Saturday, July 22, 2006

COLD ITEM AND DUMB ITEM

Melbourne's Friday chill
Coldsteam -4.3
Avalon -2.1
Essendon -1.8
Laverton -1.6
Moorabbin -1.6
Tullamarine Airport 0.2

And this is why I was putting on a snowsuit to run to the toilet this morning. It's supposed to be raining, you know, winter and all. Gale force winds, a bit of hail, thunderstorms but freezing my bum off to have a, let's go all aussie here, snake's hiss is a bit much. Even now I'm sitting here wearing two dressing gowns and a cloak, sox and slippers. I didn't remember being this cold last year but then last year I had a cat in the study and I kept the oil heater thing on for him. I did think of getting it out for me then I remembered the bill when it came in. Dressing gowns are cheaper.

I have a Google alert for Australian Synchrotron developments and last week the synchrotron had its 'first light' run which means that every thing is aligned and functioning perfectly so the last two paragraphs of the alert were as follows:

Overseas researchers have used synchrotron technology in producing designer medicines, creating flat screen computers and extending the life of jet engines.
It also has been recruited for more humble applications in developing smoother chocolate and more absorbent disposable nappies.

Smoother chocolate and disposable nappies, nothing about looking into a single living blood cell or recording the reaction of a microscopic alga when exposed to UV rays or finding a single cancer cell before it multiplies. No wonder kids aren't interested in science these days and why people can be convinced by politicians of the other side that it's a waste of money by the Bracks Government.

On the home front, there is a tomcat roaming the street. It has sprayed up the front door and up the back door and all over the stupid old dill that should have known better than to go out and try to chase it away. That's the cat not me, in case you were wondering. He has the cheek to look at me as though I'm the one on the nose. I have tried to bath him once, a long time ago and I won't be repeating that in a hurry. I still have the scars so he'll have to wash himself.

I have two new blogs for you to visit. http://madsheilamusings.blogspot.com and http://meiultravires.blogspot.com. The first is a feminist writer out west and I love what she'd like to do to men using a barnacle loofah. The second blog is written by a working mother with the strange hobby of chasing scrub turkeys, of course she's from Queensland. Go and enjoy them.

4 comments:

phil said...

Gee, you've hit a few things of interest to me there, JT. (1) Offspring no 1 is in Melbourne today helping a/his lady friend move down there. He's also been offered a job in Melbourne and is seriously thinking about it, no doubt also related to lady friend. (2) Kids and science - part of my current work. So many of my age admit they were influenced by Julius Sumner Miller on TV. I agree, it's got to be made relevant and desirable (and pay better). (3) Thanks for spotlighting my friend mei ultra vires - she has many similar interests to the things you write about.

ThirdCat said...

You should put on a hat. I see no mention of a hat, and we lose a great deal of heat through our heads.

JahTeh said...

Thanks thirdcat, that would explain what's wrong with a lot of our Parliamentarians, losing heat and other things through their heads. My cloak has a hood, thanks to Harry Potter I've become very fashionable.

Phil, apart from our weird seasons, the offspring will love it here. We have great food and a synchrotron, what more does he need.

phil said...

He works in airconditioning, I'm sure synchrotrons need plenty of that.