Faaaark. We are going to climb this at 3 am tomorrow. Gulp.

Passing through Ballina. They have a big shrimp. Big deal.

Drunken barn dance was good. More pace counting! Now its up at dawns crack for day 4. Ps i have no money.

This is life on the road as an orienteer. Day 3 of competition and a major navigational error ensures that i occupy the bottom of the results table. Lets see how tonights "Drunken Barn Dance" affects tomorrow's event...

Day 2. In between the foot orienteering and the MTBO events there is time for some much needed rest.

on my way to armidale. Cool storm just out of gilgandra. Have fun.

I love a good old fashioned bank robbery...

Yahoo! News - Mammoth N. Ireland Robbery Began With Lie

Oh yeah! I can blog from my phone now. Keep you posted from the field over the holidays.

In this photo released by the Loyola University Health System, Rumaisa Rahman, is seen next to a hand a few weeks after she was born at the Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill. Rumaisa, whose parents came from Hyderabad, India, weighed 8.6 ounces (243.80 grams) when she was delivered Sept. 19. She is believed to be the smallest baby in the world ever to survive. (AP Photo/Loyola University Health System, HO)  

Those Alaskans are pretty smart...

What would you call an island off Alaska? well, Unalaska, of course! ...anyway... a ship crashed in to it and now it is an unship.

The Longest Day

Today is the summer solstice... the day with the most daylight hours (in the southern hemisphere) - Just thought I'd let you know.

My Laptop Was Stolen

Last night my laptop was stolen from the office! I guess Ill find out what I havent backed up in a few weeks when I need it! PS: DEFCON locks do NOT work.

If you want to know what to get me for Christmas... ;-)

Yahoo! News - Home Sweet Home

Hi-tech gamblers can keep winnings

Hi-tech gamblers can keep winnings - Breaking - http://www.theage.com.au/technology/

Interview: Buddha and the beastie

Interview: Buddha and the beastie - rapper-turned-Buddhist Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys

Inventor Lets Everyone Be an Armchair Spy

Inventor Lets Everyone Be an Armchair Spy TORONTO (Reuters) - New Internet-based technology could soon turn regular computer users into armchair spies, a Canadian inventor said on Monday. Vincent Tao, an engineer at Toronto's York University said he has invented a mapping and surveillance tool called SAME (see anywhere, map anywhere), that produces images so sharp that geographic co-ordinates typed into a Web site can reveal the make of a car parked on the street. Tao said SAME works by taking satellite images of the Earth and combining them with real-time remote sensors that monitor traffic and weather. The information is reformatted on a searchable Web site that can capture ground-level images of the Earth with little or no time delay. The resolution is 60 cm (2 feet) -- fine enough to determine the make of a car, though not the details of a human face, according to Tao. "This is real-time streaming technology. It's like (the online directory) MapQuest or the navigation system in your car, but three-dimensional," he said in an interview on Monday. "You'll see a globe, like a virtual Earth, and then you can fly in from outer space and zoom all the way in to a city and even to street level, which will be updated by very nice, high-resolution imagery." Tao said the potential applications are broad, including defense, emergency response and environmental monitoring. He added that the technology could become widely available as early as next year. "Our business model is looking at how to make this publicly available." But the technology also poses concerns, said Veera Rastogi, a lawyer specializing in privacy issues with the Canadian law firm Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP. "Any surveillance-based technology like this gives rise to the potential for abuse," she said. "Right now it's a tool used by the Red Cross and defense, but, down the road, in whose hands would this technology fall and for what purpose? Bottom line is, it's a case where, these days, the technology seems to be outrunning the law," Rastogi said. Cindy Cowan, the director of a Toronto shelter for battered women, echoed Rastogi's concerns, saying the technology could put women at greater risk of abuse. "Already the Internet has become a place where women are stalked, so to give another tool to abusive men motivated to find and track and stalk -- it frightens me," she said.

Cassini Hovering over Titan

Spaceflight Now | Cassini | Hovering over Titan

So the target.com site got hacked...or did it!!?? 

My little boxer!

Had great time with felix this weekend. I bought a toybox for all his stuff and it has now become his favourite toy! He loves being towed around in it and one time he picked it up over his head but he overbalanced and fell backwards and enede up inside the box wondering what the hell was going on! ROFL! We went swimming on Sunday but the water was a bit cold. We had fun on the swings and went for a ride on the bike. Cant wait to see him in Sydney... 

A Year Of Blogging

Well, it has been a year since I started blogging... and you still keep reading this crap! Its been both the best and worst time of my life. Having f**k all has truely been the most liberating part of my life ever! Ive seen some friendships go but only to see others strenghten and many more being created. Ive gone from hardly winning any races to Australian Champ. The universe is a wierd beast but it has a way of making everything work out for the best. The only thing Ill never lose is... hope. Have a good one. c.

Jeeezuz Chriiist!!! An online casino said it placed the winning 28,000-dollar bid for a 10-year-old partly eaten grilled cheese sandwich, seen here, said to bear the image of the Virgin Mary, and wants to take it on a world tour(AFP/OFF)  

Went to Sunnys 5th Birthday on Sunday and had a flaming good time! 

The Orienteering Association Dinner was held on Saturday night. It was a great night and it only got better when I picked up the Rookie of the Year trophy and a 3rd place in the Orienteer of the Year ranking. I have been told in no uncertain terms to get the hell out of B grade... Looks like Ill be running red courses at the Xmas 5 days in Armidale! 

World Community Grid

Are you in the GRID? World Community Grid - Home

Surviving 1000m plunge: 'I became strangely calm' - World - www.smh.com.au

I know this feeling... I had the same thing when I hit a car doing 70km/h on my bike in 1989. I remember resigning myself to the fact that I was going to die. Everything went black and silent. I remember sliding along the road and then immediately standing up. Then the next thing I remember was that I was in someones house with blankets wrapped around me, my feet in warm water. There is a photo of me somewhere with my twisted wreck of a bike and heavily bandaged body under the sign at Bundanoon: "Constitution Hill - Cyclists advised to walk". Surviving 1000m plunge: 'I became strangely calm' - World - www.smh.com.au

There is no caption required for this picture really! Had a great time with Felix on the weekend. He is the cheekiest little boy in the world. He likes to cuddle the girls at KidZone. We chased the ducks again on Sunday but his toothy-pegs were a bit sore so we had a lot of quiet time reading about animals and far away places in Daddys magazines. Ian came up with me and we all had a fantastic time together. It was great to have company this time. 

Did this person even *listen* to the album!?

I read this review of ...Atomic Bomb: http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,4-2004472286,00.html I dont think the writer has even listened to the album. I do NOT think that this is anywhere near U2's best. Most of this album is cliched radio trash. The album does not flow well, it has no memorable moments and vertigo sticks out like a jagged shard of glass in comparison to the rest of the boorish nonsense. The album takes me nowhere and gives me nothing. Wasn't even worth the bandwidth. However, I am not going to bash U2 for this album... They have 10 other albums that, in their own way, rock. We all make mistakes... I guess I just anticipated a better result based on the first release and the promise of more of the same from the marketing companies. Give me a week or two with this album... maybe Ill uncover some hidden meaning and develop a connection to this album. But for now this album is the runt child of Bono... and deserves to be kicked out of the nest.

MTBO NSW Champs Results

Here are the top 10 finishers... 2004 NSW MTB Orienteering Championships Results M Open Course 1 Approx. 36 km 1 Darr, Anthony BFN 1:32:13 2 Darvodelsky, Paul BFN 1:36:09 3 Manson, Simon -- 1:40:28 4 Dawson, Graeme GON 1:56:52 5 Cech, Jiri MDN 1:57:57 6 Schulz, Chris MDN 2:00:20 7 Staples, Wayne MDN 2:01:03 8 Haynes, Paul MDN 2:03:31 9 Love, Andrew -- 2:05:44 10 Clark, Stuart -- 2:07:55

Night sky spectacular

Night sky spectacular November 9, 2004 - 4:42PM A spectacular light show is expected to play across Australia's southern skies as a major geomagnetic storm rages above the earth's atmosphere this week. Many-hued shimmering and moving lights should appear in the night sky in the southern half of Australia over the next two nights, the Australian space weather agency, IPS Radio and Space Services, said. Since November 3, a massive sunspot has caused several explosions on the sun's surface, which have hit the earth's geomagnetic field and caused a major geomagnetic storm. "This storm is expected to continue for the next two to three days as material now in transit from the sun interacts with the geomagnetic field," IPS deputy general manager Phil Wilkinson said. "Reports of aurora have already been received from as far north as the Siding Spring Observatory near Coonabarabran in northern NSW." As well as creating a spectacular light display, the storm is likely to disturb the earth's upper atmosphere and interfere with technological systems including short wave or high frequency (HF) radio. AdvertisementAdvertisement "HF radio remains an important tool for communications and surveillance within Australia for defence, air and sea transport and emergency service groups," Dr Wilkinson said. Satellites may be damaged and aeromagnetic surveys could be adversely affected, he said, but the activity posed no direct threat to people on earth. http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Night-sky-spectacular/2004/11/09/1099781379931.html

Pirated U2 album hits Internet

Pirated U2 album hits Internet

Dumb and Dumberer

British newspapers carry the story of U.S. President George W. Bush's election win on their front pages. Thursday Nov. 4, 2004. (AP Photo/Richard Lewis)  

Awwwwwwwwww..... A handout image released on October 31, 2004 shows three torpid dormice, in the winning photograph of the BBC TV Countryfile photographic competition. The image was taken by Steven Robinson at Wakehurst Place in southern England as part of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew's monitoring program of this endangered species in conjunction with English Nature.  

Happy Halloween!

So... what do you do if this guy shows up and asks "Trick or treat?"...  

The full moon turns red and orange as it passes the Space Needle in Seattle during a total lunar eclipse Wednesday evening, Oct. 27, 2004. With the Earth passing between the sun and the moon, the only light hitting the full moon was from the home planet's sunrises and sunsets, resulting in the orange and red hue. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)  

"Hello Hello"... Now I need this too... 

Somebody give me money for this!!!... Oh... wait a sec... I have all these albums already... But I want it baaaaaaaad!! 

Tributes are pouring in for the influential DJ John Peel, who has died suddenly, writes Peter Fray in London. British Prime Minister Tony Blair has joined scores of tributes to DJ and broadcaster John Peel, who died after suffering a heart attack on holiday in Peru. Peel, 65, whose career with the BBC's Radio One spanned four decades, is credited with unearthing many of the biggest names in contemporary music and exposing them to record companies and the mass English-speaking audience. They ranged from Pink Floyd and David Bowie to the Smiths and Nirvana. Peel was the first DJ to broadcast the Beatles' Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and played an important role in breaking several Australian bands in Britain, including the Saints, the Birthday Party and the Go Betweens.  

Who Opened Their Lunchbox!?

Taiwan lawmaker Chen Tsung-yi (L) from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party throws a book at opposition legislators after a food fight erupted in parliament, October 26, 2004. The lawmakers hurled their lunch boxes at each other in a quarrel over whether to include an $18 billion U.S. arms budget on the legislative agenda for Friday. (Reuters)  

PASADENA, California (Reuters) - NASA's Cassini orbiter began transmitting data and images from Saturn's moon Titan on Tuesday, providing the closest look at the mysterious moon that humans have ever seen.  

Super yacht crashes on Opera House rocks - National - www.smh.com.au

Super yacht crashes on Opera House rocks - National - www.smh.com.au: "A former America's Cup yacht hit rocks surrounding the Sydney Opera House today, throwing a number of sailors into the harbour and losing its keel. No-one was injured when the 22-metre yacht, the FT Spirit, hit rocks near the seawall in Farm Cove at 12.30pm (AEST). The boat was on a charter sail for the Financial Times newspaper and had 12 people on board, most of whom were experienced yachtsmen, a spokeswoman for the company said"

Toyota RSC

Yeah... OK... Ill settle for this car until the Mitsubishi EVO hits the market... Thanks Pras. 

A tiny, seven-month-old koala joey named Koori peers out from a zookeeper's hands after regaining his health at Sydney's Taronga Zoo October 13, 2004. Three weeks ago veterinarians removed the baby Koala from his sick mother's pouch prematurely in an effort to save him from dehydration, malnutrition and an infection. (Tim Wimborne/Reuters)  

Hundreds of people queued up in Australia's largest city to get a glimpse and a whiff of a blooming "corpse flower", the world's largest and arguably smelliest flower, shown here at the Fullerton Arboretum in California in June 2000.(AFP/File/Lucy Nicholson)  

Didnt take them long!

Aussie Champ!

Yeah, so I am the Australian Orienteering Champion in M21B! What an epic week it was! I took out the states in Mudgee, broke down with Laurent in Hill End, got flooded out in Orange and managed a win in the aussies after nearly dislocating my arm... Just a standard week away really! I had the *best* time... I met heaps of people and I cant wait for the XMas 5 days (as long as my car is fixed) I will follow up to this with maps and piccies later on.....

Is this Real? A view of the Interstate 10 bridges leading into Pensacola, Florida, after being broken to pieces by Hurricane Ivan.(AFP/File/Bruce Weaver)  

You've heard of a super soaker, now meet the super flamer...

The Awful Forums - Homegrown PVC flamethrower (56k image heavy)

I made it into urban dictionary!

UrbanDictionary.com: Confirm

Map of Springfield

map of springfield

Blurry Image Might Be First Picture of Exoplanet

Yahoo! News - Blurry Image Might Be First Picture of Exoplanet: "Blurry Image Might Be First Picture of Exoplanet"

Mexico versus USA Frogger Championships

A sign warning drivers about pedestrians running across the highway is posted by the side of the highway at the US-Mexican border near San Diego.(AFP/File/Hector Mata)

INTERNATIONAL TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY BE JUST ONE WEEK AWAY

INTERNATIONAL TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY BE JUST ONE WEEK AWAY! September 19th -- next Sunday -- be International Talk Like A Pirate Day! Thank ye kindly to the thousands o' pirates who already be signin' up for this fine list. In this email, there be a few tips to be helpin' ye spread the word to all yer friends - plus some special advice for students, teachers, media lackeys, anyone who happens to be in government, an' those pesky bloggers... --- ARE YE A STUDENT? Then why not print out some o' the fine posters available at www.yarr.org.uk an' spread 'em around yer campus or school? Talk Like A Pirate Day be a fantastic way to annoy all yer teachers! Celebrate it on the Friday before, or the Monday after - since when did pirates be carin' fer timekeepin'? ARE YE A TEACHER? Then what better way to keep yer students' interest than be addin' in a little pirate talk to yer lectures. Or, if ye be teachin' littler pirates, then why not use the Day as a way to teach 'em about history (the pirate era), geography (the Caribbean), maths (if twenty pirates have forty pieces of eight, then...) or science (this be how a cannon works)? ARE YE IN THE MEDIA? Why not get an article in yer paper or program on Pirate Day - Mad Cap'n Tom be available fer interviews, ye know. Already, two radio stations be askin' fer interviews! ARE YE IN GOVERNMENT? Now, there have been a couple'a .gov addresses signin' up fer this here list, from all o'er the globe. Why not try an' get yer elected officials to mark Pirate Day in some way? Perhaps ask a question to yer Prime Minister and add "yarrr" to the end o' it? Or p'raps a proclamation for the day? ARE YE A BLOGGER? Linky us! The site be www.yarr.org.uk ! ARE YE NONE O' THESE? Then why not just tell yer friends. Email 'em, call 'em, set up a pirate party, whate'er ye wish! Just stay true to the spirit o' the Day an remember to pillage, plunder an' pirate on September 19th! --- Now, I be off - there be rumours o' hidden treasure on an uncharted island in the Caribbean! Yo ho, me hearties, ahoy!

Its the end of the world as we know it! (glaben wheeey glaben) 8-|

Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Maths holy grail could bring disaster for internet

The Alphabet in Alphabetical Order

The Alphabet in Alphabetical Order

Gday, Felix and I went to the Marsupial Park on Fathers Day... Our favourite "marsupials" were the cockatoos and the peacock! (I know, I know... but he doesnt know yet!). The bunnies were fun too! We climbed up the playcentre and slid down the slipperydip. I was showing off in front of Felix by doing the Moon Walk and Felix tried to emulate me! Classic! Had heaps of fun. Cant wait to see him again...