Saturday, October 27, 2007
Monday, September 10, 2007
Updates...
Been a while since I've had a chance to sit down and post up some updates on my life...
I finally took delivery of my ute, sometime back in July - man, what a blast this thing is to drive... 6 liters of manually shifted V8 goodness, wrapped up in a nice silver package...
After an artistic session on the camera, I came up with this photo, which doesn't show off the silver, but is totally un-photoshopped!
Aside from the new wheels, I've started in a new role, with a new client - in a process management role, which is a little more hands off than what I'm used to, which is taking some getting used to.
Couple of weeks ago, my mate Kev and I both signed with a water ski racing team, with who we will be competing in the 2007/8 Super Series, which is a set of ski races on various rivers in NSW and Victoria. Kev is going to be the observer for the boat, INXS, whilst I will be pit crew, driving the team bus, and towing the trailer to enable the team to race multiple classes in the same race series. The boat is capable of doing 93 mph on the water (well, this is the fastest we've had her clocked on GPS), with two skiers on 100 foot ropes. The ski racing fraternity are great fun people to be around, which is an immense bonus!
Last night, the fish tank also got a bit of an update, with some new fish, and a heap of new plants. I think it looks pretty good at the moment - very much like a big watery garden :-)
The next couple of weeks are going to be pretty busy - this coming weekend for example - going snow skiing at Mt Buller on Thursday - to take advantage of probably the last week of spring skiing, going out to dinner Friday night, going race testing at Echuca Saturday morning, returning to Melbourne Saturday afternoon, and having the ute at the V8 Supercars Sandown 500 to take part in the parade lap - one of the benefits of having an aussie built car - being able to make it look pretty, and go on international TV... :-) After all that lot, I reckon I will be going back to work on Monday for a rest!!!
I finally took delivery of my ute, sometime back in July - man, what a blast this thing is to drive... 6 liters of manually shifted V8 goodness, wrapped up in a nice silver package...
After an artistic session on the camera, I came up with this photo, which doesn't show off the silver, but is totally un-photoshopped!
Aside from the new wheels, I've started in a new role, with a new client - in a process management role, which is a little more hands off than what I'm used to, which is taking some getting used to.
Couple of weeks ago, my mate Kev and I both signed with a water ski racing team, with who we will be competing in the 2007/8 Super Series, which is a set of ski races on various rivers in NSW and Victoria. Kev is going to be the observer for the boat, INXS, whilst I will be pit crew, driving the team bus, and towing the trailer to enable the team to race multiple classes in the same race series. The boat is capable of doing 93 mph on the water (well, this is the fastest we've had her clocked on GPS), with two skiers on 100 foot ropes. The ski racing fraternity are great fun people to be around, which is an immense bonus!
Last night, the fish tank also got a bit of an update, with some new fish, and a heap of new plants. I think it looks pretty good at the moment - very much like a big watery garden :-)
The next couple of weeks are going to be pretty busy - this coming weekend for example - going snow skiing at Mt Buller on Thursday - to take advantage of probably the last week of spring skiing, going out to dinner Friday night, going race testing at Echuca Saturday morning, returning to Melbourne Saturday afternoon, and having the ute at the V8 Supercars Sandown 500 to take part in the parade lap - one of the benefits of having an aussie built car - being able to make it look pretty, and go on international TV... :-) After all that lot, I reckon I will be going back to work on Monday for a rest!!!
Friday, August 24, 2007
Uncyclopedia
Taking the Wikipedia concept, and putting even more comedic, disturbing, and purely random content on the Internet... :-)
Uncyclopedia
for example, want to know HowTo Install Linux On A Dead Badger?
perhaps you're interested in Chuck Norris?
Then there are the sister projects:
Uncyclopedia
for example, want to know HowTo Install Linux On A Dead Badger?
perhaps you're interested in Chuck Norris?
Then there are the sister projects:
Uncyclopedia's sista projects Uncyclopedia is hosted by the Uncyclomedia Foundation, a non-profitable organization that also hosts a range of other
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Wednesday, August 08, 2007
How do you get a research gig like this?
Potato Chip Flavoring Boosts Longevity Of Concrete
Summarized from : http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/sample.cgi/iecred/2007/46/i16/html/ie070527l.html
The ingredient that helps give “salt & vinegar” potato chips that tangy snap is the key to a new waterproof coating for protecting concrete from water damage, scheduled for the current (August 1) issue of ACS’ Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, a bi-weekly journal. Awni Al-Otoom and colleagues in Jordan point out that concrete’s unique properties have made it the world’s most widely used structural material. Concrete, however, is so porous that water soaks in, corroding steel reinforcing bars and meshes that strengthen concrete roads and buildings and causing cracks as water expands and contracts during freeze-thaw cycles. Sealants are commercially available, but they have serious shortcomings, the study notes. In the new report, researchers describe the use of sodium acetate as an inexpensive and environmentally friendly concrete sealant. One of sodium acetate’s many uses is in flavored potato chips. In laboratory studies using freshly made concrete, the researchers showed that sodium acetate seeps into pores in concrete and then hardens and crystallizes upon exposure to water. The resultant swelling blocks entry of additional moisture, they said. Under dry conditions, the crystals shrink back to their original size and allow moisture to evaporate. The net result is “a significant reduction in water permeability,” that “can be expected to increase the service life of the concrete,” the report said.
Summarized from : http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/sample.cgi/iecred/2007/46/i16/html/ie070527l.html
The ingredient that helps give “salt & vinegar” potato chips that tangy snap is the key to a new waterproof coating for protecting concrete from water damage, scheduled for the current (August 1) issue of ACS’ Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, a bi-weekly journal. Awni Al-Otoom and colleagues in Jordan point out that concrete’s unique properties have made it the world’s most widely used structural material. Concrete, however, is so porous that water soaks in, corroding steel reinforcing bars and meshes that strengthen concrete roads and buildings and causing cracks as water expands and contracts during freeze-thaw cycles. Sealants are commercially available, but they have serious shortcomings, the study notes. In the new report, researchers describe the use of sodium acetate as an inexpensive and environmentally friendly concrete sealant. One of sodium acetate’s many uses is in flavored potato chips. In laboratory studies using freshly made concrete, the researchers showed that sodium acetate seeps into pores in concrete and then hardens and crystallizes upon exposure to water. The resultant swelling blocks entry of additional moisture, they said. Under dry conditions, the crystals shrink back to their original size and allow moisture to evaporate. The net result is “a significant reduction in water permeability,” that “can be expected to increase the service life of the concrete,” the report said.
Friday, June 15, 2007
A Thunder for Thunder
For those who've known me for more than 13 years - I know one of you who reads this has, would know that in the good old days of the Internet, when I ran an ISP, I called myself Thunder...
Well, in the search for a new chariot, I finally decided on a Holden VZ SS Thunder Ute, which, even though being a V8 is so much better value than the SVZ I was looking at earlier.
After an early e-mail to SmartSalary, who are now managing our salary packaging, they located me a Silver Ute, and I dashed down to Elsternwick in my lunch break to drive one, to make sure it was what I wanted, and secured the order!
I should take delivery in a week or so, and she'll look something a lot like this:
Well, in the search for a new chariot, I finally decided on a Holden VZ SS Thunder Ute, which, even though being a V8 is so much better value than the SVZ I was looking at earlier.
After an early e-mail to SmartSalary, who are now managing our salary packaging, they located me a Silver Ute, and I dashed down to Elsternwick in my lunch break to drive one, to make sure it was what I wanted, and secured the order!
I should take delivery in a week or so, and she'll look something a lot like this:
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Lunch in Paynesville
Headed down to Paynesville on the Gippsland Lakes for a quick lunch of fish and chips today. I hadn't been down there for a couple of years, when I was down there for a long weekend with Michelle and Bevan, who are now in Geraldton.
The wind would have blown a dog off a chain, but the day was beautiful nevertheless...
This cormorant looked for all the world like a penguin from a distance, so I had to take a closer photo of him...
And he STILL looks like a penguin on a post! :-)
The wind would have blown a dog off a chain, but the day was beautiful nevertheless...
This cormorant looked for all the world like a penguin from a distance, so I had to take a closer photo of him...
And he STILL looks like a penguin on a post! :-)
Finally, a car decision
Never thought it would happen, but looks like I'm going to get myself a Holden!
Holden have just released a limited edition V6 ute, with upgraded brakes, leather trim and alloy wheels, calling it the SVZ
Currently waiting on a lease quote to come through, and should be putting a deposit down this weekend :-)
Thinking I will look around and pick myself up a small 4WD as well at some point in time, something like a Toyota Landcruiser Bundera, or a Daihatsu Feroza... Something I can take out in the bush and have a bit of fun in, that isn't worth a lot, but will get me around and about...
Holden have just released a limited edition V6 ute, with upgraded brakes, leather trim and alloy wheels, calling it the SVZ
Currently waiting on a lease quote to come through, and should be putting a deposit down this weekend :-)
Thinking I will look around and pick myself up a small 4WD as well at some point in time, something like a Toyota Landcruiser Bundera, or a Daihatsu Feroza... Something I can take out in the bush and have a bit of fun in, that isn't worth a lot, but will get me around and about...
Monday, May 28, 2007
Some Images from Bruthen
Drove across the Great Alpine Road today, from Wangaratta to Bairnsdale. The weather on the way up to Mount Hotham was so bad, that I had about 5 meters visibility. I was dying to get out of the car, and take a photo of one of those orange snow poles, with the sign on the top saying "Keep to the Right of Poles", as it was kind of ironic you couldn't see them! Plus, it was too damn cold to get out of the car! Hoping from the fact that I got snowed on at Mount Hotham, we will have a better ski season that last year!
Once past Mount Hotham (I stopped to ask if there was any black ice on the road towards Bairnsdale), the weather cleared up rapidly, and I was soon at the other end of the Alpine Road, having had lots of fun on the winding road between Omeo and Bruthen - must come back in a car that doesn't have 300 kg of computer gear in the back sometime!
Saw a few old relics worthy of snapping photos of on the way down into Bairnsdale
Poor, old Chimney - having a lay down
Old Bruthen Rail Bridge - Must come back and ride the rail trail one of these days
Short, Succinct, and to the point...
Once past Mount Hotham (I stopped to ask if there was any black ice on the road towards Bairnsdale), the weather cleared up rapidly, and I was soon at the other end of the Alpine Road, having had lots of fun on the winding road between Omeo and Bruthen - must come back in a car that doesn't have 300 kg of computer gear in the back sometime!
Saw a few old relics worthy of snapping photos of on the way down into Bairnsdale
Poor, old Chimney - having a lay down
Old Bruthen Rail Bridge - Must come back and ride the rail trail one of these days
Short, Succinct, and to the point...
Saturday, May 26, 2007
New Life
Awesome news from long time friends Andrew and Lisa this morning...
Congratulations guys :-)
Photo Borrowed from Andrew Lighten
Congratulations guys :-)
Photo Borrowed from Andrew Lighten
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Abandoned
The remnants of an old galvanized bucket, in the bed of the Murray River at Thompson's Beach near Cobram..
Amazing what you spy when you're in a conference call... :-)
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