tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171679342024-03-06T08:57:07.189+11:00WHERE THE BLOGS HAVE NO NAMEGeneral thoughts about Gardening, Food, Wine, Art, Music, and many other things that come to mind when I'm sitting at my keyboard. For thoughts on theology and literature see my other two blogs.Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.comBlogger118125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-89069531934228036822013-05-06T10:19:00.000+10:002013-05-06T10:22:30.775+10:00Imogen Brough on the VoiceGloria and I have been watching the Voice of channel 9 and were particularly impressed by Imogen Brough's performance sin the blind audition and the Battle round.<br />
<br />
However we were disappointed with the performance last night and suspect she won't make it through to following rounds.<br />
<br />
NOTE I did not say were were disappoinited with HER performance last night. The disappointment was with the "Coaching" of Rick Martin. Why on earth did he send her out to sing in a key entirely outside of her comfortable range?<br />
<br />
So far her demonstrated strength has been in the husky quality of her lower range, breaking out for a powerful climax as she did in the blind audition where all four "coaches" simultaneously turned their chairs in hope of claiming her for their teams.<br />
<br />
For her performance last night she was required to sing in a high register continually moving into falsetto.<br />
<br />
Poor coaching is almost certain to end her progress in that competition but hopefully will not damage her future in music.<br />
<br />
Imogen Brough, you are a unique talent deserving to find success. I hope you find it.<br />
<br />
Gloria and I are considering whether it is worth continuing with The Voice.<br />
<br />
_____________________<br />
<br />
This blog has been incative for a long time since I started my new wordpress sites<br />
<a href="http://onesimusfiles.wordpress.com/">http://onesimusfiles.wordpress.com/</a><br />
<a href="http://outshadows.wordpress.com/wp-admin/">http://outshadows.wordpress.com/wp-admin/</a><br />
<br />
But the topic of this post didn't seem to fit in with either of those wordpress sites and there didn't seem to be any other avenue to express my disappointment/<br />
<br />Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-5408734687884494372012-10-30T13:07:00.000+11:002012-10-30T13:07:00.570+11:00Would a Vegan Diet End Animal Suffering?I’ve just seen a comment on the letters page of the Daily Telegraph that suggested animal suffering will be alleviated with the adoption of a vegan diet.<br />
<br />
I think the comment displays a noble but very naive desire.<br />
The problem of animal suffering is more related to market forces and factory farming practices than by meat eating.<br />
<br />
Humanely raised livestock, given an equally humane end to life results in far less suffering than many creatures experience “in the wild” as part of a natural foodchain.<br />
<br />
A universal vegan diet would ultimately thrust those creatures currently raised domestically for food into “the wild”. It is unlikely that millions of these animals, no longer required for food, will be kept as pets or in zoos. What kind of habitat would be given over to them to allow them to roam in freedom and could they survive?<br />
<br />
What suffering would they endure and for how long, until they slip to endangered status and eventually to probable extinction?<br />
<br />
Veganism is NOT the answer to animal suffering, but being more selective with meat: eating less and choosing meat from animals raised and slaughtered humanely is a step in the right direction.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=355&picture=black-cow">Black Cow</a> by Petr Kratochvil<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkMyQ3OmDusIzmy_4pq4HZ4SN9DcBPDnMuYjHnrph3v1mHaYBeEc7uasYw5na3xTqJBgv4uFPS7hV4pFj2vdetqjumP24-6b21KRKvlIUICBdJ8SvexLjSfIYIbFfnhuYt0zX/s1600/1-1192354093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkMyQ3OmDusIzmy_4pq4HZ4SN9DcBPDnMuYjHnrph3v1mHaYBeEc7uasYw5na3xTqJBgv4uFPS7hV4pFj2vdetqjumP24-6b21KRKvlIUICBdJ8SvexLjSfIYIbFfnhuYt0zX/s200/1-1192354093.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Please note, this blog is mostly inactive. I have moved to wordpress. See here:</div>
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<a href="http://onesimusfiles.wordpress.com/">http://onesimusfiles.wordpress.com/</a></div>
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Comments on this blogspot site will no longer be posted.</div>
Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-477457688522803372012-10-03T09:17:00.003+10:002012-10-03T09:17:37.894+10:00October Garden<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">An October photo of the various garden beds I now have and a description of how they are being used: see the following link.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://onesimusfiles.wordpress.com/2012/10/03/october-garden/">http://onesimusfiles.wordpress.com/2012/10/03/october-garden/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-86866622147409267582012-09-28T12:32:00.000+10:002012-09-28T12:32:13.245+10:00How Does My Garden Grow?…Few things are more off-putting than finding boiled caterpillars hiding within the stalks of broccoli on your dinner plate….<br />
<br />
<br />
Full article here:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://onesimusfiles.wordpress.com/2012/09/28/how-does-my-garden-grow/">http://onesimusfiles.wordpress.com/2012/09/28/how-does-my-garden-grow/</a> <br />
<br />Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-16300997228606326592012-05-30T14:32:00.001+10:002012-05-30T14:32:11.694+10:00AnnouncementI've been concentrating more on my new wordpress blog in recent weeks. At the moment that one is easier for me to access, even though it seems more difficult to use than this one. As I've said before something has changed. I can only access the dashboard of this blog and not the actual blog pages. As a result I can't even add comments or reply to comments.<br />
<br />
Most of my posting to the blog is done via a work computer and either blogger have made some changes or the work IT system has been changed. Access to most blogs found on blogger has been blocked, the automated reason given is something called "placeholders". I don't have a clue what that means. <br />
<br />
This also means that I can't view other blogs with a blogspot address, so unfortunately, if you have a blog on that system I can't access your blog either. I therefore haven't been able to read some of my favourite blogs for some time.<br />
<br />
I'll keep this blog going and will make an occasional entry like this one, but unless the situation changes I'll be posting most things on wordpress from now on. This is the link to that blog:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://onesimusfiles.wordpress.com/">http://onesimusfiles.wordpress.com/</a><br />
<br />
This "announcement" will also be posted onto my other blogspot sites.<br />
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<br />
<br />Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-80193071843150098632012-03-28T09:06:00.002+11:002012-03-28T09:06:32.647+11:002012I’ve clearly done very little blogging in recent months, see here for a brief and partial explanation.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://onefiles.blogspot.com/2012/03/2012-first-months.html">http://onefiles.blogspot.com/2012/03/2012-first-months.html</a>Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-80506371302769866842012-02-22T08:27:00.000+11:002012-02-22T08:27:18.786+11:00Simon Crean LeadershipIt seems I'm not the only one to have my suspicions about Simon Crean.<br />
<br />
This morning's Sunrise on channel seven were reporting that he was another potential challenger for the prime ministership, who could step in as an alternative to break the Gillard-Rudd tensions.<br />
<br />
I told my family to keep an eye on Crean a couple of weeks ago after a reported snub of Julia Gillard when he failed to show up at a barbecue she had arranged to discuss matters with the party. This was straight after one of his early outbursts against Kevin Rudd.<br />
<br />
Then a couple of days ago, after Crean had a series of media appearances blasting Rudd I wrote my previous post suggesting that we keep our eyes on him.<br />
<br />
I think it would be unlikely for Crean to make a leadership move now. If he does make a move I think it will be after the next election (which Labor is almost guaranteed to lose). Then he will give himself a better opportunity to establish himself in leadership with the hope of winning the following election to become Prime Minister.Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-16428106220566234292012-02-20T12:25:00.000+11:002012-02-20T12:25:39.650+11:00Aussie PoliticsKeep your eye on Simon Crean and the way he weighs into the Labor leadership debate. He may be one to benefit from a Government implosion: being a possible candidate for leadership after Labor (most likely) loses the next election.<br />
<br />
To some ambitious Labor members losing the next election could give them the opportunity they desire to step forward to attempt leadership - sweeping away past leaders currently embroiled in powerplays, and presenting themselves as the ones to bring back the stability needed to regain power.Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-26865674344059211012012-01-25T11:10:00.001+11:002012-01-25T11:33:32.496+11:00For The Dead Men, Lucy WardGeorgeous voice. <br />
Great song.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0FbmiWS4fgo" width="420"></iframe>Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-48599079977408500712012-01-24T13:37:00.001+11:002012-01-24T13:38:57.202+11:00No Wiggle Room for Bad Decision.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg852OW43skeDYIuNBppbzxVhSkLgDoSzCyX-iHmo30hmiaM5NNoC1O6i5yY2SHJr4Ib9rGPZeY-kTLHQW7ODwCJHIuYv9wIzho-Tv9WF5nwd6fIjwF-SNQMIehe5cYhfT6pR3e/s1600/09398730153020-crop-325x325.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg852OW43skeDYIuNBppbzxVhSkLgDoSzCyX-iHmo30hmiaM5NNoC1O6i5yY2SHJr4Ib9rGPZeY-kTLHQW7ODwCJHIuYv9wIzho-Tv9WF5nwd6fIjwF-SNQMIehe5cYhfT6pR3e/s320/09398730153020-crop-325x325.png" width="182" /></a></div>Australian children’s entertainers the Wiggles may have made the worst business decision of their careers. The recent sacking of yellow Wiggle Sam Moran to make room for his predecessor’s return not only generated their worst ever publicity, they missed out on a perfect opportunity to perpetuate the Wiggle’s brand for years longer.<br />
<br />
None of the original members are getting younger – in fact they are noticeably aging, and three of them have experienced serious health issues. Geoff (purple wiggle) and Greg (returning yellow Wiggle) have both had heart problems, while Anthony (blue wiggle) has made no secret about suffering depression. How long can they continue with age and health against them?<br />
<br />
Instead of casting Sam aside like a now unneeded maternity-leave relief worker, he could have been the first in an ongoing replacement program. He was well-established and loved by today’s toddling audience, proof that life could go on without the original Wiggle cast, that the brand has grown bigger than its individual (original) cast members.<br />
Recently I read how most of the Wiggles annual multi-million dollar income has little to do with actual performances. Most comes from other sources such as advertising endorsements. With the dismissal of Sam they missed the perfect opportunity to sequentially replace all of the original members, allowing them to move on to other things – or into a comfortably wealthy retirement financed by their shareholdings in the Wiggles brand. They could have left younger men like Sam Moran to continue the hard work of entertaining children.<br />
__________ <br />
One thing that seems to have been overlooked with the Yellow Wiggle situation is that Sam seemed to do most of the singing for the group during his time as a wiggle. Whenever I saw them on TV, such as Carols by Candlelight, the other members acted as backing vocalists for Sam the lead singer.Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-24396993892949684512012-01-03T13:29:00.000+11:002012-01-03T13:29:30.260+11:00Would Veganism Prevent Animal Suffering?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkMyQ3OmDusIzmy_4pq4HZ4SN9DcBPDnMuYjHnrph3v1mHaYBeEc7uasYw5na3xTqJBgv4uFPS7hV4pFj2vdetqjumP24-6b21KRKvlIUICBdJ8SvexLjSfIYIbFfnhuYt0zX/s1600/1-1192354093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkMyQ3OmDusIzmy_4pq4HZ4SN9DcBPDnMuYjHnrph3v1mHaYBeEc7uasYw5na3xTqJBgv4uFPS7hV4pFj2vdetqjumP24-6b21KRKvlIUICBdJ8SvexLjSfIYIbFfnhuYt0zX/s200/1-1192354093.jpg" width="200" /></a><div></div>I’ve just seen a comment on the letters page of the Daily Telegraph suggesting that animal suffering would be alleviated with the widespread adoption of a vegan diet.<br />
<br />
I think the comment displays a noble but very naive desire.<br />
The problem of animal suffering is more related to market forces and factory farming practices than by meat eating.<br />
<br />
Humanely raised livestock, given an equally humane end to life results in far less suffering than many creatures experience “in the wild” as part of a natural foodchain. Man is only one species of meat eater, and the only one with the potential of reducing the suffering of the animals he eats.<br />
<br />
A universal vegan diet would ultimately thrust those creatures currently raised domestically for food into “the wild”. It is unlikely that millions of these animals, no longer required for food, will be kept as pets or in zoos. What kind of habitat would be given over to them to allow them to roam in freedom and could they survive?<br />
<br />
What suffering would they endure and for how long, until they slip to endangered status and eventually to probable extinction?<br />
<br />
Veganism is NOT the answer to animal suffering, but being more selective with meat: eating less and choosing meat from animals raised and slaughtered humanely is a step in the right direction.<br />
<br />
<br />
photo credit <a href="http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=355&picture=black-cow">Black Cow</a> by Petr Kratochvil<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-13095778024966614682011-12-20T09:08:00.001+11:002011-12-20T14:03:02.172+11:00Close Encounters of the Bird Kind: Bird Whisperer part IINot long ago I wrote about the swallow that found its way into the office at work. Today I had another close encounter after I heard a solid thump on the office window.<br />
<br />
Outside on the ground was a very docile little bird that looked slightly like a small silvereye without the white rimmed eye. It willingly stepped onto my hand and I was able to move it to a safer position on the low branch of a tree.<br />
<br />
I was so caught up in the moment that I missed the chance of noting the details that would help me make a positive identification. It was one of those times when a camera would have been helpful. Maybe I’m the only one here at work without a camera now that almost every mobile phone comes equipped with one.<br />
<br />
Relying on memory I turned to the birds in backyards website and came up with a tentative identification. <a href="http://birdsinbackyards.net/species/Eopsaltria-australis">http://birdsinbackyards.net/species/Eopsaltria-australis</a><br />
<br />
However, for confirmation I went back outside hoping to see the bird still sitting on the branch where I’d left it. It was there, but before I could have a good look, it flew away. <br />
While disappointed that I couldn’t confirm what it was, I was pleased to see it had recovered from its accident, even if it didn’t recognise its rescuer and didn’t fly to my shoulder to express its thanks.Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-86713998413642870732011-12-14T13:35:00.000+11:002011-12-14T13:35:45.812+11:00The Ill-Advised Practice of Naming Your Livestock – or even your car.I don’t have any livestock. The deeds of my house prohibit the keeping of livestock on my property. But I can imagine that naming an animal that is ultimately destined for the table would make it much harder emotionally to see that destiny fulfilled.<br />
<br />
I have no livestock but I do have a car – one that is being traded in today on another vehicle that is supposed to use 25% less fuel. And while our old car isn’t a living thing – it did get named soon after purchase, and maybe that isn’t helping to face up to the fact that our relationship will be ended today after more than 7 years of faithful service.<br />
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What should be a time of excited anticipation – leading to the arrival of the new car, is in fact seriously tinged with sadness. I’ll be sorry to see “Mulder” go.Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-58384150902375758152011-11-22T08:59:00.001+11:002011-11-22T09:03:12.873+11:00Global Rock ChallengeMy niece's school recently participated in a school's dance competition. Their performance inspired by Jessica Watson's solo round the world sailing journey is on this video:<br />
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<script src="http://www.globalrockchallenge.com//player/?v=3191&c=IOBM" type="text/javascript">
</script><br />
<div id="IOBM"></div><br />
Inspiring?<br />
Then please vote here:<br />
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<a href="http://www.globalrockchallenge.com/Video/3191/True-Inspiration/">http://www.globalrockchallenge.com/Video/3191/True-Inspiration/</a><br />
.Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-28977760587183215032011-11-10T11:06:00.000+11:002011-11-10T11:06:38.336+11:00Art, UFOs, Truth?Today I came across an online art magazine <a href="http://painters-table.com/">http://painters-table.com/</a>.<br />
<br />
I haven’t had the chance to have a good look at it yet but I did read Budd Hopkins’ obituary <a href="http://painters-table.com/blog/budd-hopkins-obituary-1932-2011">http://painters-table.com/blog/budd-hopkins-obituary-1932-2011</a> and a 2010 interview with Hopkins linked in the obituary.<br />
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He was a major UFO abduction investigator and author. I’d forgotten he was also an artist.<br />
<br />
I can credit Hopkins for waking me up to the truth about UFOs and alien abductions. His book “Witness” was about a UFO abduction witnessed by a high ranking United Nations official. I found the whole story was beyond ridiculous. <br />
<br />
It was clear to me that Hopkins was so caught up with the story that he had lost any sense of objectivity. For me that book was the final confirmation that so many UFO claims are media creations, or at least media driven. The majority of what we “know” about them is filtered through the subjective, often highly biased reporting of UFO “investigators”. The reported “truth” is usually far different to the objective truth of what actually happened. Somewhere between an actual experience and the end product of the published report there is a great deal of embellishment.<br />
<br />
That embellishment may not be added to intentionally deceive; it could be that the reporter is driven more by the need to believe than by a desire for truthOnesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-15287358436998396142011-10-10T12:11:00.000+11:002011-10-10T12:11:34.669+11:00Bushrangers: Heros or thugs?The likes of Ned Kelly and Ben Hall have captured the Australian imagination and become the focus of our folklore and mythology. They are often portrayed as victims of authoritarian oppression and champions of the downtrodden.<br />
<br />
But what would we think if we could look ahead, maybe a century and a half into the future, and see today’s car thieves, home invaders, armed robbers and murderers being celebrated as national heroes? <br />
<br />
Channel Seven is currently running the Wild Boys series which has been described as a “boys own” adventure. It portrays a police force headed by a ruthless leader who is not averse to breaking the law himself to make sure his idea of order is upheld. The heroes are a group of lovable larrikins whose only failing is their regular practice of holding travellers at gunpoint to relieve them of their valuables.<br />
<br />
The series plays up the romanticised picture of the bushranger as loveable rogue that has made heroes of some of the most ruthless criminals in our history. Even the term “bushranger creates a more romantic image than words that more accurately describe their lives and criminal pursuits.<br />
<br />
How would you picture a group of men who break into your home and hold you hostage for hours, making threats of violence, demanding to be fed and then taking as many of your possessions as they can carry? Would you find it excusable if they came from a disadvantaged family or had been given a raw deal by the authorities? I’m sure not!<br />
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<br />
Recently I have read two new books dealing with the subject of Bushrangers. My brief reviews can be found here:<br />
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<a href="http://out-shadows.blogspot.com/2011/10/captain-thunderbolt-and-his-lady-by.html">http://out-shadows.blogspot.com/2011/10/captain-thunderbolt-and-his-lady-by.html</a><br />
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<a href="http://out-shadows.blogspot.com/2011/10/bushrangers-australias-greatest-self.html">http://out-shadows.blogspot.com/2011/10/bushrangers-australias-greatest-self.html</a>Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-23149917687353402532011-09-30T12:14:00.002+10:002011-09-30T12:14:34.633+10:00Just call me the bird whisperer!A bit of excitement in the office this morning, a swallow made its way through a series of doors and entered the office. It flew around for several minutes, avoiding all attempts to guide it back the way it came. Eventually I was able to corner it near a window and use my jacket as a net. I took it outside and released it.<br />
<br />
My office is attached to a large workshop building. Swallows nest and roost up near the roof. The workshop is closed up each evening and the creaking of the large roller doors alerts the swallows that its time to return. The closing of the doors is always accompanied by a squadron of returning birds, swooping between the bottom of the door and the floor. Likewise, each morning when the doors are opened, the birds will leave their roosting site and swoop out for the day.<br />
<br />
All is not lost if the doors close before they get through. There is a gap at the corner of the door where it doesn’t quite meet the floor. Any late birds land on the ground, scurry through and fly off again.Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-88400327575530610112011-09-02T08:19:00.003+10:002011-09-13T14:45:16.434+10:00Broken News<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_dh3EspeR0-n9glLymlvUlSofcuUp809NK5M9uy2Jna3mlYeZ5IYgw-tj0p9Mi50ZI-JuNlolqS-Lvgs46DkLLFQdHHtP4dV6hJE0UkYHFz6Kd-UJrOMGI3YnTIMzFaGAMu8/s1600/NEDs+skull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="319" width="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_dh3EspeR0-n9glLymlvUlSofcuUp809NK5M9uy2Jna3mlYeZ5IYgw-tj0p9Mi50ZI-JuNlolqS-Lvgs46DkLLFQdHHtP4dV6hJE0UkYHFz6Kd-UJrOMGI3YnTIMzFaGAMu8/s400/NEDs+skull.jpg" /></a></div>They’ve recently discovered that Ned Kelly had a skeleton but he kept it buried at Pentridge prison in Melbourne instead of in his closet. <br />
DNA tests proved this – but I don’t think they’ve been able to prove he had a skull of his own. Someone else’s may have been substituted.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/ned-kellys-remains-found-20110901-1jmqi.html">http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/ned-kellys-remains-found-20110901-1jmqi.html</a><br />
<br />
Ned could have turned to art instead of crime but there were no government art grants at the time so he couldn’t exchange a $20,000 grant for uncirculated notes to be displayed under Perspex and given a price tag of up to $25,000.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/cash-artwork-sells-for-21350/story-fn9d3avm-1226126777761">http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/cash-artwork-sells-for-21350/story-fn9d3avm-1226126777761</a>Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-32031146930943639582011-08-03T09:14:00.007+10:002011-08-03T09:24:10.965+10:00More paintingsHere are two more of my paintings. Gloria has now joined me in this new creative outlet. Two of her paintings follow mine. The blue one at the end is a work in progress.<br /><br />Mine:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMYCvKOe0mW_dKc1M78bSYb_RJzhGcvksresN5Jndy_4K-dXY-i-fj4CbrIGVXdHLr8rktcm5-TJhzOZLIyhErX7WRH4n5tTyjVcrXCiIsQHuH1t7ZCfT0bJWaMcJzUqT9a-nk/s1600/pentecost+new.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMYCvKOe0mW_dKc1M78bSYb_RJzhGcvksresN5Jndy_4K-dXY-i-fj4CbrIGVXdHLr8rktcm5-TJhzOZLIyhErX7WRH4n5tTyjVcrXCiIsQHuH1t7ZCfT0bJWaMcJzUqT9a-nk/s400/pentecost+new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636401291642304658" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYVyOn6q6kcA7B1H_y0YLHf35KvOLj5dVH2oAabxguPiFfMEQLp8m9siW0UY78kF33Wk5jPxcfi2LlonZdoWl-8-ri5a8YnDZy6c0dDWrTeMtlEL3RSK6XZCWIxtzX1z-1wMwi/s1600/Vessel.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 313px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYVyOn6q6kcA7B1H_y0YLHf35KvOLj5dVH2oAabxguPiFfMEQLp8m9siW0UY78kF33Wk5jPxcfi2LlonZdoWl-8-ri5a8YnDZy6c0dDWrTeMtlEL3RSK6XZCWIxtzX1z-1wMwi/s400/Vessel.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636401499594698450" /></a><br /><br /><br />And Gloria's:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXWAa34js9GAqrqfjPnOQQ1imJzkmbv4cWID5cWqvIgLUFMbZQPX7ztk2jnNm-0rDv6oSv_YDwE-T9Jf708LPH8ttKp-K9KdsJ2r7AXv1d1l6pf-BkjKrNyi_Gu622QYmI14M/s1600/100_3200.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 280px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXWAa34js9GAqrqfjPnOQQ1imJzkmbv4cWID5cWqvIgLUFMbZQPX7ztk2jnNm-0rDv6oSv_YDwE-T9Jf708LPH8ttKp-K9KdsJ2r7AXv1d1l6pf-BkjKrNyi_Gu622QYmI14M/s400/100_3200.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636403040738730034" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgselwmjwpulPE5bZiNxcce8amIs-ia0X8ghsb1AAYjHKayeIv3jNIWaxppEWKigvyWSYz6Uf8j_2o0TYWnIFbrWQvwGwzOmHHubqmIBEIEFyUVCxRuYTB7NdDHbI5Br6yzw9nA/s1600/100_3196.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 338px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgselwmjwpulPE5bZiNxcce8amIs-ia0X8ghsb1AAYjHKayeIv3jNIWaxppEWKigvyWSYz6Uf8j_2o0TYWnIFbrWQvwGwzOmHHubqmIBEIEFyUVCxRuYTB7NdDHbI5Br6yzw9nA/s400/100_3196.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636402925968302722" /></a>Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-76593290362779622642011-07-01T15:09:00.006+10:002011-07-01T15:20:29.878+10:00Painting the BibleI’ve taken up a new artistic pursuit: PAINTING.<br /><br />I was encouraged to do this by a friend who has been painting for years. He paints Bible text on canvas with acrylic paint.<br /><br />He also introduced me to a NZ artist Colin McCahon who painted many art works based on bible texts. One of his most significant works being Victory Over Death 2, a gift to the National Gallery Australia from the New Zealand Government.<br /><br />I saw the painting almost by accident on a recent trip to the NGA and it was the most powerful artwork I’ve seen. Since that first viewing I’ve made a second visit to the gallery solely to see that one painting.<br /><br />My own work is still in the practice stage, with many frustrations and disappointments. I’m trying to come to terms with both paint and canvas and at times I struggle. It should be easy to write text with paint – but its not. Here are some of my paintings so far – remember it is early days yet. Hopefully with practice I’ll improve.<br /><br />Broken Body Shed Blood<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg8ZMW3jVWG5l3860s37OkIJuyOsO3WsSnmE6Y4y2-japN37wXxcDw2EupXxPGztfpc8YGsMTWaT9wuYUoXXYnVvaTYM3bbZet0OCiIHPYts4e3q43udnuIU-aVbF7Zmqw_TPX/s1600/bread+web.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624247070960158786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 291px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg8ZMW3jVWG5l3860s37OkIJuyOsO3WsSnmE6Y4y2-japN37wXxcDw2EupXxPGztfpc8YGsMTWaT9wuYUoXXYnVvaTYM3bbZet0OCiIHPYts4e3q43udnuIU-aVbF7Zmqw_TPX/s400/bread+web.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />In the Beginning<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkX8NhApoj_7jZeWYTm2llgZFhVQEC1IqfqiyoJbD5NH1dx-vLUBiiVIuwb-qoJzSfHh5jIbqejwXRTq6hhbPHFrLqJ3W949PDQrM_6Um-KZNelIVl-02BIlS5__eEVpiHMk0d/s1600/begin+web.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624247326918896434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 319px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 226px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkX8NhApoj_7jZeWYTm2llgZFhVQEC1IqfqiyoJbD5NH1dx-vLUBiiVIuwb-qoJzSfHh5jIbqejwXRTq6hhbPHFrLqJ3W949PDQrM_6Um-KZNelIVl-02BIlS5__eEVpiHMk0d/s400/begin+web.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Way Truth Life.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJH9mPzDbPzBrzoLwORVkQLmuGDtqOqHW1SWTySy-AcgXTPBQMYSElF_k7l90UtL383FeI6XsYDRpflERKcLAJ7e5MjkFGtV_tfBfQbculxjMElEYm844BnlUiRazhUMG4H8LU/s1600/WAY.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624247905714350930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 319px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 228px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJH9mPzDbPzBrzoLwORVkQLmuGDtqOqHW1SWTySy-AcgXTPBQMYSElF_k7l90UtL383FeI6XsYDRpflERKcLAJ7e5MjkFGtV_tfBfQbculxjMElEYm844BnlUiRazhUMG4H8LU/s400/WAY.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Word of God<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVv_r81bS73vBa0N2yyFHkIXtwdtQNaSPEND3AlI2LBuIDzybp4RqKlpwjSQvGwdAr4TfxzdlOJRo1c1uo9QXGg6VGBB0TTYrx5vuWyyRe6mXoIE_7pdX4wLEycBsQTQs8G3LI/s1600/Word+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624248219154602914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 236px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVv_r81bS73vBa0N2yyFHkIXtwdtQNaSPEND3AlI2LBuIDzybp4RqKlpwjSQvGwdAr4TfxzdlOJRo1c1uo9QXGg6VGBB0TTYrx5vuWyyRe6mXoIE_7pdX4wLEycBsQTQs8G3LI/s400/Word+2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />See here for details and images relating to Victory Over Death 2.<br /><br /><a href="http://nga.gov.au/McCahon/1.cfm">http://nga.gov.au/McCahon/1.cfm</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mccahon.co.nz/cm001502">http://www.mccahon.co.nz/cm001502</a>Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-2620509386230709942011-06-24T11:27:00.002+10:002011-06-24T11:30:52.248+10:00Too Technically Minded For the Common Good<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOZKYuVXlNoajLIgDJU_NoMf4clKUf42JgpdYqp5II28fH6N_T4DNteHtjV10e0mQKIV8SIQrkKYe4l28S8uJYwkGbjCeGL1KvKambsngIvKG8sK4awS7Q-zHIzet0lZXcCG4/s1600/Image.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 168px; height: 168px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOZKYuVXlNoajLIgDJU_NoMf4clKUf42JgpdYqp5II28fH6N_T4DNteHtjV10e0mQKIV8SIQrkKYe4l28S8uJYwkGbjCeGL1KvKambsngIvKG8sK4awS7Q-zHIzet0lZXcCG4/s400/Image.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621592089261568850" /></a>I work with some very technically-savvy men. Personally I have less mechanical aptitude than the neighbours cat (who was recently able to extricate a mouse from a trap without leaving any scattered mouse parts).<br /><br />So why is it that I seem to be the only one to successfully replace the paper towels in the men’s room?<br /><br />It’s not that others won’t do it – they make an attempt, but their technical knowhow seems to get in the way. They make it much more complicated than it needs to be and they find ways of threading the paper through imaginative obstacle courses. This tightens the movement of the paper, and when the hands are wet – as they usually are when there’s a need for towel – the paper breaks off in small soggy pieces.<br /><br />They don’t seem to understand the concept of following the path of least resistance: the most straight forward path that allows the paper to unroll smoothly and freely.<br /><br />So there’s an advantage to my technical ignorance. I can do what makes sense rather than try to find new ways of challenging the laws of physicsOnesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-19977973605975470652011-06-07T13:52:00.001+10:002011-06-07T13:55:31.016+10:00Conspiracy!!!I received an email today claiming that the current e coli outbreak in Europe is the result of a purposely manufactured, resistant strain of e coli. An attached article stated:<br /><br />“virtually no one is talking about how e coli could have magically become resistant to eight different classes of antibiotic drugs and then suddenly appeared in the food supply.”<br /><br />And asks the question:<br /><br />“So how, exactly, does a bacterial strain come into existence that’s resistant to over a dozen antibiotics in eight different drug classes?”<br /><br />Well that the first statement is not exactly the truth and the question can be easily answered.<br /><br />I read an article on the weekend about the rise in bacteria in food caused by the "recycling" of human waste as fertilizer (supposedly treated to be made safe). It also pointed out the presence of antibiotics in the human waste which has passed through the digestive tracts of countless thousands of people. Therefore we have e coli being exposed to a great variety of antibiotics and gaining resistance over time.<br /> <br />The waste is used for food crops; the resistant e coli infects the food and thereafter the eaters. <br /> <br />No conspiracy needed just stupidity, carelessness and greed.Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-75134086438296822732011-04-27T15:58:00.006+10:002011-04-27T16:05:09.731+10:00In Defense of FoodHere is a brief excerpt from an excellent book I’ve been reading:<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwLL85_6qbjjMBcEkEU-kSnYuD9COP4mDRwdUQIaeVNicv3QRsb7iYbZnc9HyVT5CEwv8MkP6qO5b3NKDDXpy4iNea9qW7jYJPWulrgggEiiR8RKbm9FW27UovJ578CHY0EqMQ/s1600/idof-3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600138932879360194" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 142px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwLL85_6qbjjMBcEkEU-kSnYuD9COP4mDRwdUQIaeVNicv3QRsb7iYbZnc9HyVT5CEwv8MkP6qO5b3NKDDXpy4iNea9qW7jYJPWulrgggEiiR8RKbm9FW27UovJ578CHY0EqMQ/s200/idof-3.jpg" border="0" /></a><blockquote>People eating a Western diet are prone to a complex of chronic diseases that seldom strike people eating more traditional diets. Scientists can argue all they want about the biological mechanisms behind this phenomenon, but whichever it is, the solution to the problem would appear to remain very much the same: <em>Stop eating a Western diet</em>.<br /><br />In truth the chief value of any and all theories of nutrition, apart from satisfying our curiosity about how things work, is not to the eater so much as it is to the food industry and the medical community. The food industry needs theories so it can better redesign specific processed foods; a new theory means a new line of products, allowing the industry to go on tweaking the western diet instead of making any more radical changes to its business model. For industry it’s obviously preferable to have a scientific rationale for <em>further</em> processing foods – whether by lowering the fat or carbs or by boosting omega-3s or fortifying them with antioxidants and probiotics – than to entertain seriously the proposition that processed foods of any kind are a big part of the problem.</blockquote><br /><br />(<em>In Defense of Food, an eater’s manifesto</em>, by Michael Pollan.)<br /><br />For more information see:<br /><br /><a href="http://michaelpollan.com/books/in-defense-of-food/">http://michaelpollan.com/books/in-defense-of-food/</a>Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-60681512054569313782011-04-13T09:15:00.008+10:002011-04-13T11:05:49.830+10:00A Break in Beechworth<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDU8-dj5XRhqQ3pezmswQ93XMCKLLtcmxcNdxb0Mz2xLo9_jLboMpyyDJKxDPzF7UrfFE3Y4vbPrBiIhl4h5SKHP7wdbMcNGCwa3QfkuVsucXlg7nxVXQRrjE47zWV1qv_ncts/s1600/cottage.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 162px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDU8-dj5XRhqQ3pezmswQ93XMCKLLtcmxcNdxb0Mz2xLo9_jLboMpyyDJKxDPzF7UrfFE3Y4vbPrBiIhl4h5SKHP7wdbMcNGCwa3QfkuVsucXlg7nxVXQRrjE47zWV1qv_ncts/s400/cottage.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594841674680330322" /></a>I may have done things differently if I’d visited Beechworth several years ago. Would I have chosen THAT town for my tree-change instead of the town I now call home? <br /><br />Gloria and I recently stayed in Beechworth for a few days, living in a cottage that was over 150 years old. We both loved the town. It had historical character, with many of its old buildings in the main street retained. And it had natural beauty, set alongside stunning bushland with waterfalls and exposed rock visible from parts of the town. <br /><br />Our first day started with some disappointment. We set out to explore and found most of the town was closed – the majority of businesses didn’t open until 10.00am. And one of the cafes we had hoped to try was on the market, and not currently trading. The weather was also unpredictable. It rained, the sun came out, and it rained again, making us change our plans to try a couple of guided walks run by the tourist information office. <br /><br />It took us a few hours to get our bearings but the more we saw of the town, the more we started to enjoy the place. Highlights of our short holiday include visits to <a href="http://www.beechworthhoney.com.au/beechworth_honey_experience.html">the Beechworth Honey Experience </a>and <a href="http://onetreehillpottery.com/?page_id=449">The Potters Beechworth </a>. <br /><br />We made a few visits to each. The honey shop not only sold Beechworth Honey products, it had a very interesting video tour about their business, bee keeping, honey and the importance of bees. The series of short videos was very well presented and has made me want to find out more about the role bees play in maintaining the security of food supplies. <br /><br />My interest in Beechworth Pottery started weeks ago when I bought two “One Tree Hill Pottery” vases from an antique shop. I wanted to find out more about the makers and an internet search introduced me to The Potters Beechworth which is run by the makers of One Tree Hill pottery. We spent a lot of time in their shop admiring their work and added some pieces to our small collection. <br /><br />Another highlight of the town was its Farmer’s market. We were driving out of town on the way home when Gloria remembered we’d earlier seen the market being advertised. We turned around and drove back to the church where the market was being held. It left our local market for dead. <br /><br />There was a good number and variety of stalls selling fruit and veggies, organic meat, preserves, olive oil, wines, art work and plants and attracted a lot of shoppers, contrasting significantly with our local farmers market which now has few stalls and few shoppers. <br /><br />The atmosphere of the Beechworth market was enhanced by its location in the church grounds (ours is held in a public car park) and the ringing of the church bells definitely added to the experience. <br /><br />Our holiday was not limited to time in Beechworth. We spent one day driving to neighbouring towns. My main plan was to visit Glenrowan, site of Ned Kelly’s failed stand against the authorities, but we managed to also fit in the antique shops of Chiltern, Rutherglen, and Benalla. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdeBqttQCwsLhYMmgT3OzEMXv6Fx7sRyP1vL1AKYw1tLVmhpYs4sFcf9_atsNDKvzFHC4b6AZIOupBlbAj5LWLRPOpwJEyShcXcfJaaBHONBZswkCtcOOP3lbOoiuPF40sCbCB/s1600/INN.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdeBqttQCwsLhYMmgT3OzEMXv6Fx7sRyP1vL1AKYw1tLVmhpYs4sFcf9_atsNDKvzFHC4b6AZIOupBlbAj5LWLRPOpwJEyShcXcfJaaBHONBZswkCtcOOP3lbOoiuPF40sCbCB/s200/INN.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594841879598406866" /></a>Glenrowan was a disappointment being mostly tourist shops exploiting the story of Ned Kelly. Two of them had their own museums dedicated to Kelly, but after seeing what was on offer I wasn’t prepared to pay the few dollars admission. Maybe it would have been worth the price, but I’ll never know. <br /><br />We had been to the town about 20 years ago and had fond memories of being welcomed by a bearded man shouting “Howdy peoples!” while he handed out pikelets with cream and jam to arrivals parking in front of his café. That generosity led to us entering to have pumpkin soup and damper for lunch. Of course, after all this time the man was no longer there.<br /><br />A couple of doors down the road is an animatronics show about Ned Kelly’s shootout with the police. Said to have cost millions to create, this is perhaps the most worthwhile attraction the town has on offer. It is a partly interactive experience using the same kind of technology of several Disneyland rides. We tried it during our earlier visit to the town and Gloria found it quite frightening, so we didn’t go in this time. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMoyXEfheTE8r9-bhzjWr_6yJDUyf8Qclzv1f8-1ySmt1gKScEzbmP_y_g3KKWw5y7aT6-XqH8TZxIV42bLk_wfLN28V-IAVo-tghzWFzN_-BBaZVx5fan0Xpxx9vG2jmDp-y/s1600/ned.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMoyXEfheTE8r9-bhzjWr_6yJDUyf8Qclzv1f8-1ySmt1gKScEzbmP_y_g3KKWw5y7aT6-XqH8TZxIV42bLk_wfLN28V-IAVo-tghzWFzN_-BBaZVx5fan0Xpxx9vG2jmDp-y/s400/ned.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594842192136739218" /></a>For me the highlight of Glenrowan was finally seeing the actual site where Kelly and his gang met their end. The location of Ann Jones’ Glenrowan Inn, where the gang were cornered by police, is now an empty block. It is signposted and has some naive sculptures of the Kelly gang beside it, but not much more to see: not even signs of a recent archaeological dig featured on an ABC TV documentary hosted by Tony Robinson of Time Team fame. <br /><br />Around the area of the siege site are sign-posts and more naïve sculptures, giving details of various incidents associated with the Kelly shootout: including the police position and where Kelly was captured. Without these I would have found the visit to the town a waste of time. <br /><br />It’s not a place I’m planning to visit again, having already seen the best of what the town has to offer (the animatronics show and the siege site). For someone who has never been to the town, a short detour from the Hume Freeway may be worth it for those experiences, but for myself, I’ve now seen enough. <br /><br />There is still a lot of Beechworth and the surrounding area that we haven’t seen. We didn’t get to take the guided walks to find out about places of historical significance associated with the gold rush and the Kelly story. Those are things we’d like to try next time. <br /><br />Until we have the opportunity to return, I’m sure we’ll continue to wonder whether Beechworth would have been a better choice when we moved from Sydney. But I suppose the differences between a short term holiday and a lifetime home are significant. At least we have discovered a very pleasant town suitable for an occasional escape from reality whenever we can take a break away from home.Onesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17167934.post-49672240123295602682011-03-24T12:12:00.004+11:002011-03-24T12:28:18.880+11:00Going Solar. Some not so sunny concerns!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_FYnRSBunJ028YxoVW3-DF_AyWneavmwO7z7GZngH2AXOhPMyi2SCGnHkNzy23G56kPGCWd1P4KJdPmtRyuJ9ZrVnarui7jfZYmo8zga5zEzSvX6KnSIPi612C-CIw8ODgNp6/s1600/solar-panels-871284454772qkB9.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_FYnRSBunJ028YxoVW3-DF_AyWneavmwO7z7GZngH2AXOhPMyi2SCGnHkNzy23G56kPGCWd1P4KJdPmtRyuJ9ZrVnarui7jfZYmo8zga5zEzSvX6KnSIPi612C-CIw8ODgNp6/s320/solar-panels-871284454772qkB9.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587451827590938722" /></a>The solar panel people came around to give a quote and apart from the required financial outlay I’m not really any wiser about the whole thing.<br /><br />I have a basic idea of the system. The panels on the roof will generate electricity which will be directed into the public supply grid and we will receive credit for the amount of energy generated. We are then charged for whatever power we use ourselves. If we use more than we generate we pay. If we generate more than we use we are paid.<br /><br />Beyond that we are at the mercy of the panel supplier/installer. It seems most panels have a 25 year guarantee. But should there be problems in 10 or 20 years time – who do we contact? What if the supplier is no longer in business? How many businesses like this are still around after 20-25 years? While the guarantee gives the impression of security, they are dependant upon there being someone still around to honour it.<br /><br />The current system also works under certain legal conditions established by the Government. Those conditions last until 2017. What comes after that? Will the whole thing be overturned, nullifying the benefit of having the panels? Maybe that’s not too important – supposedly the panels will pay for themselves within three or four years and anything after that will be a bonus.<br /><br />At the moment I feel a bit pressured. There is a deadline to face. The generous rebates will be reduced in July. The installation will be more expensive after that date. Clearly I should have considered doing this earlier, when I’d have more time to weigh up the pros and cons of different suppliers.<br /><br /><br />image:<br /><a href="http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=9099&picture=solar-panels">Solar Panels</a> by Vera KratochvilOnesimushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413061573637313957noreply@blogger.com0