Amazing, A-Maze-ing, A-Maize-ing, and a Giddy Lemming

"World's Largest Maze"
Dole Plantation, , Hawaii

"...In 2008, Dole Plantation's giant Pineapple Garden Maze was declared the world's largest maze. The maze stretches over three acres and includes nearly two and one-half miles of paths crafted from 14,000 colorful Hawaiian plants. ... one of only a handful of permanent botanical mazes in America. The fastest finishers win a prize and enter into the history of Dole Plantation, with their names recorded on a sign at the maze's entrance...."

The folks running Dole's Pineapple Garden Maze set eight stations inside, which the Lemming gathers must be found and marked before emerging from the maze. That's a pretty good idea: otherwise, someone might get a bearing on the direction of the exit, and barrel straight toward it, right through the hedges. Of course, some of those "colorful Hawaiian plants" probably have thorns, so maybe that wouldn't be such a good idea.


(Dole pineapple maze on Oahu (February 12, 2008) ErgoSum88, via Wikipedia, used w/o permission)

Eight-Acre Corn Maze

"Corn Maze"
Denver Botanic Gardens

"We invite you to get lost at this year’s Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield's 8-acre Corn Maze.

"Navigate the twists and turns of the newly designed cornfield this fall at Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield's Corn Maze.

"Wind your way through acres of corn, view the design from two 15-foot tall illuminated bridges that overlook...."

Since "corn" is what folks in this part of the world call "maize," the Lemming thinks that names line "Corn Maze" are hilarious. Your experience may vary.

Hedge Mazes Predate Harry Potter

"Hampton Court Maze"

"...'It is the most famous Maze in the history of the world, and immeasurably the one most visited.'
(Ernest Law, 1926)

"The maze at Hampton Court was designed by George London and Henry Wise and commissioned around 1700 by William III. Originally planted using hornbeam and later replanted using yew, the Hampton Court maze covers a third of an acre, is trapezoid in shape and is the UK's oldest surviving hedge maze.

"The maze itself is referred to as a multicursal or puzzle maze and is known for confusing and intriguing visitors with its many twists, turns and dead ends. Before the creation of the Hampton Court maze, unicursal or single path mazes were the most popular form of maze in the UK. Unlike the puzzle maze, the single path maze has one path, usually in a spiral shape, winding to a centre point...."

Outdoor mazes were around for about three centuries before "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" hit the shelves: but it's still a rousing story. And another topic.

Ashcombe Maze

"Hedge Maze"
Ashcombe Maze and Lavender Gardens

"Australia's oldest and most famous traditional Hedge Maze now standing over 3 metres high & 2 metres thick. With four mosaic flags to find in each half of the hedge maze, the hundreds of metres of winding paths take you through the South Maze into the Centre Garden before you tackle the North Maze. While not overly complicated it does take a little while to make your way through (some people take longer than others!) The North Maze is a totally different layout to the South Maze, so any tricks you worked out while making your way through the first part, mean absolutely nothing in the other!

"The Ashcombe Hedge Maze was planted in the 1970’s with more than 1000 Cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) plants. They are planted at around 1 metre intervals, and each year the hedge gets a bit bigger (and the paths get a bit narrower!) Being a drought tolerant plant the hedge only needs irrigation in extreme heat waves. It now stands more than 3m high and 2m thick.

"We do not use string lines or straight edges to trim our hedge and the overall effect is very organic...."

That first photo gives a pretty good idea of how complicated and organic-looking the Ashcombe Maze is: but it's hard to tell just how big the thing is. Judging by this one, nobody's going to be looking over the tops of this maze. Not without a periscope. Assuming that's a normal-size human being. Come to think of it, we can't see the creature's face.

Which brings up an interesting point. Do the folks running these mazes keep track of how many people go in - and come out? And what do they do if the "in" and "out" count doesn't match?

What if more people came out of the maze, than went in?

Then there's this story about an absent-minded dude named Theseus.

Vaguely-related posts:

• "Flabbergasted: What's a Flabber, and How Does One Gast It?"
  (October 21, 2011)
• "A Cause for Our Time: Campaign for Real Gravy"
  (March 7, 2011)
• "Sri Lanka, Hawaii: World Heritage Sites and People"
  (August 1, 2010)
• "Dumbo Octopus: Two Eyes, Eight Tentacles, and Wings"
  (February 1, 2010)
• "Volcanoes in Hawaii, Alaska: Science and Tourism"
  (June 7, 2009)

Wombats! Taking Over the World?!

Everybody knows that wombats are Australian marsupials. Well, maybe not "everybody:" but enough folks to make it the official faunal emblem of South Australia.

Don't let their pudgy looks fool you. Wombats get "rather nasty" when stepped on. (Sky News, April 6, 2010) The wombat featured in that article seems to have had mange, which made it particularly testy.

Wombats Taking Over the World?

That wrathful wombat may be just the tip of the iceberg. From the looks of it, Wombats may be taking over the world. Here's a sample of what I found:

• "Wombat Car Company"
  Vancouver, Washington
• The Wombat Bar
  Brooklyn, New York
• Wombats Hostels
  Berlin, Munich, Vienna

Yes: Wombats have gone international! Infiltrating our business communities!

Or, maybe folks think that "wombat" is a cool name. That explanation has my vote.

Attack of the Mutant Eucalyptus Trees!

"Genetically Modified Eucalyptus Trees Ignite Controversy"
Earth News, Discovery News (June 9, 2010)

"Eucalyptus trees are good for making paper. They are terrible for just about everything else – soil, insects, plants, and water.

"A paper company teamed up with ArborGen, a biotechnology organization, to genetically modify the trees to withstand freezing temperatures. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has just approved ArborGen's request to plant various test forests across seven southern states.

"Environmentalists are up in arms about the decision.

"Nicknamed 'America's Largest Weed,' it comes as no surprise that communities are worried about introducing the eucalyptus into new environments, which include 300 acres of test sites in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas...."

One word: Kudzu.

Or: 'Raising giant mutant weeds? What could possibly go wrong?'

Or: Rabbits? In Australia? What could possibly go wrong?

Or: Shut down the coolant pumps? What could possibly go wrong?¹

As a rule, I'm not terribly afraid of 'frankenfood,' 'genetic engineering,' or cows. Humanity has been dealing with "artificial life forms" like macaroni wheat and domestic chickens for a very long time.

In this case, though, I think the "environmentalists" may have a point.

What's missing in the article is the connection between eucalyptus trees and those cute-looking koalas. Which are, of course, endangered. Maybe environmentalists who noticed the koala connection blew a fuse, trying to reconcile 'save the delicate North American ecosystem' with 'save the endangered koala.'

What's worrisome about the mutant eucalyptus trees is that the fellows who engineered them are pretty sure that they probably won't make as many seeds as their wild counterparts; probably won't be quite as toxic; and shouldn't spread the way rabbits did, when cony-loving Britishers introduced the critters to Australia. Where they multiplied like, well, like rabbits.

Joking aside, I think field-testing these 'safe' eucalyptus trees has "bad idea" written all over it.

Vaguely-related post:

• "Hard Science Fiction, Cultural Blinders and Laban's Sheep"
  Drifting at the Edge of Time and Space (October 29, 2009)

Quite unrelated post:

• "Killer Tomatoes: How Could I Have Missed This Classic?"
  (May 3, 2010)

About Koalas and Kudzu:

• "Koala"
  Mammals, San Diego Zoo
• "Kudzu"
  National Invasive Species Information Center, National Agricultural Library, United States Department of Agriculture

---

¹ Remember Chernobyl?

Platypus - a Singular Animal, Since It's Hard to Say Two of Them

"PLATYPUS"
Unique Australian Animals

"The Platypus is an extremely different Mammal found in Eastern Australia.

"The shy Platypus is found only in eastern Australia, where they live on the edges of rivers and freshwater lakes where burrows can be dug.
The best streams are ones where the banks are strong enough for building their deep burrows, and often these banks overhang the river. During the day, a Platypus often rests in this burrow, but it may spend some hours near the entrance to the burrow, basking in the sun and grooming its dense fur. But Platypuses (or platypi) are most active for several hours after dusk and before dawn...."

I think that many people, when they first see a platypus, can immediately identify it as a - thing.

Sort of like a duck, except the "bill" is leathery - and has an electric sense that sharks have and we don't. It's obviously a mammal, since it has fur - but then there's that bill, and it lays eggs.

The article has among the most distracting and pointless animations I've seen in years - but it's informative and includes quite a few photos. As a sort of introduction to this unlikely - thing - it's pretty good.

I haven't tracked this story down, but I've heard that the when the first European scientists got a specimen, they didn't believe it. If that's so, I can't say that I blame them. The platypus is one odd critter.

And one of them is a secret agent. In a cartoon series, anyway: Phineas and Ferb.

Cute Koalas Cuddling Closely

"MOM YOU'RE HUGGING ME TOO MOSHE"
Meg, Cute Overload (February 14, 2010)

"GAH! MAAAAM! Stopeet...."


(from Meg, via Cute Overload, used w/o permission)

That's a closeup - the full photo is on Cute Overload.

Koalas are cute - as long as you don't try to cuddle them - add a baby koala, and javascript:void(0)you've got 'way over the normal recommended adult dose of pure, uncut cute.

Barnacles, Brains, and Staying Awake

"Barnacles"
Life on Australian Seashores, Marine Education Society of Australiasia (MESA)

"Barnacles are most unusual animals. They are arthropods, in the same major group as insects and spiders, and are most closely related to decapod crabs, prawns, lobsters and yabbies.

"Unlike most of their relations, barnacles are usually fixed to a rocky surface. The larvae go through several distinct swimming stages as plankton, before settling into place onto a rock. The juveniles pick their place to settle because they can detect their adults by chemical means...."

The page is a pretty good introduction to barnacles, with links to related pages on the website and a list of books 'for further reading.' This is definitely a page created as an educational tool, by dedicated academicians. Kudos, for keeping a fairly easy-to-read style - and useful illustrations.

One thing you won't find in the diagram of an adult barnacle's anatomy is a nervous system. There's a reason for that: Although barnacles have a central nervous system, it degenerates a bit when they settle down as adults.

I think most of us have known people like that: folks who dropped into a familiar routine after their teens, and don't seem to have done much with their brains after that.

Never could see the appeal in that sort of life, myself: but then, one of my favorite quotes is "There is no such thing on earth as an uninteresting subject; the only thing that can exist is an uninterested person." (G. K. Chesterton, The Quotations Page - quoted May 31, 2009 in this blog)

Enough philosophizing.

More, decidedly not light reading, about barnacle brains:

• "Neurophylogeny: Architecture of the nervous system and a fresh view on arthropod phyologeny"
  Integrative and Comparative Biology, Life Sciences, Oxford Journals (Volume 46, Number 2)

"Best Job in the World" - But Beware the Jellyfish

"Ben Southall stung by an irukandji jellyfish"
The Courier Mail (Australia) (December 30, 2009)

"Best Job in the World winner Ben Southall has been stung by an irukandji jellyfish after ignoring Tourism Queensland advice to wear a stinger suit.

"Mr Southall was stung on his elbow while jet-skiing off Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays on Sunday, less than a week before his $150,000 Best Job in the World gig ends.

"The former British charity worker yesterday tweeted and blogged about his 'crazy 24 hours' following the potentially deadly jellyfish sting.

" 'Feeling 100% again after an irukandji sting while jet skiing,' he tweeted. 'Horrible incident. Lesson learnt – always wear a stinger suit.'..."

I can see why Ben Southall didn't wear a stinger suit: he was jet skiing, and jellyfish aren't known as high-speed swimmers. In 20-20 hindsight, of course, it's obvious that going suitless wasn't an entirely prudent decision.

Getting stung by this sort of jellyfish is no joke: given the right, or wrong, conditions, an irukandji sting can be - and has been - lethal.

Mr. Southall's "best job in the world" is part of a Queensland tourism promotion, intended to show the world what a great place Queensland is. I hope this little run-in with a jellyfish doesn't affect Mr. Southall's pay - or get him into trouble with the promoters.

I live Minnesota: where water is a mineral this time of year. It warms up in the summer, of course: then, you've got mosquitoes, leeches, and other invertebrate bloodsuckers to deal with, along with the occasional patch of scorching heat and the odd tornado. Apart from that, though: this is a great place to live!

And, as long as you learn to live with deadly little jellyfish, I'm sure Queensland is, too.

More, about the irukandji jellyfish (rather redundant titles, aren't they?):

• "Irukandji Jellyfish"
  About.com
• "Irukandji Jellyfish (Carukua barnesi)"
  AustralianFauna.com
• "Irukandji Jellyfish"
  Jellyfish Facts, Pattern Media

Frogmouths: Odd-Looking - - Things - - From Australia

"Freaky Frogmouths (raw)"

Taletale, YouTube (September 5, 2007)
video, 2:16

"More birds! Tawny Frogmouths in the tree outside my kitchen window. Freaky, eh? They are nocturnal and sleep in the tree...."

"Frog Mouth Owl"

thombolt, YouTube (April 18, 2009)
video, 1:11

"Australian Frog Mouth Owl interacting with humans in the Featherdale Wildlife Park in Doonside...."

Someone in an online community is supposed to have said that frogmouths look like Muppets that found their way into the real world. I can't argue with that.

Despite looking like a mutant owl, appearance, frogmouths are birds of a different feather:

• Species: strigoides
• Genus: Podargus
• Family: Podargidae
• Order: Caprimulgiformes
• Class: Aves
• Phylum: Chordata
• Kingdom: Animalia
  (Australian Museum)

Owls are birds (aves), too, but apparently in a different order from frogmouths:

• Family: Tytonidae
• Order: Strigiformes
• Class: Aves
• Subphylum: Vertebrata
• Phylum: Chordata
• Kingdom: Animalia
  (Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology

More:

• "Tawny Frogmouth "
  Australian Museum
• "Tawny Frogmouth"
  Amazing Animals, Australia Zoo

---

A tip of the hat to my #1 daughter, who discussed frogmouths with me this weekend, and mentioned the Muppet connection.

Australian Birds in Art

"Birds of Australia / Browse the works"
Talbot Family Treasures Wall, Queensland government

This page displays thumbnails of images from a collection of bird paintings. Paintings of birds, that is. Clicking on the images gets you into a sort of slideshow that includes "Neville W. Cayley (1886 – 1950), ... Birds of the forest borders and grass lands," "Gregory M. Matthews (1876 – 1949) Chalcophaps chrysochroa (Little green pigeon)," and "Neville W. Cayley (1886 – 1950) ...Blue fairy wrens and Fuchsia heath."

The larger images are pretty good quality, but on my browser part of the page navigation lay over part of the image.

The collection - eight pictures on this page and more elsewhere - shows a variety of birds rendered by several artists: and seems to be a pretty good introduction to birds in at least part of Australia.

July Fourth, American Independence Day: Fireworks, Barbecue and a Freedom Swim

"Chill, grill and thrill this Independence Day weekend"
Herald Tribune (Sarasota, Florida) (July 3, 2009)

"America turns 233 years old Saturday.

"And that means it's time to get ready for family gatherings, barbecues, parades and fireworks.

"With everyone looking for cheap thrills, Independence Day offers a brief reprieve from all the talk about the economy, unemployment and bailouts.

"The holiday also offers plenty of inexpensive family-friendly activities, especially along the Gulf Coast, where passionate displays of patriotism are tradition.

"Here's a list of Fourth of July activities that won't strain your wallet, to help you commemorate our country's independence:..."

I likes that phrases, "won't strain your wallet," and the word "inexpensive family-friendly activities," but then I've got a teenage son and daughter, another daughter who's back for the summer because this makes a good base of operations for her job, and yet another daughter back because she's preparing for her wedding.

"Inexpensive" takes on a special glow under those circumstances.

This article, although an excellent summary of events, lost a bit of its luster when I found that it focused on specific activities and events in the Sarasota, Florida, area.

Leading with "Sarasota Reds Baseball & Fireworks Night" and a "...Parade of Boats", it went on to touch on the virtues of an all-you-can-eat restaurant, a 5k run, and something called the "Freedom Swim". And, of course, several Fourth of July parades and celebrations, and a July Fourth block party.

There's quite a bit more, all about Sarasota area celebrations. A fine resource for folks living there, and a sort of inspiration for others in America: showing what to look for in their own area.

The U.S. Census Bureau has something of more general interest for Americans:

"The Fourth of July 2008"
Facts for features, U.S. Census Bureau (May 5, 2008)

The year-old press release says that there were around 2,500,000 Americans in 1776, and about 304,000,000 in 2008. And upwards of 74,000,000 of us had been at a barbecue during the previous year. That's a bit more than 24 percent: almost one in four.

And, as the Census Bureau said, "It's probably safe to assume a lot of these events took place on Independence Day."

Barbecues on July Fourth have become something of an American tradition. But even without the grills, many Americans pay special attention to Independence Day.

"Fourth of July goes global"
CNN (July 3, 2009)

"Hot dogs? Check. Fireworks? Check. Big Ben? Wait a minute...

"There may not be international landmarks at your neighbor's Fourth of July barbecue, but for Americans living abroad, they're the perfect backdrop when celebrating independence.

"To global Yanks, it's just as important -- if not more so -- to throw an Independence Day party that feels just like home.

"From Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Rome, Italy, Fourth of July soirees are happening on Saturday in nearly every corner of the world...."

Wednesday, July 1, was Canada Day, and Canadians celebrate with, among other things, fireworks. Then, three days later, around 15,000 or 20,000 people show up for the Canada Dry Festival of Fire: "an extensive fireworks display". (More at Canada Dry Festival of Fire, ontarioplace.com)

Across the Atlantic, American Independence Day celebrations happen in London and Rome. Australia sees celebrations of the Forth, too: but it's winter there, this time of year.

There's more in the article about America's Independence Day as celebrated in other places. By focusing on a handful of examples, it shows how Americans traveling through or staying in other countries celebrate July Fourth.

American Student Rides Outside of Australian Train

"Tourist clings to speeding Ghan as it races through outback"
PerthNow (June 7, 2009)

"A YOUNG American tourist has survived a terrifying train ride in which he clung to the outside of the legendary Ghan in the freezing dark as it hit speeds of 110km/h. [about 70 miles an hour]

"Chad Vance, 19, of Alaska, squeezed himself into a tiny stairwell on the train as it raced for almost 200km through the South Australian outback after leaving Port Augusta.

"It was two hours and 20 minutes before a Ghan crew member heard his desperate cries for help about 20km south of Pimba and brought the train to an emergency halt...."

Chad Vance wanted to stretch his legs as the train stopped at Port Augusta. He lost track of time, and - rather imprudently - decided to grab the train as it moved out of town.

The article gives a fairly detailed description of what happened, and why young Mr. Vance was so anxious to catch the train.

His adventure is no joke: it was above freezing, barely, in the stairwell he perched in. Chad Vance was pale and shaking by the time he was hauled into the train. The article explains his quick recovery is the result of: "His youth and conditioning of living in a cold climate...."

Chad Vance is from North Pole, Alaska.

Strip Mine a Nature Preserve? I Know: But This Seems to be Real

"Save Steve's Place"

"The Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve (SIWR) is a wetland conservation property and a tribute to Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin.

"The 135,000 ha property, in Queensland's Cape York Peninsula, is home to a set of important spring fed wetlands which provide a critical water source to threatened habitat, provide permanent flow of water to the Wenlock River, and is home to rare and vulnerable plants and wildlife.

"The Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve (SIWR) was acquired as part of the National Reserve System Programme for the purpose of nature conservation with the assistance of the Australian Government.

"The Situation

"The Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve (SIWR) is being threatened by strip mining. Cape Alumina Pty Ltd has lodged mining lease applications which include approximately 12,300 ha of the Reserve. Cape Alumina company documents indicate an intention to mine 50 plus million tons over a 10 year period commencing 2010. The greater part of this mine is on SIWR...."

Sounds Like a "Captain Planet" Episode Plot - but I Think This is a Legitimate Request

When I read this the first time, I thought it very likely that someone was collecting email addresses for a spammer - or running a fairly sophisticated scam.

I looked up who registered the domain - and it led me back to Australia Zoo. A website which, although it indulges in rather more exuberant displays that I regard as necessary, does seem to be connected with the late Steve Irwin. And, refers to the strip mining issue.

Oh, Come on! Strip Mine a Nature Preserve?!

I'm not a lunatic-fringe environmentalist. I'm a human being, some of my best friends are humans, and I don't think we're a cancer on Mother Earth.

That said, I do think it's a good idea to take care of the organic fuzz that coats this ball of rock we call home. And, I know that some people with business interests can want very strange things.

Case in Point: Buffalo River State Park, Minnesota

Decades ago, I was impressed by the gall of a businessman in Minnesota. He wanted - demanded would be a better way of putting it, I think - rights to 'unused' land owned by the State of Minnesota. There was sand there, he explained: and he had to have it. No other spot would do.

Generally speaking, I don't have trouble with the idea of digging up a field to get at the sand or gravel that's under it. What usually happens is that trucks haul sand away until they've leveled the area - and after that it doesn't take too many years before local grasses and weeds take over. Unless a farmer speeds up the process with fertilizer and seed.

In this case, however, the 'unused' land was a tract of prairie that hadn't been disturbed since the last glaciers retreated. Buffalo River State Park has recreational facilities (on the north side), but it is also one of the very few places where a large remnant prairie still exists.

Since most of northern Minnesota is made out of sand and gravel left by the last glaciation, I didn't - and don't - understand why this particular patch of sand was so vitally important.

The sand man's effort failed, and we've still got relatively undisturbed prairie there.

Australian Wildlife Preserve or a Strip Mine - Yes, You Can Make a Difference

Here's the deal: There really does seem to be someone who wants to tear up a wildlife preserve in Australia.

People who would just as soon not see this happen are collecting signatures for a petition. They'd like yours.

If you're in Australia, fine. If you're not, also fine: They've got forms for both.

---

Thanks to irish_brigid, on Twitter, for the heads-up on this.

Australia's Victoria State Bushfires Update:

Quite a lot has happened in Australia's Victoria since this morning, when I posted "Australia's Victoria State Bushfires: 65+ Dead" (February 8, 2009). The death toll is above 100 now, and will probably rise as police and firefighters make their way into burned-out regions.

Two small towns have been destroyed.

The Herald Sun (News.com.au) has a 'how you can help' section. It seems to be geared more for people who live in Australia - naturally enough.

The Bendigo Bank (www.bendigobank.com.au) has a "Fire and Flood Appeals" link, on the right side of their home page. It is possible that donations can only be made through this website by people in Australia, but I haven't confirmed that.

And, trite as this may sound, I suggest that you consider praying for the victims and survivors of this disastrous bushfire. And the floods in northern Australia.

In the news:

• "Victoria in Flames"
  News.com.au (February 8, 2009)
  • "Victoria bushfires - all the facts
    "UPDATE 2:17pm: POLICE have confirmed 128 people have died in Victoria's bushfires with more victims expected."
  • "How you can help
    "10:02am | Staff writer
    "THERE are several ways you can help the victims of Victoria's worst ever bushfires...."
• "Scores killed in Australia's 'worst fires'"
  CNN (February 8, 2009)
  • "(CNN) -- Australia's raging wildfires have killed at least 111 people, decimating massive spands [!] of land and leaving thousands of residents homeless, creating situation officials say they've never experienced.
  • "The fires have swept through the state of Victoria, leaving some firefighters and police to describe the destruction 'as something of a holocaust,' said Phil Shepherd, an inspector with the Victoria State Police.
  • " 'We had an impact all over the state,' Shepherd told CNN Monday, adding that two towns have been 'completely wiped out.'..."

Australia's Victoria State Bushfires: 65+ Dead

"65 dead, hundreds of homes lost, as bushfires rage through Victoria"
News.com.au (February 8, 2009) (UPDATED February 9, 2009)

"AT least 65 people are dead in the bushfires ripping through Victoria, in a disaster which has eclipsed the state's Ash Wednesday devastation of two decades ago.

"Authorities are continuing a grim search for more bodies as horrific eyewitness accounts emerge from devastated communities. It was estimated at least 640 homes had been lost - 550 of them in the Kinglake area...."

"Raging Australia bushfires kill at least 65"
CNN (February 8, 2009)

" (CNN) -- The death toll from the wildfires in southeastern Australia rose to 65 as scores of firefighters continued to battle the flames, police said Sunday.

"Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced the creation of an Aust $10 million relief fund to help immediately assist the more than 600 families that have lost homes to the blaze...."

Obviously, this is a very bad situation. 600 families burned out of their homes, 65 bodies found so far, and some survivors have very serious burns.

Just a Suggestion: but These People Could Use Help

First, and this is just a suggestion: pray.

The Australian news service I quoted wrote:

"Donations for those affected are being accepted by the National Australia Bank and Bendigo Bank.

"The Australian Red Cross is accepting blood donations...."

Unless you're in or near Australia's Victoria, donating blood may not be practical.

Thanks to the Internet, though, if you're reading this, you can reach those banks:

• National Australia Bank
  www.nab.com.au
  I didn't find any reference to the Victoria disaster, but it's early days yet.
  
• Bendigo Bank
  www.bendigobank.com.au
  The Bendigo Bank has a "Bushfire AppealFire and Flood Appeals" link, on the right side of their home page.

On top of everything else: it looks like at least two of the fires were deliberately set.

Zombie Road Signs Invading Australia (No Joke)

" 'Zombie' copycats hack electronic road signs"
News.com.au (February 3, 2009)

"ZOMBIE road signs are invading Australia, as vandals take to hacking the electronic displays with simple instructions from the web.

" 'Zombies ahead!' warned one sign on the Gold Coast this week, in reference to a now-infamous message displayed in the US last month.

"The pranksters also illegally hacked into signs around the area with other messages, including "Nobody has ever loved you," according to GoldCoast.com.au...."

No question about it: there's humor in these hacked road signs. I indulged in a chuckle, myself.

It's funny.

Until somebody gets killed. These are working road signs, remember?

That's Fishy: Woman's Odor is All in Her Head, Her Breath, and Her Genes

"Woman's fishy-smelling mystery solved"
NEWS.com.au (October 19, 2008)

"A WOMAN who spent four decades puzzled by a pungent body odour 'resembling rotting fish' has finally had the smell explained by Australian doctors.

"The woman has been diagnosed with an incurable genetic condition called trimethylaminuria, or fish malodour syndrome, which affects the smell of sweat, breath and urine...."

"...Part of doctors' examinations included 'being sniffed', with all writing her off as a hypochondriac.

" 'She was repeatedly told that she had a hygiene neurosis,' the specialist said...."

Let's not be too hard on the doctors who said that her smell was all in her head: it can be embarrassing to admit that you haven't a clue. And, it still seems to be 'well known' among doctors that women are hysterical and make up all kinds of ailments. Like PMS.

Oh, yes: and teething babies don't feel pain.

Strange-Looking House

"House on hazardous hill, The Treehouse, Victoria, Australia"
Architecture and Design News - Nikiomahe.com (August 18th, 2008)

"Jackson Clements Burrows Pty Ltd Architects were formed ten years ago and have since been making architecture which with its surroundings and according to their mission, their design methodology “is often informed by making intelligent decisions about perceived constraints”. Such constraints are not obvious in this angular design perched on a steep hillside at Separation Creek in Victoria, Australia.

"The hazardous-looking balcony ledge appears so large as to...."

I'm not so sure about someone writing that a building "empathises" with anything. It's a real word - the third-person singular simple present indicative form of empathise - but I rather doubt that a house is capable of that sort of understanding.

The article has photos, an elevation, and a site plan.

I think the house is nicer to live in, than to look at.

Seven Architecture Award Winners in Australia

"NSW Architecture Awards Announced: Gorgeous Oz-chitecture"
Inhabitat (August 21, 2008)

"The winners of the New South Wales Architecture Awards were recently announced in Sydney. Of the 42 awards and commendations for outstanding design presented by the Australian Institute of Architects New South Wales Chapter, half were awarded to smart and savvy adaptive re-use projects demonstrating the current trend towards smarter, more intelligent ways of reusing the state’s massive supply of existing building stock. There were also several great examples of new sustainable constructions. From recycled to brand-new, here’s a look at some of the exceptional architectural projects from Oz...."

What struck me about the seven projects was that no two of them had quite the same style.

Each of the five award-winners, the project given a Commendation, and the one with the Special Jury Prize, is displayed in a photo, with a short description.

5th Annual Ninja Convention - Get It?

"5th Annual Ninja Convention"
Kensington Victoria (July 5, 2008)

I don't think it is, really, but that's not the point.

MySpace: Another SNAFU, This Time with Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan

MySpace is back in the news. This time it's an American celebrity story, with a lesson for the rest of us, and a trashed house in Australia. Articles about the two latest MySpace SNAFUs, and related items:

• "Privacy flaw exposes Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan’s private MySpace photos"
  ZDNet (June 4, 2008)
  • "The recently introduced data availability initiative at MySpace allowing everyone to share their profile data with other community and social networking sites across the Web, has just suffered its first major privacy flaw exposing the private photos of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, prompting Yahoo and MySpace to disable the data availability between the services until they fix the flaw:
  • "Pictures of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan from private MySpace profiles can be seen by anyone on the Internet, thanks to a flaw in a system that helps the social-networking site share information with other Web sites. The incident underscores a new challenge for businesses: Security becomes a multi-front challenge once you start sharing information outside your walls.
  • "Byron Ng — a computer technician who earlier this year found a way to access Paris Hilton’s Facebook page — walked the tech-gossip blog Valleywag through a 15-step process that allows people to see supposedly-private pictures and other information by first logging into Yahoo, which is one of the sites that shares information with MySpace...."
• "MySpace party caused $30,000 damage to Como house"
  The Sunday Times (Australia) (June 4, 2008)
  • "KENSINGTON detectives have charged dozens of teenagers allegedly responsible for trashing a vacant Como house during a wild party which left a $30,000 damage bill.
  • "An intensive month long investigation has identified about 50 revellers aged between 15 and 18 who have been charged with more than 60 offences, including aggravated burglary, criminal damage and trespassing.
  • "Every window in the vacant rental property was smashed, every door was kicked in and rooms were scrawled with graffiti during the April 24 party, which was advertised through MySpace sites and via text messages....
• "What Every Parent Should Know About The Leading Social Networking Sites, Including Facebook, MySpace, Gizmo, HI5 and YouTube"
  Send2Press (June 4, 2008)
  • This article discusses Omni Publishing's new DVD, "A Parent's Guide to Social Networking Sites," to be released June 16. The DVD tells about dangers on social networking sites, with advice about how to avoid them.
• "MySpace sexual assault suit dismissed"
  CNN (May 16, 2008)
  • " NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (AP) -- Federal law gives MySpace.com immunity from a lawsuit over the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl by a man she met on the social networking Web site, a federal appeals court ruled Friday.
  • "The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit that a Texas girl's family filed against MySpace and its parent company, News Corp. The family said MySpace didn't protect young users from sexual predators.
  • "The appeals court ruled that the Communications Decency Act of 1996 bars such lawsuits against Web-based services like MySpace. A federal judge in Austin, Texas, dismissed the $30 million lawsuit on the same grounds last year...."

There's a lesson or two in this latest MySpace SNAFU has a lesson or two for everyone with an online presence.

A point that should be obvious, but isn't is: The Internet is for communication and information sharing - not for storing embarrassing photos.

It's possible to keep online data secure, although not perfectly: as the occasional news about stolen credit card account information shows. But, good information management and sensible use of technology seems to be fairly effective at keeping secrets secret: so it makes sense to shop online, using a system that's run by people who have keeping credit card data secure as a top priority.

I don't think it makes sense to put your fancy photos on a network that's designed to help others find girlie pictures, not keep them under wraps. I think a lesson of the latest MySpace foulup is: Don't put photos or facts on a social networking site, even in a 'private' section, unless you're comfortable with everyone on the Web seeing them.

To be fair, quite a few people with MySpace accounts don't get their house trashed, and aren't raped, every day. On the other hand, MySpace seems to have more than its share of trouble.

Part of it is size: MySpace has a huge number of members, and with that many people, there will be trouble.

Part of MySpace's problems, I think, is how MySpace manages itself. I have an account there, which I haven't used for months. There are attractions there, but it's not worth wading through the gauntlet of overblown virtual b-girls.

It's not just that they give the place the ambiance of a sleazy singles bar. Whoever set the 'hi sailor' system up didn't bother to make sure that the limited number of photos and names matched each other consistently. That's sloppy.

More about MySpace on this blog:

• "More Bad News For (and About) MySpace"
  (June 1, 2008)
• "Strictly for People Who Can't Stand MySpace"
  (March 5, 2008)
• "Don't Read This if You Love MySpace And the Spacerettes"
  (January 24, 2008)
• "Kiddie Porn on MySpace: A Change of Pace From the Over-Blown Hotties"
  (January 17, 2008)
• "25 Worst Websites: Don't Get On This List"
  (August 29, 2007)