Wunderland

My thesis is about building an economic model of the world to understand energy and agriculture linkages or something like that. Well searching for something the other day I came across this link in the London Telegraph for Wunderland (Viewed original stuff here).

I was pretty blown away from looking at the pictures and was taken back to my childhood where I had legos and built little cities and other environments. I was amazed at the detail and was hungry for more. So I looked around a little more and came upon this video and thought I should share this from there website with you.

Firestorm

As you may have noticed on the news there has been a large amount of fires around Melbourne over the last few weeks. The lead up to the worst day was indeed a sign of what was to come. For over a week the temperature in Victoria (the state of which Melbourne is the capital) was over 35 C and for the last 3 days it was over 40 C.

These days basically killed and dried everything out. I have some pictures here on the way home from work over the week in which it cooled down. It is easy to be confused and think it was Autumn. Some pics below of this.

Near my house on the way home from work

The grass outside my home

On the day the fires broke out and in some case deliberately lit it was the hottest day ever recorded in Victoria, with the temperature being 46.6 C. I didn't feel hot yet dry. It really was just a dry heat where I felt the sun burning me black when outside. In the afternoon the sky and city had a sepia look as seen below. I was completely oblivious to the fires raging about 100 km North-East of Melbourne.

The sky in Melbourne the day of the fires.

I did catch on later as I read the newspaper. I was a little concerned about where the fires were. I was relieved to find out none where near my Dad's. He was a little oblivious too, and only when the smoke came over at about 6 pm he became very concerned. Although the fires were far from his house and he was safe, it was unsettling. Here are some photos of the smoke clouds coming to Rosedale.

Photos from my Dad in Rosedale








On Friday the 13th I noticed that once again Melbourne still had that smokey feeling, a taste of smoke in the air, and the sepia look as seen above. Yet when I was running, I found myself drawn to looking at the sun, like a sun worshiper. I was in awe of its power to destroy and create energy. The sun was sitting bright in the red sky reminding us all about its power. Too bad the solar industry has been crippled by the coal industry in Australia.

The sun in the sky in Melbourne 6 days after the fires. Reminding us of its power.

I recall once debating with Eric (from LX) about what was worse a cyclone (hurricane/ typhoon) or a tornado and conceded that tornadoes dump all over cyclones in power. After reading some of the stories of survivors from the fires, for example statements like napalm running through the jungles, or an animal trying to trap its prey at breakneck speed, I think the firestorm is more powerful then the tornado. Thankfully, there frequency is less.

Many people I know have been affected by this tragedy. There is some good news. People have been very charitable and have raised around 100 million dollars for the affected people. I hope this will help the people affected to rebuild there lives.

Photos from the newspaper

Near the the town where I attended the wine and salsa night

The station at the town

The fires from the North East of Melbourne at about 8pm of the worst day

The firestorm approaching the Marysville

Marysville after the fire passed.

Booze News

Peru’s top court has ruled that workers cannot be fired for being drunk, a decision the Government says sets a dangerous precedent. The Constitutional Tribunal said the firing of a janitor was excessive because even though he was drunk, he did not offend or hurt anybody.

http://www.theage.com.au/oddspot

One night in Paris

It has been a long time coming yet I have finally got a post up. I intended to do this a while back yet I got distracted with other things and was not sure if I should use flash or video. After thinking and playing for a while it seemed best to go back to video. Then video had some problems which I was able to resolve.

Well definitely enjoyed my trip to France and wish to go back. I felt absorbed in the 17 and 18th centuries as I moved around the streets. Most of things I saw were older than Australia and larger than most things in Australia. Not even sure why at the very end when I looked at the the Arc de Triompe that i still said "Damn! that is so big" still.

The highlight for me in Paris were the Arenes de Lutece (Roman ruins), seeing the Eiffel Tower, and entering the Luxemburg Gardens. Although the temperature moved from minuses to positives here I still imagined being a gladiator and fighting off lions and stuff. From there it was not long to see the Eiffel Tower standing tall in the distance. When I entered the Luxemburg Gardens it felt as if I entered a whole new place, as the sun started to shine and the grey was painted over with greenery energising me. Even though it was still cold it did not feel that way there.

I did the Davinci Tour on my own, noting spots that I could remember in the book and making sure I put them into my voyage. I saw the Louvre Pyramid, (no grail though that I could see), the Garden of Tuileries, and the Church of Saint Suplice. I forgot to check out the Rose Line yet I plan to go back one day.

I wanted to climb the Eiffel Tower except when I arrived there it looked like all of Europe had the same idea and it started to rain so I thought I would do it next time. My path around Paris is as follows Charles De Gaulle Airport, Chatelet Station & Formum de Halles, Place de Victories (sunrise here at 8am local time), Hotel, Breakfast at the cafe near the Louvre, Hotel de Ville, Notre Dame, St Stevens du Mont, Panethon, Arenes de Lutece Roman ruins, Jardin du Luxemburg, Palais du Luxemberg, St Suplice, Jardin of Babylone, Dome des Invalides (camera battery started to redlight), Eiffel Tower, Palais de Chailot, Palais de Tokyo, Avenue des Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, Palais de l'Elysee, Place de Concorde, Jardin des Tuileries, Jardin du Carrousel, The Louvre Pyramid, and finally after 8 hours back to the cafe and on to the hotel for a planned shower and 5 minute power nap, before the next part. That is my speed tourism of Paris and when I come back I will be here longer and hope to spend time appreciating more. In the meantime I am inspired to enroll in French classes so that I can do more than order food and ask directions**.

Photo movie of my wanderings around Paris, to an unusual French song.
(Couldn't really find a song that fit so i just picked on I liked.)

** Can that happen to me? I remember in two and half years in Vietnam that was the limit of my language skills.

Smiley in the Sky

My last dance class was on Monday (1st Dec) and as I was making my way home I looked up in the western sky and saw the smiley in the sky. I wished I had of had a camera, yet then I remember my camera is not good enough to shoot in the sky. It was pretty magical to see it. I remember reading earlier in the day that the next time this event will happen is in 5 years. I am glad I did see it, as I did forget.

Melbourne was a little warm and clear which added to the magic. I felt impressed by the way the pattern of the two planets, Jupiter and Venus formed the eyes and the cresent moon made a smile. I had always wondered if I had seen planets and what they looked like and now I discovered that I had seen many planets before. The photo is ok, yet seeing it with my naked eye was breathtaking and a memory I will cherish (until I see it again in 5 years).

Photo from here

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With all the tragic news coming out of Asia in most particularly India and Thailand at the moment it might have been easy to overlook this piece of news from Singapore -

Singapore jails 3 for kangaroo T-shirts.

Reuters - Thursday, November 27

SINGAPORE, Nov 27 - Three Singaporeans were jailed on Thursday after being charged with contempt of court for showing up at Singapore's Supreme Court wearing T-shirts depicting kangaroos in judges robes.

Isrizal Bin Mohamed Isa and Muhammad Shafi'ie Syahmi Bin Sariman were sentenced to seven days' jail, while Tan Liang Joo John received 15 days imprisonment. They were each ordered to pay S$5,000 in costs.

Tan is the Assistant Secretary-General of the opposition Singapore Democratic Party, led by Chee Soon Juan.

The three had worn the T-shirts at a court hearing in May to determine the damages that Chee Soon Juan and his sister Chee Siok Chin were to pay after being found guilty of defaming Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and former leader Lee Kuan Yew.

Singapore's attorney-general said in bringing the case to court the trio had "scandalised the Singapore judiciary".

Singapore bans gatherings and protests in all public areas without a permit except Speakers' Corner, the country's equivalent of the historic free-speech haven in London's Hyde Park.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20081127/tap-singapore-kangaroo-c3bb44c.html

Dance Free

A couple of weeks ago I had to leave the dance class early and gave my entry ticket to a friend. The next time I saw him I had a funny feeling, and he said to me that he has good news. I had won the free class, call it intuition or esp or excitement, I am not sure yet I got to dance for free, which I thought was cool.