This week's compendium

Here’s this week’s compendium. This week…

1. Queensland independent MP Bob Katter dismissed as ‘lightweight’ the positions held by esteemed climate change experts Sir Nicholas Stern and Ross Garnaut [1a]. Even allowing for possible left-wing bias, this account of the man who’s pivotal in determining our next government, is frightening [1b].

2. this koala (N.B. koalas aren’t bears) was lucky [2a]. Cedric the Tasmanian Devil was less lucky [2b]. Both animals’ plights were man made. Ho hum.

3. The Public Speaker began a 3-part series on ‘How to Be a Great Guest Speaker’ [3]. Good stuff.

4. treehugger.com reported that China uses 45 billion disposable chopstick pairs annually, i.e. 130 million a day. This needs 100 acres of forest each day. So China’s government’s pressing for increased use of disposable chopsticks. [4] Ho hum.

5. Nutrition Diva explained ‘How to Make Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs’ [5]. I’m more interested in how to make perfect soft-boiled ones.

6. someone called Paris Hilton was arrested in Las Vegas on charges of cocaine possession [6]. She’s a serial arrestee who in 2007 was jailed for a drink driving matter. Hopefully (but unlikely) she’ll get another jail term. If so, someone should lose the key. She’s a spoiled brat. The media should ignore her narcissistic antics.

7. darling San Francisco daughter [DSFD] sent a link to this hilarious YouTube clip (which needs a Google or YouTube account to view) [7]. As DSFD wrote, ‘hay hay hay!’

8. darling Artist as Family enjoyed more wonderful media coverage for the Food Forest [8]. Well deserved, AaF.

Finally, I wish you, dear Farmdoc’s Blog readers, a wonderful week.

Three Tasmanians and a South Korean

Last Saturday. 28 August. Afternoon. Sydney. Museum of Contemporary Art [1]. In the Balance: Art for a Changing World [2, 3]. Artist as Family [4] entrained. South. Homeward. A darkened area. Smallish. Slideshow continuous. Olegas Truchanas’s [5] photos. Lake Pedder [6]. Mirror surface. Serrated sand. Majestic massifs. Leaden clouds. Ominous music. Three spectators: Sweetheart Vivienne. Me. And a young man. Mid twenties. Thirty tops. Asian. Slim. Navy uniform. Hat too. Officer. Impeccable. Impressive. Us three: Attentive. Absorbed. Silent. Slides ticking by. 10. 15. 20. More. Navy Officer stands. Abruptly. I (inquisitively): ‘Where are you from?’ He (instantly): ‘South Korea’. I (hospitably) ‘Welcome’. He (courteously) ‘Thank you’. He goes. I wonder. Does he know Truchanas’s story? Died in 1972. Accidentally. Lake Pedder’s story [7]? Flooded in 1972. Intentionally. Is natural beauty a universal perception? Cross cultural. Did he have friends on the ROKS Cheonan [8]? Sunk last 26 March. By the demonic North Korea. I wonder still. In future if North Korea’s psychotic lunacy erupts militarily, this young man may command a first line defence. Protecting us. Me. If so, I’m glad Truchanas’s Pedder images captivated him. As they did me. In a darkened area. Of the MCA. In Sydney. Last Saturday.

This week's compendium

Here’s this week’s compendium. This week…

1. the Australian parliament got hung, courtesy of voters [1]. At least it wasn’t hanged.

2. for his ignominious burnout [2a] F1 driver Lewis Hamilton was fined A$500 but not convicted [2b]. His contrition was without conviction. I wouldn’t expect anything more from someone earning his living from F1.

3. Victorian Police’s Chief Commissioner Simon Overland, who last March was detected carrying bullets on to a commercial plane [3a] was labelled careless (by the Office of Police Integrity (!)) but otherwise exonerated [3b]. As per s.23(2A) & (2B) of the Civil Aviation Act 1988 [3c] it’s a strict liability offence. Mr Overland should be imprisoned for 2 years.

4. the BMJ reported that increasing the daily intake of green leafy vegetables significantly reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes [4]. Maybe the reduced risk’s due to less junk food rather than a direct positive effect of the vegetables.

5. Get-It-Done Guy discussed ‘How to Make Hard Decisions’ [5]. Scenario Decision Making sounds a good method.

6. following my two posts on medical myths [6a, 6b], House Call Doctor wrote of three more [6c]. The more, the better.

7. Sotheby’s announced that next 23 September it’ll auction baskets of heirloom vegetables for US$1,000 each [7a]. It’s for two fine cause, though [7b].

8. Artist as Family [8a] did a marvellous interview about the Food Forest, on 702 ABC Sydney [8b]. Fantastic, AaF.

Finally, I wish you, dear Farmdoc’s Blog readers, a wonderful week.

This week's compendium

Here’s this week’s compendium. This week…

1. treehugger.com quoted an Australian report concluding increased energy efficiency could deliver 65% of worldwide carbon cuts by 2020, i.e. almost twice renewable energy, nuclear power and clean coal combined [1]. So surely this is the way to go, world.

2. in a US court, 91 Israeli civilian victims of the 1996 Second Lebanon War, filed a US$91.2B lawsuit against al-Jazeera claiming it intentionally reported realtime coverage of rocket strike locations in Israel, so Hezbollah could more accurately aim its rockets [2]. The Israelis must have good evidence. Time will tell.

3. the Age reported that Melbourne researchers who’ve developed a revolutionary treatment for Alzheimer’s, are having trouble raising A$1.5M of the A$3M needed for a clinical trial [3]. The Victorian Government wastes A$50M+ on the Grand Prix. Each year.

4. Grammar Girl's topic was ‘When to use Female Nouns’ [4]. I like her summary: 'What matters is getting across the massages you want to send, and trying to block those you don't'.

5. an HonestReporting item revealed a Lancet multi-article series on Palestinian health that’s scandalously and unequivocally biased [5]. It’s okay if the Lancet wants to be a political journal. But it shouldn’t masquerade as a medical journal.

6. the Archives of Internal Medicine published a 6-year prospective study finding a correlation between low vitamin D levels and the onset and progression of cognitive decline [6]. A chicken-and-egg scenario. But there’s no downside to ensuring one’s vitamin D level’s normal.

7. treehugger.com reported on a London urban orchard [7]. It’s terrific, but not as salubrious as the Artist as Family’s Food Forest in Sydney.

8. speaking of which, AaF’s Food Forest Plant-in Day last Saturday got some great media [8]. Well done, AaF.

Finally, I wish you, dear Farmdoc’s Blog readers, a wonderful week.

This week's compendium

Here’s this week’s compendium. This week…

1. Nutrition Diva wrote that mineral water’s good for you [1]. Next time I go to Daylesford I’ll take my cup.

2. speaking of water, treehugger wrote cash-strapped US cities are slashing spending on bottled water [2]. They say it’s for fiscal and environmental reasons. I don’t care what they say – but I care what they do.

3. JAMA published a paper concluding that for chronic low back pain and lumbar spine arthritis, oral glucosamine’s no better than placebo [3]. But i’s good for knee arthritis.

4. planetgreen published the results of a global survey on child development and play. 90% of children said they’d rather play with parents and friends than watch TV or use the internet. [4] Ho hum.

5. the journal Neurology published a 17-year study revealing older people with depression have a 50% increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s [5]. Interesting.

6. young round-the-world sailor Jessica Watson announced the imminent release of a CD of 20 songs that she listened to during her voyage [6a]. I’ll bet none are those in my musical blog post tribute to her [6b].

7. treehugger published a piece about a Cannondale bike that doubles as a shopping trolley [7]. How beautiful.

8. as I wrote two days ago, Artist as Family’s food forest’s really took shape [8]. Over 100 people have said they’re attending the Plant-in Day today. Wow! Go, team!

Finally, I wish you, dear Farmdoc’s Blog readers, a wonderful week.

Artist as Family. Yeeeeha!

An ethical and decent life. Though I aspire to one, mostly I fall short. Pity. But I do my best, even if my final decisions aren’t always the ones I should make. If Sweetheart Vivienne and I had one child, it wouldn’t be a problem. But we have four. Should we treat them equally? Or as individuals? I don’t know. However my guiding rule’s that there’s no guiding rule. Circumstances rule, OK. As to today’s post, the foregoing’s irrelevant. Yesterday I wrote of darling Kate and Brendon. Today I write of darling Meg and PJ. Not due to any concept of equal space, time or love. But because I’m so chuffed about Meg and PJ’s evolving Artist as Family project. They, and Zephyr, are travelling a path my description can’t do justice to. I see it as combining art and family with environmentalism, community, anthropology and social responsibility. Happily, their wonderful blog [1] explains AaF better than I ever could. AaF’s current project is creating a public Food Forest in suburban Sydney [2], as part of the Museum of Contemporary Art’s forthcoming show: ‘In the balance: art for a changing world’ [3]. AaF’s creating the Food Forest right now, as their blog documents so beautifully. Speaking of beauty, the Forest already looks to be a work of art. And it’ll only get better. And yummier. Good luck for the Plant-in Day this Saturday, AaF. You inspire me. And doubtless you’ll inspire countless others in coming months and years. Yeeeeha!