This week's compendium

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

1. the WSJ reported on a disused oilrig that’s been converted into a dive resort hotel [1]. That’s progress.

2. Lancet published research showing chromosome abnormalities are much more frequent in ADHD children than controls, and so ADHD’s not purely a social construct [2]. Fascinating stuff.

3. Modern Manners Guy listed five Facebook faux pas to be avoided [3]. I’m not a Facebook person so they mean nothing to me. But they may mean something to you.

4. a Sydney study in the BMJ showed that in older people, perceived risk and physiological risk are independent risk factors for falls [4]. Thus clinicians need to take fear of falling seriously even in physically well patients.

5. Australia now has a nationally uniform Disability Parking Scheme [5]. In theory, it’s an improvement over the many existing schemes. In practice…we’ll see.

6. a new state-of-the-art computer matching service linking volunteers with organisations needing their skills or time was launched in Victoria [6]. Seems a good thing.

7. salon.com published a list of 2010’s movies ranked in order from best to worst [7]. It’ll be updated weekly. I haven’t seen any of the top 100. (I gave up looking after that.)

8. the inaugural Daylesford Critical Mass [8a] was a big success [8b]. Good on you, darling Meg.
Finally, I wish you, dear Farmdoc’s Blog readers, a wonderful week.

farmdoc's blog post number 569

Mole Creek has a public swimming pool. Built about 25 years ago, it’s an outdoor pool in the village’s centre, it has a fine view out over the mountains, and it’s run by the community (i.e. the Mole Creek Swimming Centre Association Inc.). Each winter it’s closed to swimmers and covered by a pool blanket. Then each late spring it’s emptied for cleaning and refilling ahead of the summer swimming season. And who better to pump it out than the Mole Creek Fire Brigade – because we’re local and we’re pumpers extraordinaire. Last Saturday was warm and sunny – perfect for emptying a swimming pool. Once our 3-man crew set up and started our two portable pumps (pictured), we had lots of time to relax and enjoy the sunshine. I’m sorry I didn’t take reading matter. Watching a pool empty is like watching grass grow. Or paint dry. It took 4½ hours all up. Because the pool’s not chlorinated over winter, hundreds of tadpoles were in the pool – training for the next frog Olympics. We pumped them out with the water, and hopefully their training’s continuing in a nearby creek. I wonder if they’ll grow up to be Pobblebonks. We pumped the water from the pool’s deep end. And as soon as the shallow end’s floor was dry, the pool crew moved in with a pressure washer to clean the floor and walls. All this happened the day before Celebrate Tasmania Day 2009 – whose theme was volunteering. Yes, being a volunteer sure feels good.

farmdoc's blog post number 309

Yesterday was the national day of mourning for the bushfire victims. Because I live on a mainly forested rural property, I'm connected to, and saddened by, the deaths of hundreds of ordinary people going about their lives, and also the survivors' agony. Mother Nature, so wondrous much of the time, can be mercilessly vengeful when she wants to be. And she definitely wanted to be earlier this month. Remarkably, given the fires’ ferocity, only one firefighter died. That’s one too many, of course. I think the emergency services personnel did, and are doing, an exceptional job. Especially the volunteers. A letter from one of them, George Wright, in last Saturday’s Age, touched my heart. (If this link’s current, it’s the second letter down.) As a ‘granddad in uniform’ I couldn’t agree more, George. Like you, I feel ‘Every year the same trucks seem to be getting higher and my legs shorter, the hoses heavier and the hills steeper. I know my days on the back of a fire truck are limited’. I’m six years younger than you, George, and I’m no hero either. Though I’m the oldest member of the Mole Creek Fire Brigade, I hope I’ve a few years of active service in me yet. Whilst the tragedy of the fire victims must remain unforgotten, for the rest of the nation life must continue. So today I’m raising our fire station flag up to full mast.

farmdoc's blog post number 165

Volunteers play a major function in Australian society. Indeed without Volunteers Australian society arguably wouldn’t function at all. According to a 2006 survey, 5.4 million people, or 34% of adults (36% of women and 32% of men; 38% outside capital cities, 32% within capital cities) are volunteers. The 35-44 year-olds have the highest participation level (44%). The number of hours volunteered per year is 713 million, so on average each volunteer gives 2½ hours per week. The median is 1.1 hours per week, so many volunteers greatly exceed the 2½ hours per week average. The main reason people volunteer is because they were asked to; and the main reason for volunteering was ‘helping others or the community’ (57%), followed by ‘personal satisfaction’ (44%). In our society in which everything that can be commodified and monetarised, has been, it’s refreshing that 34% of Australian adults realise their time, expertise and commitment is so valuable that they give it gratis. Me? I’m proud to be one of the 5.4 million. I’m a volunteer firefighter, and also a volunteer wombat releaser. I get more out of being a volunteer than I put in. I feel privileged to live in a democratic and prosperous land – so I’m content to pay my fair share of tax; and I’m happy to be a volunteer because it feels good to be one.