Mood:  special

But it sounds grim there with 80% of the country affected. Remember in 2004 January tsunami in Indonesia the death toll went from a few thousand to well over 200,000.

We fear a major jump from 700 plus deaths confirmed early on in the 6th, 7th, 8th regions of this long thin neighbour of the Pacific.

The quake was a monster by all accounts. Even allowing for good construction codes, the tsunami only 15 minutes later sounds catastrophic. We heard Chile's ambassador here say on abc public radio a wave of 8 to 10 metres hit Conception and travelling 3 to 5 kilometres inland. That's danger writ large.

We got out some photographs of our trip (with an ex girlfriend) native Chilean in 2002 with our terrible old camera. We recall getting slightly drunk on red wine in a Santiago apartment on a 4th floor listening to Victor Jara for the first time when a mild tremor shook the light globe. No drama.

We recall a bus-train-ferry trip from the capital to Peurto Mont via Temuco and Chillan via local markets and even watching Spider Man movie release in a town with a statue of national hero Bernardo OHiggins. An Irishman in a Spanish speaking country. Just another charming aspect of a diverse country.

More background here in one of our first clumsy web pages, yet a successful collaboration with social movement in Chile: Patagonia ecology solidarity project to prevent a US $3 billion dollar hydro smelter project threatening fjordlands, lake and 3 rivers by Canadian miner Noranda.

We wrote in crude Spanish via the website translator:

Subject: tsunami 15 minutos después de temblor ...... Re: Hola Mitzi, Marisol, ¿Usted es seguro?
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 13:49:19 +1100

El embajador chileno aquí en Australia de la radio pública dice la onda de 8 metros, 3 a 5 kilómetros interiores en Concepción y pueblos.... También 700 muertos sobre todo en 7o (?)
región

[The Chilean ambassador here in Australia on the public radio says a wave of 8 meters, 3 to 5 kilometers into Concepcion .... Also 700 dead persons especially in 7th (?) region

Tom McLoughlin

Marisol at Ecosistemas green group in Chile:

Sent: Monday, March 01, 2010 1:59 PM

Subject: RE: tsunami 15 minutos después de temblor ...... Re: Hola Mitzi, Marisol, ¿Usted es seguro?

si eso es así...realmente la ola...ha afectado muchísimo a la costa de la 8, 7 y 6ta región. hay mucha gente desaparecida
y a sido decretada zona de catástrofe en estas regiones.

El problema ahora es la conectividad de las carreteras y las comunicaciones, para hacer llegar la ayuda.
ver: www.tvn.cl

 

[if that is like that ... really the wave ... it has affected very much to the coast of 8, 7 and 6ta region. there are many missing people
and to been decreed zone of catastrophe in these regions.

The problem now is the conectividad of the highways and the communications, to make the help come.
to see: www.tvn.cl]

 

We will try and post some beauty pictures tomorrow of the ocean and mountains and people we know as Chile. 

Posted by editor at 8:05 PM EADT

Updated: Monday, 1 March 2010 8:11 PM EADT

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Mood:  energetic

Seems big media think Peter Garrett is going to be dogging it. We added this comment to First Dog cartoon today which got the 'under moderation treatment' so far:

Serve that dog some hot dinner.

Meanwhile those of us who like critters might want to consider this remaining to do list for Mr Garrett.

- Mitigating the $43 Billion (that a real billion not a Joyce billion) Gorgon development, class 1 nature reserve at Barrow Island etc

- Ancient rock art in the Kimberley - everywhere in a resources hot spot

- Whaling v Japanese earth rapists

- Old Growth forests in Tas, NSW, Vic under the EPBC Act

- $2B Tas pulp mill wheels falling off in a state election, while GMO plantation estate of Euc. Nitans appear be naturally toxic to waterways (Australian Story).

- Arnhem Land Aboriginal employment programme over 1 M hectares

- Cape York World Heritage negotiations with the Pearsons in a preface to Barak Obama meeting local Black jurists like … said Pearson shouter (?)

- Tillegra Dam/Kooragang Island wetlands decision, worth $500M to $1B cost to the NSW Govt

… and probably lots of other stuff I have no clue about.

But apparently this is less important than insulation according to the latte set in the big media.

Posted by editor at 7:29 PM EADT

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Mood:  mischievious

Bike paths and protesters eh? Where have we heard that name Nicole Campbell before? Not an ALP hack doing Meredith Burgmann's work for her in the ABC news today?

Here is Ms Campbell back in 2004 in the Not Happy John campaign days.

Posted by editor at 7:12 PM EADT

Updated: Monday, 1 March 2010 7:24 PM EADT

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Mood:  chatty

Author’s general introductory note   

This is not a well packaged story. It’s a contemporaneous traverse of the Sunday television free to air political talkies indicating the agenda of Establishment interests: Better to know ones rivals and allies in Big Politics and Big Media. Perhaps the greatest utility is the headline synthesis above of the 3 or 4 shows followed in this session.

For actual transcripts and/or video feeds go to the programme web sites quoted including Riley Diary on 7. And note transcripts don’t really give you the image content value.

Other sources of pollie talkies on Sunday include SkyNews paytv Sunday Agenda, Radio National Monica Attard Sunday Profile show. And of course Sunday night shows SBS Dateline, Sixty Minutes and now Sunday Tonight on 7.  

Media backgrounders.  

- Day After Tomorrow on tv movies still packs a punch on 7 last night.

- When a liar calls a liar a liar? We recognised a talkback caller on abc 702 late last week, let's call him N waxing lyrical about his credentials as a 'sailor for 30 years on Sydney Harbour' in reference to the Keating/Barangaroo phallus like gazump on the official design competition. Now having known N for 15 years, and visited his home several times and worked on joint projects over that time we can't recall one nautical item literally or in conversation. Not one safety jacket, sail cloth or salty rope. Maybe he has been out on the Harbour in that time - in a Sydney Ferry?

10 Meet the Press:  8- 8-30 am 

Riminton in the chair. Footage of PM Rudd etc. Press on big quake, polling 50:50 major parties. Talent is Abbott. Q re pursue Garrett more? Shifting focus to PM and govt – says all talk no action. Says long way to go despite polls.

Lack of value in schools stimulus. Humour out take Roxon golf ‘balls’ to her opposite.

After 1^st adbreak Panel is Lewis News Corp, Schubert The Age. Principle of federal takeover. Abbott blames bureaucracy, management boards Qld and NSW, renegotiate health agreements.

Lewis on Sorry Day like Anzac Day? Black armband? Abbott – lets wait and see. [Dorothy dixer.]

Schubert on trust – work choices, medicare safety net. Agrees adjust promises due to radical changes. ‘Crisis of faith in this govt’ over promising on petrol grocery prices.

Lewis finally asks hard question – Joyce moved as finance minister. Lame answer about Joyce not Garrett on insulation. Argues Tanner airbrush of insulation scheme as nitpicking. “Barnaby doing a good job”.

Riminton – play book from Republicans spoiler role in Senate. Denied. Israel let Australia down? Says unclear full facts. Don’t assume bad faith. [totally lame]. Humour out take is Warren on Garrett bob sled toon.

2^nd guest – Prof Clive Williams on Israel

Meet The Press - Watch Political Video Online - Channel TEN.

Riley Diary 7, from 8.40am 

http://www.seven.com.au/sunrise/weekend   

9 Sunday newshour Laurie Oakes interview 8.44 am 

Winter Olympics coverage again, refer feature story in Saturday News Corp Sydney Daily Telegraph Telegraph Rudd says he's dropped the ball which gets a bollocking by aggressive right wing commenters typical emotional violence.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/oakes

Insiders 2: 9- 10am

Riley style package terrorism, insulation, Israel rip of Oz passports for political murders. Garrett looking … sullen, like a spoiled lad who has always got what he wanted. (?). Just another ego driven pollie who has crashed (?).

Panel on press – Lenore Taylor Fairfax  re polling headline is confused and incorrect. LT and Farr shows Abbott consolidated vis a vis Hockey. G Henderson – TA has ‘people skills’. Farr notes image of Garrett in casuals exaggerated but Dept got a rough deal major economic programme not equipped to implement.

Henderson claims Abbott is sincere about pay rates as if he is poor?

…………………………..

PM Rudd has PG as second class minister? In effect no because env minister is a big job on pulp mill, Traveston dam etc. PM sounding a bit better with his head cold, but also looking a little pale. Q. Combet has job so troubles in future blame who? PM says mine. Praises Combet. Alan Hawke to administer very experienced. PM plays GFC card, not an excuse, but that’s the context avoid global economic disaster.

Moves onto health. Finally gets to GFC for failed July 09 deadline. Says no excuse [but in effect the reality]. Had problems with delivery. Didn’t properly understand the complexity. [in our experience everything takes longer than it looks, everything because you inevitably get fresh information as you go].

Says govt deserves a whacking in the poll now and in the future. Shows a smile intends to get on and do it on health – clearly hinting there is a big reform coming. Double dissolution as late as October.  Colour returning to Ruddy visage as interview continues. Looking more natural and relaxed and smiling.

Holds to climate as absolutely profound. Through everything at it. Thinking about 20 years from now. Cost a trillion dollars, a real trillion dollars not Joyce one, in 20 years. Refers to “watching facial expressions” [which was our blog line on crikey strings]

Convincing rejection of sexist quote attributed to him in SMH.

Reconciliatory nod each way compere BC to PM quite dignified.

………………….

Vox pop – nursery staff on Garrett.

…………….

Panel discussion on PM Rudd be more accountable. GH says over reaction. Takes a softer line about bureaucrat gibe. (GH sees himself). Farr says boredom factor while Abbott is [everyman] cut through. Grab of radio call scared oldie to Niel Mitchell. Resolved with Dean Meaghl at ETU.

Taylor points out Cabinet responsibility for blocking co-payment. Grab from Good News Week – Rudd is the 26^th in the job with a d*ck.

GH says Hamas figure is no loss, hiccup in relations with Israel. LT – nothing Australian Govt can do. Impact on now travelling in ME. GH says Stan Hu is a bigger issue. Farr – Mossad won’t consult with ASIS etc on such things. Farr accuses GH of supporting killing of Hamas leader.

Joyce grab on net public private debt bigger than US. LT notes TA lame defense Joyce not actually a minster yet. [agree lame].  GH praises Gillard more rigorous policy in our schools: Number is guarantee of privacy.

http://www.abc.net.au/insiders

Refer http://www.abc.net.au/insidebusiness/ 

Posted by editor at 10:58 AM EADT

Updated: Monday, 1 March 2010 9:28 AM EADT

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Mood:  hug me

All this griping and choreographed danger and trouble over electrified insulation reminds us of the final speech of the previous sitting week in federal parliament. It's very sobering and perhaps a timely reminder to count our blessings in Australia:

[At pages 69 -70 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Thursday, 11 February 2010 in PDF format from here http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/reps/dailys/dr110210.pdf ]

Ms PARKE (Fremantle) (4.54 pm)—On 13 January

the television news started to penetrate Australia’s

summer reverie with images of the devastation in Haiti

caused by the earthquake that had occurred in the late

afternoon of the previous day—the anguish on faces of

shocked and terrified survivors, the bodies in the

streets, the injured, the crushed buildings, and aerial

views of the national palace, the cathedral and the

Christopher Hotel, which housed the United Nations

headquarters, all collapsed in ruins.

I talked on Monday in this place about the devastation

suffered by the Haitian people in this disaster.

Again, I offer to the citizens of Haiti my deepest condolences.

This terrible event also resulted in the largest

loss of staff lives in the UN’s history. Over a number of

days the news emerged that almost 100 UN staff from

28 countries had perished in the mass of concrete and

rubble. This included four of my friends—people I had

worked and socialised with in Kosovo and Gaza. In

such difficult places, your friends are your family.

Luiz Carlos da Costa was the deputy head of the UN

stabilisation mission in Haiti. Words can hardly do justice

to this gentleman of the world—a brilliant, warm,

charismatic, soft-spoken Brazilian man who was also,

as described by his wife at his memorial service, ‘dropdead

gorgeous’. Like the former Secretary-General

Kofi Annan, Luiz started out in the UN as a messenger

boy and worked his way up over four decades to one of

the highest posts in the UN system. He was responsible

for recruitment in UN peacekeeping for decades and he

signed my own appointment letter when I started with

the UN peacekeeping mission in Kosovo in 1999. Luiz

was known for his professionalism and dedication to

the UN, for his kindness and for his egalitarian treatment

of staff and his fierce loyalty to them. As the secretary-

general said in his condolence statement:

He was a mentor to generations of UN staff … His legacy

lives in the thousands that serve under the blue flag in every

corner of the globe.

I remember Luiz once telling me how sad he was at the

death of his fellow countryman Sergio Vieira de Mello

in the Baghdad bombing in 2003. What a devastating

blow to Brazil, the UN and the international community

to have now lost both of these incredible international

civil servants. I worked with Luiz and his assistant

Jerome Yap in Kosovo and later in New York.

Jerome, from the Philippines, steadfastly supported

Luiz over the last 15 years—accompanying him to

Kosovo, Liberia and Haiti. Jerome was a happy person

who loved to sing, and he was a member of the UN

choir. I kept in touch with Jerome through Facebook

but my last message to him went unanswered as he too

was tragically killed in Haiti.

Emmanuel Rejouis, from France/Haiti, and Emily

Sanson, from New Zealand, were friends of mine in

Kosovo—staying with me and my housemate Matthew

at one stage. They later married and had three beautiful

daughters. After stints in many countries they were

posted to Haiti. Emily was at work at the UN when the

earthquake struck. She ran home to where Emmanuel

was taking care of their daughters, but the building was

collapsed. She found her youngest daughter Alyahna

alive under Emmanuel’s body—he had been sheltering

her when he died. Their other two little daughters did

not survive. Emmanuel was a kind and gentle person

who loved his family and his fellow human beings.

Their daughters Kofi-Jade and Zenzie were beautiful

and sassy children.

Another close friend lost in the Haiti quake was

Jean-Philippe Laberge, a French-Canadian with whom

I worked in Gaza, along with his wife Victoria. I was

on the UNRWA panel that interviewed Jean-Philippe

for the job as an Operations Support Officer in Gaza. I

liked him immediately as he was smart and funny and

laid back, while being completely professional. As his

friends have noted in our condolence letter to Victoria

and his mother Marjolaine: he had a mischievous style,

which masked his essential shyness, and he was one of

the most sensitive and caring persons you could meet

as well as being a thoroughly reliable colleague and a

true leader, making the right decisions in difficult and

dangerous situations, as was often the case in Gaza.

The nicest New Year’s Eve I ever experienced was a

few years ago at a party Jean-Philippe and Victoria

held in Montreal. Many of the Gaza friends were together

again—such a lot of champagne, such beautiful

memories. In one of those strange coincidences, Jean-

Philippe’s memorial service is happening now in Montreal

as I speak and my thoughts are certainly with him

and his family, especially Victoria and their two young

children.

To all of my UN friends who are gone, it was a

privilege to have known and worked alongside you. As

one mourner put it:

You thought only of bringing good to the world—

and—

… represented all that is best about the human race … Marcel

Proust thought that people who have passed away remain

with us through our memories of them. “It is as though,” he

wrote, “they have gone abroad”.

So, then, Luiz, Jean-Philippe, Jerome and Emmanuel,

you and your fallen colleagues have gone abroad to

join Dag Hammarskjold, Sergio Vieira de Mello, Count

 

Folke Bernadotte, Iain Hook, Jean-Selim Kanaan and

many other UN soldiers for peace. But our memories

of you will remain strongly with us and will fortify us

in carrying on your work to restore dignity to the lives

of the world’s most vulnerable. In the immortal words

of Wordsworth:

What though the radiance which was once so bright

Be now for ever taken from my sight,

Though nothing can bring back the hour

Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;

We will grieve not, rather find

Strength in what remains behind.

Posted by editor at 11:25 AM EADT

Updated: Saturday, 27 February 2010 11:32 AM EADT

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Mood:  accident prone

Some spontaneous reactions to the imbroglio, taking a broader view of the real politik, beyond demotions and promotions and all that PMC, Opposition choreography:

 - Abbott Opposition opposed the stimulus because of the debt implications. But really because of the huge popularity it would buy the Government?

- According to this interpretation 'safety' as an issue is really secondary to the main motive of trashing free or near to free insulation as a vote buyer. In effect running interference on a NSW ALP Right/Mark Arbib style give away like the free light globes and hats and lights on the Harbour Bridge in 2007 state election.

- Insulation in that sense is a vote buyer with oomph because as my landlord says for his home - "it really works" this last hot summer meaning when he gets home 6 days a week driving his truck his house is fairly cool. That's like a How To Vote Card multiple times a day every hot day of the year.

- In one sense nsulation is the Rudd's govt's AWB bribery scandal, at least a little: Using taxpayers money to buy an advantage for a treasured political sector. In this case blue collar tradie vote, in that earlier case national party farmer types.

- But is it really 'a bribe' morally speaking? We believe the surplus in the budget pre GFC was built up over 10 years via the GST being a 10% hike on all consumables in a regressive tax. It seems eminently moral and ethical for a government to return that to the same people who paid it as least to some degree with broad give aways that pump prime the economy.

- We haven't seen one media release from The Greens free subscription list praising Garrett or seeking to intercede on Garrett's behalf over insulation or renewable energy. Now Senator Brown is in the news challenging his successor Combet will be any better. Implying Brown wants a battered Garrett to keep his broader portfolio? Mmm, that's a bit cold then warm mixed message for us. No doubt The Greens know the programme was an ALP  vote buyer too aimed at sidelining their eco role too.

- It was Ken Henry, Treasury Secretary who famously advised - go hard, go early, go households ... or something like that to avoid a miserable recession during the GFC late 2008 to avoid say 200K job losses, social dislocation and statistical fatalities that go with that kind of thing - suicide, domestic violence, drug use etc. In this sense Henry, no where to be seen in general media, was the motivation behind Garrett's rushed and amateurish building programme. Just do it, indeed.

Posted by editor at 9:52 AM EADT

Updated: Monday, 1 March 2010 6:57 PM EADT

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Mood:  sharp

• They need to deliver on the promises which they made last year.
• The full reserve areas recommended by the Natural Resources Commission need to be protected.
• Logging has to stop in the Millewa forest.

Posted by editor at 10:10 AM EADT

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Mood:  chatty

Author’s general introductory note   

This is not a well packaged story. It’s a contemporaneous traverse of the Sunday television free to air political talkies indicating the agenda of Establishment interests: Better to know ones rivals and allies in Big Politics and Big Media. Perhaps the greatest utility is the headline synthesis above of the 3 or 4 shows followed in this session.

For actual transcripts and/or video feeds go to the programme web sites quoted including Riley Diary on 7. And note transcripts don’t really give you the image content value.

Other sources of pollie talkies on Sunday include SkyNews paytv Sunday Agenda, Radio National Monica Attard Sunday Profile show. And of course Sunday night shows SBS Dateline, Sixty Minutes and now Sunday Tonight on 7.  

Media backgrounders.  

- SAM here started a trend perhaps with our gibe about Kevin ‘science’ Rudd meant in an ironic way: That is talk not substance on ecological science let alone other issues.

 - The desperate beat for burn offs goes on promoted by the logging industry who truth to tell have a 50 year history of highly mechanised broadscale conversion of wet forest fuel management to dry schlerophyll regrowth forest (as per Hastings and Tantram Case in Vic Supreme Court illegal rainforest logging around 2005).

Prof Lindenemeyer et al have done the science too.

Devine runs the redneck line in SMH yesterday in choreography with Bolt in Vic Herald Sun on Friday. Crikey bites back with a grim rejoinder by bushfire victim on Friday, not least comment by former Wildfire editor Frank Campbell in the string. So called Timber Communities Australia (name change from Forest Protection Society given  breach of s52 of the fair trading legislation for deception) convene a public meeting in Eden yesterday as the area is declared a natural disaster area - for flooding rivers, and high rainfall.

Does the logging industry in the business of killing things (and now indirectly lots of people) have any shame politicising the death of over 100 people as result of their own transformation of landscapes to dry schlerophyll?  Don't get us wrong - called as a witness at the NSW 1994 bushfire inquiries for The Wilderness Society (Parliament, and coronial inquiry) - we are all for fire breaks at town bush interface, but logging 600 year old wet forests should be banned as a crime against public safety and the eco system. And real accountability for ripping the moisture out of our forests should start like yesterday.

10 Meet the Press:  8- 8-30 am 

Hugh Riminton as compere (Bonge!?), guest is Joe Hockey, Ross Garnaut.

Footage of PM and Opp leader on hustings including Abbott with children. Lead in questions about Garrett and insulation. Garrett is the fall guy?  Traverse same issues, ‘1,000 homes death traps’. ‘Rudd bet the house on Copenhagen and lost’ ‘Direct action’ until world agreement’. Whaling, next November after an election. Haven’t seen the legal advice to decide. [False] choice about dialogue or threats.

Panel Alison Carabine RN abc, question on penalty rates to stay. Award modernization worse off effects. Panel – Peter Hartcher on cost of debt promises. Medibank private should be sold. PH goes in hard re lack of economic cred re TA praising NZ, Finance minister chicken little routine sky falling, Hock in tutu (on network 10).

‘avoid recession while you help us avoid boredom?’ Hockey says they take some credit for avoiding recession including his bank laws. Spend the deficit.

$250M fee cancellation for tv fta opposition flip flop? Against now due to Murdoch meeting.  Denials. Humour out take Moir cartoon on Hanson going to pomme land.

……………………

Govt running a mile from climate ETS? Need a price on carbon. Mainstream science costs better to act ahead of time. Diabolical policy problem so politics reflect that, momentum against action. Go with the Greens proposal – says it’s not theirs but yes.

Hawke says Garnaut co architect of reforms of 80-90ies.

Meet The Press - Watch Political Video Online - Channel TEN.

Riley Diary 7, from 8.40am 

http://www.seven.com.au/sunrise/weekend   

9 Sunday newshour Laurie Oakes interview 8.44 am 

Looks like Winter Olympics and no show, refer also Saturday Sydney Daily Telegraph, about Garrett and insulation and broader context of ALP utilizing the guy.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/oakes

Insiders 2: 9- 10am

$250M fta tv license freebie. Shakeout puts Abbott with Murdoch. Package to Bruce The Boss music 56 channels nothing on. Strong policy lead in by Insiders.

Tangent on smears/scandals of golfing day passes etc, PM and a $2 raffle ticket. Dynamics of sector.

Conroy on license fta fee, Kaiser appointment, Rudd pace on PS etc. All quite convincing.

Vox pop ANU film club [know it quite well, where we met Doug Scott – famous mountaineer here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Scott - as per this picture.

Panel on insulation – kids on roof footage, Minter Ellison advice is “the smoking gun”. Didn’t answer it on PM. Implication is had it for a long time. Broader implications – grab of Hock on MTP 10, goes to Rudd PM as well.

Panel on subsidy to fta tv $250M.  Discussion of News Ltd emphasis attacking the govt. Heavy lifting on ideological issues. Marr runs “peculiar dual role” newspaper. Fran says Govt is in trouble, could be a oncer she says.

Talking pictures funny as usual. Follow up about big rig Joe Hockey as the driver?

http://www.abc.net.au/insiders

Inside Business with Alan Kohler  .

Talking Point – lack of competition in the bank sector is flowing on to lack of competition generally in the small business sector for lack of finance. Ouch.

Refer http://www.abc.net.au/insidebusiness/ 

Posted by editor at 11:13 AM EADT

Updated: Sunday, 21 February 2010 11:33 AM EADT

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Mood:  d'oh

Here is our experience of 6 months living on Wisemans Ferry Rd Cattai in the Hawkesbury in 2009 (where the sand trucks barrel along to the sandmines at Maroota via Pitt Town). And we already had 5 years delivery driving cars and vans around the inner city, with license for 25 years and no crashes.

Whenever you slow down on a country road with fast traffic and apply the right hand indicator - in our case most every day returning home - this ambiguously suggests you are encouraging an overtake on your right. Like a gesture you want to drive below the speed limit. If they do overtake and you do turn right your driver door will connect with their bumper bar and quite possibly instant death.

You have two much safer choices than relying on the correct interpretation of an ambiguous right hand blinker, as you approach your right hander:

1. The best method is put your hazard lights and start slowing down 200 metres from the right turn. This will cause the traffic behind to slow right down behind you every time. They will be wondering if you have an engine failure or there another danger like animal on the road. Traffic further behind will slow down on the brake lights in front. They key is to do this gradually and well before the turn, avoiding any necessity to actually stop. Then you will have enough time to turn right well clear of traffic behind when you switch from hazards to right indicator. It seems like alot of fuss for simple right turn but it's heaps safer.

2. Indicate left and pull over to the left and stop leaving the open road for the traffic behind. This is not always as easy as it sounds because inevitably there will be 2 wheels on gravel and you want a spot with real clearance on the road's edge. Once there wait for traffic to pass then make wide turn right across both lanes of the road, watching out for any new oncoming traffic in the meantime.

There is nothing like a sand truck up your *rse on a country road on a down hill incline where the trucks go faster than your 1989 Ford Corolla sedan to clarify safe turning method!

Posted by editor at 9:54 AM EADT

Updated: Friday, 19 February 2010 3:26 PM EADT

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Mood:  chatty

We have just trawled 16 pages of comments from back stories here on micro news SAM.

Regretably we didn't realise our email prompt was out of date having shifted servers to the national carrier due to 3 quick takeovers and bust for the old server.

Perhaps now we can be more timely and responsive to folks who comment.

Sorry if anyone felt ignored, or snubbed this last year or more. Nor are we particularly offended by sledges. We only care about being sued for defamation for illegal comments, excessive use of memory space, or porn intrusions.

Otherwise we feel secure enough in ourselves to handle most genuine comments for or against. For instance we percieve emotionally violent comments reflect more on the writer - take note supporters of Tim Blair, who surely doesn't benefit from reflected aggression.

By the by yesterday we posted on a certain peak green group and daily readership figures jumped to 1750 odd pageviews which is alot more than usual. The sincere piece works on several levels - as we knew it would.

Posted by editor at 8:18 PM EADT

Updated: Wednesday, 17 February 2010 8:34 PM EADT

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