Clipmarks | mickfinn's 'australia' clips

Nelson's flagship Victory aids adventure to Australia

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 19:13:48 GMT

clipped by: mickfinn
clipper's remarks: Goss, 45, who is building his replica craft at a boatyard in Cornwall, hopes to set off in October from the port of Newlyn, where the original Mystery departed. He is hoping to launch Spirit of Mystery in June.

Oak from local woodlands has also been used to build the boat for the adventure, which Goss said began "with an idea and a chainsaw".

The chart table, made from a four-foot long piece of ash beam from the Victory, also contains a piece of one of her thousands of copper rivets and will be used by Goss to plot his way across the world.

Part of the rigging from Isambard Kingdom Brunel's SS Great Britain is also being used.

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

A piece of Britain's most famous warship is being used to help recreate an historic voyage

Pete Goss has bought a piece of Nelson's 18th Century flagship HMS Victory and turned it into a chart table for his new craft

Spirit of Mystery will also incorporate parts of the Cutty Sark and the SS Great Britain when it sets sail to Australia

Goss is recreating the journey of a Cornish lugger more than 150 years ago

The Mystery set sail in 1854: Pic Royal Cornwall Museum

Seven Cornishmen made the journey to Melbourne in the wooden vessel Mystery to escape poverty and seek out a new life during the Australian gold rush

Leaving Newlyn in November 1854, the Mystery travelled about 11,800 nautical miles in 116 days before arriving in Melbourne in March 1855

The only break in the voyage was a week in Cape Town

Of the seven Cornish sailors to set sail, five returned home

Mystery was used as a pilot boat for 14 years until it was wrecked off Queensland

Goss became an MBE after rescuing a fellow race competitor

Tags: pete goss, adventurer, hms victory, the mystery

Beautiful Beef

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 18:21:13 GMT

clipped by: mickfinn
clipper's remarks: An unmarked Hereford calf. Hereford cattle (Bos taurus) are a widely used breed in temperate areas, mainly for beef production. Originally from Herefordshire, England, they are found in the temperate parts of Australia, the Southwestern US, Argentina, Uruguay and New Zealand. Photo credit: John O'Neill

(No offence to veggie Clippers.)

Clip Source: en.wikipedia.org

Tags: hereford cattle

On this day, Bernardo O'Higgins . . .

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 05:27:39 GMT

clipped by: mickfinn
clipper's remarks: In 1810, he joined the nationalist rebels fighting for independence from Spain. In 1814, his Chilean rebels were defeated by the Spanish and retreated into the Andes. In 1817, O'Higgins went back on the offensive with the aid of Argentine General José de San Martín. On February 12, 1817, he led a cavalry charge that won the Battle of Chacabuco. He became the first leader of independent Chile, and was granted dictatorial powers as Supreme Director on February 16, 1817. On February 12, 1818, Chile was proclaimed an independent republic.

Clip Source: en.wikipedia.org

Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme

independence leader, was one of the commanders – together with José de San Martín – of the military forces that freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence.

O'Higgins was the first holder of this title to head a fully independent Chilean state.

Clarence House, Richmond, Surrey.

There is a statue of O'Higgins in Richmond, in south-west London in a square named after him, O'Higgins Square. A blue plaque was erected in his honor at Clarence House in Richmond, where he lived while studying in London. There is also a plaque in his honor in Merrion Square in Dublin and in the Garavogue River Walkway in Sligo, Ireland, and a sculpture at Central Railway Station on Elizabeth St in Sydney, Australia.

O'Higgins' blue plaque in London.

During his government, he also assisted José de San Martín to organize the Expedition and an Army and Navy to support the Independence of Peru.

Tags: south american independence from spain

The 'Ghan'

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 07:54:10 GMT

clipped by: mickfinn
clipper's remarks: Construction of what is now known as the Ghan began in 1878 when Sir William Jervois broke ground at Port Augusta. The line reached Hawker in June 1880, Beltana in July 1881, Marree in January 1884 and Oodnadatta on 7 January 1891. It wasn't until 1926 that development to Alice Springs began, and that section was completed in 1929. Prior to completion, the final leg of the train journey was still completed by camel. In fact, the train's current name honors Afghan camel drivers who arrived in Australia in the late 19th century. While there were plans from the beginning to extend the line through to Darwin, by the time the Alice Springs connection was complete, the Ghan was running at a financial loss, and plans for connection to Darwin were put on indefinite hold. The original Ghan line followed the same track as the overland telegraph, which is believed to be the route taken by John McDouall Stuart during his 1862 crossing of Australia.

Clip Source: en.wikipedia.org

The Ghan is the 48-hour, 2,979-km passenger train operating on the Adelaide-Alice Springs-Darwin Central Australian Railway in Australia. The service's name is an abbreviated version of its previous nickname The Afghan Express, which comes from the Afghan camel trains that trekked the same route before the advent of the railway.

Route map of the Ghan

The route of the Old Ghan

Arrival of the first Ghan into Darwin

The Ghan at Alice Springs, 12 March 2007.

Tags: australia, the ghan

Camels Downunder

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 07:49:23 GMT

clipped by: mickfinn
clipper's remarks: The famous train the 'Ghan' which runs between Adelaide and Darwin in Australia was named after the Afghan camel drivers who navigated their animals along the pioneering trails.

Clip Source: en.wikipedia.org

A dromedary or one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) in the Australian Outback. Estimated populations of Australian feral camels are in the hundreds of thousands, and this is now the world's only population of dromedaries exhibiting wild behaviour. Thousands of camels were imported into Australia between 1840 and 1907 to open up the arid areas of central and western Australia. They were used for riding, and as draught and pack animals for exploration and construction of rail and telegraph lines; they were also used to supply goods to remote mines and settlements. Their impact on the environment is not as bad as other introduced pests in Australia. They prefer to eat trees and plants that local wildlife dislike; only 2% of their diet is grass.

Tags: australia, camels

Monadnocks

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:23:03 GMT

clipped by: mickfinn
clipper's remarks: These examples are all in the USA. The most famous example in the world is probably Uluru (Ayers Rock) in Australia.
Stone Mountain - Georgia; Sugarloaf - Maryland; Pilot Mountain - N Carolina; Katahdin - Maine; Enchanted Rock - Texas; Mt Monadnock - New Hampshire

Clip Source: en.wikipedia.org

Stone Mountain in Georgia

Detail of the mountain and carving

Close up of the carving

Clip Source: en.wikipedia.org

Sugarloaf Mountain

Clip Source: en.wikipedia.org

Pilot Mountain

Pilot Mountain from the south on U.S. Route 52

Clip Source: en.wikipedia.org

Katahdin

Clip Source: en.wikipedia.org

Enchanted Rock

Enchanted Rock, as seen from the trail leading to its summit on a busy hiking day

Geological exfoliation at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area

Clip Source: en.wikipedia.org

Mount Monadnock

Rocky plateau on summit of Mount Monadnock

Clip Source: en.wikipedia.org

A monadnock or inselberg is an isolated hill, knob, ridge, or small mountain that rises abruptly from a gently sloping or virtually level surrounding plain

Monadnock is an originally Native American term for an isolated hill or a lone mountain that has risen above the surrounding area, typically by surviving erosion. The name was taken from Mount Monadnock in southwestern New Hampshire (USA), in Jaffrey. The name is thought to derive from the Abenaki language, from either menonadenak ("smooth mountain") or menadena ("isolated mountain").

inselberg

The word inselberg is German for "island mountain"

Tags: geology, mountains, nature

Crocodile's dinner shot in front of his eyes

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 04:05:54 GMT

clipped by: mickfinn

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

A man has been accidentally shot by a rescuer who was trying to free him from the jaws of a crocodile in northern Australia

The victim, in his late 20s, was attacked by the reptile near a popular tourist spot on the Mary River south-east of Darwin

The crocodile seized the man's arm and shook him

He was flown to hospital by helicopter for emergency surgery for bite and bullet wounds

He is currently in a stable condition

Crocodile attacks and shootings are rare in Australia

To suffer both at once is - to say the least - unfortunate

Jason Grant was collecting crocodile eggs at a remote reptile farm when he found himself locked inside a giant set of jaws

For a few terrifying moments the animal wildly shook its victim before the intervention of a fellow worker

He fired two shots at the saltwater crocodile. One hit the target, while the other struck the arm of his stricken colleague

The injured man was flown to hospital in Darwin, where he is recovering.

Tags: australia, crocs, darwen

Flesh-eating Starfish go for lunch

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:10:41 GMT

clipped by: mickfinn
clipper's remarks: "We witnessed a number of active outbreaks of this coral predator. There was little to suggest that the reefs have been much affected by climate change as yet: the threats appear far more localised."

The scientists found there were still healthy populations of certain species around the reefs and believe there is still time to reverse the damage. (DT)

Clip Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

One of the world's richest and most precious coral reef systems is under threat from a voracious predator

The Crown of Throns starfish eats the coral polyp flesh leaving behind the calcium carbonate skeleton

The notorious Crown of thorns starfish has been found in large numbers by scientists in Halmahera, Indonesia, at the heart of the so-called 'Coral Triangle', which lies between Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands

It is regarded as the jewel in the crown of coral reef biodiversity and is considered the genetic fountainhead for coral diversity found on Australia's Great Barrier Reef

The starfish eats the delicate coral polyps which form the thin film of flesh on the outside of the coral skeleton

After attaching itself it spreads its stomach over the coral and releases a flood of digestive juices. The polyp flesh is liquified and then absorbed by the starfish

Scientists think the outbreak may have been caused by the poor quality of the water

Tags: coral reefs, starfish

Sleepy Australian 1 - 0 Freight Train

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 19:04:41 GMT

clipped by: mickfinn
clipper's remarks: The Devil looks after his own . . .

Clip Source: uk.reuters.com

A drunken Australian man who took a nap between railway tracks has had a miraculous escape after he was run over by a freight train and received only minor injuries and a bump on the head

The 20-year-old, whose name was not released, fell asleep at a level crossing at Port Augusta, in South Australia state, when the train approached about 3.40 a.m., newspapers said on Friday

The driver saw the man and slammed on the emergency brake, but the train, carrying 3000 tonnes of freight, was unable to stop in time and rolled over him, halting only after it had passed

The General Manager of the train company, Tony Aldridge, said railway tracks were "not the best place" to take a nap

"It was probably lucky he was lying in such a way that the train actually went over him rather than across him," he told The Australian newspaper, adding that the clearance under the train was only 30cm (11 inches)

The man was taken to Port Augusta hospital with minor injuries

Tags: australian lives to tell the tale

On this day . . .

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 14:39:38 GMT

clipped by: mickfinn

Clip Source: en.wikipedia.org

January 1: New Year's Day.

1801 – Italian astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi (pictured) discovered the dwarf planet Ceres, naming it after the Roman goddess of growing plants.

1801 – The Kingdom of Ireland formally merged with the Kingdom of Great Britain, adding St. Patrick's saltire to the Union Flag.

1808 – As a result of the lobbying efforts by the Abolitionist Movement, the importation of slaves into the United States was officially banned.

1901 – The British colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia federated as the Commonwealth of Australia.

1995 – The World Trade Organization, the international organization designed to supervise and liberalize international trade, came into being to replace the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

More events on this day...

Tags: miscellanea

Australia plans tough web rules

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 17:01:11 GMT

clipped by: mickfinn

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

Australia is planning tough new rules to protect children from online pornography and violence

The new Labor government wants internet service providers to filter content to ensure households and schools do not receive "inappropriate" material

Civil libertarians have condemned the plan as unnecessary, and say it will erode the freedom of the internet

The Australian government's aim is to ensure that children only have access to family-friendly websites

The government is set to compile a list of unsuitable sites, although at this stage it is unclear what will be deemed unsuitable

Australians wanting unfettered access to the web will have to contact their supplier to opt out of the new regime

Critics of the proposals have insisted they have no place in a liberal democracy

But telecommunications minister Stephen Conroy

has been unmoved by their arguments

Concern

also

raised that the government's filters could slow

access to the net, in a country where

speeds are often below international standards

Tags: internet controls

Rudd signs Australia up to Kyoto

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 11:42:46 GMT

clipped by: mickfinn

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

Australian Labor Party leader Kevin Rudd has been sworn in as prime minister, following a landslide victory in parliamentary elections last week.

Immediately after the ceremony, he signed documents to ratify the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, reversing the previous administration's policy.

"This is the first official act of the new Australian government," he said.

Australia's new stance on Kyoto will isolate the US as the only developed nation not to have ratified the treaty.

Mr Rudd's appointment as prime minister ends more than 11 years of conservative government under his predecessor John Howard.

As well as signing up to the Kyoto Protocol, the new government is committed to withdrawing Australia's combat troops from Iraq.

Mr Rudd, a 50-year-old former diplomat, is the first Australian born after the end of World War II to hold office.

The minister with responsibility for climate change, Penny Wong, is not only the country's first openly gay minister but the first to be born in Asia.

Tags: australia, new, broom

Keep Your Coins, I Want Change

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 14:31:53 GMT

clipped by: mickfinn

Clip Source: randomvandal.wordpress.com

We all want change right? Well here’s a way we can all help. No donations necessary.

Your thinking… “whats this ingenious way that we can all ’save’ the world without going out of pocket?”

Ripple.org be the answer. Your now thinking “Whats Ripple?”

Ripple is the only online charity that donates all 100% of its proceeds to charity. The way it raises money is simple yet effective. It’s the brainchild of three friends studying at the University of Melbourne Australia who recognised the possibilities created through online advertising and wanted “to use the power of internet to spark real and positive change” Judging by the graph below I’d say they were onto a good thing.

The way they go about making the project work is simple. Ripple is basically Google but with a different packaging, it has a search bar and you are given the results of your search within the Ripple site. On the front page they have 4 buttons describing the causes/charities you’d like to donate to.

Tags: homelessness, poverty, any, town, anywhere

Fake snakes to scare Aussie birds

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 03:35:47 GMT

clipped by: mickfinn

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

Plastic snakes are being deployed in an effort to scare away tens of thousands of starlings that have invaded a small city in Australia.

Authorities in Tamworth have used water cannon and large nets in unsuccessful attempts to get rid of the hordes.

Tamworth is the home of Australia's most famous country music festival as well as many unwanted small birds.

Officials there are hoping that brightly coloured plastic snakes could bring an end to months of misery.

Thousands of starlings have descended on the city and have been drawn like magnets to trees that line one of the main streets.

Leave your car under one of the trees for an hour to go shopping, he said, and you probably will not recognise it when you get back.

If the fake snakes do not do the job, there are suggestions that Tamworth's feathered foe could be deterred by covering trees with cotton webbing or using artificial fog to disorientate them.

There are no plans at this stage to bring in sharp-shooters.

Tags: birds, scare, snakes

Oz, land of sunshine, sport and sexism

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 06:56:59 GMT

clipped by: mickfinn

Clip Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

a book to be published this week suggests that many Australian men are still Neanderthals when it comes to their attitudes towards women.

The book will undo years of effort by modern Aussies to bury the ocker stereotypes of Crocodile Dundee and Sir Les Patterson.

it is an anthology of toxic insults and casual put-downs compiled from more than a decade of Australian public life.

Nick Bideau, the former trainer and boyfriend of the Aboriginal Olympic sprinter Cathy Freeman, is included for saying: "I never turned away from Cathy. No matter how fat she was."

Joe Hockey, a government minister, once said: "Well, it's exhausting for me, her being pregnant.

"I don't know why, during the birth process they only focus on the women. What about the men standing there? I mean, that's pretty hard. Well, as long as they get the cricket in the hospital."

The gathering gave rise to the annual Ernie Awards, "the world's premier event shaming men for outrageous sexism".

Tags: australia, sexism, sport, sunshine