Australia

[Michaelangelica]

A very interesting invention that has a lot of possibilities I think

The solar parabolic thread people may be interested too.

New Inventors: Liquid Solar Array (LSA)

Liquid Solar Array (LSA)

The Liquid Solar Array (LSA) is a water-borne solar capturing system. Instead of putting the cells on the ground, occupying a lot of usable space, losing energy to cool them down, LSA (Liquid Solar Array) technology floats on calm bodies of water. The LSA combines a solar concentrator and a photovoltaic cell, with Sun-tracking and storm protection mechanisms.
About the Inventor

Phil Connor is a scientist and engineer who conducts innovative research and development in a variety of fields including solar energy. He gained an Electrical Engineering degree, Sydney University, 1973; Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of New South Wales, 1982; spent seven years at Macquarie University conducting research into speech and music using Fourier analysis and development of a fast digital signal processor. Currently eighteen years with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) developing electro-optical instruments for the remote sensing and classification of minerals for the mining industry using spectroscopy.
Contact

For more information about Liquid Solar Array (LSA), contact the following:
pmc@sunengy.com
Sunengy Pty Ltd Liquid Solar Array
Online Discussion

Read what others have said or have your say.

[Michaelangelica]

My Yank mates might enjoy this headline.
Language, such a great gift

Beavers replacing bunnies for bush hats

Monday, 20/07/2009
Beavers replacing bunnies for bush hats - 20/07/2009

Interesting that my web browser says this ABC site is in the USA

The drought still goes on. A freind told me the Hume Weir was down to its last 5%. That surprised me as I thought the system had had some rain.

Lachlan River could run dry

Monday, 20/07/2009

Irrigators in Central West NSW are being warned the dire shortage of water in the Lachlan River is likely to get worse.

The Department of Water and Energy says the river could stop running in places by September.

Lachlan River could run dry - 20/07/2009


The inbred brethren are at it again.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/the-e...n.html?page=-1

[Moontanman]

Gasoline sniffing a big problem down under ?

Man Catches Fire After Being Tasered

[Michaelangelica]

This is turning into my blog.
C'mon Aussies, C'mon. It's a big country

What are the WW implications of China arresting a Rio executive for espionage??

or this?
First Aussies took south route*(ScienceAlert)

The 'Southern Route' dispersal of modern humans suggests movement of a group of hunter-gatherers from the Horn of Africa, across the mouth of the Red Sea into Arabia and southern Asia at least 50 thousand years ago.
Subsequently, the modern human populations expanded rapidly along the coastlines of southern Asia, southeastern Asia and Indonesia to arrive in Australia at least 45 thousand years ago.
The genetic evidence of this dispersal from the work of Rao and his colleagues is supported by archeological evidence of human occupation in the Lake Mungo area of Australia dated to approximately the same time period.

First Aussies took south route*(ScienceAlert)

Abstract (provisional)
Background

An early dispersal of biologically and behaviorally modern humans from their African origins to Australia, by at least 45 thousand years via southern Asia has been suggested by studies based on morphology, archaeology and genetics. However, mtDNA lineages sampled so far from south Asia, eastern Asia and Australasia show non-overlapping distributions of haplogroups within pan Eurasian M and N macrohaplogroups. Likewise, support from the archaeology is still ambiguous.
Results

In our completely sequenced 966-mitochondrial genomes from 26 relic tribes of India, we have identified seven genomes, which share two synonymous polymorphisms with the M42 haplogroup, which is specific to Australian Aborigines.
Conclusions

Our results showing a shared mtDNA lineage between Indians and Australian Aborigines provides direct genetic evidence of an early colonization of Australia through south Asia, following the "southern route".

Abstract | Reconstructing Indian-Australian phylogenetic link.

"Go back in Time --Visit Australia" -my apologies to Sol Trujillo.

[Michaelangelica]

Originally Posted by Moontanman

Gasoline sniffing a big problem down under ?

Man Catches Fire After Being Tasered

Yes it is a problem mainly among Outback Aboriginal Communities. City kids have access to better drugs. There is a new petrol being introduced (Opal?) that can't be sniffed.

The Taser thing is a worry. The police are just getting used to their new toy. Some of them think it is a portable-electric-chair.

[Michaelangelica]

I haven't seen this before


Whatcom Seed Company - We Respect Your Privacy
Handy when buying seeds from USA.

. . . , , , . . . . . . , , ,

Also, for the Gardener's among us.
This from a GERMAN catalog!
Anyone seen it here?
(an igoogle traslation)
'Joey' ® - An avant-garde beauty from the other end of the world sets new highlights in our gardens

Ptilotus exaltatus, but call it simply 'Joey' ®, has its origins in Central Australia. This makes them extremely resistant to heat and trockentolerant, but also very adaptable. With 'Joey' Benary ® is a sensational breeding breakthrough, because the market offers nothing comparable to this genus.

For this year's Salon du Végétal 'was' Joey' ® then also in the category 'Nouveauté végétale' awards. Main focus of the jury, composed of selected producers and journalists put together, was focused on 'Joey' ® 's innovative, especially the younger generation, always on the lookout for original ideas for the garden decoration, appeals.

This avant-garde beauty is his imagination and creativity in the design of mixed containers and sun beds free rein to new and unusual accents. This applies to the attention-grabbing sales presentation as well as the terrace, the balcony and the garden. The 6-10 cm long, plush flower stands with silver glitter neonpinkfarbenen intense peaks. 'Joey' ® confident with a short culture period of 12-16 weeks, a high yield seedlings by Apex seed quality and, not least with a compact growth from 30 to 40 cm.

Selects on compact, vieltriebigen and growth reichblühenden mixes' Joey '® the bed and a balcony with his assortment of extravagant character so on.

Caption:
No wonder that 'Joey' ® in warm locations thrives best, but their home is the sunny Australia.

> swap

This from the Australian native plants website.

http://asgap.org.au/p-exa.html

[Michaelangelica]

Schindler's List found in Australian library

Posted: Tuesday , Apr 07, 2009 at 1042 hrs Sydney:
Schindlers List

A list of Jews saved from the Nazi death camps during World War II by the German industrialist Oskar Schindler has been found in research notes at an Australian library and will go on public display on Tuesday.

The list of 801 Jewish men was found among six boxes of papers that belonged to the Australian author Thomas Keneally who wrote the book "Schindler's Ark" that was the basis for the Oscar-winning film "Schindler's List" by Stephen Spielberg.

The 13-page, yellowing, document was found tucked between research notes and German newspaper cuttings by a researcher at the New South Wales Library in Sydney sifting through the boxes of manuscripts acquired by the library in 1996.

Schindler's List found in Australian library

[Michaelangelica]

Festival of Dangerous Ideas

Event Information NavigationOVERVIEWSATURDAYSUNDAYFESTIVAL PASS SPONSORS
This October Long Weekend Sydney Opera House plays host to more than 50 speakers and performers, multiple free events, debates, panel discussions and more.

The Festival's Opening Address is by international journalist Christopher Hitchens, in conversation with Tony Jones on the topic 'Religion Poisons Everything'. Taking an opposing stance on Sunday is Catholic Archbishop Cardinal George Pell, who argues 'Without God We Are Nothing' and Keysar Trad who argues that 'Polygamy and Other Islamic Values are Good for Australia'.

We have Susan Greenfield discussing the implications of Online Networking on developing brains; an international panel debating the merits of Democracy; Aboriginal activist Gary Foley arguing that 'The Aboriginal Genocide will be complete'; Germaine Greer questioning whether people really want Freedom; Julian Savulescu supporting genetic enhancement and much much more.

The Festival will almost certainly cause moments of outrage, but will hopefully push the boundaries enough to stimulate, provoke and engage people in wider discussion.

Click on Saturday or Sunday above to see the full program, and make a day of it with one of our Festival Passes, which start at just $45*.

Bombs, guns and bullets may be dangerous.
Closed or complacent minds make them lethal.

Sydney Opera House - FESTIVAL OF DANGEROUS IDEAS

[Michaelangelica]

Christmas Island - no place to detain children
]
A child demonstrates against the detention of children seeking asylum © AI

Despite the "new direction" the Federal Government has taken in detention policy, children and unaccompanied minors remain in immigration detention arrangements on Christmas Island.

Sixty six children are currently being held on Christmas Island. The detention arrangements in which children are kept, such as the ‘construction camp’ facility, is inappropriate for children even for the briefest period. The ‘construction camp’ consists mostly of metal, concrete and gravel, with small claustrophobic bedrooms and no ways to communicate with the outside world.

Although the Federal Government has committed to no longer keeping children in detention centres, these alternative detention arrangements with their restrictive conditions and lack of services have similar detrimental psychological impacts on children.

No child seeking asylum should be detained on Christmas Island.

The Federal Government must commit fully to its vision of creating a more humane refugee system. Australia must not continue to violate its international obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

Take Action Now
Call on the Australian Government to move all children, especially unaccompanied minors, off Christmas Island and onto the Australian mainland.

Send an urgent letter to the Senator Chris Evans (Minister for Immigration and Citizenship). Clicking on the 'Act Now' button on right-hand side of this page ->

If you have more time…
Personalised letters are always more effective, so re-write the letter in your own words.

Or send your own letter to:
Senator Chris Evans
Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Christmas Island - no place to detain children, Act Now, Amnesty International Australia - Working to Protect Human Rights

[DougF]

Thanks Michaelangelica,
I am only one voice, but if we yell at once we will be heard.
.