Reanimated Residue

Catching Up

Mon, 12 May 2008 01:41:38 GMT

A whole year goes by and I've hardly touched my space ... well it's time to revamp and catch up! Some of the new features are pretty cool, like improved image embedding for articles, the guestbook, and also the ability to customise the theme. Certainly some features are still lacking - such as spellcheck and HTML buttons similar to the old MSN groups - which could be useful tools for speeding up article publishing with nicer layouts.

Moving on with this update, let's begin with some of the happenings in my life over the past year which have kept me from keeping up-to-date with my online blog duties. Firstly, it's been a busy year moving our family of ten to a larger house and adjusting to a new town.

I completed my Certificate IV in Information Technology (Website Design) and Reanimated Residue Multimedia Studios has been busy with various web development projects since. Our website has undergone a massive transformation also - though far from complete, I'm quite happy with it now - however things have progressed so rapidily for us that it's already in need of another overhaul so you might notice a number of changes occuring over the next couple of months.

We've had another Christmas go by already, so here's a couple of pics from Christmas 2007. The first is a natural Aussie Christmas Door Wreath. The kids collected the native fauna from the park, including gum leaves and nuts, which I then assembled into a welcoming decoration more suited to the aussie festive season. The second pic is our traditional Xmas Eve photo of the completed tree. You can see our new aquarium in this photo - a hobby of my husband's - but more about that later. And taken at about 5:30am on Christmas Morning, is the third photo of myself, sporting new sunnies and a Virgo coffee mug.


Aussie Christmas Door Wreath December 2007	Christmas Eve 2007
PoizonMyst - Christmas Day 2007

As always, Nanna and Pop sent gifts including these beautiful hand-crafted soft toys for the triplets. I thought they were really special and that I should share them with you.

The tag attached reads:

Barbara Sansoni designs

"Our products are about creation & design. They are about the inspiration and influence at work behind our intense passion for colour and textiles", Barbara Sansoni, founder of Barefoot Sri lanka.

In 1958, Barbara Sansoni, a colourist & artist, created the Barefoot concept out of a need for a rehabilition program for young Sri lankan woman who had limited schooling and skills. Today Barefoot is a premier textile design company exporting exquisite hand woven fabrics, toys, linen, and clothing worldwide.

Barefoot Artisans are dedicaed weavers and needlewomen who, without time constraints of mass production, are able to produce premium quality workmanship. Barefoot Sri lanka apposes exploitive practices. Each artisan earns a real wage enabling them to support their families with self-respect and dignity.

100% hand woven fabric - 100% hand made - 100% natural fibres
Swiss dyes used are non-toxic & colourfast.

It's always good to highlight a worthy cause and the everyday people who are implementing inspirational working solutions. These toys are top quality products and I have no doubt they will last until the girls want to pass them on to their own children. So if you are looking for a unique gift for that special occasion, give Barefoot a look. You can also visit Barefoot Australia.

In August last year Reanimated Residue Multimedia Studios invested in some environmentally friendly personal transportation vehicles in the form of three Dyno electric bicycles. They have saved us so much money in taxi fares and have completed some 2000km each already. These bikes have changed our life. Here's a couple of pics. Read a complete review and Q&A on our website.


DYNO CX 24V 200 Electric Bicycle	PoizonMyst - Proud owner October 2007

I mentioned earlier my husband's hobby so heres a couple of pics from our aquarium. These pics are a bit old - again around Oct/Nov 2007 - so the fish have grown somewhat since and need a new tank already. I tell you it's a scarey thing to feed these critters, let alone putting your whole arm in the tank to rearrange the neighbourhood ornaments. I've always enjoyed watching the community interaction of fish. I can sit for hours captivated by their little domestic disputes and mating rituals. Hmmm ... I think I mite have been watching too many David Attenborough documentaries lately.

Anyway, when I get a new camera I'll be able to share some newer photos, but for now let me introduce you to our tank of territorial predators.


Electric Blue Cichlid	Green Terror & Convicts

Well that's a pretty good start for an update ... but I've got plenty of new stuff to write about so I'll be back a few more times over the coming weeks. I hope all the mum's out there had a fabulous day yesterday for Mother's Day 2008! Anyway, until next time, Cheers!

Triplet Breakfast Milkshake

Sat, 10 Nov 2007 01:12:26 GMT

Into a measuring jug combine:

3 Weetbix
2 Bananas
250 grams Strawberry Yogurt
100 mls Heinz Multigrain Mix
Fill to 900 mls with Milk and blend with an electric hand mixer.

Poor into Dinky cups and serve.

Bin Laden Arrested at Apec?

Fri, 07 Sep 2007 08:30:17 GMT

Would APEC security notice if Osama Bin Laden arrived at APEC in the Canadian diplomatic convoy? Apparently not.

Okay, so it wasn’t exactly Osama Bin Laden, but rather a popular Australian media personality dressed as the world’s most wanted man, who managed to infiltrate the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) security red-zone before being arrested 10 metres from the Sydney's InterContinental Hotel, where American President George Bush has been staying during the summit.

The stunt made world headlines when several team members of the successful Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) satire television program, Chaser’s War on Everything, were arrested and charged under section 19 of the APEC Meeting Act 2007 on Thursday September 6th, after being waved through security checkpoints with a fake motorcade consisting of three hire cars flying Canadian flags accompanied by a motorcycle escort and security guards on foot.

Canada was chosen by the Chaser team because they thought it was a country that would not be heavily scrutinized by police in a comedy sketch intending to mock the overkill that is APEC security. But the lads got more material for their efforts than expected as they were welcomed through two security checkpoints with team members wearing no more than an “insecurity” id blatantly stating the convoy as a joke.

The Chaser crew was denied media accreditation prior to the summit, and in an article published on September 2nd, executive producer and cast member Julian Morrow warned, “We're hoping at least three of the team will be arrested,” in plans to “play with APEC”. Morrow was among the 11 detained, which also included the 3 hire car drivers. NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione says The Chaser team were specifically told not to conduct “dangerous stunts” during APEC week. Speaking for the first time since his arrest Morrow said, "lucky it was us and not Al Qaeda."

The skit has thrown doubt over the effectiveness of the AU$170 million security operation which has had large portions of the Sydney CBD in lockdown since the start of the conference on September 2nd. It involves some 3500 officers, including riot police and military personnel. Authorities and organisers are in desperate denial hoping to save face over the bungle, with Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer quoted as saying “The point is they were in any case arrested, so I think the security works”, while NSW Police Minister David Campbell said, “I think this reinforces that APEC security has been successful by the mere fact that 11 people have been arrested”.

What both fail to mention is that “When The Chaser reached the perimeter of what they thought was the APEC restricted zone, they voluntarily turned around,” said The Chaser in a statement released today. It was only when Chaser comedian Chas Licciardello emerged from the vehicle wearing a long white robe and fake beard stating “I'm an important world leader. Why don't I have a seat at the APEC table?” that Police finally realised and moved in to conduct arrests.

Also revealed yesterday, two police identification passes were incorrectly issued to staff members of the government Opposition which theoretically gave them unrestricted access to all APEC secure zones. The passes were eventually revoked and new passes issued in replacement, but again the error confirms uncertainty in what is the biggest security operation the country has ever seen.

The Chaser team was released on bail to appear in court on October 4th and face a maximum of six months jail for entering a secure area.

Twas the night before Christmas

Sun, 24 Dec 2006 17:13:52 GMT

Well Okay ... so it's actually Christmas morning now. I've just finished wrapping all the pressies and stacking them around the tree for the kids to wake up to in the morning. Here is what it looks like now.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Christmas is here!

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 13:27:07 GMT

Its been ages since Ive left a post ... spose I should drop by more often, but it's been a busy year, what with seven kids and lots of projects to undertake. So it's that time again and all the lil kiddies are excited. Pointing at big pressies on top of the cupboard, "oOo thats a big present Mummy" .... "Yes it is, and it's not yours." says I lol. How mean am I? hehehe. Anyway here's some pre-christmas pics ...

Miss 7 at the community Christmas Party - December 14th 06

Local Santa at the Community Christmas Party - Dec 14th 06

This Year's Christmas Tree - Dec 22nd 06

Wasnt that exciting? I think so, I love Christmas ... I mean who doesnt? Even though I dont get all the pressies I want anymore ... i love watching the kids open theirs and get everything their hearts desire. Ahhhh the spirit of giving. Can't put any pressies unda the tree yet cause they wouldnt survive til Christmas day. Hopefully I can take some more pics on Christmas Eve when its all laden with gifts.

So as I said, Ive been undertaking many projects this year. I completed my first semester in a Certificate IV Information Technology (Website Design), so my next project is to spiffy up the Reanimated Residue website before classes start again. My kids have been bugging me for a homepage on the web too, so that is also to come. I've also got to add some links to other communities we run or are involved in, as well as some stuff for our new internet radio station, Radio Residue (thats a "listen" link btw).

We've been involved in a community of radio stations for a few months now over at radio-forums.net - a pretty cool concept of numerous radio stations and listeners interacting via forums while on air. We've also been trying to get some video happening through the same station, and recently unleashed "The Videodrome" ... a b-grade movie TV show. First night was riddled with issues but things will certainly improve as we smooth things out. Currently we support 1500/256 and up connections for the video nights. So head on over to radio-forums.net and get involved. Radio Residue's dedicated forums at the site can be found here - that's where you can find out all about our station, chat with the DJs and other listeners, and find out when our shows are scheduled to be on. Hope to see you there!

So it's almost to time finish up here ... I'll leave you with one last photo. The triplets will be 11 months old at the end of this year, so I thought I'd show an update picture. They're crawling around now, and babbling baby words, laughing, and exploring. They are such good lil girls - hardly ever crying and always sleeping through the night. So here it is, taken Dec 14th, three lil faces all the same ... Havent they grown?!?

The Triplets - Dec 14th 06

DVD Review: Classic Albums - U2 - The Joshua Tree

Sun, 19 Nov 2006 13:20:57 GMT

At first impression, this Eagle Vision release from the Classic Albums series could be perceived as a “making of” documentary. The band and producers unveil old studio recordings of the most poignant tracks from The Joshua Tree, sharing musical snippets that did not make it to the final cut, and anecdotes of how those songs were born.

In its essence this documentary is U2 reminiscing about recording their most successful studio release, The Joshua Tree. Of course, expect the usual vanity to exude from Bono and the boys, but nonetheless their drive to create to the best of their abilities, and passion for their chosen subject matter, is powerfully sincere. They describe the album as highly influenced by American folk and blues culture, with their urge to draw on political messages born of their Irish heritage and experiences.

Fans may appreciate a demure Bono in the presence of producer Daniel Lanois, Adam’s misguided assertion that The Joshua Tree was one of the first techno albums on the music scene, Larry’s quiet offence at being the ignored drummer, and an exuberant Edge proudly demonstrating his atmospheric melodic riffs.

We learn that mixing the album was an art in and of itself with producers, Steve Lillywhite, Brian Eno, and Daniel Lanois, developing and injecting their own ideas into the music. They lament over their difficulties in creating “Where the Streets Have No Name”, seemingly a work of great difficulty and contention for both band and producers.

Along with cuts of concert footage from the Popmart tour, Classic Albums: U2 – The Joshua Tree includes potent live performances of “Mothers of the Disappeared” and “Running to Stand Still”. The 60 minute documentary closes with the full-length music video of “The Sweetest Thing”, crafted as an apology to Bono’s wife for forgetting her birthday while on tour. The song was not included as a track on the album, but was recorded during the same studio sessions, and released as a b-side for the 1987 single, “Where the Streets Have No Name”.

With this, their fifth album release, The Joshua Tree won a 1988 Grammy Award for Album of the Year, and established U2 as one of rocks most significant musical artists, filling arenas world-wide to this day.

DVD Review: Queen Under Review 1980-1991

Mon, 06 Nov 2006 08:06:30 GMT

I am not certain that a hardcore Queen fanatic would garner much from this, the next instalment in the Chrome Dreams Media “Queen Under Review” series, a critical analysis of the band from 1980 until the death of Freddie Mercury in 1991. Other than the satisfaction the brilliant genius from Queen during this period is finally recognised by influential critics, Queen Under Review 1980-1991 is probably more enlightening to those of us who were too young to experience the earlier achievements of Queen in the 1970’s, only to discover them during the course of their temperate popularity in the 1980’s.

The in-depth discussion on this DVD, from acclaimed music journalists and other experts within the industry, is a positive accolade to a powerful revolutionary band. This is an educational journey through each album release, and their twenty chart topping singles, between 1980 and 1991. Dialogue focuses on Queen’s bold experimentation with a multitude of challenging genres, when others were looking back at an era of punk and new-wave pop was hitting the music scene.

I have always loved the music of Queen, but I don’t know Queen as a loyal fan would. They grabbed my attention from the first day I heard their music and I have always taken it for granted that they were considered legends in the same way I viewed Led Zeppelin or The Stones. I assumed it was a just a given that Queen were highly commended artists throughout their career. It was quite surprising to learn that their popularity had somewhat waned in the United States following the release of the “Flash Gordon” soundtrack album in 1980.

Queen Under Review 1980-1991 features snippets of Queen as an exuberant live act, including stadium performances such as that which stole the show at the Wembley Stadium “Live Aid” concert on July 13th, 1985 – often hailed as one of the greatest live sets of all time. Unfortunately the documentary is deprived of any interviews with remaining band members. Radio broadcaster and journalist, Paul Gambaccini, probably offers the closest connectivity, with an occasional revealing anecdote concerning his close friend, Freddie Mercury.

Overall, Queen Under Review 1980-1991 presents a intriguing retrospective on the music and personality of a band who were ultimately groundbreaking, extravagant, flamboyant, and an undeniable influential force on the landscape of contemporary rock music.

United States Bans Vegemite

Sun, 22 Oct 2006 19:57:02 GMT

Well this IS a curious issue … and I’m not a happy little Vegemite!

America has decided to make its opinions quite clear about Australia's favourite black breakfast spread, by banning it's importation into the United States. Now I understand Vegemite is an acquired taste, but we Aussies can't resist the tasty yeasty properties of beer residue, and this ban is preventing Aussie tourists from sharing this unique condiment with our American mates - not to mention the affect this crackdown is having at the breakfast table of our expatriates.

About Australia, a US based store providing American consumers with traditional products from Down Under, was forced to stop importing Vegemite six months ago, however the product was actually limited to 113gram (4oz) jars in 2005. Expat Daniel Fogarty, now living in Canada, was recently searched for Vegemite while crossing the border on a trip to Montana. Other travellers have had their jars of Vegemite confiscated. This insult on our national iconic symbol is almost as un-Australian as politicians banning the word 'mate' in Parliament ... oh wait ... that did happen.

So what's the big deal? What did Vegemite do to offend our brothers in arms? After all, it might be a little salty on the palette, but it's packed full of healthy stuff, in addition to that good ol' Aussie spirit!

At the bottom of this bizarre prohibition is the US Food and Drugs Administration (of course), who say they disapprove of the addition of folate to anything other than bread or grain products such as flour and pasta. Hey, I don’t know what the FDA have been spreading their Vegemite on either, but spread on bread is what it's meant for!

Okay, time for the serious stuff. Exactly what is folate and why is it so bad?

Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin found naturally in green vegetables, legumes, liver, and some fruits and nuts – not to mention yeast extracts. It works in conjunction with B12 (also present in Vegemite) to produce the genetic materials for cell growth and reproduction. Folate helps to build proteins and healthy red blood cells, which means it is an important nutrient in the defence against anemia. Furthermore, there is some evidence to suggest that high folate intake can reduce the risk of certain diseases.

Sounds like pretty good stuff, right? The FDA thinks so too.

In 1998, after several years of deliberation, the FDA ruled on regulations for the mandatory addition of folic acid (the synthetic equivalent of folate) to breads, cereals, and other grain products, to assist in the prevention of neural tube defects such as spina bifida. Nine months after the policy was introduced, incidence of spina bifida was reportedly reduced by 31%. However, it is argued that the supplementation is inadequate and many more cases of birth defect could be avoided with a higher dosage.

Nevertheless, the FDA purports to the theory that too much folate can mask vitamin B12 deficiency in the elderly and, they argue, Vegemite contains just too much. Now I’m thinking the FDA hasn’t been reading the nutritional information panel on their jar of Vegemite, which suggests a 5 gram serve for 50% of the recommended dietary intake (RDI) of 200 micrograms of folate per day, or 400 micrograms for women of child bearing age. Not only that, the Institute of Medicine has established a daily upper intake level (UL) of no more than 1000 micrograms of folic acid, so as not to mask symptoms of B12 deficiency … that’s an awful lot of Vegemite … even for an Aussie. Just how much Vegemite is the FDA slapping on their slice of toast?

Our Orbital Space Junkyard

Sat, 07 Oct 2006 15:08:36 GMT

Orbital debris, more commonly known as ‘space junk’, is an unavoidable byproduct of human space exploration. Not only do we rubbish our Earthly environment with all sorts of crap, but since the dawn of orbital spaceflight in the 1950’s, humans have been littering the skies above as well.

On September 14th this year, astronauts of the space shuttle Atlantis, contributed a few bolts to Earth’s orbit while completing installation of new solar arrays for the International Space Station. These days NASA tries to tether everything used during a spacewalk – but accidents do happen. NASA and the US Air force track all space faring garbage larger than 10 centimetres and the addition of these few tidbits in September brought the count to 9,925.

Orbital debris consists of a wide menagerie of hazardous items, detrimental to astronauts, spacecraft, and expensive satellite equipment. Newer spacecraft, such as the International Space Station, are reinforced against orbital debris hazards but there are still many more at risk.

1996 is recorded as the first confirmed occurrence of a collision between cataloged space junk and Cerise – a French military reconnaissance satellite. The impact tore away some 4.2 metres of gravity gradient stabilisation boom from the craft. It is interesting to note that there are lawyers who track orbital debris – yes, there are expensive legal responsibilities resulting from your space junk damaging someone else’s satellite.

There are believed to be over 100,000 manmade objects zipping around the Earth at a speed of around 28,000 km/h, and the smaller items can be just as troublesome as larger ones – they’re just harder to track. Where NASA can warn astronauts and shuttle pilots to move out of the way of an impact with some of the larger pieces, it is almost impossible to avoid collisions with smaller debris. Fragments such as paint flakes can dent a craft or scratch the shuttle windshield, while clouds of smaller particles which can cause sandblasting.

Dumping waste from the space shuttle has urine, toothpaste, and shaving cream floating in the skies above us. After an Indonesian satellite was struck with urine and fecal matter, NASA decided that discarding human waste in space is probably not the greatest idea. Other hazards include trash thrown from the Russian space station Mir, rubble from explosions, spent booster rockets from launches since 1958, equipment discarded while repairing the Hubble Telescope, and some 2000 satellites no longer in use.

Not all space junk stays in orbit, with some returning to Earth or burning up on re-entry. To date, Lottie Williams is the only person to have been hit by space waste – a six inch metal shard from the fuel tank of a Delta II rocket from a 1996 US Air Force satellite launch. Hit in the shoulder while walking through an Oklahoma park on January 22^nd 1997, she was very lucky not to have been injured.

A $2700 spatula lost by spacewalker Piers Sellers in July this year was nicknamed “Spatsat” and is expected to return to Earth in a fireball some time this month. A stray spatula in space is a curious, but there have been all manner of unusual bits and pieces soaring about in the heavens above.

Ed White lost a glove on the first American spacewalk in 1965, cosmonaut Michael Collins misplaced his camera near the Gemini 10 spacecraft in 1966, while other astronauts are missing a toothbrush and a ham sandwich. In early February 2006 the crew of the International Space Station stuffed an old Russian spacesuit with clothes, attached a radio transmitter, and deliberately pushed it out into space. Known as Suitsat-1, the radio signal weakened unexpectedly after orbiting the Earth twice, and finally burned up in the atmosphere on September 2^nd.

Triple Bed Bunk

Thu, 28 Sep 2006 05:58:35 GMT

With seven kids in the house, it was time to reorganise the living arrangements. So SoulElectronique and myself decided a triple bed bunk would be the perfect solution to fit our three eldest girls into one room. You can buy them .... not out here in the sticks, but they do exist .... at a major price. So it was decided - we would embark on our first woodworking project. I think we did pretty well, if I do say so myself.

We began this project on 8th August 2006, completing the building and sanding on 16th August 2006. Stain and varnish completed on September 7th 2006.

First we measured the height of our eldest sitting down, so we could work out how much space she would need from the ceiling .... and went from there .... a bit of a fly-by-the-pants project. The bunks are 210cm high and made of pine. The ends and bed bases are bolted together so they can be pulled apart for moving. Dark Maple stain and varnish.

Steve Irwin – The Crocodile Hunter Dies

Mon, 04 Sep 2006 13:25:27 GMT

Australian naturalist and TV icon, Steve Irwin, “The Crocodile Hunter” died earlier today while filming off the North Queensland coast.

Irwin was pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming an underwater segment for his daughter’s new TV show, called Ocean’s Deadliest, at Batt Reef, off Port Douglas in North Queensland. Collapsing at approximately 11am on Monday September 4th 2006, he received CPR for almost one hour. When the emergency helicopter arrived at the scene, both his pulse and breathing had stopped. It is believed he suffered cardiac arrest, however further assessment will be carried out at a post-mortem examination in Carins. Death from contact with a stingray barb is considered “highly unusual”.

Born Stephen Robert "Steve" Irwin in Melbourne on 22 February 1962, he moved to Queensland at a young age, where his parents operated the “Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park”. Beginning his career as a crocodile trapper, he took over the park in 1991, renaming it “Australia Zoo”. He met Terri in 1992 and their honeymoon was spent trapping crocodiles, which became the pilot episode of the highly successful TV series, The Crocodile Hunter. The show aired across 122 countries worldwide.

Though highly revered in his home country for tireless environmental preservation efforts and promotion of his state and nation, Irwin’s career was not without controversy.

In January 2004, Steve Irwin hit international headlines following a live show at Australia Zoo, in which he held his one month old baby boy under one arm, while hand-feeding a chicken to “Murray” the crocodile. This became known as the “Baby Bob Incident” and was compared to Michael Jackson dangling his son outside a window in Germany. His actions were cause for concern amongst child welfare and animal rights groups, along with much criticism from the general public. Irwin escaped charges but as a direct result, new laws were established in February 2005 which prevented children or untrained adults from entering crocodile enclosures.

In June 2004 Irwin again found himself in the media spotlight while filming the Ice Breaker documentary for US television channel Animal Planet. It was alleged that Irwin had closely interacted with several Antarctic wildlife - a federal and international crime attracting fines of up to $1 million dollars and two years jail. The Australian Antarctica Division of the federal government investigated the footage but found no grounds for charges to be made.

Beyond all his unconventional antics, Steve was a well-loved personality, national ambassador, and highly respected conversationalist. He appeared in the movies Dr. Dolittle 2 with Eddie Murphy; Wiggly Safari in the company of popular children entertainers, The Wiggles; and his own feature film, The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course. His exuberant personality attracted a strong fan base around the world, with children his most loved audience.

In conjunction with his work at Australia Zoo, Steve Irwin established Wildlife Warriors Worldwide, International Crocodile Rescue, and the Australian Wildlife Hospital. His conservation work was not just centered on crocodiles, having made noteworthy contributions to the preservation of many other endangered species, including koalas and wombats. He urged Australians to be aware of strict quarantine requirements, for the benefit of native ecology and wildlife, in an advertising campaign for the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service. He was honored with a Centenary Medal in 2001, for his service to global conservation and Australian tourism.

Steve Irwin was 44 years old and is survived by his wife, Terri; daughter, Bindi, aged 8; and son, Robert, aged 2.

Pluto Demoted - And Then There Were Eight

Fri, 25 Aug 2006 02:42:37 GMT

In an historic vote, the International Astronomical Union has finally agreed upon the definition of a “Planet”.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU), the internationally recognized organisation for naming and defining all things celestial, has closed their triennial General Assembly conference in Prague by deciding that there are only eight planets currently present in our solar system. Pluto has been demoted to “dwarf planet” status – albeit a new family of objects within its own right. The eight planets are (in order from the sun): Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The first “dwarf planets” to make the grade, consist of Ceres, Pluto, and 2003 UB313 (commonly referred to as “Xena”), with more to be added in the near future. The concluding vote took place on Thursday, August 24th, 2006.

It’s not all bad news for Pluto though, as it becomes the prototype for a yet-to-be named new class of objects that exist in the trans-Neptunian region. The IAU intends to set up a dedicated process for naming these bodies in the near future, which typically consists of large bodies within the Kuiper-belt region. Having visited all eight planets in the solar system, NASA's "New Horizons" spacecraft is currently enroute to Pluto and is expected to reach the dwarf planet in July of 2015. In June of 2007, NASA plans to launch off on the "Dawn" mission to fellow dwarf planet, Ceres. Though the chance to send your name to Pluto has passed, the opportunity is now available to be part of the Dawn mission by doing the same.

The passed IAU resolution reads:

RESOLUTION 5A

The IAU therefore resolves that "planets" and other bodies in our Solar System be defined into three distinct categories in the following way:

(1) A "planet"1 is a celestial body that (a) is in orbit around the Sun, (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape, and (c) has cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit.

(2) A "dwarf planet" is a celestial body that (a) is in orbit around the Sun, (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape2 , (c) has not cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit, and (d) is not a satellite.

(3) All other objects3 except satellites orbiting the Sun shall be referred to collectively as "Small Solar-System Bodies".

1The eight planets are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
2An IAU process will be established to assign borderline objects into either dwarf planet and other categories.
3These currently include most of the Solar System asteroids, most Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs), comets, and other small bodies.

RESOLUTION 6A
The IAU further resolves:

Pluto is a "dwarf planet" by the above definition and is recognized as the prototype of a new category of trans-Neptunian objects.1

The decision is exciting news for astronomers but it was not an easy task for the IAU to reach an agreement on the final definition. The furor began when it was found that Kuiper-belt object UB313, discovered in 2003 by astronomers Mike Brown (Caltech), Chad Trujillo (Gemini Observatory), and David Rabinowitz (Yale University), was slightly larger than Pluto, at approximately 2400km in diameter. This new discovery required a new planet (or several) be added to the list of “Planets” or a demotion of Pluto from the rank. Many were not happy with this idea, submitting a plethora of reasons, including historical relevance, astrological usage, text-book changes, and the confusion of children learning about our solar system. Then came about the problem of deciding what defining features actually made a planet a planet, without allowing other celestial objects to fall easily into this category either. A number of proposals were submitted and debated, settling on the final definition with more than 2500 astronomers voting on the resolution.

Shapelle Corby - Final Appeal

Mon, 21 Aug 2006 00:19:09 GMT

Further links between Australian baggage handlers and drug smuggling have surfaced during a court case involving a plan to smuggle cocaine from Argentina to Australia. The case offers more proof towards claims by accused drug smuggler Schapelle Corby, that baggage handlers were possibly responsible for planting 4.1 kg of marijuana in her luggage during a flight from Sydney to Bali in October of 2004.

Corby faces her final appeal, for freedom from her twenty year sentence, to the Indonesian Supreme court on Friday August 25th 2006. Her sentence was recently reduced by two months in celebration of Indonesia's Independence day. The trial is Schapelle's last opportunity to prove her innocence before filing for clemancy from the Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The prospect of a prisoner exchange, which would have her serve the remainder of her sentence in Australia, has not been received with open arms by the Corby front. They claim that should she be transferred to an Australian jail, her avenues for appeal and proving her innocence could be forfeited.

Visit the official Free Schapelle website for further information and updates.

BOINC - Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 12:12:01 GMT

BOINC is an open-source software platform for distributed computing which uses volunteer computer resources around the world for computationally-intensive tasks in scientific research. It was originally developed for the SETI@home project and is now used by many different grid computing network projects. The BOINC Manager allows participants to connect easily with several independent projects and decide how their computer resources are divided between each. When a project is offline or has no available work-units, BOINC distributes participant computer resources among other chosen projects.

Learn more about Distributed Computing
Learn more about BOINC
Download BOINC

My deviantART community of Scifi-Fans has a team at the SETI@home, Einstein@home, LHC@home, and QMC@home projects. Once you have an account at any of these projects, please feel welcome to join our team and have your credits counted toward our community total. You must join each team seperately and you can only be a member of one team for each project - we would love it if you could join the 'Scifi Fanatics' team when you participate in any, or all, of these projects.

Click on the logos below to join the Scifi Fanatics team
at your chosen projects

Australian Big Brother 2006: The Winner Revealed

Mon, 31 Jul 2006 13:25:01 GMT

After 100 days in the Australian Big Brother house at Dreamworld, the winner has finally been selected.

The weekend was both nerve-racking and eventful for the remaining four housemates - Camilla Halliwell, David Graham, Jamie Brooksby, and James "Max" Panabianco – enjoying a lavish lunch date with Big Brother, a secret visit from their loved-ones, and a double eviction on Sunday night. Late Saturday night the four shared their final dinner together in the house, relishing meatballs cooked by Max’s mother during her hush-hush foray into the house earlier that day.

Faced with the usual variety of controversy and critique, the popular reality TV show has survived yet another year to complete series six, with a total of twenty-three housemates having lived in the house over a three month period.

Sunday night saw the eviction of 20 year old “replacement” housemate, Max, and 26 year old gay farmer, David, of the original 15 housemates. Max exhibited extreme relief at his eviction, explaining he did not deserve to win after only three weeks in the house. The audience was introduced to David’s partner, Sharif, in an affectionate reunion between the couple on the big stage. The double eviction left Jamie and Camilla, both of the original 15, to spend their last night in the house together while Australia decided their fate. To celebrate, Big Brother treated the pair to champagne and an extravagant seafood banquet.

Camilla earned a reputation as the “biggest whinger” in the house, yet went on to survive 10 nominations over 15 eviction nights. She never won the Friday Night Games, only ever enjoying the spoils of the “Rewards Room” when invited by other housemates. Last Friday, Big Brother reminded Camilla that she had been “knocked out” in the first round of the games more than any other housemate in the history of Big Brother. She redeemed herself by making a teary-eyed, but brave, 15 meter “Leap of Faith”, earning a further $40,000 towards the prize money.

While in the house, Jamie formed a close relationship with 20 year old Katie, who was eliminated from the game in round 7. His trademark became the way he wore his baggy pants, hanging low to reveal his underwear, while his hair was central to his vanity. Evictee David commented that he would have got more “focus” out of Jamie if there were less mirrors in the house. Jamie made his mark on the house by presenting himself as a fun-loving, all-round selfless character.

Camilla and Jamie spent their final day in the house being pampered by Big Brother, with a selection of beauty products and clothing for the big night. Unlike past years, the two housemates entered the “games arena” to begin the finale. They were shown dramatic footage of world and local events occurring during their stay in the house. As previous evicted housemates entered the arena to accompany their final voyage, a number of video montages were presented which encompassed their time as part of the Big Brother experience. A particularly touching moment was the reunion of love-birds Jamie and Katie. Eventually the past housemates exited, leaving the duo to face the final announcement with only each other for support.

Voting complete, the time had finally arrived for host, Gretel Kileen, to open the envelope and reveal the eagerly awaited name within. The final results were extremely close with a split of three percent between winner and runner up. Camilla Halliwell, a 22 year old student and nightclub host, became the last evictee of the series. Left to spend several minutes alone in the house to contemplate his future as the ultimate winner of Australian Big Brother 2006, 22 year old fitness instructor, Jamie Brooksby, ran around the house repeating “Jamie’s goin’ nuts! Jamie’s goin’ nuts!” and “This is not a dream!” Then he looked in the mirror and adjusted his hair.

The original prize pool up for grabs was a cool one million dollars. However, after several fines during the series, and then winning a portion of the money back during the last Friday Night Games, the remaining prize totaled $511,000. Jamie had racked up fines worth $85,000. Continuing his reputation as a meaner and tougher Big Brother this year, the individual fines remained, and he received a total prize of $426,000.

This year the program has rated a mention in parliament with Prime Minister John Howard calling for an end to the show following an incident in which two housemates were removed from the house for breach of the rules. An investigation was conducted by the Australian Communications and Media Authority and Queensland police but found no breach by Network Ten or the show’s producer, Southern Star Endemol. Head of production and development for Network Ten, Tim Clucas, said the show will “absolutely” return in the future.

Images courtesy Southern Star Endemol and Network Ten.

Earth’s Close Encounter with Large Asteroid on July 3rd 2006

Sun, 02 Jul 2006 16:02:19 GMT

Astronomers anticipate the approach of a prominent sized asteroid as it passes Earth just beyond the orbit of the moon.

Discovered by Lincoln Laboratory Near Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) on December 10th 2004, Asteroid 2004 XP14, is due to come uncomfortably close to Earth during the early hours of Monday July 3rd 2006.

The LINEAR project, funded by the United States Air Force and NASA, uses technology that was developed to monitor satellites orbiting the Earth, in an attempt to locate and record potential cosmic threats to our planet. To date, the LINEAR project has confirmed 1622 Near Earth Objects (NEOs), which also includes comets with a close approach orbit to the Earth. The greatest current potential impact risk, at an estimated diameter of 300 metres, is asteroid 99942 Apophis (2004 MN4) when it approaches Earth in April 2036. The probability of 99942 Apophis impacting the Earth is 0.0026% or 1 in 38,000.

Believed to be 600 metres or more in diameter, Asteroid 2004 XP14 was originally thought to be an impact threat, but further studies of its orbit later revealed the big rock is not an immediate danger to the Earth. Classed as a PHA (Potentially Hazardous Asteroid), 2004 XP14 is one of 796 within this classification, which is defined as an asteroid with a Minimum Orbit Intersection Distance (MOID) with the Earth of 0.05 AU or less, and an absolute magnitude of 22.0 or brighter.

The asteroid will pass just beyond the orbit of the moon at 1.1 LD (lunar distance from Earth) and is expected to reach an absolute magnitude of 12, so amateur and professional astronomers will be readying their telescopes in order to catch a glimpse of the fly-by. It will be traveling at a relative velocity of 17.41 kilometres per second.

At a distance of 1.7 LD, the most recent close approach by an NEO was only a few days ago on June 28th 2006, by 2006 MB14, but at an estimated diameter of 24-53 metres, it was a mere pebble compared to 2004 XP14. NEOs at such distances are somewhat rare. The next known asteroid expected to pass at a comparable distance of 1.4 LD, is 2005 YU55 in November of 2011; and then another, 1999 AN10, in August of 2027 at a distance of 1.0 LD. NASA reports that asteroid 1999 AN10 is at least 1 kilometre in diameter, and with the projected distance of this asteroid relative to the moon, we can certainly anticipate apocalyptic stories to accompany its approach.

Australian Big Brother 6: Inappropriate Behavior Sees Housemates Expelled

Sun, 02 Jul 2006 06:55:50 GMT

Two housemates were unceremoniously evicted from the Australian Big Brother house on Saturday afternoon amid claims of inappropriate sexual activity.

John (Michael Bric, 21, of Melbourne, Vic) and Ashley (Michael Cox, 20, of Perth, WA) were removed from the Big Brother compound at Dreamworld, on the Queensland Gold Coast, by security guards early Saturday evening. The no-vote eviction followed an undisclosed incident in which a short statement on the official Big Brother website referred to the issue as a “serious matter”.

The producers of the high-ratings reality television show, now in its sixth season, provided no official reason for the removal of the housemates, stating they “will not be commenting any further”. The official website forums have been closed in light of events which were described to other housemates as “seriously breaching the BB rules”, when they were informed of the pair’s expulsion at 8:10 pm on Saturday, July 1, 2006.

Big Brother’s attempt to censor the incident has not stopped early morning viewers of the live online streaming video content from revealing on unofficial Big Brother fan-sites the possible reason for the untimely eviction of the two young men from the house.

It is claimed that on Saturday morning at 4:30 am, Ashley and John were seen to get into bed with 22-year-old female contestant Camilla Halliwell of Victoria. John allegedly held her down while Ashley proceeded to rub his penis in her face, in what has become known as a “turkey slap” after similar actions performed by housemates during previous series. Many viewers took screenshots which are now circulating on the Internet, and state Camilla was heard to say, “That’s not cool” as the two performed their lewd act.

The resulting uproar has even rated a mention in Parliament, with calls to have the show cancelled by Federal MP Trish Draper. Australian Media & Communications Minister Helen Coonan has declared the government would take no immediate action against Network Ten or show producers, while her spokeswoman was quoted in an interview with the Sunday Times, “As for Big Brother, it will still be subject to the existing content restrictions.”

Controversy surrounding the explicit content of the Big Brother adults only “Uncut” show has landed the Big Brother enterprise in hot water on several occasions in the past. Though the John/Ashley/Camilla incident was not aired on public television, last year’s Uncut program broadcast contestant Michael giving a massage to fellow housemate Gianna while rubbing his genitals on her. The episode caused sufficient public commotion that the lurid content of the show was toned down for the remainder of the series. However, this year, the Uncut show has again become an issue for parliament, when the show’s producers admitted upward of 75,000 minors tune in to the MA15+ rated program each week. The remaining weekly episodes of Uncut 2006 were axed after extensive political pressure, following the last installment on June 19.

Rumors are currently circulating that Ashley has been returned to “lockdown” with plans to have housemates vote on his return to the compound during a special to be aired on Tuesday night, July 4. Implementing the “strike” system has seen this incident bring John’s tally to three strikes, while this would be Ashley’s second strike. An attempt by Big Brother to reinstate Ashley as a housemate seems highly unlikely in light of the extensive media coverage surrounding this event, and the seriousness of allegations against him.

In recent developments it is reported that police have finally been supplied video footage to review the incident, as Senator Coonan expressed concern over the potential nature of the footage saying, “I think it is appropriate if we take urgent action and have a look at it.”

Edit 6th July: Thanking wackywheelz for providing a direct download link to the video of this incident so that readers can judge for themselves.

Images courtesy Big Brother, Southern Star Endemol, and Channel 10.

Happy 13th Birthday

Sun, 25 Jun 2006 05:41:12 GMT

Twas my step-daughter's 13th birthday yesterday and I spent 6 hours in the kitchen baking cakes and lamingtons for the party. Finally a teenager, it is great to have a visit from her to celebrate the occasion. We bought her a prepaid mobile phone with a camera and internet capabilities.

Well I stuffed myself with birthday cake and lollies, but couldn't eat a lamington - I've only had a massive craving for lamingtons for 6 months now. So I go to the kitchen 10 minutes ago, thinking "Yummy, time to have a lamington" ... and they were ALL GONE!! My baby boy had scoffed 'em all! Apparently he's only been taking a few bites outta each one and then dumping the rest! I'm not a very happy camper right now.

Now to satisfy my craving, I'll have to wait until shopping day on Wednesday so that I can buy some more Icing Mixture to make some more. I can tell you I'll be having the first one.

Nix and Hydra: Naming Two Moons of Pluto

Sat, 24 Jun 2006 18:02:09 GMT

The official astronomical names of two newly discovered moons of Pluto have been revealed.

Photographed in May 2005 by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, and discovered by research teams in support of the New Horizons mission, the two moons found orbiting Pluto have been officially named Nix and Hydra by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). They join Pluto’s partner Charon, its largest and closest satellite, which was discovered in 1978.

Nix and Hydra orbit the small planet at about two to three times the distance of Charon, and are approximately 5000 times fainter than Pluto itself.

In accordance with traditional naming guidelines for celestial bodies, both moons were named after characters from stories of ancient mythology. The inner moon, Nix, was named after the Egyptian goddess of darkness and night, and in Greek Mythology is also the mother of Charon. Hydra, a serpent with nine heads, guarded Pluto’s realm in stories from ancient Greek mythology.

The names of the satellites, beginning with N and H, are also intended as an accolade to the New Horizons mission which left Earth on January 19 2006, bound for Pluto, the Kuiper Belt, and beyond. Traveling at 26.67 km/sec, the New Horizons spacecraft is currently 2.1 AU from Earth and 29.29 AU from Pluto. It is expected to reach the distant planet in July 2015, and carries a compact disc containing over 435,000 names of people who signed up to send their names to Pluto.

Lastly, astronomers from around the world eagerly await the IAU verdict on Pluto’s status as a “planet”. The decision will also determine the status of several “Trans Neptunian Objects”, including 2003 UB313 (commonly called Xena), and is expected in late August this year.

Pacific Sky Cruises Revealed - A History of Concealing Violent Crime

Sat, 24 Jun 2006 16:54:35 GMT

Is a person’s life worth the reputation of a company or the loss of your job?

The answer should be simple, but in the case of 42 year old Dianne Brimble, it seems this was not the case. Mrs Brimble, mother of three, was the victim of a violent sexual assault which resulted in her death aboard the P&O luxury cruise liner Pacific Sky on September 24th 2002.

In an interview with former security staff of Pacific Sky, The Sydney Morning Herald reported a disturbing history of cover-ups aboard the passenger liner. The two former security officers revealed several violent crime scenes had been stripped clean, and remained unreported to authorities, in an effort to maintain passenger perception of the holidays as free from the troubles, worries, and cares of everyday life. On a number of occasions, protests by security staff were disregarded, and the responsibilities of their position were admonished.

This mentality, they believe, was the influencing factor in the decision to allow four alleged perpetrators of Mrs Brimble’s death to leave their cabin, in turn, removing important evidence relating to the incident. The coroner's inquest suggests confirmation of these allegations.

Is life worth so little, that a pay packet can overcome the obligations of respect for another human being who has been so severely demoralised? Has general society become so horrifyingly self-absorbed? There is absolutely no excuse for delaying the responsibility of reporting such crimes … and there should be no honour perceived in revealing such evidence, only after such an act is uncovered to the public.

Photo Album: Reanimated Residue

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 01:03:30 GMT

Reanimated Residue

Triplets

PoizonMyst

PoizonMyst ID

Photo Album: Triple Bed Bunk

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 01:01:46 GMT

Triple Bed Bunk

Ven sander

Bunk Completed - Sep 7th 06

Bunk Complete - Sep 7th 06

Triple Bunks - Work in progress

Bunk in progress - sep 7th 06