Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Powerful owls

I'm supposed to be writing a post about Bradfield the Sydney Harbour Bridge guy today. But I've got to earn some money instead so here's some reading to be going on with:


Local

The powerful owls and their 11 hectares of bush still have a DA (Development Appilcation) hanging over their heads. Don't quote me on this but I think it's that bit of land on the corner of Hillview Street and Veron Road, right opposite the high school's sheep and across the road from the golf course.

Last year there was a fire in the bike shop on Railway Street. The bike shop moved down a few doors to number 18 but the beauty salon next to it had to shut down due to fire damage. The owner didn't have the dosh to go into a new shop and had to close for 8 months.

It's open again now. It's that place near the station lights, right next to Councillor Holstein's rather garish election office. Don't know if they do a back-crack-n-sac but you can ask.


In yer face Howard

Miner bullied at work wins second pay-out. She wouldn't sign a WorkChoices agreement (individual employment contract typically nullifying your holiday pay & safety). She got bullied and harrassed by her boss. She fought back, with the help of the union. She got awarded compo to be paid by her employer. She now works for the union.


More good news

"A REVOLUTIONARY technology that uses sunlight and sea water to produce an unlimited supply of clean, hydrogen fuel could be developed within a decade, Sydney researchers say.

Leigh Sheppard, of the University of NSW, estimated that 1.6 million of the solar devices, installed on rooftops, would be able to produce enough hydrogen gas to supply Australia's entire energy needs. ... Hydrogen was a clean and efficient fuel for powering everything from vehicles to furnaces and air conditioning. "When you burn it, it gives water, so there is no pollution of the environment," [Professor Tributsch] said." (SMH)

How cool would that be? We've got so much sun here we might end up exporting power and, exports or not, we wouldn't have to drink recycled wee after all.

Texas unlikely home of world's biggest gay church. That's right, peeps. Texas. The home of George "I can't talk proper" Bush and more fundies than you can poke a stick at has a church with a 3,500 strong mostly-queer congregational. Praise the lord!

Don't live in Texas? Try the Metropolitan Community Church or the Universal Life Church.


Toughing it out

This guy is one tough cookie. An hour after he was carjacked, stuffed in the boot and his car set on fire, he was back at work.


Can't find anything about that poor bastard found dead on the tracks on Bridge Walk day. Anyone know what happened?

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

i'm pretty sure it that piece of land as well spike
I didnt know there was a fire at the bike shop i knew they had moved i thought there was a chemist shop next door to the old bike shop but they had moved up to the old pizza hut
i wrote a few weeks ago in another post where i thought either a cat or a possum was running across my roof at night? anyway last night i saw a possum in my back yard helping himself to some mangos that had fallen from my mango tree so i now know it was a possum i heard that night

Aesthetic said...

That Dr is amazing, the poor bugger, what a crap thing to happen.

Spike said...

Michael - Is it the same piece of bush someone wants to build 37 units on?

That bike shop fire damage was still visible a few weeks ago. There wasn't much to see though. It was all in that delivery bay or whatever.

Yep, the chemist moved to the ex-Pizza Hut. And took that fugly 70s roof off, TY god.

Shoot it with a water gun. They hate that. They're noisy buggers. They get drunk of a night and dance on people's roofs.

Aesthetic - Shit yeah. If I was him I would've stopped at home to change my underpants and maybe have hysterics.

Anonymous said...

i think it is the same site its across the road from the golf course and opposite umina high schools farm area
according to todays local rag someone has found some sort of rare speices of bird on that same site so that could throw a spanner in the developers works!!!
by the way have you seen that monstrosity going up on the old church site in woy woy? what the f**k is it? its only the frame for whatever it is and its sort of oval in shape go and have a look at it next time you are up there spike (you cant miss the bloody thing)

Spike said...

Michael - that rare species of bird is the powerful owls. I think.

And we should rename our footy team the Powerful Owls. Newcastle Knights versus the Powerful Owls. Rolls off the tongue nicely IMHO.

Haven't yet seen the monstrosity but what the f**k is it? seems to be a fairly common reaction :) Must be the new church.

Anonymous said...

just went back and read that article in the paper again the bird is called a bush stone curlew its not an owl
it wouldnt matter if the local team was called the poweful owls i would back the knights to win every time!!! lol

Spike said...

Michael - There's no owls there at all? Bugger. I like owls.

Newcastle lad, are yer?

Saw that monstrosity BTW. Will bung a photo on Monday and we can all have a puzzle over it.

Anonymous said...

i dont know if there are owls there or not - there could be!!!

i do love me newcastle knights i have been a follower of theirs for years

Spike said...

I'm preferring the aerial ping pong myself though a bit of thugby never goes astray. Mind you, I'm more of an arse watcher than an actual fan :)