Australia

[Michaelangelica]

[QUOTE]

Originally Posted by Jay-qu

What a waste of money..

DeSal plants may be needed now, but a carefully laid plan a few years back could have avoided the need. The question is, can they be built soon enough

?
YEP
Dunno

I would also like to know what enviromental impacts this has, converting large amounts of water to fresh - I guess its just a literal drop in ocean..

not too bad actually see ABC (Dr karl) links

Seriously our piddly little army doesnt stand a chance if korea, china, japan or america wanted to invade - its just there for looks and so we can be seen to 'support' other countries in wars. I think we would be better off without it - its not lazy, but minding our own business

It is ajoke isn't it
21 million people by the end of July
WOW!
How many has Indonesia, China, India, have??
A nice neutral policy like Switzerland would save us a lot of $
NZ seems to keep their head down OK

Dont mind me Im just rambling on..

me too
What do you think of this? sent it to Dr. Karl but he is too busy
m

I talked to a Guy at a recent conference who worked for a big power Station up north.
I ran the "de-sal at power plant" idea by him and he thought it was a good idea.
Power Stations, as you know, need to keep a base load going.
At night, he said, they need to gradually "step down" their massive generators. CO2 wise, this is not very efficient use of the energy produced by burning the coal. A lot of energy is wasted gradually stepping down the massive generators over a period of hours.
Sometimes they need to expend a lot of energy going to get an extra power station on line to cope with peak demand.
He also said that seawater used for cooling is warmed to 50C anyway, so it is not a lot more to get to 101C.
I suppose it is a matter of economics, perhaps of perception, perhaps of conservative thinking; but the Professor's new technology (below) looks good.

What do you think?

Professor Discovers Better Way To Desalinate Water

Science Daily — Chemical engineer Kamalesh Sirkar, PhD, a distinguished professor at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and an expert in membrane separation technology, is leading a team of researchers to develop a breakthrough method to desalinate water. Sirkar, who holds more than 20 patents in the field of membrane separation, said that using his technology, engineers will be able to recover water from brines with the highest salt concentrations. The Bureau of Reclamation in the Department of Interior is funding the project.

Kamalesh K. Sirkar, PhD, is a distinguished professor of chemical engineering and the sponsored chair for membrane separations and the director for the Center for Membrane Technologies at New Jersey Institute of Technology.

"Our process will work especially well with brines holding salt concentrations above 5.5 percent," Sirkar said. Currently, 5.5 percent is the highest percentage of salt in brine that can be treated using reverse osmosis.

"We especially like our new process because we can fuel it with low grade, inexpensive waste heat," Sirkar said. "Cheap heat costs less, but can heat brine efficiently."

ScienceDaily: Professor Discovers Better Way To Desalinate Water
ScienceDaily: Professor Discovers Better Way To Desalinate Water

[freeztar]

I think this song sums up Australia nicely. It placed 3rd in the kvraudio monthly competition back in September 06. It is produced by Slartibartfast, an Aussie.
We're a fair dinkum

[Jay-qu]

Sounds good M, I havent heard of this before.. I dont know much of Dr. Karl, it seems people tend to listen to him. What is his position exactly?

It would be good if he is a true scientist and listens to reason and gives a good unbias opinion to those that matter..

And I like the song Freeztar

[Monomer]

Originally Posted by Jay-qu

Sounds good M, I havent heard of this before.. I dont know much of Dr. Karl, it seems people tend to listen to him. What is his position exactly?

It would be good if he is a true scientist and listens to reason and gives a good unbias opinion to those that matter..

Dr Karl has degrees in Physics and Mathematics, Biomedical Engineering, and Medicine and Surgery, and he has studied several non-degree years at various universities in Astrophysics, Computer Science and Philosophy. He appears to be logical, reasonable, and rather unbiased.

All about Karl

[Michaelangelica]

Originally Posted by Monomer

Dr Karl has degrees in Physics and Mathematics, Biomedical Engineering, and Medicine and Surgery, and he has studied several non-degree years at various universities in Astrophysics, Computer Science and Philosophy. He appears to be logical, reasonable, and rather unbiased.

All about Karl

I think he is scientist in residence at Uni of NSW
Some Ozzie humour (spelt correctly spell check!)
ABC Sydney » Thank God it's Friday
Last week was good although you need to be up to date with Oz current affairs.

[PuGZ]

Dr Karl writes for the Good Weekend and often appears on ABC radio. He often has quite interesting things to say.

[Monomer]

Originally Posted by PuGZ

Dr Karl writes for the Good Weekend and often appears on ABC radio. He often has quite interesting things to say.

Dr Karl is great. I listen to him on Triple J on Thursdays when I get the chance, and I've read his books. He's very intelligent and brings science to the general public in a way they can understand.

[Michaelangelica]

Originally Posted by Jay-qu

What a waste of money..

DeSal plants may be needed now, but a carefully laid plan a few years back could have avoided the need. The question is, can they be built soon enough?

I would also like to know what environmental impacts this has, converting large amounts of water to fresh - I guess its just a literal drop in ocean..

Seriously our piddly little army doesn't stand a chance if korea, china, japan or America wanted to invade - its just there for looks and so we can be seen to 'support' other countries in wars. I think we would be better off without it - its not lazy, but minding our own business

Dont mind me I'm just rambling on..

There are over 100 de-sal plants in Florida alone.
including the biggest
I would imagine Florida is a little wetter than Oz
We can't find drinking water for 21 Mil people?


I live on the Central Coast of NSW surrounded by power stations that use salt water to cool the plants.
I have often wondered (with 16% water in the dam) why the power stations can't also desalinate water

I talked to a Guy at a recent conference who worked for a big power Station up north.
I ran the "de-sal at power plant" idea by him and he thought it was a good idea.

Power Stations, as you know, need to keep a base load going.
At night, he said, they need to gradually "step down" their massive generators. CO2 wise, this is not very efficient use of the energy produced by burning the coal. A lot of energy is wasted gradually stepping down the massive generators over a period of hours.
Sometimes they need to expend a lot of energy going to get an extra power station on line to cope with peak demand.
He also said that seawater used for cooling is warmed to 50C anyway, so it is not a lot more to get to 101C.

I suppose it is a matter of economics, perhaps of perception, perhaps of conservative thinking; but the Professor's new technology (below) looks good.
What do you think?

Professor Discovers Better Way To Desalinate Water

Science Daily — Chemical engineer Kamalesh Sirkar, PhD, a distinguished professor at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and an expert in membrane separation technology, is leading a team of researchers to develop a breakthrough method to desalinate water. Sirkar, who holds more than 20 patents in the field of membrane separation, said that using his technology, engineers will be able to recover water from brines with the highest salt concentrations. The Bureau of Reclamation in the Department of Interior is funding the project.

Kamalesh K. Sirkar, PhD, is a distinguished professor of chemical engineering and the sponsored chair for membrane separations and the director for the Center for Membrane Technologies at New Jersey Institute of Technology.

"Our process will work especially well with brines holding salt concentrations above 5.5 percent," Sirkar said. Currently, 5.5 percent is the highest percentage of salt in brine that can be treated using reverse osmosis.

"We especially like our new process because we can fuel it with low grade, inexpensive waste heat," Sirkar said. "Cheap heat costs less, but can heat brine efficiently."

ScienceDaily: Professor Discovers Better Way To Desalinate Water
ScienceDaily: Professor Discovers Better Way To Desalinate Water

On desalination and putting back the salt
Desalination - Ask a Real Expert - Ask an expert - The Lab - Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Gateway to Science
Desalination - Ask an expert - The Lab - Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Gateway to Science

I would like to see a desal-plant for the Murry/Darling alone, -situated somewhere in the upper reaches in Qld.
This would restore some environmental flows, improve the environment and rescue most of Ozzs productive land.

No porn, no alcohol for NT aborigines
Check the web or digg for hundreds of posts.
This is the 13th report on Child abuse.
This one is special as it is 3 months before the election?
Prohibition works? where?
[B]The latest Bonsi. AKA Howard. AKA Jackboot Johnny- his cleverest move yet
Invents new Tampa for next election?

What is the link/deal with pornography?
Have I gone to sleep and woken up in 1950?

Bonsai is buying 10 Billion$ in Boats
Where is the money coming for this?
Where are the trained staff?
The doctors the police who know about aboriginal culture.
You can't get doctors to work in the bush now so how?

(I went to the local hospital casualty on Sunday night. There were about 100 people waiting. The triage nurse told me some had been waiting 6 hours-this is in a Sydney suburb!)
Howard has 40 NT police working for federal police on border control.

It would be good if all kids in Oz could have a free comprehensive medical/dental/optical/psychological check.
If the impetus for this is sexual abuse why won't Father/Minister Abbot check for STDs?
His lame excuse was that this was not covered by medicare! He decides after all!?

What is he going to do with the people he finds need medical attention?
Where are the re-hab facilities?
You can't get psychiatric treatment in Sydney unless you are VERY well heeled.

What is the $ budget for this exercise?

or
is the whole thing got some other agenda?
Why just the NT when he has the constitutional right to take over ALL states aboriginal affairs. Why are NT kid more at risk?

Does he need a new mine or nuclear dump on aboriginal NT land?
What about the new US, NT airbase?`
Is this where we are going to swap political prisoners from the USA to go to the new 60mil Christmas island facility?

In the crossfire between left and right commentators on this ; did anyone notice he slipped though the Australian ID card in the dying hours of the Winter Parliament session?.
No? Perhaps that was the point + He gets some 'right wing' and 'bleeding heart' brownie points for the election in 3 months time? by being "tough" on aborigines.

Give me a break!
This whole thing will be lucky to last 12 weeks and then go the way of his various other silly pronouncements on History and/or English teaching.
He is the master illusionist- "Watch here while I slip this one in over here".
The press, as usual, follow like the goats they are;
and Bonsai is home free.!

You have to admire his political astuteness. He is so devious and Machiavellian ++So clever!
He could teach Machiavelli a thing or two about dealing with the media and silencing dissent -within and without- his Party
It is a great pity that he is also a humourless, authoritarian, anti-democratic, anti-human rights, power-hungry, amoral, dissembling, evil, socially divisive, gouging,self-centered liar of the First Degree
Otherwise I'd vote for him

[Michaelangelica]

This draconian outrage has shaken Australia awake


John Howard's Aboriginal plan has rebounded, finally recommencing the debate about our nation's historic wound

Richard Flanagan
Thursday June 28, 2007
The Guardian

Among his many achievements, John Howard is sometimes credited with the invention of "dog whistling" politics - whereby, without any objectionable or racist idea being directly stated, the dog hears exactly the message meant.

Whatever the truth of such claims, throughout his long career the Australian prime minister has left himself open to the accusation of racism. From questioning Asian immigration in the 1980s to initially welcoming the racist comments of the far-right MP Pauline Hanson, Howard was widely perceived to play the race card to great effect.
Under Howard, federal government support for black Australia slowly dried up. Services were slashed, native title restricted. By 2000 official figures revealed that more than 41% of indigenous women and 50% of indigenous men could expect to die before they reached 50. Still nothing was done. The condition of many Aboriginal communities - frequently and accurately described as third world - grew only worse. The dreamtime was a grog-ridden nightmare. In the last few years black leaders, government agencies and welfare bodies have been talking of a growing crisis in traditional communities and calling for immediate action. But not until last week did Howard, less than six months out from an election and facing polls pointing to, in his own words, "electoral annihilation", discover this "national emergency".

This draconian outrage has shaken Australia awake | Guardian daily comment | Guardian Unlimited
One of the more intelligent articles I have read on this.

The author of the report Howard is reacting too seemed very puzzled on ABC TV the other night wondering why most of his 97 recommendations had been ignored and the whole approcah had been so heavy handed.
The poor guy after spending a year talking to aborigines in remote communities, gaining their trust etc seemed genunely bemused by Howard's response.

[Michaelangelica]

The grounding of the Pasha Bulker near the entrance to Newcastle Harbour (the biggest coal loading port in the world) has been a boon to Newcastle Tourism.
Thousands of people are swarming there causing traffic chaos and a boon to mobile food sellers and local cafes.
People are driving 1,000 K from interstate. (just shows you how bad TV is)

Two cables attached to tugs broke last night so it is still there.(The pash weighs 32,000 tons-empty)
Must be a lot of relieved local business owners in Newcastle.
Another attempt will be made to-night 29 June 12 hours time

The Pasha is said to be quite spectacular and awesome.
Have a look at some of the photos, but they don't really give you an idea of how incongruously amazing the scene is
Last night it was due to be pulled off the beach
Saving the Pasha Bulker - National - smh.com.au
Video
Sydney Morning Herald - Business News, World News & Breaking News - Sydney, Australia

Photo Gallery of the grounded bulk carrier Pasha Bulker. 11 Jun 2007. ABC Newcastle NSW. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)



Here are some of several thousand T Shirt slogans rung in to a local radio station
Many are on sale at the site.
1233 breakfast launches Pasha T-shirt slogan challenge. 12 Jun 2007. ABC Newcastle NSW. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Of course it helps when "to pash" means something quite different in Oz.

"if you we're going to sell T-shirts about the Pasha Bulka running aground on Nobbys Beach, what would the slogan be?
DAY 1

Nice and short. Picture of the Pasha Bulka with the Harbour Entrance in Shot: "Missed it by that much."

My T-Shirt slogan comes is inspired by the Field of Dreams Movie: "If you beach it - they will come" - Gionni Di Gravio - Mayfield

"SWIM BETWEEN THE FLAGS - not PARK" - Anon

If you can't pash a thinner, Pash a Bulker.

"Tow Away Zone" - Anon

"Pasha Pasha Nobby's Crasha" - Patricia

"Does my ship look big in this?" - Lilly

"Valet?" - Steve

"Coal queue Jumper " - Roslyn

"Bugger my brakes failed" - Anon

"Male Driver" - Jan

"Why didn't the the Captain stay off the Port" - Col

"World's Largest Surfest Viewing Platform" - Mark, Cessnock

"The Ship's hit the Sand at Nobby's" - Nick

"I got Wrecked at Nobby's!" - Gordon

"Nobby's caught Pashing Bulka at Beach" - Anon

"At Nobby's Size Does Matter" - John

"See the Incredible Bulk" - John

"10 years to move the Boulder - 50 yrs to move the Pasha" - Helen

"Forget the Pasha - We need a BIG tug" - John

"I TOLD YOU PORT IS LEFT AND STARBORD IS RIGHT!!!" - Bill

"Come and looka, Pash Bulka" - Enid

"ALL ABOARD - THEY'VE PARKED THE ARK!" - Julie

"I got smashed at Nobbys" - Anon

"DINKIN MATE, MY BOAT'S THIS BIG !" - Anon

Front of T-shirt: "There the bloody hell you are!"
Back of T-shirt: "Talk about a bingle!"
- Anon

"Life's a beach!" - Anon

"Dude where's my coal tanker." - Anon

"Now THAT was a wave" - Anne

"Oops! 0r left! Left! NO! The other left!" - Jen

"They laughed at noah too!" - Anon

"We had a Pasha Bulker in the sand at Nobby's Newcastle 8/6/2007" - Veronica.

"EVERYONE hits the beaches in Newcastle" - Julie

"Its a huld up on the bank" - Anon

"Hey jimmy. Are we there yet?" - Anon

"How about a pash?" - Jenny

"Oh frigate!" - Vernice.

"Are we there yet?" - Richard

"I beached my ship at nobbies and all I got was this crappy shirt!" - Anon

"SHIP HAPPENS !" - Anon

Captain to No1: "How do you think we'll go at surfest?" - Terry

"HOLEY SHIP!!!" - Anon

"Pasha bimbo at Nobby's" - Anon

"Hey u in the red. No surfing between the flags!" - Wilko

"Ship to shore" - Anon

"Nobbys boat shop" - Anon

"Paris fails boat license." - Geoff

" WHAT THE ?? " – Steve


Workchoices – All I wanted to do was take away their loading – Peter

Nobbys Beach, where Bulk waves are guaranteed – John

Love me or Leave me - You may need to wear me. Love Pasha – Darren

"Not the first lot of mariners to crash in Newcastle" - from knights fan Chris

"I got carriered away at Nobbys" – Joanne

"I crashed at nobby's and woke up in deep ship" – Chris

"My ship has finally hit the sand" – Bill

"Pusha Backa the Pasha Bulker" – Glen

Keep our beaches clean. No shipping in the surf – Michael

"Can I float your boat?" – Gillian

Never again would Captain Feathersword leave Jeff in charge of the ship – Pat

Environmentalists: "It's important to get it back to sea before the rest
of the pod follows it in." - Jacquie

"Did you say 1800 TUGS?" - Ian

"Oh Pasha, did it move for you?" – Peter

Full SAND ahead! – Michelle

"I think she's stuck Russ" – Stephen

Off Shore Love Boat - Passion Bonka

Newcastle: Just passing - thought I'd drop in.

"I crashed at Nobby's and woke up in deep ship"

EMAIL: "I told you we would get better radio reception here"

"FLOATING CASINO - OPENING SOON"

"Pasha Bulka - Revenge of the Whales"

I blew at the Breakers

"I'm getting tugged off at Nobby's" Anon


Pash a Bulka and turn it into a frog - Helen



What do you mean, there is no ship's captain blooper program?

Next year I'm coming dressed as the Exxon Valdez!

Maybe I should go out, and come in again?

What do you mean, "I'm grounded!"?

This is BIG BROTHER ... "It's time to leave... Pasha Bulker!"


But Officer, I was cut off by a jet ski - Mark

ooh...... bugger!

Q: What did the tug boat say to the lighthouse?
A: I think Nobby's got a ship on his boulder. - Mum on a Roll


Newcastle...knee deep in ships - Suzanne

Not Happy Jan - Leonie

I came, I saw, I had no idea why they parked it here, I left

Why be boring, do something the world will see - Andrew

Bloody Viking Invasions - Steve



One of the many souvenirs on sale is a stubby (beer) holder


A forum with photos.
Pasha Bulker at Nobby's Beach - IceInSpace Forums