your credit file regularly and sign up to an alert service to be notified if someone applies for credit in your name;
2. Change passwords and PINs regularly, and have more complex PIN numbers;
3. Lock your mail box and shred personal information, such a bank account statements / utilities / [a personal electric shredder costs about $30 here in Australia];
4. Store personal information in a secure database so it can be easily cancelled regardless of your location;
5. Sign up to a loss assistance and retrieval service for financial cards, mobile phones, documents and personal valuables and
6. Keep track of the personal information stored in your wallet / handbag / mobile phone / PC or PDA.

Remember, just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

Oh, and remember............you might have a lot of data hanging out on Facebook too. [Bugger!!.....too late if it is]

Is It Fixed??

The football World Cup is now on.

And Australia got totally thumped, humped and blasted by Germany in their first game. By four goals! oh dear ------4-0!



Interesting outcome, even worse than possibly feared. Will they get past the preliminaries?

An even more interesting interview today was on Radio National here in Australia with Declan Hill, author of the book, "The Fix". It is based on his PhD thesis at Oxford that examines the fixing of soccer games worldwide.
The interview is absolutely fascinating, and definitely gives one something to think about regarding football.

Go the Socceroos!

Download the audio file here - [ about 8 mins]:

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/australiatalks/index/subjects_Sport_2010.htm the heading is "Fascination Football" on 14 June.

Women now Violent?

A Northern Territory researcher says studies show women can be just as violent as men and social changes are behind a reported rise in violence among young women.

A senior lecturer in psychology at Charles Darwin University, Dr Peter Forster, says there is no truth to the argument that testosterone levels make men more aggressive.

He says social factors such as the rise of feminism in the last few decades could be behind the rise in violence amongst women.

"We've now taken away the expectation that women will behave differently to men," he said.
"It used to be that one of the biggest differences was that women were more peaceful, they were peacemakers."[But] that kind of inhibition to be violent has gradually diminished to the point where it no longer inhibits women at all."

Does playing soccer and football encourage women to be violent?

Lets be provocative.............what do women think??