F1

Saturday, I joined the Irish and English expats for a day at the races, F1 that is. Opting not to splurge on Sunday's final, we settled for Saturday's qualifying runs and other assorted vehicular buffoonery (e.g., F3 events, celebrity races). The key to any Grand Prix event appears to be noise - if it's loud, it's welcome. In addition to the cars themselves (which are extraordinarily loud), there were fly-overs by various bits and pieces of Australia's military arsenal, and rock and rollers such as Wolfmother were on the scene as well.

One of the more amusing (albeit complete time-filler) events of the day was a "speed comparison." Essentially, they let a production BMW set off down the track, followed 1.5 minutes later by a V8 Supercar, followed another 1.5 minutes later by an F1 auto. Guess which won?

I'll post some photos from the track as soon as I get around to it - can't guarantee good quality. It's tough to take pictures of objects moving at 300 kph.

Big Weekend

It's a weekend of big sports action, with both the FINA World Championships (splash, splash)and the Melbourne Grand Prix (zoom, zoom).

Harbour Bridge Turns 75

Today marks the 75th birthday of Sydney's Harbour Bridge, still the longest single-span and highest steel arch bridge in the world.

Frat Boy Tackles Complex Policy Issues

Check out the latest publication from the Heinrich Boell Foundation entitled: "The Debate over Fixed Price Incentives for Renewable Electricity in Europe and the United States: Fallout and Future Directions."

One of the authors, Wilson Rickerson, was a fellow brother of the Phi Beta chapter of Psi Upsilon (suspended as of 2006 due to buffoonery). He wooed the ladies, he rocked the world as the frontman for The Velveteens, and now:
"Wilson Rickerson is a Boston-based energy consultant focusing on renewable energy policy and markets. He assists state and municipal governments with policy development,consults to businesses seeking to invest in the renewable energy industry, and helps organizations with energy program management and planning.

Good on ya, Wilson!

Hummer

How to greet a Hummer.

Nod to Jeremy. . .

Australia Unlimited

I took part in the Global Foundatin's Australia Unlimited Roundatable last week, which gave me the opportunity to hear opposition leader Kevin Rudd speak (a man, by the way, who appears poised to knock Howard and the Liberal party out of Canberra), mix with various corporate leaders from around the nation, and meet Victoria's governor,Professor David de Kretser (which subsequently caused me to go look up what it is that the governor does. . .).

Best of all, I finally managed to get a media quote that makes me sound half-way reasonable on climate change as opposed to predicting the end of the world and other such apocolyptic stuff that is often attributed to my name:

"A CSIRO scientist who works on climate impact, Ben Preston, told the roundtable that while those attending had been asked to consider the environment and trade as potentially conflicting forces, the real way to consider them is to regard them as being allied, for example, as a potential market in Asia for Australian technologies that can control pollution and help promote sustainable growth."

Sweet. . .

Public Service Announcement

Only in Australia (or Las Vegas, or certain parts of Russia):

"The man who lined the Gateway Motorway with bikini models in a bid to convince drivers to keep left will take his message directly to the office of Parliamentary Secretary for Transport, Andrew McNamara."

On what planet do have naked chicks on the side of the road alleviate traffic congestion? The only way this works is if thousands of motorists pull off the road entirely to get a better look at those, er, signs.

Yo!

Stallone on growth hormone charge
Leonie Lamont
March 13, 2007 - 10:41AM

"Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone denied having restricted drugs shortly before 48 vials of human growth hormone were found in his luggage, a Sydney court has been told."

Now we know what's responsible for his "eye of the tiger". Imagine he won't be heading back down under any time in the near future.

Sgt. Jarvis

The following is spam that ended up in my inbox today:

"From: Jarvis Jr [mailto:sgt-jarv.rjr@ usarmy.com]
Sent: Tuesday, 6 March 2007 4:06 PM
To: Subject: Can I trust you??

Hello Friend,

I am in need of your assistance. My name is Sgt. Jarvis Reeves Jr. I am a military attache with the Engineering unit here in Ba'qubah Iraq for the United States, we have about $14 Million dollars that we want to move out of the country.

My partners and I need a good partner someone we can trust to actualize this venture.The money is from oil proceeds and legal.But we are moving it through diplomatic means to your house directly or a safe and secured location of your choice using diplomatic courier services.

But can we trust you? Once the funds get to you, you take your 30% out and keep our own 70%. Your own part of this deal is to find a safe place where the funds can be sent to. Our own part is sending it to you.

If you are interested I will furnish you with more details. Awaiting your urgent response.

Your Buddy.
Sgt Jarvis Reeves

God Bless America!!!"

Granted, it's spam, but amusing on so many different levels:
1) Despite the appearance of a .com email address, it actually goes to a yahoo account in Denmark (not very patriotic!)
2) Jarvis? Brilliant (the jr. is a nice touch as well).
3) The U.S. military can't move 14 million dollars out of Iraq without the help of Australian civil servants? You're kidding right?
4) The U.S. government wants me to keep 30% of anything? That'll be the day. . .
Pretty dopey, but more entertaining the usual Nigerian nonsense.

Waarom?

Nude workouts? No sweat, says gym
"THE first clothing-free workout at a Dutch gym went ahead as planned — and participants and observers said it met expectations."

Queens

The QEII and QMII rocked up in Sydney Harbour yesterday. And then promptly left, but not before making a spectacle of themselves.

New Qantas Club

So how many frequent flier miles does it tack to earn sex with a flight attendant? Unfortunately, I can't answer that question, I've looked through all the terms and conditions in my Qantas Club account, but can't find any reference to said benefit. But then, I only have Bronze status - I reckon I've got to at least earn Platinum before I can get perks like that. . .

Man catches shark with his bare hands

Man catches shark with his bare hands
February 16, 2007 - 3:59PM

"Phillip Kerkhof says it was the vodka that made him catch a 1.3 metre shark with his bare hands."http://www.theage.com.au/news/NATIONAL/Man-catches-shark-with-his-bare-hands/2007/02/16/1171405427401.html

Storm rider's miracle survival

Storm rider's miracle survival

"A German paraglider survived lightning, pounding hail, minus 40-degree temperatures and oxygen deprivation after a storm system sucked her to an altitude higher than Mount Everest."

New Snapshots

Here's a few photos from recent events:

Australian Open 2007

Sorrento

Yarra BBQ

Sean & Ryan's Visit

England the Most Unfriendly Country?

The Age's Travel Blog argues why England is the most unfriendly nation to travel in:

"trying to get a smile out of an English shop assistant is like trying to find Osama bin Laden - ie, we're not even sure if it's possible. Ever tried making eye contact and smiling at someone in the Tube? No? Funny, neither has anyone else..."

Oi! Ghost Rider

Hollywood's latest comic book blockbuster, Ghost Rider, was filmed in none other than Melbourne, Australia.

New Bloc Party

Call the Cops

The Police plan first tour since '80s

"WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - The Police announced their first tour in decades Monday at a rehearsal at the Whisky a Go-Go as a throng of fans crowded near the legendary Sunset Strip nightclub."

Hard to believe. And after so many years, the question is, do I care?

Greetings Vegetarian Lobby. . .

In addition to other, sometimes odd, unsolicited comments I've received as of late, the oddest must be those that have emerged from pro-Vegan advocates:

"Global warming poses one of the most serious threats to the global environment ever faced in human history. Yet by focusing entirely on carbon dioxide emissions, major environmental organisations have failed to account for published data showing that other gases are the main culprits behind the global warming we see today. As a result, they are neglecting what might be the most effective strategy for reducing global warming in our lifetimes: advocating a vegetarian diet."

"Why is it that with all this talk about global warming, no one is talking about the impact of meat eating on the environment?If you would like, I could send you a copy of a leaflet I recently came across titled 'Think you can be a meat-eating environmentalist? Think again'. There is also another publication called "Go vegan' which I could send as well. If scientists wish to talk about climate change, I think it would be better to put the WHOLE story on the table."

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not the appropriate poster child for vegetarianism. Addressing climate change is hard enough without hitching every other wagon of social issues to it.