Yes ... in today's news we read
500kg cow rescued from sea
A SEA rescue operation was launched to save a 500kg cow after it was found floating about in Northern Territory waters yesterday.
The mystery marine bovine was spotted doggy-paddling around in Darwin Harbour during the morning hours.
Rescuers - armed with a life ring and a length of rope - found it in between South Shell Island and the gas plant.
It was reportedly not in a good mood.
Workboats Northern Australia (WBNA) operations manager Ben Wall and his crew had a bit of a struggle catching the surly steer.
"He was sort of heading further away from the safe side of things - heading for the mangroves near the gas plant," Mr Wall said. "He was a bit feisty - the first time the boys tried to lasso it, it got away.
"He would've been under a lot of stress with that ordeal ... treading water for a good few hours until we got to it."
But the farmyard animal eventually returned to the boat to have a life ring fitted over his head - "so it knew we were trying to help", Mr Wall said. They motored slowly back to shore, reaching dry land in about 45 minutes.
The WBNA crew got the distress call from port authorities about 10am, asking if they could organise a rescue effort for the errant hoofer.
By 11.30am the unlikely sea creature was back on terra firma.
Mr Wall said they're not sure where it came from. But it's now resting at Berrimah export yards after one of his mates - cattle exporter Linton Batt - sent out ringers to wrangle the steer when it docked. This is the second time Mr Wall has helped save a soggy cow from the harbour.
"I rescued one a couple of years ago, when they were loading cattle off Fort Hill," he said.
WBNA crews - who usually operate marine vessels for construction and maintenance industry projects - are used to handling some odd jobs.
They salvaged the plane that caused a sensation when it was forced to belly land on mud flats near Nightcliff earlier in the year.
And they've retrieved vehicles out of Darwin Harbour's waters.
Mr Wall likes to joke that it'd only take the train falling off Elizabeth River Bridge, and they could say they've "done planes, trainsand automobiles".
"(A cow is) nothing out of the ordinary," he said. "We'll have a crack at anything."
Monday, November 30, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Thanksgiving
This is to wish my American friends a Happy Thanksgiving and hoping that it is filled with friends, family and fun!
It's interesting that despite all the things that we've adopted from America (including Halloween) one thing we've not taken on board is "Thanksgiving". It would be really nice, I reckon anyway, to have a day where people think about what they've got to be thankful for, rather than the grumbling and complaining that they normally do!
It's interesting that despite all the things that we've adopted from America (including Halloween) one thing we've not taken on board is "Thanksgiving". It would be really nice, I reckon anyway, to have a day where people think about what they've got to be thankful for, rather than the grumbling and complaining that they normally do!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
From an Email - Joke ....
YOU EVER BEEN GUILTY OF LOOKING AT OTHERS YOUR OWN AGE AND THINKING, SURELY I CAN'T LOOK THAT OLD? WELL.....YOU'LL LOVE THIS ONE!
MY NAME IS SANDEE, AND I WAS SITTING IN THE WAITING ROOM FOR MY FIRST APPOINTMENT WITH A NEW DENTIST. I NOTICED HIS DDS DIPLOMA, WHICH BORE HIS FULL NAME..
SUDDENLY, I REMEMBERED A TALL, HANDSOME, DARK HAIRED BOY WITH THE SAME NAME HAD BEEN IN MY HIGH SCHOOL CLASS SOME 30-ODD YEARS AGO
.
COULD HE BE THE SAME GUY THAT I HAD A SECRET CRUSH ON, WAY BACK THEN?
UPON SEEING HIM, HOWEVER, I QUICKLY DISCARDED ANY SUCH THOUGHT.
THIS BALDING, GRAY HAIRED MAN WITH THE DEEPLY LINED FACE WAS WAY TOO OLD TO HAVE BEEN MY CLASSMATE, AFTER HE EXAMINED MY TEETH, I ASKED HIM IF HE HAD ATTENDED MORGAN PARK HIGH SCHOOL .
'YES, YES I DID. I'M A MUSTANG! ' HE GLEAMED WITH PRIDE.
'WHEN DID YOU GRADUATE?' I ASKED
HE ANSWERED, IN 1975.. WHY DO YOU ASK?
'YOU WERE IN MY CLASS!' I EXCLAIMED.
HE LOOKED AT ME CLOSELY.
THEN THAT UGLY,
OLD,
BALD,
WRINKLED,
FAT arse,
GRAY HAIRED,
DECREPIT,
SON OF A BITCH ASKED....
'WHAT DID YOU TEACH?'
MY NAME IS SANDEE, AND I WAS SITTING IN THE WAITING ROOM FOR MY FIRST APPOINTMENT WITH A NEW DENTIST. I NOTICED HIS DDS DIPLOMA, WHICH BORE HIS FULL NAME..
SUDDENLY, I REMEMBERED A TALL, HANDSOME, DARK HAIRED BOY WITH THE SAME NAME HAD BEEN IN MY HIGH SCHOOL CLASS SOME 30-ODD YEARS AGO
.
COULD HE BE THE SAME GUY THAT I HAD A SECRET CRUSH ON, WAY BACK THEN?
UPON SEEING HIM, HOWEVER, I QUICKLY DISCARDED ANY SUCH THOUGHT.
THIS BALDING, GRAY HAIRED MAN WITH THE DEEPLY LINED FACE WAS WAY TOO OLD TO HAVE BEEN MY CLASSMATE, AFTER HE EXAMINED MY TEETH, I ASKED HIM IF HE HAD ATTENDED MORGAN PARK HIGH SCHOOL .
'YES, YES I DID. I'M A MUSTANG! ' HE GLEAMED WITH PRIDE.
'WHEN DID YOU GRADUATE?' I ASKED
HE ANSWERED, IN 1975.. WHY DO YOU ASK?
'YOU WERE IN MY CLASS!' I EXCLAIMED.
HE LOOKED AT ME CLOSELY.
THEN THAT UGLY,
OLD,
BALD,
WRINKLED,
FAT arse,
GRAY HAIRED,
DECREPIT,
SON OF A BITCH ASKED....
'WHAT DID YOU TEACH?'
Maybe I'm Missing the Point ....
From the news today:
Rudd calls on Australian men to stop violence against women
PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd has asked a commitment of the nation's approximately 10 million men - to stop violence against women.
The Government had a zero tolerance approach when it came to violence against women, he said.
"Men (should) swear never to commit, excuse, or stay silent about violence against women."
His comments coincide with international White Ribbon Day, which recognises the importance of addressing violence against women.
Australians wanted to live in a community where all women could live free of violence, Mr Rudd said.
"But attitude change does not necessarily lead to behaviour change, the Government's challenge is to try to ensure that it does."
Social justice commissioner Tom Calma says White Ribbon Day contributes to "very real and important outcomes".
"Violence against women is very often a manifestation of wider social problems but there is absolutely no excuse for it.
"It sends a powerful message when more and more men are prepared to stand up and say they are against it."
Earlier this week, White Ribbon Day Ambassador Mark Dreyfus, the member for Isaacs in Victoria, called on members of Parliament to join the My Oath campaign.
"Preventing violence against women requires us to address the underlying issues of sexism, lack of respect for women and a sense of privilege that many men enjoy," he said.
"It requires us to work to change attitudes, emotions and behaviours that support violence such as sexist jokes.
"Beliefs that women are inferior or that some women ‘deserve it’ or were ‘asking for it’ do not simply encourage violence; they create a culture in which silence becomes the acceptable response to violence against women."
------------
So violence (sexist jokes etc) against men is okay????
Surely the call should be for more personal responsiblity and lack of violence against everyone?
Rudd calls on Australian men to stop violence against women
PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd has asked a commitment of the nation's approximately 10 million men - to stop violence against women.
The Government had a zero tolerance approach when it came to violence against women, he said.
"Men (should) swear never to commit, excuse, or stay silent about violence against women."
His comments coincide with international White Ribbon Day, which recognises the importance of addressing violence against women.
Australians wanted to live in a community where all women could live free of violence, Mr Rudd said.
"But attitude change does not necessarily lead to behaviour change, the Government's challenge is to try to ensure that it does."
Social justice commissioner Tom Calma says White Ribbon Day contributes to "very real and important outcomes".
"Violence against women is very often a manifestation of wider social problems but there is absolutely no excuse for it.
"It sends a powerful message when more and more men are prepared to stand up and say they are against it."
Earlier this week, White Ribbon Day Ambassador Mark Dreyfus, the member for Isaacs in Victoria, called on members of Parliament to join the My Oath campaign.
"Preventing violence against women requires us to address the underlying issues of sexism, lack of respect for women and a sense of privilege that many men enjoy," he said.
"It requires us to work to change attitudes, emotions and behaviours that support violence such as sexist jokes.
"Beliefs that women are inferior or that some women ‘deserve it’ or were ‘asking for it’ do not simply encourage violence; they create a culture in which silence becomes the acceptable response to violence against women."
------------
So violence (sexist jokes etc) against men is okay????
Surely the call should be for more personal responsiblity and lack of violence against everyone?
Inane Studies: Comfort Food Reduces Stress
Really! Scientists have discovered that eating comfort food can reduce anxiety! And here am I wondering why it's been called "comfort food" for so many years!
Read the full article here.
My favourite part from the article is:
"Future research would aim to determine whether other rewarding activities - such as exercise - could have a similar stress-busting affect on rats' brains."
Can't wait for that research to be published!
Read the full article here.
My favourite part from the article is:
"Future research would aim to determine whether other rewarding activities - such as exercise - could have a similar stress-busting affect on rats' brains."
Can't wait for that research to be published!
Red tape stops ‘green’ bullet
This article appeared online recently ...
Red tape stops ‘green’ bullet
THE State Government has been questioned over its refusal to allow the production of a locally-designed bullet, which has reportedly attracted strong interest from the United States and Commonwealth defence forces.
Midvale-based product design consultants Geng has created what it claims to be an environmentally-friendly ammunition projectile, the Geng Indoor Training Round, that it believes could lead to a multi-million dollar industry for WA.
Midland MLA Michelle Roberts implored the Government this afternoon to meet with Geng to discuss minor amendments to the Western Australian Firearms Regulations that would allow the technology to be manufactured in WA.
Geng chief executive Cliff Green said the projectile was designed for indoor defence training as it was less powerful than traditional ammunition.
He said the company was seeking only minor changes to the legislation to allow the manufacture of the projectile in Western Australia for defence purposes, which could then be sent to New Zealand to be loaded into ammunition.
He predicted such an industry could generate more than $500million each year, while reducing the global demand for lead-based ammunition, which had significant environmental impacts.
“The US and Commonwealth have both expressed strong interest in this and we would like it to be manufactured in WA,” Mr Green said.
“It’s completely safe – we’re not even talking about a loaded projectile and it won’t be available to the general public in any country.
“It’s a small bit of red tape stopping a potentially huge industry which would boost the WA economy, export sales, jobs and future spin-off developments,” he said.
“This is great for Midland – if this goes ahead the design and manufacture of the production equipment will all happen from Elmsfield Road and expand from there.”
He said if the Government did not amend its legislation, Geng would be forced to move the manufacturing to New Zealand.
Ms Roberts called on the Premier and Police Minister to discuss the firearm regulations.
“This local business is leading the way in their industry yet red tape is threatening to keep hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue from Western Australia,” Mrs Roberts said.
“Hundreds of Western Australian jobs will be lost in design, production and transport.
“The Premier must assist Geng to make sure this industry is captured now and not permanently lost overseas.”
---------------
On one hand I think that it is a shame that a company with a marketable idea is thinking of going offshore.
However, on the other hand I'm not so sure that I would be happy for this bullet to go ahead. I can imagine three years down the track legislation being passed that only these bullets can be used in ammunition in Western Australia and this will potentially put an end to reloading.
Further thougths: I've been wondering what changes to the legislation they are seeking. There is a company here in Perth which has been producing lead projectiles for many, many years.
Red tape stops ‘green’ bullet
THE State Government has been questioned over its refusal to allow the production of a locally-designed bullet, which has reportedly attracted strong interest from the United States and Commonwealth defence forces.
Midvale-based product design consultants Geng has created what it claims to be an environmentally-friendly ammunition projectile, the Geng Indoor Training Round, that it believes could lead to a multi-million dollar industry for WA.
Midland MLA Michelle Roberts implored the Government this afternoon to meet with Geng to discuss minor amendments to the Western Australian Firearms Regulations that would allow the technology to be manufactured in WA.
Geng chief executive Cliff Green said the projectile was designed for indoor defence training as it was less powerful than traditional ammunition.
He said the company was seeking only minor changes to the legislation to allow the manufacture of the projectile in Western Australia for defence purposes, which could then be sent to New Zealand to be loaded into ammunition.
He predicted such an industry could generate more than $500million each year, while reducing the global demand for lead-based ammunition, which had significant environmental impacts.
“The US and Commonwealth have both expressed strong interest in this and we would like it to be manufactured in WA,” Mr Green said.
“It’s completely safe – we’re not even talking about a loaded projectile and it won’t be available to the general public in any country.
“It’s a small bit of red tape stopping a potentially huge industry which would boost the WA economy, export sales, jobs and future spin-off developments,” he said.
“This is great for Midland – if this goes ahead the design and manufacture of the production equipment will all happen from Elmsfield Road and expand from there.”
He said if the Government did not amend its legislation, Geng would be forced to move the manufacturing to New Zealand.
Ms Roberts called on the Premier and Police Minister to discuss the firearm regulations.
“This local business is leading the way in their industry yet red tape is threatening to keep hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue from Western Australia,” Mrs Roberts said.
“Hundreds of Western Australian jobs will be lost in design, production and transport.
“The Premier must assist Geng to make sure this industry is captured now and not permanently lost overseas.”
---------------
On one hand I think that it is a shame that a company with a marketable idea is thinking of going offshore.
However, on the other hand I'm not so sure that I would be happy for this bullet to go ahead. I can imagine three years down the track legislation being passed that only these bullets can be used in ammunition in Western Australia and this will potentially put an end to reloading.
Further thougths: I've been wondering what changes to the legislation they are seeking. There is a company here in Perth which has been producing lead projectiles for many, many years.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
QOTD ....
"Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task."
William James
Sorry the blogging has been light the last couple of days - I'm trying to get lots of "unfinished" tasks finished! Nothing exciting - just life :)
William James
Sorry the blogging has been light the last couple of days - I'm trying to get lots of "unfinished" tasks finished! Nothing exciting - just life :)
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