paikea’s Neighborhood

Warmest. Decade. Ever. Even the weatherpersons on commercial television seem aware of that fact now. Second warmest year on record for Australia (after 2005, both ahead, remarkably, of extreme El Nino 1998), fifth warmest globally. Highest temperatures extending right through NSW and SA, very low rainfalls for this area. The results, not that they were a surprise to anyone paying attention, came, in a depressing coincidence, just a day or so after yet more media publicity for the Cooma farmer determined to clear trees. Disappointing to see that he was being supported not just by Barnaby Joyce, whose blindness and actively obstructive behaviour on climate change is sadly no longer a surprise, but also by a crew of right wing climate change denialists with links to an extreme neoconservative think tank in America. At least Bill Heffernan retained some sanity on the matter (a sentence I never saw myself writing).

Usually when I write about climate change I get criticism from some readers, who, knowing that I think we should leave both coal and uranium in the ground, demand to know what my answer is, because, and I had never thought of this, solar panels don't produce electricity when the sun don't shine. Who knew? Well, John Howard of course, who always demanded to know where us extreme greens thought we were going to get "baseload power" from. It is the kind of question the Labor Party, in government, is fond of repeating. Well, I thought I knew the answer, and so, in an encouraging coincidence last week, came the news that the Europeans do too.

They have announced the aim of linking, and developing further, all the renewable energy sources into a single grid across Europe. Wind power in Scotland, solar power in Germany, wave power in Denmark, hydroelectricity in Norway, etcetera, etcetera. Even when the sun don't shine, waves keep moving, rivers flow, wind blows; and if the wind don't blow, the sun is probably shining. The grid won't discriminate, just take whichever power source is producing. In addition, the power can be stored by using it at low demand times to pump water up to the hydroelectric dams for use later. Or solar power can be used to boil water and feed the superheated liquid into turbines. Later they are looking to add in further solar power resources in North Africa. Twenty percent of renewable power by 2020, much higher aims for 2050. Our pitiful target of 5%, even that blocked by the Liberals and Nationals, looks pitiful by comparison.

Time we lifted our game, don't you think? Improved our performance. Raised our sights. Stopped listening to idiots on the one hand and coal mine owners on the other, exercised some famous Australian ingenuity. I reckon we could do even better than the Europeans, couldn't we? We'd better get on, next decade is going to be warmer again, much warmer. Time is running out. Come down from the tree Barnaby.

Oh, and stop clearing trees, start planting instead. Every bit helps. But we need an awful lot of bits.

All David Horton's writing is on The Watermelon Blog.

The following was composed back at the end of August, on a mirror site. 

Back at the end of August, I came across a site called The Day Zero Project.  There are many like it on the interwebs - places to help you list and chronicle and achieve all sorts of things about one's life and interests. 

I decided to take his particular one on.  I started a new site for it because I wanted to keep a list page and wordpress helps you do that, unlike Vox.  I'd planned to simple double post on both sites, but maintain The List at wordpress.  Introducing the project to this site just didn't happen for whatever reason, until now.  I've found that in the intervening months, The Day Zero Project site has been updated significantly so that one can simply maintain the list on it's site.  (Previously, you could add your name and a link to your list somewhere on the internets onto a master list, but that was the extent of your own personal connections.)

The upshot of all of this is that I'm going to let my wordpress site sit fallow.  I don't feel I need it now.  I'll stick with vox and, one of these days, add The List to one of my few linkies vox lets me have on the side.  It's a bit of a tough call since there's still the must-be-a-voxer-to-comment law, but I like vox's privacy options and though I haven't actually used them much, I want to stick around for them.

In the next couple of days, I'll post the very few enteries I've written.  If you want to learn more about The Day Zero Project, go here. 

My last shoot of 2009 - one for pleasure instead of a paying client - the best kind as I can be as creative as I like!

Dave's latest hairstyle (it has changed often and dramatically over the past 6 months!) inspired a 50's reminiscent shoot.

I really loved those boots!

fifties (7)

fifties (8)

fifties (5)

Oh, meh....

Sigh

The house is way back there....

Yesterday we drove to GV and helped hang the art for the Exhibit.  What a hoot!  I'm soooo glad hubby came as he was the start!  He is so tall and strong that he could hang the photos and he has a great sense of space and really helped with the placement of the art....yes art.

So yesterday was the first time I was addressed as an artist...wow what a thrill..me an artist.  Well that is what they tell me.  I had so much fun and it was such a trill seeing my photos on a wall other than mine.

Here are a few photos of yesterdays hanging...Oh that so reminds me of the shoot outs at the OK Corral!  Well it is Southern Arizona.  The walls are bare and my friend Marie is checking out the art for placement on the wall.  See my hubby in the background. My friend Marie is the one that invited me to apply for this exhibit.

IMG_8262-hanging

IMG_8269-my-photos

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Sorry about the quality on this photo, taken at 1600 ISO so I couldn't use a flash...but you can get the idea of the space.  There are 5 artists in this exhibit and I'm the first one you see when you come through the door. I have a basket with over 50 unframed photos for sale.  I mess up on pricing of some of the framed photos...so I just crossed out the wrong infor and wrote in the correct info.  I'm do new card and bring them up next week.

The exhibt official opening is Jan. 28.  I bought card stock at Office Max and used an Avery template to write up the title, the subject, where the photo was taken, the year, my name, the medium, size and price..they looked very professional.  I attached the cards to the back of the unframed photos with tape.  The unframed photos are mounted and sealed.  I think it looks good and not to much like I haven't a clue of what I'm doing!

Good new is that I sold the b & w photo of San Javier Mission and I think I've sold the canvas wrap of Miranda's (horse) eye.  That sure made my month!

Evil Cat From Outer Space (Gif)

Maybe this wasn't the greatest of ideas.  But...who knew that the evil cat from outer space would appear right when I hit the fireworks.

Wednesday's Beauty 01/06/2010

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With only a filmy orange blouse to wear, this woman positions herself in a sensuous manner.  Her skin tone is lovely, and her long hair is allows for other cover-up photos to be taken.

Tough Foreign Smoking Rules

In this country, WE decide when you can smoke. Oops, did we get a little water in your eye?  Take the punishment.....and never forget the stinging pain of water!  We do not like outdoor smokers. 

Canine Memorial

This is a memorial to all the guard dogs in the military who lost their lives while on duty.  So touching with how the military gentleman is holding his dog, looking down upon him while placing his hand on its head.  They are friends...more so, they have love and respect for one another.