Kilikiti

[www.police.govt.nz]

Rod Curtis recently published this article on Somoa's national sport of kilikiti - a variation on the game of cricket, which was introduced by missionaries in the early 19th century but then allowed to evolve independent of British influence.

New Publication: Climate Change and Australian Runoff

Preston, B.L. and Jones, R.N. (2008) Evaluating sources ofuncertainty in Australian runoff projections. Advances in Water Resources Volume 31, Issue 5, Pages 758-775.

Abstract
Generating estimates of the future impacts of climate change on human and natural systems is confounded by cascading uncertainties which propagate through the impact assessment. Here, a simple stochastic rainfall–runoff model representing 238 river basins on the Australian continent was used to assess the sensitivity of the risk of runoff changes to various sources of uncertainty. Uncertainties included global mean temperature change, greenhouse gas stabilisation targets, catchment sensitivities to climatic change, and the seasonality of runoff, rainfall, and evaporation. Model simulations provided estimates of the first-order risk of climate change to Australian catchments, with several regions having high likelihoods of experiencing significant reductions in future runoff. Climate uncertainty (at global and regional scales) was identified as the dominant driving force in hydrological risk assessments. Uncertainties in catchment sensitivities to climatic changes also influenced risk, provided they were sufficiently large, whereas structural assumptions of the model were generally negligible. Collectively, these results indicate that rigorous assessment of climate risk to water resources over relatively long time-scales is largely a function of adequately exploring the uncertainty space of future climate changes.

Slave to the Grind

It's been a busy couple of weeks. I did a sting on the lecture circuit, giving talks at a workshop on urban water systems, one on climate change and social justice, one on climate adaptation in local government, and finished off talking to secondary school students (pictured here) about success and how to achieve it.

Not-so-big Rig

Joshua Dowling from the Sydney Morning Herald writes about his experience driving a new Smart Fortwo across the great continent of Australia.

First Compton, Now NYC

The escotereic sport of cricket continues to make inroads in America. First, the Compton Cricket Club hit the news and now word that a junior cricket league has been launched in New York.

Victoria Leads

Victoria has been in the spotlight as of late when it comes to taking on climate change. Recent initiatives include:

1) Opening of the Otway Project - the world’s largest research and carbon geosequestration demonstration project.

2) A $72 million increase in investment for the state's renewable energy projects.

3) A partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative to explore clean, renewable energy projects in the state.

2008 Nationals

From 23-29 March, Melbourne hosted the 27th JKA Australia Nationals, with ~250 Aussies and Kiwis coming together to train and compete. It was a pretty awesome sight to see that number of people training in sync (under the guidance of some of Japan's most accomplished instructors) and to see the camaraderie among those that have invested blood sweat and tears in the pursuit of karate.

See here for a recap of the week and here for the tournament victors.

Australia's Old South

Speaking of the Old South, reports suggest Australia's looking a bit Jim Crow as of late, with relatively affluent whites shifting their kids out of public schools into more elite private schools. One of the alleged impetuses - the influx of refugees from overseas into Australia's suburbs and public education systems. Funny how Australia strives to be seen as a worldly entity worthy of the a place on the global main stage, yet it's people seem to have a fairly narrow comfort range for those other people with whom they share the planet.

Free Speech under Fire in the U.S.'s Former Capital

Williamsburg, Virginia was once the heart of America, the capital of Britain's colony across the Atlantic, and one of the key birthplaces of the American revolution that established the United States as an independent nation governed under the world's longest lasting Constitution.

The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg is the second oldest university in the nation. It's educated a plethora of American greats including many of the nation's so-called fore-fathers (Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, Richard Bland, Peyton Randolph, Edmund Randolph, Benjamin Harrison, John Marshall and John Tyler), with George Washington serving as the university's first chancellor. In the modern era, folks such as the current U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Glenn Close and John Stewart, as well as many offspring of Washington players have attended. And then there are clowns such as myself (class of '96).

Despite this illustrious history of progressive education and leadership, the latest President of the university, Gene Nichol, was recently ousted, allegedly due to his liberal leanings which led to his attempts to make the campus chapel more open to multiple faiths, expand a program to enable low-income state residents attend university without being burned by debt, and (the final straw) permitting the student body association to allow the Sex Workers' Art Show to perform on campus. Nichols (a constitutional lawyer) defended his actions on the ground of free speech, separation of church and state, and the responsibilities of a public university. These acts were generally supported by the campus community, and by all accounts Nichol was well-loved. However, the Board of Visitors appears to be a lot cut from a different cloth, viewing the values of the Old South (and conservatives throughout the nation) as more important than the values of the university.

Melbourne Rules (sort of)!

Interesting polling results shed some new insight into the age old Melbourne and Sydney rivalry.

"The survey of 1,327 respondents, and based on the quality of life
attainable in Australian cities, found 29 per cent would prefer to work in Brisbane or on the Gold Coast, 26.2 per cent liked the look of Melbourne, while only 18.2 per cent backed Sydney."

While the press have played this up as Melbourne beating out Sydney, it's worth noting that southeast Queensland beats them both.

Garnaut & Carbon Trading

Against the appropriate back-drop of a record heat wavee in southern Australia (in March of all months, with Adelaide experiencing 15 consecutive days>35 degrees)Ross Garnaut released another interim report. This one, with thoughts on emissions trading, broke the news that carbon trading would bring higher energy prices (duh!, after all that's the point right). However, he also indicated that the big emitters and energy utilities shouldn't receive a free lunch in the way of carbon permit hand-outs (as suggested by the last government).

Stuff White People Like

So true. . .

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/

Let the Games Begin

The South Australia Supreme Court has fired an opening volley in what is likely to be come a common legal battleground in coming years: what are local governments legally entitled (or obligated) to do to control coastal development in light of climate change and sea-level rise?

"'The rejection of a subdivision on Yorke Peninsula, west of Adelaide, is likely to be repeated across the country as councils progressively write climate change provisions into their planning regulations. The South Australian Supreme Court cited local sea level rises of 30cm over the next 50 years in ruling yesterday against Northcape Properties' plans for 80 holiday homes at Marion Bay, 150km west of Adelaide. The changes - which the court ruled was expected, not merely a probability - would encroach on the proposal's "erosion buffer and coastal reserve'."

This decision represents one of the first of its kind in Australia, but certainly not the last.

Will Comply

Today's Australian has a write-up of Wilco and their up-coming return to Australia. While capturing some of the more pedestrian history of the band, the article has some amusing quotes from Jeff Tweedy on Billy Bragg and the Mermaid Avenue affair as well as the growth in Internet-based music sharing.

Beyond Kyoto, Oi, Oi, Oi

Climate change policy in Australia continues to be led from the bottom-up with the latest polling from the Climate Institute indicating 73% of Australians are ready to move beyond Kyoto Protocol commitments for greenhouse gas emissions reductions. However, those 73% weren't asked how much they'd be wiling to pay for those reductions. In fact, when asked whether they'd support action even if people's jobs were on the line, the number dropped to 38%. So as with most purchasing decisions, there is a difference between what people want and what they think they can afford. . .

Return to Wilson's Promontory

We were there in 2007, but this past weekend, we took advantage of the Labour Day holiday to take the Dittmer elders to Wilson's Promontory. The traffic getting out of Melbourne was wilder than anything we saw at the Prom, although we did have to contend with the usual assortment of precocious wombats, possums and seagulls.

We lounged on the beach at Tidal River, climbed Mt Bishop, met some nice Gippsland boys at the barbie, and caught what can only be described as a chick flick at the outdoor cinema (where the wombats come around at intermission to nibble on your shoelaces). The highlight was the opportunity to get out from behind the wheel of the Getz for a weekend and cruise around in the relative luxury of a Nissan X-Trail. The low point was the weather change that rolled in around 3am Monday morning, bringing hot northerly winds that turned an otherwise pleasant night into a sweltering, and at times hair-raising, ordeal.

Photos here.

Taronga Zoo

Some scenes from a trip over the weekend to Sydney's Taronga Zoo are posted here.

Red Dragon Fury

At long last, the fabled Red Dragon Fury has finally made it to Australia. The hottest cocktail to hit the USA in years, RDF was recently introduced down under as amateur mixologists David and Mike made an Australian tour.

The boys briefed bartenders in both Melbourne (e.g., The Bar with No Name) and Sydney (e.g., Ravesi’s at Bondi Beach) on the appropriate preparation of RDF. There were some hiccups due to lack of appropriate components in some venues, but I'm sure they'll get it sorted as RDF fever spreads throughout the nation.

Phillip Island 2008

Check out the write-up on last month's 10th annual Phillip Island Instructor's Gasshuku.

The Good Life

Lot's of stuff on the quality of life in Australian cities lately:

Sydney apparently rules the world, declared the best city on Earth for the second year running (Melbourne came in sixth). . .

However, not all who live in Sydney are convinced, with approximately one-in-five contemplating a move elsewhere (probably similar to the rate for every other city in the world). . .

But among Asian ex-pats, Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra are tops for quality of life (given the nod for Canberra, clearly this subpopulation isn't too informed - maybe they just mean better than where they came from). . .

From Melbourne to Atlanta

International fugitive Nai Yin Xue, made infamous in Australia for abandoning his daughter at Melbourne's Southern Cross Station after allegedly murdering is wife in New Zealand, was finally apprehended in my hometown of Atlanta. Nai Yin Xue was taken into custody after being captured and restrained by five Chinese nationals doing their "duty".

As the write-up in the Sydney Morning Herald reported,

"Police were not too concerned at establishing how much force had been used to put him face down with hands and feet bound".

Deep Thought

According to MxNews (Melbourne's highest quality 'news' publication):

"An eight-year experiment to discover the secret of life collapsed yesterday.

A $30 million computer capable of a trillion calculations a second has finally conceded it is stumped.

Edinburgh University physicists said they had been trying to confirm the Standard Model Theory to explain the behaviour of all matter and energy but failed to incorporate the law of gravity into it.

The plan echoes 'The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy', in which a computer found the answer to "Life, the Universe, and Everything" is 42."

Garnaut Review: Coming Attraction

Prof Garnaut let some early bits of thinking out of the bag last week with an interim report on his review of the costs and benefits of greenhouse gas mitigation in Australia.

Once you read through the thirty odd pages that dance around the specifics and glance at the various illustrative figures that lack any numbers on the axes, one finds the punchline in the way of recommendations:

"First, Australia should be committing within the timetable of the Bali roadmap to emissions reductions for 2020 and 2050 that are fully comparable in terms of adjustment effort to commitments being made by other developed countries. The State and Commonwealth Government commitments to 60 per cent reduction in year 2000 emissions by 2050, with corresponding interim targets, may be shown to be appropriate in that context. Second, the recent developments in the science summarised earlier in this Interim Report, and the work of the Review on current and prospective emissions scenarios in the absence of major policy changes, suggests that ambitions for mitigation will need to rise way beyond those embodied in the Bali roadmap if high probabilities of damaging climate change are to be avoided."

Well, that's a pretty clear preview of what the final report is likely to communicate. Now if folks can figure out how to actually pull off such reductions. . .

Sorry

It was an historic day in Australia, as Prime Minister Kevin Rudd issued an apology on behalf of the Australian government to the nation's stolen generation. The U.S. is still trying to come to terms with its own shady history regarding native Americans and slavery (both causes championed by Senator Brownback). But apparently such things are quite politically controversial.

Case-in-point, the response of Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson to Rudd's apology, which basically amounted to the diplomatic equivalent of "wasn't me" and/or "hey, we meant well". Needless to say, his comments were not well-received.

London

I spent the end of last week in London attending the Adaptation 2008 conference. I stuck around over the weekend to hang out with the Strachan family. Dropped in on St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tate Modern (and it's signature crack). We also took in a play at the National Theatre - entitled The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other, it was a something equivalent to theatrical waterboarding. For amusing reviews, check out this or this.

On the long flights to and from, I managed to catch-up on my movie watching, cruising through the followng:

Beowulf
Elizabeth: The Global Age
Superbad
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Brave One
The Assassination of Jesse James
3:10 to Yuma
Invasion
Blues Brothers
The Jammed
In the Valley of Elah
Michael Clayton

Oh, and just for the heck of it, check out this list of songs about London - impressive.

The Lost Photos of the Australian Open

After several weeks, the many photos obtained at the Australian Open have surfaced including on-court action as well as some of Uta's glimpses behind the scenes (if you look hard, you'll find some poorly lit, dodgy photos of Novak Djokovic).

YEEEEE-HAAAWWW!!!

Australia got back to basics in selecting Lee Kernaghan as the 2008 Australian of the Year. After three years of nerdy, braniac doctors, researchers and scientists, this time around the nation picked a country singer who also doubles as a humanitarian through his fundraising and advocacy on behalf of drought-affected farmers.

Kath and Kim Go to Hollywood

The iconic Australian TV series Kath & Kim is being remade for the United States, with Selma Blair and Molly Shannon in the leads. As with many other comedies born overseas and redeveloped for yanks, I'm not sure how this will translate(although there's certainly not shortage of suburban living in the US), and this guy has his doubts as well.

Another One Down. . .

First Steve Irwin and now Heath Ledger!?! Australia is rapidly running out of international celebrities. I mean, the nation's only got 20 million people - it can only produce so many celebs in any given year, yet some of the biggest appear to be succumbing to all kinds of misfortune.

G'Day USA????

I've been here three years now, and I'm only just now becoming aware of G'Day USA - the annual celebration of Australia (in honour of Australia Day) in America. Food, golf, wine and a black tie gala event.

"Australia Week is now arguably the largest foreign country promotion held annually in the United States showcasing all things Australian from trade and investment, food and wine, film, arts, fashion, lifestyle, to indigenous culture and tourism."

Now this part cracks me up:

"THE KEY OBJECTIVE: to demonstrate that Australia is an innovative, sophisticated economy, with leading edge research and technology in products, goods and services. In short, the overall goal is to raise Australia’s commercial and cultural profile in America."

So to demonstrate this sophistication, innovation, yada, yada, yada, they send over The Wiggles and Bindi Irwin and dig up Olivia Newton John. Granted, the Wiggles are Australia's largest export commodity, but as a permanent resident I must argue that the nation has a bit more to offer.

Another Hot One

NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies has completed it's summary of the global climate of 2007, and ranks the year as the second warmest in the instrumental record.

Hansen and his crew remind us that 2007 holds this ranking despite the emergence of a La Nina in the Pacific (which usually contributes to cooler conditions). Furthermore, those who continue to blame solar activity as the culprit also continue to overlook the fact that solar irradiance has been declining for most of the decade. But the solar cycle is set to reverse, meaning the combination of higher solar output and continued increases in greenhouse gases will make for some warm years ahead.

That Time of Year

Another year, another Australian Open. Uta's working behind the scenes this year. I dropped in today to catch some of the action, including the matches of Nalbandian, Luczak, Monaco, Lubicic, and Guccioni.

Dexter Comes to Australia, Offending Adelaide in the Process

The US's Showtime series "Dexter" is washing ashore in Australia. But apparently, the show's theme strikes a bit too close to home for residents of Adelaide.

Two Down

Just for fun, a story about the fine occupation/art of sewage diving.

Get Used to It

The Bureau of Meteorology's own Davy Jones caused a buzz last week when he suggested the ongoing drought in southern Australia may in fact be here to stay - a permanent shift in the climate rather than a blip caused by ENSO or some other climate anamoly.

Meanwhile, the drought smells a bit fishy over in Lake Boga, where 10,000 Murray cod, carp, redfin and yellow-belly have expired due to high summer temperatures combined with low lake levels.

More on Aussie Music

Dan Rule has the scoop on the rise of Australian hip hop, with a focus on the Hilltop Hoods.

Meanwhile, here's a tune from The Waifs I've been grooving too (first heard this a few months ago on JJJ while driving up to Noosa, QLD in a rental car).

With My Mind on My Cricket and My Cricket on My Mind

The Compton Cricket Club is currently raising funds to tour Australia. I encourage everyone out there to donate generously, as I can't wait to see the CCC compete down under (hopefully at a venue near me).

See also coverage of the team from NPR.

Happy New Year

We celebrated NYE in the comfort of our own home, with a few friends and some total strangers. The highlight for me was my assertion that Red Dawn and First Blood were the two essential movies that one must see in order to understand America. I may have had a bit too much to drink.

Photos here

Merimbula

Christmas brought another Preston family adventure. While last year, we circumnavigated Tasmania, 2007 saw us on the South Coast of New South Wales setting up camp at the Merimbula Beach Holiday Park. Merimbula is well known as a coastal playground for Victorians who sneak across the border into NSW in search of warmth (although given the water temperature was downright frigid, I think some might have been disappointed).

While our previous adventures in Australian caravan parks were quiet affairs, where we encountered mostly foreign tourists, the caravan park in Merimbula was solidly populated with Australians. We had the place largely to ourselves up until Boxing Day, at which point the hordes arrived - a seemingly endless stream of Aussies on holidays, complete with caravans, tent cities, and all the comforts of home (refrigerators, television sets, DVDs, etc.). It wasn't exactly a tranquil experience, but we had a choice spot on the cliffs overlooking the beach.

We checked out the surrounding beaches (Tula, Pambula, Tathra) as well as the inland cheese-making community of Bega (which I'd previously visited on the job), but ended up spending quite a bit of time at Bar Beach. This small spot was sheltered from the northern winds, and clearly quite a gathering spot for Merimbula's locals. We dropped in on Mandeni "resort" on a couple of occasions for little golf action. Despite being a bit tourist oriented, it was actually a nice place to place a round in peace and quiet at low cost. On our last day, we ventured into Bournda National Park for a little bushwalking, where we encountered heaps of wildlife (Jacky Lizards, Lace Monitors) including a rather exciting run-in with a red-bellied black snake ( better than stumbling upon a common death adder I suppose).

On the return trip, we dropped in briefly on Eden, to the south of Merimbula, and topped things off with some fish and chips at Lakes Entrance, Victoria.


Photos here

Because Everyone Loves Vanilla Ice

The man himself is currently down under, playing New Years shows at Sydney's Coogee Beach and Wollongong, followed by other assorted dates.

Dramatic End

The end of 2007 brought interesting weather to Melbourne - first, three days of impressive rain which brought flooding to much of the state (including the streets of Melbourne and my own office building). This event suggested to me that rooves in Australia largely exist for decorative purposes, as they proved themselves to be rather incapable of keeping out rain. Actually, it seemed as if nothing in Melbourne works when it rains - the roads, the trains, the trams, the drainage systems, electricity. In short, semi-arid regions appear to cope with extreme rainfall about as well as Florida copes with a snow storm.

This drama was followed with miserably hot conditions between Christmas and the New Year. Temperatures reached 41C on the last day of the year (making it the hottest day of Victoria's hottest year on record), and temperatures are currently climbing back up toward 40C today.

Ave, Preston!

I was fortunate enough to pick up one of CSIRO's Julius Career Awards just before the Christmas break, which opens up a slush fund for me over the next three years to do (more or less) as I will, including a bit of globe-trotting.

Permanent

As of 18th December, Uta and I are officially permanent residents of the Commonwealth of Australia. On the positive side, we now don't have to worry about our visas expiring (which they would have at the end of February) and we'll be able to ride out the upcoming U.S. recession in more stable waters. On the negative side, we can no longer deduct our living expenses from our taxes (which was saving us quite a bit of $ every year). Barring deportation from something sordid, we'll be positioned to apply for citizenship in early 2009.

Congratulations UNFCCC

In 1992, Article II of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change committed the world (both developed and developing countries alike)to "stabilisation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere." Granted, that left a bit of work in regard to figuring out what that goal means and how to achieve it. But, here we are 25 years later and what did our world leaders agree to at the Bali conference? A recognition that commitments to reductions need to be made, but no actual agreement on the size of those reductions or an actual commitment. 25 years of diplomacy and all the world has to show is a continued agreement that emissions need to be reduced (somehow), but very little in the way of actual actions to make such reductions. A US commitment to emissions reductions is perhaps just one Presidential election away, but that would still leave the big emitters in the developing world reluctant to come to the party. 50% reductions in emissions by 2050? That'll be the day. . .

Zorba the Greek Yolngu Style

The latest entertainment craze that's taking Australia by storm, and giving new meaning to the concept of cultural assimilation. . .Apparently the Greeks love it!

He Fought the Law (and the Law Won)

Airport anger: man downs litre of vodka
December 13, 2007 - 6:19AM
"A man nearly died from alcohol poisoning after quaffing a litre of vodka at a German airport security check instead of handing it over to comply with new carry on rules, police said on Wednesday."

I can't say much for this guy's capacity for rational thought, but I appreciate his defiant behaviour. I thought of doing something similar this afternoon as security at the Christchurch airport called me out for having a water bottle in my carry-on bag. In fact, the security dude actually suggested I just chug it down, but after reading this, downing 250 ml of water just seems a bit weak.

Christchurch

I rocked up to Christchurch NZ this afternoon to attend the MODSIM07 conference. Took a bit of time getting through customs, etc. Despite its laid back atmosphere and reputation, the passport control guys in NZ can be a bit cheeky. Before I could even say hello, my friendly neighbourhood immigration agent said "you again, didn't I see you last week? Why are you back so soon?". This was followed by, "what were you doing in Thailand?," "Do you smoke marijuana?" and "What kind of conference are you attending?". Despite this interrogation, the guy on the x-ray machine that was supposed to be checking whether or not I was smuggling large quantities of dope into the country was, I believe, asleep. Meanwhile, as I was walking around the streets of Christchurch this afternoon, I noticed a large number of shops that appear to sell nothing but "energy" and "sex" pills (but then it makes sense that one would sell these together). So maybe immigraton just wanted to know if I was going to be contributing to the local economy.

In any case, so far I'm really enjoying this small gateway to NZ's southern island (despite the fact that everything was closed today, presumably because it's Sunday, but who knows?). NZ continues to be the only place in the antipodes where one can score a decent burrito, and the influx of students, backpackers and nerdy conference goers makes for a diverse town. Given it's summer, the tourists and flocking into the country, and given it's distance from the rest of the world, I reckon Christchurch has the highest incidence of jet lag of any country on Earth. Perhaps that's what all those energy pills are for.

More Evidence of Global Warming?

NFL Meteorologists Warn Steaming Black-Guy Heads Occurring Later Every Year

NEW YORK—Steaming black-guy heads, the traditional sign of approaching winter for generations of football fans, have been occurring later in the season with every passing year, a fact that may be evidence of a climatic change with long-term...

SNAFU

This update from the ongoing negotiations in Bali suggests any future progress on international climate change policy aren't going to yield much in the way of a substantive agreement:

1) The US and Japan oppose mandatory cuts.
2) China and India oppose cuts for developing nations.
3) Meanwhile, Europe is pushing for developed world emissions reductions by 2020 that the developed world probably can't meet.

Sounds like a recipe for success!

Queensland Moves into the mid-20th Century

The Premire of Queensland announced today that the state would step up and start adding fluoride to the water supply over the opposition of the small, but apparently powerful, anti-fluoridation lobby. According to The Australian,

"Townsville is Queensland's only city with fluoridated water; it was introduced in 1964. The north Queensland centre now has 65 per cent lower tooth decay rates in children than Brisbane."

Hard to believe it took 40 years for that little real world experiment to get the ball rolling. But then, this is also the state that refuses to adopt daylight savings time. Skeptical people those Queenslanders. Kind of like Texans.

Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research

Today marks the official launch of the Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research (affectionately known by the awkward label of CAWCR). This joint venture between CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology promises to better coordinate national efforts on climate and weather research and data delivery.

'Tis the Season for Climate Stuff

With negotiations in Bali underway, The Age reports on Ross Garnaut, the man charged with executing what has appropriately been called the Garnaut Review - in other words, the Stern Review down under.

"The Review will examine the impacts of climate change on the Australian economy, and recommend medium to long-term policies and policy frameworks to improve the prospects for sustainable prosperity."

Meanwhile, the Climate Insitute released its own take on the costs of GHG mitigation, in a report which concluded that Australians can tackle climate change and continue to grow wealthier in the process. And in other news, CNN reports on the much publisised plight of the small-island states.

One Day, Two Talks

There's nothing I like better than a license to shoot my mouth off. Friday gave me two opportunities. First, I served as an "inspirational speaker" in the WOW! Program sponsored by the Education Foundation. I shared the short and winding road that took me from birth to my current position as a climate change researcher. Despite the many bits of wisdom I passed along, during Q&A, the boys in the yard were a bit more interested in my choice of film (they were quite disappointed that I hand't seen Saw or Saw II, III or IV), but hey, at least I got them thinking.

From there, I moved on to Melbourne Uni to participate in a panel discussion on climate change as part of Engineer's without Borders annual conference.

One to Go!

Hours after being sworn into office, Kevin Rudd signed off on the Kyoto Protocol, leaving Bush as the last man standing. The practical implications for Australia's emissions are negligible, as the official Howard policy was for Australia to meet its Kyoto target independent of the protocol. However, this will give Australia a seat at bargaining table in Bali.

On the Banks of the Mighty Murray

What do Victorians do while Americans get all soft chowing down on Turkey for Thanksgiving? Well, if they're in JKA, they go and spent the weekend at the annual Mildura Gasshuku. The weather was more favourable than last year, with temperatures peaking at only 28 as opposed to 38 (but the flies were there again to torment us).

After struggling with last year's drive from Melbourne to Mildura, I opted to wing it this time around, trading a six hour drive for a one hour flight. This gave me the opportunity to see the great line in the sand from above, and by that I mean the line where dryland agriculture (or attempts at it) in northern Victoria stops and irrigated agriculture starts. The contrast is quite striking - one massive brown band snuggled up next to a lush green one (as long as the Murray keeps flowing).

Prestige

Despite all the pop culture emphasis in America on the Beckham's and Old Spice's of the world, apparently when it comes to jobs, it's the nation's scientists that earn the most respect. This is actually an interesting social experiment. In light of this, I wonder how many supermodels, Hollywood actors, or rock stars would be willing to trade places with me. Does prestige=status in the minds of the public? I doubt it. . .

Sydney FC vs. Beckham

At this very moment, Sydney FC is playing David Beckam and the LA Galaxy. Sydney has just scored its fourth goal (to LA's two). 300 million people (and one English import) and the US still can't field an internationally competitive football team. . .Go Sydney!

Labor Day

It is the end of an era. After over 11 years as the leader of Australia, John Howard has been dismissed - losing not only his position as prime minister, but also his own seat, leaving him no home in the federal government. A decade of economic growth, rising incomes and tax cuts were not enough to woo Australian voters this time around, which begs the question, what does one have to do?

Well, whatever it is, Kevin Rudd seems to have done it, and Australia now has a younger, cuddlier leader. As an American, it has been an interesting election. First, because it was all wrapped up in about six weeks (America could learn something from this). Second, voting in compulsory (America would be a different place if it picked up that policy). Third, I find the differences between Labor and Liberal parties so fleetingly small, it surprises me that anyone can get worked up about an election.

With Labor now in power, a number of questions arise:

What can Rudd really do on the climate change issue? OK, so he's promised to ratify the Kyoto Protocol? Big freakin' deal - then what?

Can Rudd really deliver substantive improvements on issues such as education, child care, and health care?

Will Australia become a Republic or will it continue to pay homage to the Queen?

What's next for Australian soldiers in Iraq?

Will Australian's unions steamroll business under a Labor government as the Liberal Party claimed during the campaign?

Where do relations between Australia and the U.S. go from here (probably have to wait for Americans to have a turn at the polls before we know that)?

We shall see. . .

"Fiji Time"

Yes, "Fiji time" - that's a common phrase you'll here while traveling in Fiji. It's usually uttered by a local as a way of saying "chill out, tourist, just because you're a wealthy westerner doesn't mean we're going to be in a rush to help you out." As such, Fiji is a great place to relax. One can't drive quickly, because if one does, he's likely to hit a cow, a pothole, or a pedestrian. One can't eat quickly, because he won't be served quickly. Everything just slows down, kind of like an episode of the Twilight Zone or Doctor Who.

In addition to being laid back, the locals are friendly to say the least. Everywhere we went, it was "Bula" this and "Bula" that, and sometimes just "Bula, Bula, Bula". Allegedly this means "hello", but if it meant "tourist" or "wanker", every conversation we had would have made just as much sense. In any case, the locals are happy to meet tourists, and the ones we met were keen to quiz us on our backgrounds. One Fijian refused to believe I was an American, because of my hair. Others found it a bit odd that I was American, Uta was German, and we live in Australia. But as a testament to how many Australians visit Fiji, the default assumption was that any foreigner was Aussie. Most of our interactions with the locals outside the resort began in a similar manner: the two of us driving (in the wrong direction) down a narrow, bumpy dirt road, parking in some poor guy's front yard and then chatting with him while he pointed us in the right direction.

By and large, we spent most of the time beached at the Warwick Resort on the Coral Coast soaking up the all-inclusive meals, snorkeling in the lagoon, and other fun and games. We did spend a day in a rental car (with ~160,000 km on it), which allowed us to check out the towns of Sigatoka (and the sand dunes) and Pacific Harbour.

All in all, a beautiful, tropical country, but it could do a bit more to accommodate the tourists that represent the bulk of the nation's revenue (e.g., here's a tip: tourists expect a "visitor centre" to have some sort of staff working there to, say, collect entrance fees and such). And I'm sure it will - all in good time. . .

Photos here

Overseas Driving

Here's what the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (November, 2007) has to say regarding driving conditions in various countries:

United States
"In the U.S., driving conditions are similar to Australia. America has been a motorised society for longer than anywhere else and they've had longer to practise. so American drivers are generally competent and considerate. It's a paradox: crazy gun laws but sensible driving."

Italy
"Italians are regarded as the worst driver sin Europe. They routinely ignore red lights and avoid congestion by driving on the footpath. On the open road, they take corners at suicidal speed. In a survey of European motorists, 36% of respondents voted Italian drivers as the continent's most dangerous."

Germany
"Germany's autobahns are the best roads in the word, but they can be a strain to drive on. Just try pulling out at 100 km/h to overtake a slow-moving truck. Within seconds that dot in the mirror turns into a BMW doing 220 with its lights flashing for you to get out of the way. While crashes are quite rare on German autobahns, at such speeds the survival rate is low."

Developing Nations
"In the Third World it's also easy to pick up the road rules: there are none. Well, none that are enforced."

Edelstein Boarding School

Justin Norrie had this article in The Age on the rise of businesses catering to female otaku. It's a rather interesting tale of how the Japanese marketplace caters to the nation's various subcultures.

"Edelstein is not a school at all. Rather, it is the first of a new type of cafe that satisfies the fantasies of Japan's female otaku — a term given to fashion-challenged, socially dysfunctional geeks who collect anime cartoons, manga comics, dolls, trading cards and video games."

Longshot

Take a good look. That's $20.40 - our payout from the final race of the Melbourne Cup. No, we didn't don silly frocks or join the 100,000 or so racing enthusiasts at Flemington. We just dropped $5 on five horses at the local TAB and headed across the street to the Swan to watch the outcome (actually, Julian made the picks while I ordered everyone drinks). Fortunately for us, the favourite, Master O'Reilly, didn't even show - instead "Efficient" made an impressive come from behind dash to take the Cup. I love an underdog.

American Standard

It appears that America is the benchmark by which violent crime in Australia is judged. Take the following:

Terrifying car-jacking bid like worst of US, say police
Mark Russell
November 4, 2007

POLICE fear two brazen and violent daylight car-jacking attempts on Friday could be the start of a new wave of street crime to hit Melbourne.

"They were random, brazen attacks, the sort of thing you expect to hear coming from America," Senior Constable James Midgley said.

Well, that's not exactly flattering for America is it? And why does America get singled out? What about places like South Africa - that's got to be worse than the U.S., right? So, should we develop an international classification scheme to rank the violence of car-jackings, with America a 10 and some place without cars a 1? Where would the apparently fearful and delicate Australians fit into the mix (particularly given that stealing cars is an iconic Aussie pastime)? Maybe Australians should be happy that they're only just now catching up with America, and haven't yet crossed into the realm of some of the REALLY violent nations.

UPDATE 11/5/2007: Speaking of violence in America, I just stumbled upon this gem at All Men Are Liars. If you've ever had trouble getting your hands on your shotgun in the middle of the night to defend your home, familiy and property, American innovation has developed the solution: "The Backup". This handy little device allows one to snuggle up at night next to his favourite shotgun. Some of my favourite bits from the website's FAQ's:

I sleep on the right side of the bed. Can I use it there?

Because of our unique patented design, you can adjust to fit The Back-Up© on either side of the bed, placing it where it is most convenient for you. In fact, we suggest you have The Back-Up© on both sides of the bed.. [But of course - after all, who has only one shotgun anyway]

I travel a lot for business or hunting. Is The Back-Up© portable?

Yes The Back-Up© is very light and portable. The unique patented design and construction gives you the ability to collapse it easily for travel, and place it wherever you need it. [Thank God! I always feel so vulnerable when I'm traveling for business. Glad those days are over!]