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spacetimewithstuartgary · 23 days

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New SpaceTime out Wednesday

SpaceTime 20240904 Series 27 Episode 107

New discoveries about the universe’s first galaxies

A new study has found that the universe’s first galaxies won’t overly massive after all but their central black holes made them seem brighter and bigger.

NASA’s Europa Clipper mission moving towards its October launch date

NASA’s Europa Clipper mission -- the largest spacecraft NASA has ever built for inter-planetary exploration – is on track for a launch window opening on October ten.

Falcon 9 launches put on hold following a spectacular landing failure

SpaceX have placed a hold on future launches of their Falcon 9 rocket after one of them caught fire, blew up, and fell into the sea as it was attempting to land on a drone ship following a successful mission to space.

The Science Report

Study shows face masks could cut common respiratory symptoms by 3.2%.

Scientists may be missing millions of undescribed extinction-prone insect species.

Study shows taking a break from screen time works wonders for kid’s mental health.

Alex on Tech: Social media’s censorship of the truth

SpaceTime covers the latest news in astronomy & space sciences.

The show is available every Monday, Wednesday and Friday through Apple Podcasts (itunes), Stitcher, Google Podcast, Pocketcasts, SoundCloud, Bitez.com, YouTube, your favourite podcast download provider, and from www.spacetimewithstuartgary.com

SpaceTime is also broadcast through the National Science Foundation on Science Zone Radio and on both i-heart Radio and Tune-In Radio.

SpaceTime daily news blog: http://spacetimewithstuartgary.tumblr.com/

SpaceTime facebook: www.facebook.com/spacetimewithstuartgary

SpaceTime Instagram @spacetimewithstuartgary

SpaceTime twitter feed @stuartgary

SpaceTime YouTube: @SpaceTimewithStuartGary

SpaceTime -- A brief history

SpaceTime is Australia’s most popular and respected astronomy and space science news program – averaging over two million downloads every year. We’re also number five in the United States. The show reports on the latest stories and discoveries making news in astronomy, space flight, and science. SpaceTime features weekly interviews with leading Australian scientists about their research. The show began life in 1995 as ‘StarStuff’ on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) NewsRadio network. Award winning investigative reporter Stuart Gary created the program during more than fifteen years as NewsRadio’s evening anchor and Science Editor. Gary’s always loved science. He studied astronomy at university and was invited to undertake a PHD in astrophysics, but instead focused on his career in journalism and radio broadcasting. Gary’s radio career stretches back some 34 years including 26 at the ABC. He worked as an announcer and music DJ in commercial radio, before becoming a journalist and eventually joining ABC News and Current Affairs. He was part of the team that set up ABC NewsRadio and became one of its first on air presenters. When asked to put his science background to use, Gary developed StarStuff which he wrote, produced and hosted, consistently achieving 9 per cent of the national Australian radio audience based on the ABC’s Nielsen ratings survey figures for the five major Australian metro markets: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth. The StarStuff podcast was published on line by ABC Science -- achieving over 1.3 million downloads annually. However, after some 20 years, the show finally wrapped up in December 2015 following ABC funding cuts, and a redirection of available finances to increase sports and horse racing coverage. Rather than continue with the ABC, Gary resigned so that he could keep the show going independently. StarStuff was rebranded as “SpaceTime”, with the first episode being broadcast in February 2016. Over the years, SpaceTime has grown, more than doubling its former ABC audience numbers and expanding to include new segments such as the Science Report -- which provides a wrap of general science news, weekly skeptical science features, special reports looking at the latest computer and technology news, and Skywatch – which provides a monthly guide to the night skies. The show is published three times weekly (every Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and available from the United States National Science Foundation on Science Zone Radio, and through both i-heart Radio and Tune-In Radio.

#science #space #astronomy #physics #news #nasa #astrophysics #esa #spacetimewithstuartgary #starstuff #spacetime #jwst #hubble space telescope #james webb space telescope

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noloveforned · 8 months

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no love for ned is back on wlur tonight from 8pm until midnight. tune in live if you have a little spare time where we'll be continuing the new winter theme that debuted last week. each show will start off with a song that quotes lyrics from another songs. you can stream last week's show on mixcloud as we start with a very thorough example.

no love for ned on wlur – january 12th, 2024 from 8-10pm

artist // track // album // label built to spill // you were right // keep it like a secret // warner bros. superchunk // everybody dies // everybody dies 7" // merge jj and the a’s // head in a vat // jj and the a’s ep // la vida es un mus discos grrrl gang // cool girl // spunky! // kill rock stars lupo cittá // one-two zero // lupo cittá // 12xu the second wife // sold memories // tourist // potluck foundation private life // keep it movin' // get me outta here cassette // open palm tapes closet straights // brisbane // closet straights // cobra snake necktie wagging // bent // my own private rodeo cassette // wagging industries nancy sinatra // something pretty // keep walkin'- singles, demos and rarities 1965-1978 // light in the attic starry eyes // n-n-n-nervous (acoustic) // starry eyes ep (expanded) // (self-released) the lemonheads // seven out // fear of living 7" // fire c-clamp // a stand still // meander and return // ohio gold bob dylan // girl from the north country // live at budokan on march 1st, 1978 // legacy landing // calmly // subscription series collection three cassette // vast arc hues jason gerycz, jen powers and matthew j. rolin // activator // activator // 12xu grover washington, jr. // joffure // live at the bijou // kudu kiyoshi sugimoto // jones street // our time // nippon eki shola // what is // kaeru // (self-released) mick jenkins featuring jid // smoke break-dance // the patience // rbc kool and the gang // fresh // emergency // de-lite tsha featuring mafro // giving up // capricorn sun // ninja tune devon cole // w.i.t.c.h. // 1-800-got-stress ep // arista self esteem // you forever // prioritise pleasure // fiction macie stewart // neon lights // neon lights digital single // full time hobby puzzles y dragones // el final de mi felicidad // recuerdos de puzzles y dragones // el genio equivocado herr wade featuring mark monnone // monnone alone t-shirt // monnone alone t-shirt ep // (self-released) mo troper // love of my life (so far) // troper sings brion // lame-o benji cossa // pickles // song service // serious business becky and the politicians // go fish // play the early hits of cub cassette // girlsville crabber // dogged by fortune // crabber crabber hey! // jigsaw

#wlur #radio shows

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bongaboi · 1 year

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Collingwood: 2023 AFL Premiers

IT CAME down to the last minute. We wanted the best and we got the best.

In one of the hottest Grand Final days ever recorded, with the two best teams of the season, in one of the best seasons in recent times, we got perhaps the best ever premiership decider.

And now it's official: Collingwood is the best team of 2023, with the Magpies edging out Brisbane by four points on Saturday in a Grand Final epic in front 100,024 people at the MCG.

In a game full of remarkable highlights, brutal toughness, brilliant goals, spectacular individualism and hard-nosed team ethos, it was Craig McRae's men who claimed this year's premiership, winning 12.18 (90) to 13.8 (86).

Collingwood's triumph breaks a 13-year drought without a premiership and sees them claim their 16th VFL/AFL flag, joining rivals Essendon and Carlton with a competition-leading 16 premierships.

With five-and-a-half minutes to play, Lions star Charlie Cameron looked set to snatch the flag for Brisbane when his snap put his side four points ahead. But Collingwood superstars Nick Daicos and Jordan De Goey teamed up to immediately grab back the lead, with Daicos' swift handball to De Goey giving the Pies' No.2 space to bomb it from 50 metres in the 10th lead change of the game.

It restored the Pies' four-point lead, before Steele Sidebottom marked on the wing and was dragged to the ground by Lion Jarrod Berry. A 50-metre penalty was awarded and the Pies veteran slotted a goal from the 50-metre line to give the Pies a 10-point break with 4:23 remaining.

The game looked over before some Hugh McCluggage magic saw Joe Daniher snap a goal to get the Lions within four points with 93 seconds to play, before the Pies ground out the last moments to clinch an extraordinary flag.

Five years after the heartbreak of the 2018 Grand Final loss, the Magpies got their moment in pulsating fashion, with heroes all over the ground.

Bobby Hill kicked four goals from 18 disposals in a career-best game to win the Norm Smith Medal, while Nick Daicos had a stellar afternoon, with the young superstar having a game-high 29 disposals and a goal to end his special second season.

McRae's men have become the kings of the close contest over the past two years and did it on the biggest stage of all.

After legendary rockers KISS put in a super pre-match performance, the fireworks kept coming right until the final siren.

Daicos kicked off a frenetic first term, slotting the opening goal after a free kick. The sensation had started forward in his second game back from injury, with the Pies having all the early running. They skipped to a two-goal lead before Brisbane had caught its breath, with Zac Bailey's two first-quarter goals helping edge the Lions ahead.

The first goal was good – an on-the-run banger that sailed through – but the second was an all-timer, seeing the Lions star smother Mason Cox, collect the ball, evade two Collingwood tacklers and then snap it through. The Lions had jumped to a three-point advantage before again the Pies took back control, with a De Goey long bomb after the siren establishing Collingwood's 10-point lead at the first change.

If we thought the first quarter was good, there was the most epic of second quarters to come. During the quarter-time break, the MCG speakers blasted John Denver's Take Me Home, Country Roads, igniting three crowd singalongs.

It also lit the fuse for Cameron, who was making them sing for him soon enough with two quick goals and another goal assist to get the Lions firing.

Brisbane's efforts to keep the ball at ground level in defence had Collingwood unsettled and their fleet of small forwards went to work, with Deven Robertson busy, Bailey terrific and Lincoln McCarthy kicking a cracker from the pocket to put them 13 points ahead.

But the Magpies weren't ready to stop there. In a first half that will rank alongside any Grand Final for highlights and quality goals, Hill then put his mark on the game – figuratively and literally. He kicked three goals for the quarter and by half-time had a career-best four, including a left-foot snap and a huge screamer inside-50 that he converted.

Again it was some Daicos magic – weaving through traffic, slowing down, speeding up, spotting an option and hitting his target – that set up the final goal of the half with his 19th disposal before the main break as Brody Mihocek put the Magpies up by six points.

After full throttle footy in the second term, the third quarter hit arm wrestle territory. Collingwood was kept to 0.6 until the final two minutes, when Hill smartly spotted Scott Pendlebury open 30 metres from goal. Having watched his side surrender the lead, the Pies champion's never-in-doubt kick put his side ahead by four points heading into the last quarter.

The Lions conceded a goal in the final two minutes of the term in each of the first three quarters, and it proved a costly momentum shifter at the end of the third after they had otherwise been on top with their efficiency.

Daniher was a big part of Brisbane's push, with the key forward having an important day, helping set up Robertson's crucial goal in the third quarter with his contested mark on the wing.

The Lions had their opportunities at the start of the fourth but Collingwood's mantra throughout the year has been to play every single minute.

It's the mantra underneath McRae's uber-positive, open-door, belief-is-everything philosophy that has sealed them a premiership cup, coming to the fore when they needed it most.

COLLINGWOOD 4.4 9.9 10.15 12.18 (90) BRISBANE 3.0 9.3 11.5 13.8 (86)

GOALS Collingwood: Hill 4, Crisp 2, De Goey 2, N.Daicos, Mihocek, Pendlebury, Sidebottom Brisbane: Cameron 3, Daniher 3, Bailey 2, McCarthy 2, McCluggage 2, Robertson

BEST Collingwood: Hill, N.Daicos, Crisp, Howe, Mitchell, Pendlebury Brisbane: McCluggage, Daniher, Coleman, Andrews, Bailey, Cameron

INJURIES Collingwood: Murphy (concussion) Brisbane: Nil

SUBSTITUTES Collingwood: Patrick Lipinski (replaced Nathan Murphy at quarter-time) Brisbane: Jarryd Lyons (replaced Callum Ah Chee in the fourth quarter)

Crowd: 100,024 at the MCG

2023 Norm Smith Medal voting 15 - Bobby Hill (Coll) 5 - Keidean Coleman (Bris) 4 - Nick Daicos (Coll) 3 - Tom Mitchell (Coll) 2 - Jack Crisp (Coll) 1 - Scott Pendlebury (Coll)

Judges' voting Luke Darcy (Chair) – B Hill 3, N Daicos 2, S Pendlebury 1 Eddie Betts – B Hill 3, T Mitchell 2, K Coleman 1 Jude Bolton – B Hill 3, K Coleman 2, T Mitchell 1 Sarah Olle – B Hill 3, K Coleman 2, J Crisp 1 Luke Shuey – B Hill 3, N Daicos 2, J Crisp 1

#2023 #afl #australian football league #collingwood

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triposzt · 1 year

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The Dreadnoughts - Roll and Go (2022) / Green Willow (2023) double album review

For the first English post of this blog, why not make a review of my new favourite band's last two albums? It's a bit late, I know, I originally wanted to make one about "Roll and Go", but never got around to do it, so when I heard that a new album is coming out this year, I thought "hey, now is the time to combine the two reviews into one post!" And I'm still freakin' late with this again!

But anyway, let's start the story from the beginning.

At least a decade ago, the first two songs I've heard from The Dreadnoughts were "Sleep Is For The Weak" and "Randy-Dandy-Oh" - no idea whether I found them randomly or someone showed them to me, but I liked both… and then kinda forgot to listen to any of their other songs for a while 😄 Then, fast-forward to approximately early 2020, when at work I was browsing for music, listened to one of the previously mentioned two and through the "related songs" links, found "Gintlemen's Club" (unsurprisingly from the same 2011 album "Polka's Not Dead")…and BAM! Immediately I was like "This is awesome, why haven't I listened to them for ages? Let's discover more!" And I did… and that's why I was anticipating the 2022 spring release of the new album Roll and Go even more. Let's see how it turned out:

ROLL AND GO (release date: June 24, 2022)

1 - Cider Jar [7/10] Hold up, a booze-infused version of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"? That's ridiculously brilliant! 😃 Cider Jar serves as a short intro to the album and the closing "arr-oh-arr" just flows right on to the next track, which…

2 - Cider Holiday [7.5/10] …was the first track released from the album and in all honesty, did not hit me in the sweet spot back then, but has grown on me since. The prose-like bridge part gives it a unique flavour, and speaking of flavour, the song itself just makes me wanna drink cider or visit the West Country. Or both, preferably.

3 - The Rodney Rocket [8/10] You never know where artists can find an inspiration for a song. Sometimes, it might be a video about an old alcoholic Canadian fella having fun with some snowy extreme sports in Rodney, Ontario 😁 The Rodney Rocket is easy to sing (mostly due to its percussion-heavy background and the L-C-B-O chant in the chorus), plus the tempo changes well along with the story - the silly-sounding words in the lyrics (dickered, hullabaloo) and a callback to "Fire Marshal Willy" are just the icing on the cake. What's not to like?

4 - Problem [10/10] Second track to come out as a single and I instantly loved it. Somehow it's just perfect: the repeating "Problem" at the end of lines, occasionally replaced by various - and hilarious! - sound effects, both the beat and the inserted Polish lyrics obviously referencing Sleep Is For the Weak, the backstory of the song, it all just culminates in this masterpiece. The music video is weird enough, although it does not reach such heights, but anyway, who the fuck cares, we are here to listen to songs, not watch them. Problem?

5 - Brisbane Harbour [8.5/10] A worthy continuation of true sea shanties like "Whup! Jamboree" and "Eliza Lee", and one which surely makes any listener's fingers and feet tap to the rhythm.

6 - Battleford 1885 [8/10] The shortest "normal" track on the album, and its title was intriguing to me when I first saw it - turns out, music can be educational (duh), because Battleford 1885 sheds some light on a tragic event of indigenous people in Canada (here's the post about the background of the song). Oh, and the ascending drum in the background of the bridge is just… *chef's kiss*

7 - The Storm [9/10] Beautiful, just beautiful, equally eerie and empowering, with an instrumental break inspired by Greek bouzouki tunes. If the previous song was about the story of oppressed people rising up against their masters, then this one puts you right in those people's mindset. Well done. And I'll be forever grateful for the Substack post about The Storm for introducing Smokey Bastard's "Baba Yaga" to me, I fell in love at first listening.

8 - Vicki's Polka [7.5/10] Judging by the title only, I thought this was going to be the obligatory instrumental track, but then again, I might have been misled by "Clavdia's Waltz". Instead, Vicki's Polka is rather a love story spanning decades, featuring references to the band's 2010 hit "Polka Never Dies" and the popular folk song "Who Stole the Keeshka?". Assisted by some top folk musicians, the bounciness of this true polka track slows down only near the end, when it's time to say goodbye to the titular Vicki, sadly taken away by the Covid-19 pandemic. Goddamnit, 2020.

9 - Scrumpy-O [8/10] You've been listening to the songs of the album in order and you're missing the amount of alcohol in the lyrics for a while? Worry not, Scrumpy-O definitely has your back. Just grab some locally made and/or rough cider (that's what "scrumpy" means), learn the words to the chorus, and raise your bottle to the sky!

10 - Tuika [7/10] Now this is the instrumental track I thought Vicki's Polka was gonna be. The frequently changing speed of the song makes you imagine dancing arm-in-arm with someone at one moment, then jumping into a mosh pit at another. (P.s.: if anyone has an idea what the title means, let me know, I could only find a politician from American Samoa by this name.)

11 - Dusty Ground [9/10] One of my favourites from the album, a very well executed song. Listen to how the tempo decelerates almost into melancholy in the third verse and then turns back up for the last chorus, just fantastic. The lyrics… likewise. If I'm not mistaken, they are meant to convey the transience of life via a clever metaphor: the ever-thirsty ground, which swallows us up like water. Well, all right, I might have taken a peek at the origin story of the track ;)

12 - Bold Reilly [5.5/10] Honestly, out of the thirteen tracks, this is the song that resonated the least with me. I wouldn't say it's bad or anything, just… Too repetitive? Too slow? I don't know. Also, being "the worst song of a Dreadnoughts album" is still a pretty high level 😁 And it has a reference to Randy Dandy-Oh, nice!

13 - Roll and Go [8.5/10] For some reason, I classified the trio of The Storm, Dusty Ground, and this closing track as giving the same vibes - no idea why I feel the similarity, at the very least Dusty Ground is notably quicker. Anyway, all three songs are unique enough for me to love each of them. Roll and Go provides a fine closure to this wonderful album: the musical background resembles a marching band (here I am giving praise to the percussion section yet again 👏), the lyrics emanate the feeling of brotherhood, and the ending slowly fades with the promise of a "fine and lucky day". Amen to that!

Overall: this was easily the release of the year for me. Usually when I listen to an entire album for the first time, the tracks don't really have their own "identity" in the beginning, and the whole thing is just a raw, big mess. Not this time! A few tracks stood out instantly and I grew to love the rest even more. Roll and Go turning out to be that awesome, given the difficulties the band had to face while recording, just proves how talented these guys are. I'll be sure to mention this album when people ask me about my favourites. Verdict: 8.5/10

GREEN WILLOW (release date: March 14, 2023)

1 - We Shepherds are the Best of Men [8/10] A proper start to the album, with a great rhythm and an even better chorus. Apparently, it's an older folk piece, which has a few versions with different lyrics, but The Dreadnoughts are the first "modern" band to cover it. And oh boy, they did it well! (One small caveat though: the grammar nazi inside me is so bothered by the "We drinks our liquor freely and pays before we go" part every time 😅)

2 - Hej Sokoły (Zal za Ukraina) [9.5/10] I see two great reasons why this track was chosen as the initial single of the album. Firstly, this song is an absolute earworm. I mean, so dangerously addictive, it can be stuck in your head for a day! Secondly, it's dedicated to the people fighting for Ukraine, and whoever has listened to The Dreadnoughts' songs knows that Eastern Europe has a special place in their pool of inpsirations. Accordingly, Hey Sokoły covers a popular old Polish-Ukrainian folk song, and frankly, I just can't ever get enough of Polish lyrics in the band's songs - no wonder the band fell in love with the suggestion of this cover. Highlight: as the last verse slows down and then builds up into the energetic last chorus… goosebumps, goosebumps every time.

3 - Rigs of the Time [7/10] It's like a good worker who does not yearn for promotion but is never in danger of getting laid off - not necessarily oustanding in his field, but someone who is trustworthy and does his job well. It has a message and a great chorus. You need tracks like this on your album. (Ironically, the song is about dishonest tradesmen, but still, that's the metaphor I chose. Also, the whole "blaming the rising prices on the war" thing is too real nowadays.)

4 - Roll the Old Chariot Along [8.5/10] This song is apparently covered by a few artists, but I don't recall hearing it before I listened to the album - only since then, but for that, the almighty Algorithm might be the one to "blame". Anyway, I remember instantly liking it upon the first listening and my opinion remains unchanged: what a fantastic and catchy tune! "And we'll all hang on behind!" (P.s.: Lads, there's a missing verse - and some other confusion - of the lyrics on the Bandcamp page.)

5 - The Foggy Dew [7/10] A classic Irish ballad, full of historical references (one of which could even be meant as a hint to "The Bay of Suvla"), so far it was only familiar to me because Dropkick Murphys used it as the opening instrumental for their shows (The Chieftains version to be exact). The lack of repeated parts and intricate rhythm of the verses makes it very difficult to sing along, but nevertheless it's a beautiful rendition.

6 - Twankidillo [7.5/10] "Half of you are going to hate it, it’s fucking weird." That's the premise I've read before I even listened to the song… and I didn't even mention the strange title. 😄 *1st listening*: They were right, what the hell is this? *2nd listening*: Okay, it IS weird, but certainly catchy… *3rd listening*: "Here's to old coal, and to young coal and to no coal at aaaaaaaaallll!" Yep, it grows on you. It's another cover of a traditional folk song (like all tracks except one), and if you haven't noticed, the lyrics also contain a reference to the album name. Yay!

7 - Spanish Ladies [7/10] Sorry guys, I have absolutely been in love with Sarah Blasko's version of this song for years, and I don't think anything can change that. To be fair though, this cover is more sea shanty-esque, if you close your eyes, you can almost visualize the crew hauling ropes or heaving the capstan around.

8 - The Unquiet Grave [8/10] Upon seeing the tracklist, this was the title that stood out the most for me - and damn, it did not disappoint, especially storywise. This tale of love beyond the grave has been sung for centuries, I haven't heard it before, but I must say that The Dreadnoughts have really managed to capture the appropriate eerie vibe which surely gives you the chills. (Bonus funfact for anyone who's familiar with the band's discography: this track was first intended for the 2017 album "Foreign Skies".)

9 - Apple Tree Wassail [8.5/10] Don't believe Google Translate saying "wassail" is an Arabic word, this catchy track is actually a blessing ritual for apple trees in hope of a good crop to make cider from… although the mental image in my head is stuck halfway between an orchard and a mosh pit due to the song's fast pace. Hell, I hope at some point I'll have the chance to hear it live and jump around like a maniac. (Please come to Hungary!) (P.s.: The "Let every man drink up his glass" line is possibly a callback to "Spanish Ladies", am I right?)

10 - Roll Northumbria (Loud Version, sometimes called "Heavy Version") [7.5/10] Green Willow features nine covers of traditional folk pieces and a reboot of one of the band's earlier songs… yep, this closing track is the reboot one. What I said previously about Spanish Ladies, can be applied here as well - I like the original so much that no newer cover can surpass that, even if it's from the same band. Also, I think the original's slow and dark vibe is more fitting to the topic of the song, but if there's one place where the heavy/loud version could be used, it's concerts. The final drum beats provide a great ending to the album.

Overall: When I first listened to the entire album, I thought "maybe Roll and Go set the bar too high", although my reception of Green Willow has improved well since then, as it can be seen in the ratings. A shorter collection of tracks than its predecessor, but it has a bit of everything from patriotic through silly to haunting, while covering well-known and lesser-known folk songs. I know an album a year would probably be too much to ask, so I'll just patiently wait for some fresh stuff from The Dreadnoughts! Verdict: 8/10

Thanks for reading! 😊

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charlesandmartine · 2 years

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Wednesday 1 March 2023

The start of autumn today and two weeks before we have to start our journey home.

Longreach was only to be seen as an overnight stop to break an otherwise too long a journey. However it has been really interesting and sitting at the bar overlooking the main street on our high stools drinking Aussie beer we people watched, albeit a fairly quiet evening, all signs of life on the thoroughfare. Further up Eagle Street the cops were working a pincer movement on unsuspecting traffic, breathalyzing anything that moved. In cities folk predominantly drive town cars, saloons. In rural towns the SUVs take over. Out here in the outback the heavier trucks are almost universally used; bull horns to protect from kangaroo strikes, large 2 way radio antenna on front bumper, true off-road capability and of course 4WD. Still, our little tin SUV is fine on sealed roads pretty much but even these in the intense heat are buckling somewhat.

The motel was very different from most. It was called the Staging Post but the rooms were across the road in a stables layout but no parking allowed. Instead, where cars might have parked, old carts and vintage trucks are positioned in a casual nonchalant sort of way amidst seating areas. Very atmospheric. Longreach was on the Cobb& Co stagecoach route, and one such coach was on display across the road. This boneshaker would have carried 14 fare paying people from Longreach to Winton. Scary thought.

Longreach has some interesting stuff on offer. For us at this time of year it's very quiet, however in April the hordes shall appear. It seems Longreach is more on a tourist route than perhaps we thought. We were alone in the tourist information centre, but the nice lady said that come April she will be talking to 400 people a day! We asked for things to do in an hour and a half. Top is the Qantas Founder Museum. This was their first flight Operation Centre although it was founded in 1920 at Winton. Longreach today has a DC-3, a Super Constellation, Boeing 707 and more lately a 747. There's a runway next to the museum which provided the means of delivery for this huge 747, Spirit of Australia aircraft, however due to the lack of runway length, all seats were removed, only 2 very brave, optimistic or certifiable pilots aboard, sufficient fuel to take them to Townsville as a plan B and only used 2 engines on landing. In this manner they got it down and parked it under the canopy. It will never get out again. We had a look at the extremely quaint little railway station which runs trains twice a week from Longreach to Brisbane along narrow gauge track. We have never actually seen a train on this line but they assure us they do run.

Winton is our next stop for 3 nights and is also our furthest north west destination. It was 40 degrees in the shade on the 180km journey here. We sat on the Matilda Highway all the way, hardly saw another car and didn't pass through any towns, villages or even hamlet. Australian opinion about us visiting Winton varies from where's that, there's nothing there why go there, to great place. We have checked into the North Gregory Hotel which has had a slightly unfortunate history. To date it has burned down 3 times. We are being very careful to extinguish all fires we might light. To us Winton is a comly place. It came about when Englishman Robert Allen, a policeman from Aramac in Queensland resigned his post and decided to set up camp here in 1875. His camp was in a place called Pelican Waterhole (pelicans came to a waterhole there) and for a time he served as an unofficial postmaster and he soon tired of writing pelican waterhole so renamed it Winton, because it used less pencil and also after the town of his birth. He built a hotel and a business and lived happily ever after. Winton however is certainly a town of surprises. No other than Banjo Paterson who famously in 1895 wrote Waltzing Matilda. So in his honour there now stands in this fair town a Waltzing Matilda Museum and a commemorative statue to Banjo and also for all the swagmen who lie in unmarked graves. And so to the big one...

In 1999 David and Judy Elliott were mustering sheep when they came upon part of a femur of a Cretaceous Sauropod, as you do. More fossils were to follow. Then in 2005 again whilst mustering sheep again, this time nearby in Belmont, a whole load more were unearthed. We are going tomorrow on a half day red dirt tour bouncing along unsealed tracks to see these sites most importantly where actual dinosaur footprints have been discovered from 95 million years ago. You'd have thought someone would have swept up at sometime since then!

We have concluded the day with a jolly nice meal at the hillbilly pub across the road. Nice food, nice beer and fantastic flies.

ps The water here smells of a school chemistry lab. Very sulphuric but harmless they say.......

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blubushie · 1 year

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hihihihi me again!!!! do you like pizza? whats your favorite pizza topping? what do you eat for breakfast? whats your favorite book? do you like musicals? do you play cards? whats your favorite town? how does shaving work out in the bush? how does going to the bathroom work out there? what do you do for water? did you ever miss the USA when you were there? do you have halloween in australia? how do you do laundry? what if you get hurt? have you ever been bitten by a snake? how do dingos sound?

Hello again!

Do you like pizza? What's your favourite pizza topping?

Yes. I put yellow and red onions on mine because I like onions.

What do you eat for brekkie?

If I'm lucky, eggs and maybe some bacon or sausage. Most days I don't have brekkie and just have a cuppa (cup of coffee or eucalyptus tea). On the days I do, it's usually a cuppa and vegemite toast.

What's your favourite book?

Call of the Wild by Jack London.

Do you like musicals?

Yes! My favourite is Heathers. I can't count how many times I've sang Freeze Your Brain (or the Dead Girl Walking Reprise, I don't care if I'm off-key).

Do you play cards?

I'm good at Crazy Eights and poker. I'm very good at poker. I took my uncle's watch in a game of poker when I was 11.

What's your favourite town?

Daly Waters! Best pub on the planet. For the US it'd be Chester, California.

How does shaving work out in the bush?

Like this.

The trick is... I don't shave. Firstly it makes me look more rugged, which is better for impressions. Second I just don't care for shaving? Razor burn's a cunt so battery clippers are my-go to when I'm getting a little too feral. I use a knife to trim my sideburns when needed (I have a straight razor somewhere but I've got a sharp knife so why bother looking ay?)

How does using the toilet work out there?

I've got a dunny in Matilda, so... normally? Unless you mean while camping, in which case... bring a shovel. And dig the hole first. Dunny paper is paper so it breaks down just fine in dirt. Anybody who tries to sell you "eco-friendly" dunny paper is just trying to have a lend of you.

What do you do for water?

Conserve. On rare occasions I make a raincatcher out of tarp to restock but usually I'm buying water or refilling my canteen in a clear stream, then boiling it in a pot over a fire (either in Matilda on the stove or over a campfire).

Did you ever miss the USA when you were in Australia?

Kinda. I missed my parents and the sound of scrub jays (and at the time, petrol prices). I missed California poppies, and squirrels, and opossums, and raccoons, and my pets. That's about it.

Do you have Halloween in Australia?

Some cities (certain areas of Sydney/Brisbane/M*lbourne) have it but it's an American holiday and not really one we observe. We don't do trick-or-treating and people are trying to start it here but Aussies have this... intense feeling of "leave your neighbours the fuck alone" and the idea of disturbing them and demanding lollies is appalling to us.

How do you do laundry?

Well you get your dirty clothes and you find a stream with a good current and then you find a big rock, and a small rock, and you lay the clothes over the big rock and scrub them with the small rock. Alternatively you can just use a washboard but that's for chooks. Then you hand your clothes on the side of your van or from tree branches until they dry. Usually takes 30min to an hour depending on how hot that day is. Best time to do it is around 3pm when the earth's properly warmed already and the amount of heat coming from the sun is greater than the amount of heat escaping the earth. They'll be dry by 4pm.

What if you get hurt?

I've been hurt, it's depends on the level of hurt. If I'm bitten by a snake (worst case scenario, say it's a taipan) then my best bet is finding a nice tree to lay under and kiss my arse goodbye. If it's just a scratch I'll pour some whiskey on it to sterilise it and if it's deep I'll maybe pack a poultice into it just to make sure it doesn't get infected (and to stop the bleeding).

Have you ever been bitten by a snake?

I was bitten by a black-headed python in WA when it slithered into me fucking engine one night to stay warm. Cunt was just under 3m long and had its mouth wrapped around my wrist. Don't blame him, I wouldn't be happy about being woken up by some cunt neither. I was bitten on the ankle by a bandy-bandy that slithered into my swag which is venomous but despite being elapids (in the cobra family) they're mutagenic which means their venom is adapted to target specific prey, which doesn't include humans so they're practically harmless. I just had some local swelling and soreness and I was fine in a few days. Their fangs are so small it didn't even leave a scar. Felt like a nasty bee sting.

How do dingos sound?

They can bark to warn their pack (I don't care what anyone says I have fucking heard them bark) but it's very rare. Usually they howl. It's one of those noises that you can immediately identify the second you hear it (I equate it to the Australian version of a rattlesnake. Every bushman knows what a dingo sounds like and there's no mistaking it for a feral dog, which we also have a lot of). They also make a yipping sound that sounds like a cross between a bark and a coyote's yip but a little bit different, I don't really know how to describe it.

#blu whos

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dweemeister · 2 years

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Best Animated Short Film Nominees for the 95th Academy Awards (2023, listed in order of appearance in the shorts package)

This blog, since 2013, has been the site of my write-ups to the Oscar-nominated short film packages – a personal tradition for myself and for this blog. This omnibus write-up goes with my thanks to the Regency South Coast Village in Santa Ana, California for providing all three Oscar-nominated short film packages. Without further ado, here are the nominees for the Best Animated Short Film at this year’s Academy Awards. The write-ups for the Documentary Short and Live Action Short nominees are complete. Films predominantly in a language other than English (or in two cases here, with dialogue) are listed with their nation(s) of origin.

So completes this year’s omnibus write-ups for the Oscar-nominated short films.

An Ostrich Told Me the World is Fake and I Think I Believe It (2021)

In 1953, director Chuck Jones tortured Daffy Duck with the whims of an unseen animator (revealed to be Bugs Bunny) in Duck Amuck. Fast forward almost seventy years and a film of a similar concept comes in Lachlan Pendragon’s An Ostrich Told Me the World is Fake and I Think I Believe It. Pendragon, who directed, wrote, animated, and voiced the main character this film as an undergraduate student at the Griffith Film School in Brisbane (where he is now a PhD candidate), frames hapless toaster telemarketing salesman Neil as under fire from his boss (Michael Richard) due to a lack of sales. As the workday continues, he begins to notice peculiar aspects of his fellow coworkers and the office that make him question what is going on. Accidentally sleeping at work through the night, he encounters an ostrich (John Cavanagh) in the elevator who then claims the world Neil lives in is, “a lie”. What follows is a meta-breaking, existential short film deriving its comedy from the character’s realization of the stop-motion artifice of his life.

A winner of the Student Academy Award from last year and a nominee for Best Graduation Film at Annecy (the premier animation-only film festival), Ostrich uses what I am assuming is Pendragon’s hand in place of Bugs Bunny’s glove and paintbrush. Shot entirely during the COVID-19 lockdown at home in the living room, this is a one-man animation job. For most of its ten-minute runtime, the viewers see the film through an in-film camera monitor – allowing us into Pendragon’s workspace. Meanwhile, in the background that comprises the margins of the frame, we witness the rigging, wiring, and animation handiwork that is occurring at twenty-four frames per second. The impressive character design and the clearly-delineated pop-off faces and jaws provide a remarkable assist to Ostrich’s comic timing and Neil’s acting (which Pendragon admits that Neil’s reactions take inspiration his own behavioral habits). The film’s metaphor is perhaps not as well developed, but one can make the argument that Ostrich is a blistering take on this stifling office environment and champions an exploration and investigation of all possibilities in one’s earthly life and in existence. One imagines we will see more from Pendragon, who is at the very beginning of his career and wishes to make a feature someday.

My rating: 8/10

The Flying Sailor (2022, Canada)

Making its debut last year at Annecy and from National Film Board of Canada (NFB; who, as a studio, are the second-most nominated ever in this category behind Walt Disney Animation), Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis’ The Flying Sailor is an experimental take of the story of Charlie Mayers. On December 6, 1917, a French cargo ship and a Norwegian merchant vessel collided in a strait called the Narrows, just off Halifax, Nova Scotia. A fire began on the former ship, which carried with it high explosives. The resulting explosion was the most violent peacetime accidental explosion ever on Earth – killing more than 1,700 and wounding around 9,000 in the immediate area and from the shockwaves. Mayers was actually onboard the deck of one of the ships, but Tilby and Forbis move him to the docks, watching on as an inquisitive spectator instead. As in real life, the blast is enough to quickly tear off all his clothes, and he spirals skyward. It is here that Tilby and Forbis send Mayers flying in slow-motion, almost balletically spinning as the film delves into his unconsciousness.

His life flashing before his eyes, we see hazy glimpses of the sailor’s memories – his childhood self at play, his mother, the rough-and-tumble life of being a sailor. Along with My Year of Dicks, The Flying Sailor is one of the first films in this category to make use of mixed media since Mémorable (2019, France). It opens with juxtaposing our hand-drawn sailor with the ships – as if in the style of the opening of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood – hurtling towards each other. But once the explosion occurs, the film, too, explodes with a clash of styles. Showcasing hand-drawn, computer-generated, and live action footage, Tilby and Forbis’ choices are reflective of the instant disorientation following the blast. The film’s penultimate moments are an orchestral cacophony from composer Luigi Allemano as the sailor returns to our earthly existence. This is perhaps the only film of these five that absolutely needed to be a short film. It presents its direction, completes its business, and concludes.

My rating: 8/10

Ice Merchants (2022, Portugal)

By earning Portugal its first-ever Academy Award nomination, João Gonzalez’s Ice Merchants – a production of the Cola Animation collective – already has a place in Oscars history. In his third film as a director following The Voyager (2017) and Nestor (2019), Gonzalez transports audiences to an impossible, dreamlike place and imbues his film with a metaphor of loss and how family routines can be an extension of grief. In a cliffside house suspended by hooks and ropes live a father and his son. Living thousands of feet above the town below, they jump off their porch daily, parachuting to safety in order to sell the ice. They return home after selling their wares and purchasing whatever they need in town by using a pulley system that probably takes ages to ascend and descend. In the rarified, chilly air, father and son go about their lives peacefully, continuing their lives amid the shadow of loss.

Garnering award wins at Cannes, the Chicago International Film Festival, and the Annies, Ice Merchants is among the most-awarded short films ever prior to an Oscar nomination. According to Gonzalez, the idea of the cliffside house came as he was dreaming or was about to fall asleep – a development that has, thus far, fully informed the visual conceits of his entire filmography. Prior to starting the formal animation for Ice Merchants, Gonzalez himself modeled the entire house (including the swing, interiors, and pulley system) 3D and started composing the score (Gonzalez is a pianist, but required his friend, conductor/orchestrator Nuno Lobo, to transpose for various instruments). Unusual in that the film’s narrative and themes spring from the score rather than the other way around, Ice Merchants adopts an everyday melancholy reflected in its strikingly limited color palette. Those colors include shades of red, orange, a dark blue or green for backgrounds only, and two brief but noteworthy instances of yellow. All these decisions – visually, musically, narratively – combine in a breathtaking conclusion that unleashes a wave of emotions. That mastery of cinematic control leads me to write something longtime readers know I do not say lightly. Ice Merchants is the best nominee in this category since Bear Story (2014, Chile) and World of Tomorrow (2015) were nominated together seven years ago. By extension, it is one of the finest animated short films of the young century.

My rating: 9/10

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse (2022)

Adapting Charlie Mackesy’s 2019 picture book of the same name, Peter Baynton and Mackesy’s The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse made an enormous splash when it aired on BBC One on Christmas Eve as part of the BBC’s annual slate of Christmas specials. It qualified for an Academy Award nomination by virtue of a nominal one-week theatrical release in Los Angeles County on September 23, 2022. Here, the Boy (Jude Coward Nicoll) has lost his way in a wintry forest when he encounters Mole (Tom Hollander). Mole is a cheerful, friendly sort that enjoys a good cake. But the Boy believes himself to be lost, is searching for a home, and wishes to be a kind person. Along their travels they encounter starving Fox (Idris Elba) and the lonely Horse (Gabriel Byrne). For the duration of this movie, the Boy and his animal friends speak to each other in platitudes of positivity, reassurance, and perseverance for what is most likely chronic depression or seasonal affective disorder.

The Boy might just be the most beautifully drawn of this year’s nominees. Its painterly watercolor backgrounds seem as lifted from a picture book; the residual sketches on each of the characters are a beautiful expressionistic touch (I especially like the ends of the Boy’s hair and Fox’s tale, as well as the curvatures to denote Horse’s leg musculature). My sense of visual wonder lasted all but five or so minutes. Because once the Boy has a few conversations with Mole, the film’s thirty-seven minutes seem all the more interminable. The film’s dialogue – and my goodness, no one speaks like this in real life – is trite, straight from the crowd that might have a “live, laugh, love” embroidery unironically hanging on their wall. Each character appears as if they are trying to one-up the other in their AI-generated speech*, as if each Very Important Line of Dialogue is attempting to be the penultimate or final line in a children’s picture book. I understand how this might be impactful for those with major cases of depression and seasonal affective disorder, but the film’s messaging and horrific script is sheer overkill.

My rating: 6/10

My Year of Dicks (2022)

A winner at Annecy, Chicago International Film Festival, and SXSW, Sara Gunnarsdóttir’s My Year of Dicks adapts Pamela Ribon’s comedic memoir Notes to Boys: And Other Things I Shouldn’t Share in Public (Ribon is the sole screenwriter on this film). This is not about people named Richard. It is 1991 in Houston. In the first of five chapters, we find Pam (Brie Tilton) – a fifteen-year-old who wants desperately to lose her virginity sometimes this year – narrating a diary entry/letter to her first boy, David (Sterling Temple Howard, “Skater Dude” from 2020’s Two Distant Strangers). David is a skater boy who has filed his nails into sharp points and his teeth in a similar way. As one can imagine, this romance does not work out and Pam cycles through the next four chapters awash in heterosexual hijinks (some readers will interpret the use of “heterosexual” here as a pejorative, but I say it as only an observation) with Wally (Mical Trejo), Robert (Sean Stack), best friend Sam (Jackson Kelly), and Joey (Chris Elsenbroek).

Alternatively hilarious and excruciating (see: the scene where Pam’s father gives her The Talk) to watch, one-half of the film’s genius lies in Ribon’s adapted screenplay of her memoir. Ribon (a co-screenwriter on 2016’s Moana and 2018’s Ralph Breaks the Internet), who saved all of the letters she wrote to all her crushes when she was a teenager, adapts that writing to form an honest, secondhand embarrassing story. The central ideas play like a grown-up Helga Pataki from Hey Arnold!, sans used gum bust of her beloved. My Year of Dicks’ resolution is genuine, as is a non-judgmental depiction of teenage female sexuality‡. In a roundabout way, it is a deconstruction of the idea that the only way for girls to achieve full womanhood is through sex and sexual appeal. And like The Flying Sailor, My Year of Dicks employs a litany of styles of mixed media that help it succeed. Though its rough rotoscoping (a time-tested technique in which animators trace over live-action footage) is the dominant style, there are some fascinating breaks here: most interestingly, a scene involving a metaphoric angel and devil over Pam’s shoulders and interludes of shôjo anime (which probably was not on the radar of Houston teenagers in 1991). A sidesplittingly funny film, My Year of Dicks nevertheless retains a sliver of nostalgic poignancy to keep it grounded.

My rating: 8/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found in the “Ratings system” page on my blog (as of July 1, 2020, tumblr is not permitting certain posts with links to appear on tag pages, so I cannot provide the URL).

From previous years: 85th Academy Awards (2013), 87th (2015), 88th (2016), 89th (2017), 90th (2018), 91st (2019), 92nd (2020), 93rd (2021), and 94th (2022).

* This begs a question. Should programmers of AI chatbots receive credit for their work when, inevitably, we have a film written by one?

‡ This line of thinking was certainly more prominent in the 1980s-2000s than it has been over the last decade, as teenage sex in the U.S. is down considerably from those times (the reasons are many).

For more of my reviews tagged “My Movie Odyssey”, check out the tag of the same name on my blog.

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tasos-perte-tzortzis · 8 days

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📢 LATEST BREAKING NEWS: Business, Economy, Multimedia, Web Development, Science, World

Business

Voria: Allbox: €6.5 million investment for a new manufacturing plant of 12.000 sq.m. in Oraiokastro (my place).

Protothema: Tom Carvel: The Greek (wrong word) Hellenic inventor of soft Ice Cream in America. Carvel Ice Cream is among the best known brands in the U.S., with over 500 stores and a broad online business profile. For decades, its founder, Tom Carvel, was a household name.

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news #BusinessNews #EconomyNews

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dynamictreesolutions-au · 5 months

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AQF Cert 5 Arborist Services | Dynamic Tree Solutions

Dynamic Tree Solutions, a reputed name in Arboriculture, excels in delivering superior AQF Cert 5 Arborist services across Brisbane, Scenic Rim, and Northern NSW.

Our team of professionally trained arborists, holding the distinguished Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) Cert 5 qualification, specialise in a range of services that are pivotal to managing and preserving our vital green infrastructure.

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affordablewebdesigninbrisbane · 14 days

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Data Backups and Disaster Recovery for Affordable Websites in Brisbane

In today’s fast-paced digital world, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in Brisbane are increasingly reliant on their online presence. A well-designed website can act as the backbone of a business, serving as a point of engagement for customers, a platform for marketing, and even an online store. However, with this growing dependency on digital platforms comes the need to ensure data security and continuity. One crucial aspect that many businesses overlook is the importance of data backups and disaster recovery plans for their websites. This article explores why SMBs need reliable data backups and how disaster recovery plans can save both time and money for businesses using Affordable Web Design in Brisbane.

Why Data Backups are Essential for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

Data loss is one of the most damaging things that can happen to a business, especially those heavily reliant on their websites. Losing customer data, order information, or even your website content can lead to severe operational disruptions, loss of revenue, and potentially long-term damage to your brand's reputation.

Human Error Mistakes happen. A simple error in code, an accidental deletion, or improper updates can cause your website to malfunction or lose valuable data. This is particularly concerning for businesses without in-house IT departments, relying on affordable web solutions. Having a backup of your data means you can recover quickly, minimising downtime and preventing significant losses.

Cyber Threats Cyberattacks, including ransomware, hacking, and malware, are on the rise. Even small businesses in Brisbane are not immune to these threats. In fact, many hackers target smaller companies, knowing they often lack the robust security systems that larger corporations have in place. If your website falls victim to a cyberattack, having a backup ensures that you can restore your site without giving in to ransom demands or losing critical business data.

Natural Disasters Brisbane, like many parts of Australia, is susceptible to natural disasters, including floods and fires. While these may seem like extreme events, they can wreak havoc on your physical infrastructure. In such cases, offsite backups are crucial, as they allow your business to restore its website and digital operations even if your primary equipment is damaged.

Understanding Disaster Recovery for Affordable Web Design in Brisbane

While data backups are essential, they are only one part of a comprehensive disaster recovery strategy. A well-thought-out disaster recovery plan ensures that your business can resume normal operations as quickly as possible after a disruption. For businesses using Affordable Web Design in Brisbane, investing in disaster recovery plans doesn’t have to break the bank but is crucial to maintain business continuity.

Minimising Downtime The longer your website is offline, the more potential revenue you lose. For e-commerce businesses or service-based companies in Brisbane, website downtime can lead to missed opportunities and frustrated customers. A disaster recovery plan includes processes to quickly restore your website, ensuring that your business can get back up and running with minimal downtime.

Restoring Critical Functions Not all parts of your website are equally important. A good disaster recovery plan prioritises the restoration of essential functions first, such as online payment systems, customer databases, and contact forms. This ensures that customers can still interact with your business while you work on restoring less critical elements of the site.

Customised Solutions for Brisbane SMBs Affordable web design companies in Brisbane often offer disaster recovery services as part of their web hosting or maintenance packages. These services can be tailored to meet the unique needs of SMBs, ensuring that you only pay for the level of protection and recovery that your business requires. For example, an online store may need more frequent backups and faster recovery times than a simple informational website.

Key Components of an Effective Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan

Implementing an effective data backup and disaster recovery plan is essential to protect your business from potential disruptions. Below are key components that should be included:

Regular Automated Backups Backing up your website manually can be time-consuming and prone to error. Automated backups ensure that your data is always up-to-date without requiring constant oversight. Depending on the nature of your business, backups can be scheduled daily, weekly, or monthly. For SMBs relying on Affordable Web Design in Brisbane, many web hosting companies offer automated backups as part of their hosting packages.

Offsite Storage Storing your backups in the same location as your website servers can be risky. If a natural disaster or server failure occurs, you could lose both your website and your backups. Offsite storage ensures that your data is safe from localised issues. Cloud-based solutions offer an affordable and scalable way to store backups securely.

Testing Recovery Procedures Having a disaster recovery plan is not enough if you don’t know whether it works. Regularly testing your recovery procedures helps identify potential issues and ensures that your team can execute the plan quickly when needed. This process should involve simulating various scenarios, such as a complete server failure or a ransomware attack, to see how long it takes to restore your website and how well the recovery aligns with your business needs.

Data Encryption Ensuring that your backups are encrypted adds an extra layer of security. In the event of a data breach, encryption prevents sensitive information from being accessible to unauthorised parties. This is particularly important for businesses handling customer data, financial transactions, or any confidential information.

Disaster Communication Plan A disaster recovery plan should include a communication strategy that outlines how to notify your customers in the event of a website failure or data breach. Clear, transparent communication helps maintain customer trust and can mitigate some of the reputational damage associated with website outages.

Affordable Web Design in Brisbane: Integrating Backup and Recovery into Your Plan

Many SMBs worry that implementing robust data backup and disaster recovery solutions will be too costly. However, with the right approach, even businesses working with Affordable Web Design in Brisbane can ensure that their websites are well-protected without overspending.

Bundled Services: Many web design and hosting providers in Brisbane offer packages that include data backups and disaster recovery services. Bundling these services can be a cost-effective way to secure your website.

Scalable Solutions: As your business grows, your data backup and recovery needs will evolve. Choosing a scalable solution allows you to adjust your backup frequency, storage capacity, and recovery times as your website traffic and data volumes increase.

Local Expertise: Brisbane has a growing number of affordable web design agencies that specialise in providing disaster recovery services for SMBs. Working with a local provider ensures that your business receives tailored support, taking into account the unique challenges faced by businesses in the region.

Conclusion

Data backups and disaster recovery plans are critical elements for any small or medium-sized business operating in today’s digital landscape. For SMBs using Affordable Web Design in Brisbane, implementing these solutions doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. By taking a proactive approach to data protection and disaster recovery, businesses can minimise downtime, protect valuable data, and ensure that they are prepared for any unforeseen disruptions. Investing in the right backup and recovery strategies now can save your business significant time, money, and reputation in the long run.

FAQs

1. Why are data backups important for my affordable website?Data backups protect your website from data loss due to human error, cyberattacks, or natural disasters. Regular backups ensure you can restore your site quickly, minimising downtime and potential revenue loss.

2. How often should I back up my website?The frequency of backups depends on the nature of your business. For e-commerce sites, daily backups are recommended. For less dynamic websites, weekly or monthly backups may suffice.

3. What is the difference between data backups and disaster recovery?Data backups involve creating copies of your website’s data, while disaster recovery includes the processes and tools needed to restore your website after an incident, such as a cyberattack or server failure.

4. Can I implement a disaster recovery plan with affordable web design services in Brisbane?Yes, many affordable web design providers in Brisbane offer disaster recovery solutions tailored for SMBs. These services can be bundled with web hosting and design packages to provide comprehensive protection without breaking the bank.

5. How do I ensure my data backups are secure?Encrypting your data backups and storing them offsite are essential steps to ensuring their security. Many affordable cloud storage solutions offer encryption and remote storage options for added peace of mind.

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travelplanneraustralia · 2 months

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Exploring the Best Coastal Drives in Australia: From the Great Ocean Road to the Pacific Highway

Australia’s coastline, stretching over 25,000 kilometers, offers some of the most scenic and memorable road trips in the world. From breathtaking ocean views and dramatic cliffs to charming seaside towns and lush rainforests, Australia's Travel Planner coastal drives are a treasure trove of natural beauty and adventure. Here, we explore some of the best coastal drives, highlighting what makes each route unique and must-visit spots along the way.

1. The Great Ocean Road, Victoria

Overview

The Great Ocean Road is arguably Australia's most iconic coastal drive, stretching 243 kilometers from Torquay to Allansford in Victoria. Built as a memorial to World War I soldiers, this route offers stunning views of the Southern Ocean, rugged cliffs, and lush rainforests.

Highlights

Twelve Apostles: These limestone stacks rising majestically from the ocean are the highlight of the Great Ocean Road. Visit at sunrise or sunset for the most spectacular views.

Bells Beach: Famous for its world-class surf breaks, Bells Beach is a must-visit for surfing enthusiasts.

Great Otway National Park: Explore lush rainforests, waterfalls, and the iconic Cape Otway Lighthouse.

2. The Pacific Highway, New South Wales to Queensland

Overview

The Pacific Highway is a major road stretching from Sydney in New South Wales to Brisbane in Queensland, covering over 900 kilometers. This route offers a mix of bustling cities, serene beaches, and charming coastal towns.

Highlights

Byron Bay: Known for its relaxed vibe, stunning beaches, and the iconic Cape Byron Lighthouse, Byron Bay is a perfect stop for beach lovers and surfers.

Coffs Harbour: Famous for the Big Banana, Coffs Harbour offers beautiful beaches, botanical gardens, and marine parks.

Gold Coast: With its golden beaches, vibrant nightlife, and theme parks, the Gold Coast is a must-visit destination on the Pacific Highway.

3. The Grand Pacific Drive, New South Wales

Overview

Starting in the Royal National Park just south of Sydney, the Grand Pacific Drive stretches for 140 kilometers to the Shoalhaven region. This drive offers spectacular coastal views, picturesque towns, and lush rainforests.

Highlights

Sea Cliff Bridge: This iconic bridge offers stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and is a popular spot for photos.

Kiama: Home to the famous Kiama Blowhole, this charming town offers beautiful beaches and coastal walks.

Jervis Bay: Known for its crystal-clear waters and white sandy beaches, Jervis Bay is perfect for snorkeling, diving, and dolphin watching.

4. The Great Eastern Drive, Tasmania

Overview

The Great Eastern Drive in Tasmania spans 176 kilometers from Orford to St Helens. This route takes you through some of Tasmania’s most stunning coastal landscapes, vineyards, and national parks.

Highlights

Freycinet National Park: Home to the iconic Wineglass Bay, this park offers hiking, kayaking, and wildlife spotting.

Bicheno: A quaint fishing town known for its penguin tours and the Bicheno Blowhole.

Bay of Fires: Famous for its white sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, and vibrant orange granite rocks.

5. The Coral Coast, Western Australia

Overview

Stretching from Perth to Exmouth, the Coral Coast spans over 1,100 kilometers. This drive offers stunning coastal scenery, world-class marine life, and unique natural attractions.

Highlights

Ningaloo Reef: A UNESCO World Heritage site, Ningaloo Reef is one of the best places in the world to snorkel with whale sharks.

Kalbarri National Park: Known for its dramatic gorges and coastal cliffs, this park offers hiking and breathtaking views.

Shark Bay: Home to the friendly dolphins of Monkey Mia and the unique stromatolites at Hamelin Pool.

Conclusion

Australia's coastal drives offer a diverse range of experiences, from the rugged beauty of the Great Ocean Road to the tropical charm of the Coral Coast. Each route presents unique landscapes, activities, and attractions that make exploring Australia by car an unforgettable adventure. Whether you're surfing world-class waves, diving with marine life, or simply soaking in the stunning ocean views, these coastal drives are sure to be found at https://www.whygo.com.au/ leave you with lasting memories of Australia's breathtaking coastline.

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harryjessicaa · 2 months

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Quick Overview of Top Equipment Used In Civil Construction Projects

The growing number of civil projects has made it necessary for every contractor to go with civil construction equipment hire deals. These deals are available at several companies offering earthmoving equipment and machines. Busy highways, commercial buildings, and large-scale landscaping projects require heavy-duty earthmoving machines. Before choosing them for civil construction equipment hire in Brisbane, it will be helpful for you to understand the most common types of heavy equipment and their applications. This blog post discusses the most commonly used earthmoving machines in civil construction projects.

ARTICULATED TRUCKS

Articulated trucks are heavy-duty dump trucks known for their versatility and adaptability. They have a cab and a narrow trailer or a dumb box that makes them ideal for applications in challenging worksites. Articulated trucks work well on deep slopes, slippery and sandy surfaces and low ceiling heights. These trucks are used at many job sites related to civil construction, and the most common names are –

Mining

Recycling and scrapping

Material and aggregate hauling

Utility construction

BACKHOE LOADERS

Backhoe loaders are essential to civil construction equipment hire QLD deals and earthmoving equipment hire deals. These backhoe loaders are immensely versatile and can act as tractors or loaders. A durable backhoe is located on the back of the machine to make it capable of handling several jobs.

You can use a backhoe loader for things like:

Farming

Excavation

Construction

Hauling

Digging

BOOM LIFTS

Boom lifts are also an essential part of earthmoving equipment hire deals and civil construction equipment hire deals as well. It is also named a basket crane or cherry picker that allows workers to reach elevated areas and work there. These boom lifts are versatile and can be used in a wide range of industries, including –

Forestry

Construction

Painting

Farming or harvesting

Window cleaning

Fire fighting

COMPACTORS

Civil construction equipment hire deals often have plate compactors added. This versatile machine uses a heavy, vertically vibrating plate to crush and compact a surface. The repetitive moment breaks the debris and compacts it completely. You can choose between single, reversible and heavy-duty pallet compactors. Here is a quick overview of the differences between these three types.

SINGLE PLATE

Suitable for small-scale asphalt or building projects, like home renovations or laying sidewalks and driveways.

REVERSIBLE PLATE

Reversible plates operate in multiple directions for projects that require more versatility.

HEAVY-DUTY PLATE

The best option for large-scale industrial, construction, or roadway projects.

Learn more:

The Most Practical Attachments Available for Posi Track Hire

Machine Vital factors to consider while having tandem tipper hire

#civil construction equipments #civil construction equipment #earthmoving equipment hire

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shipping-container-fumigation-au · 3 months

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The Top Advantages of Shipping Container Storage

Full-service shipping container storage Brisbane provides businesses with a variety of services to make the cargo moving and storing process easier.

Shipping container storage ensures that cargoes are well protected against damage. The shipping container storage will safely and securely store cargo to make sure that products avoid being damaged during moving and storage. Shipping container storage will even take an inventory of the cargoes being put into storage to assess their state so that any damage can be detected.

The shipping container storage also has climate-controlled storage facilities to ensure that products or cargoes avoid suffering from major temperature fluctuations as well as water damage and related issues. Shipping container storage makes certain that temperature-sensitive cargoes are always in a climate-controlled environment for better preservation.

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Shipping container storage is waterproof, safe, durable, and dust-proof, with secure door seals to ensure the long-term protection of products or cargo. Shipping container storage makes it easy to accommodate very big items with little to no upkeep. Shipping container storage also provides businesses with more flexibility to securely store various products depending on demand.

Shipping container storage ensures that climate-sensitive products, including large volumes of cargo, are protected in an easily accessible but highly secure manner. Shipping container storage is secure and durable and can protect products or cargoes from harsh weather conditions and even fires. Shipping container storage is extremely versatile and can be modified to have temperature controls, ventilation, and even insulation to make long-term storage easy.

Shipping container storage can be used on-site for storage or at a secure facility. Shipping container storage ensures stress-free, long-term storage for all kinds of products or cargo.

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