Since we don’t live by politics alone (I sincerely hope), what else did people get up to this weekend? Join in, share some tales, regulars and lurkers all!
Life, Culture and Politics from BrisVegas
Larvatus Prodeo was an Australian group blog which discussed politics, sociology, culture, life, religion and science from a left of centre perspective. more»
The question of the display of text on television has been one that irks me for quite some time. An elderly member of our household needs the text display to at least be able to watch some t.v. but the accuracy of each of the t.v. stations text transfer service has been appalling and an insult to those viewers who are deaf.
Friday night’s ABC news provided one of the more egregious errors when the newsreader was reading out the item regarding Tony Abbott’s foray into the question of payment for a nanny. There was a clash between what I heard the announcer say and what the screen displayed with regard to the word “nanny”. How on earth the text service could have misheard the letter “n” and substituted an “f” is beyond me – but there it was displayed boldly across the screen – deaf viewers could be forgiven for being convinced Tony Abbott was apparently making a reference to a “fanny” in lieu of “nanny”.
One of the best things I did before my savings all got eaten up (stove died, washing machine died, dog threatened to die), was buy one of those bike racks which go on the towbar. I bought a 2-bike one as they’re heavy and I can’t envisage persuading more than one person at a time to go with me. Today I went to Jells park as it is chockers with bike paths going every which way and it is very inviting with its sweeping downhill runs. I had a blast – you’re even allowed to ride bikes through the restricted lake/bird sanctuary area. Had an embarrassing accident though, because the chain sticks sometimes when changing to a lower gear. Suddenly I was stationary and fell over sideways. How embarrassment! Luckily I fell on the grassy side which is very soft and, well, grassy so no injury resulted.
I was forcibly reminded that two year old children don’t enjoy long car trips.
Off to nearby Highbury Fields (and to visit the Emirates Stadium – come on you Gunners!) after some grey skies disrupted our picnic plans yesterday.
@Mediatracker LOL, are RWDBs complaining about the ‘fanny state’?
La Nina has relented and it looks like the monsoon is gone and autumn with cool nights has arrived. Engaged in a delicate balancing act between resting due to health issues and working in the garden. The soil is soft and moist, the weather fabulous. Planted ca 30 Citronella and two Bamboo clumps. Schizostachyum lima and Bambusa tuldoides are both edible and highly attractive as well as a great resource and will look just great when established.
Spent Saturday afternoon hiking up Monte Di Parana, around 4 hours there and back. Started in a village called Matato at 403m and took 2hrs20 to get to the summit, a baby at 1221m, then took 1hr40 coming down.Lovely views.Spent Sunday hobbling around in recovery mode. I really think I need to invest in something a little more serious than my steel cap Dunlop Volleys if I take in a few more strolls in the Apuanes, as versatile as they are (work and play) they just don’t do mountains.
helen, I got so sick of chain problems (ruining work pants etc) that I got an in-hub gear system. Now I have a lovely daggy chain guard to avoid any problems.
For my sunday I went to the tip. Which is so much more boring than when I was a kid. Very satisfying to throw crap out though.
A very pleasant day blockading Newcastle harbour in kayaks and conforming to Police demands under s 15 3. a) (?) of the Maritime Safety Act to fuck off out of the way from time to time. The usual good humoured leftish carnival atmosphere taking peaceful non-violent direct action to new lows in laid back attitude.
Wilful, that wouldn’t help me, its the multiple front chainwheels which stick. Specifically, the lowest one. And I wouldn’t want to be without my tiny 3rd chainwheel, because it gets me up ANYTHING. I’m told multiple front chainwheels are on the way out. No! Perhaps I’d better buy a couple of chainwheel / crank sets to stockpile!
I’m just in open-mouthed awe of Mike though. Walks all the way up a mountain, then has a BABY at 1221 m then walks for another 2 hours down the mountain. I’m surprised it wasn’t on the news. Are you breastfeeding? (And all in Dunlop Volleys – I see a sponsorship in your future!
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helen, with an in-hub gear you don’t have front chainwheels. You do only have 7 or 8 gears (all securely and neatly in the rear hub), but it was fine for me.
Yes, but I’d need to find out whether it was possible to get as looooooow a low gear without the option of a smaller front chainwheel as well. Looking at hubs, it doesn’t seem possible, but then I am no engineer. I’ll definitely check them out when I replace the bike – but that won’t be for quite a while!
After a long battle with books, downloads, assignments, exams and B/S, I finally attended my graduation at UNE Armidale. I was accompanied by my wonderful wife, brother and three old school mates of 50+ years standing. Caught up with some of my former professors too. Today we return to our tropical retreat to be reunited with our canine children.
Congratulations Geoff.
How wonderful Geoff! Congratulations. And now, a Lazy Sunday is possible again.
Congratulations, Geoff.
Noticed somewhere in the local media grad was coming up.
Spent the weekend watching series 1-4 of Mad Men on DVD. A very enjoyable waste of time. Thought I better get round to it.
Congratulations, Geoff.
Who said that old dogs couldn’t be taught new tricks?
I’ve never seen an internally-geared hub with multiple chainrings up front (and the necessary tensioner for such), though it’s no doubt possible. The problem is, you’d just be reintroducing the problems the hub gear system was designed to eliminate – a greasy dirty chain which can come off, and the attendant weight/servicing/clean trouser leg issues. Truly a worst of both worlds scenario.
I’m sure there are internal systems with a really low lowest gear though (they’d be the ones with a really fat hub). Of course, you should be able to downshift the whole cassette in a given hub by using a (single) smaller chainring and either shortening the chain or getting a frame with horizontal rear dropouts and shifting the back wheel away a little.
[Bicycle advice in moderation due to email address typo]
Helen, if you’re having chain problems, you may need to get a new chain (and possibly new sprockets as well). The chains are only about $20 and you can fit them yourself, but the sprockets are a bit more expensive. Still probably cheaper than a new bike, though.
FDB, a mate of mine had a bike with 3 hub gears and rear deraileur as well – 12 speed in all, without the hassle of a front deraileur. Of course, this was about 50 years ago, when chain gears weren’t quite as cheap, robust and reliable as they are these days.
Listening to the paper kites
Congratulations, Geoff!
Goodonya Geoff. What are going to do with all the free time now?
Helen @10. Mike was probably indulging on this kind of Baby.
Helen, you want a Rohloff. You may need a mortgage first though, they’re not cheap…
Thanks all – it’s a nice feeling. Now I am wondering what next…
At the ceremony I sat next to two interesting people. One was the first graduate environmental ethicist. The other was a member of the NSW parliament who did the same course as me (Masters Environmental Management) Sadly he was saying that they were not supportive of renewables because of economics, and that gas was the likely answer. He did concede that as coal infrastructure wore out and the true cost of generation would have to be met that renewables might become more viable. Whilst he talked of relative benefits to the communities, it was only in economic terms, and only in terms of current populations – I read that as voting populations. If you add the Victorian governments latest abrogation’s on climate/renewables I am quite concerned that the new Queensland government may also pull the pin on renewables too. And an Abbott-led federal government? Hmmm
Helen when I was a boy chain gears existed but were rare. Mostly we had hub gears, made by Sturmey Archer. They still exist. Forage about their site: http://www.sturmey-archer.com/ There might be something in there to help
I spent a far from lazy weekend at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival – since Wednesday night I have seen 22 shows. I was very glad that yesterday was the festival’s day off where I only went to see one show – I needed the sleep!
4 or 5 more shows today, then back to Sydney tomorrow.
Darin@3 I recommend you get the podcast of this morning (Tuesday)’s Life Matters from Radio National. A couple took their 6 and 8 year olds around Europe, all on bicycles! Inspiring! The kids (now 7 and 9) were interviewed, and appear to have loved the experience. (“We saw THREE red squirrels!”) And yes the kids cycled – the older had a motor on her bike that was only turned on after 20km, and the littlie was sometimes towed.