Butcher moves out, artists move in - Kelvin Grove Road - 31/1/08
New Farm Park Road Closed While Jacarandas Are Tested: Brisbane City Council Media Release 30/1/08
Brisbane City Council wishes to advise residents the New Farm
Park ring road will be closed for the next 10 days while some of the 94-year-old
iconic trees are more closely examined to protect residents’ safety. Officers
have re-assessed all the jacaranda trees along the ring road in the park since
a jacaranda tree fell yesterday.
From these investigations, Council identified eight jacaranda
trees with similar structural deficiencies. These eight trees may need to be
removed and others may need careful pruning to improve canopy stability. An
independent assessment from a qualified aborist will now be sought before any
final decisions are made.
Council is committed to preserving the existing trees for as
long as possible to allow progress to be made on replacement planting for future
generations, and will therefore not be making hasty decisions. It is expected
the ring road will be closed for 10 days (weather permitting) while the investigations
are carried out. The eight trees with structural deficiencies have been cordoned
off to protect the public.
Council will continue to monitor the trees in the park to ensure
the safety of park-goers. Council’s primary concern is the safety of the
public. We thank residents and visitors for their understanding while this essential
work is conducted. For further information contact Council on (07) 3403 8888.
Candidate For Central Advocates Free Public Transport
In March this year local Council elections will be held across Queensland. Gold Coast Mayor Ron Clarke held his election campaign launch at the Gold Coast Arts Centre today [30/1/08], while Warwick Capper and Dean Vegas also announced their Mayoral aspirations.
In Brisbane, community activist David White, released his statement of intention to nominate as a candidate for Central ward. Mr White's ambition for Brisbane is large. His standout policy is that Council's bus and ferry services should be provided free of charge.
In his statement Mr White said, "This initiative is feasible and practicable without the need to increase rates. It can funded by altering expenditure priorities, and by introducing a congestion charge for all traffic entering the CBD. Council continues to fail to provide quality transport services for residents. Every day, scores of passengers are left behind when their bus or ferry is full. Residents are still waiting for Council to provide fast, reliable and frequent public transport services."
Mr White also said he will create new dedicated cycle lanes, malls, and construct a fully integrated system of bikeways across the city.
"Brisbane City Council continues to waste millions of dollars of ratepayer's funds on building new roads, bridges and tunnels. This strategy has failed to ease traffic congestion, as new, bigger roads inevitably attract more drivers and create even more congestion. A new balanced, sustainable transport strategy must be adopted," he said.
Mr White said for years Council has delayed taking action to conserve dwindling
water supplies, end homelessness, develop policies to combat climate change,
improve traffic flows on major roads, and to protect and preserve heritage buildings
and the natural environment.
What Went Down At The Normanby Last Night?
Quieter times at the Normanby Hotel (1891) - courtesy Picture Queensland.
A 'Spring Hill Voice' reader reports that things looked pretty lively at the Normanby Hotel last evening [27/1/08]. While driving past the packed to capacity hotel around 8.00pm, he saw a fire truck, around seven police cars, and a few hundred punters queuing along the footpath. He expected to read or hear something about this in today's media - but nary a word has been printed or spoken. Perhaps it was a merely a fire alarm? But if so, why were several hundred punters still inside gawking out and since when do you need so many police at a fire alarm?
It's not like the Normanby hasn't appeared in the only paper in town over the past few years! Social photos taken at the Normanby regularly feature in 'Q-Confidential', and it's often touted as one of "the" Brisbane pubs. Here's a rundown of some of the more dramatic goings on which have been reported:
Nov 11, 2007: "Property developer Robert Righton says he was attacked after being evicted from the Normanby Hotel where he was celebrating the Melbourne Cup with friends on Tuesday night.
He told The Sunday Mail he tried to reason with security staff to get back inside to be with with his girlfriend.
Mr Righton, 43, claims after he was refused entry, a group of bouncers took him to the hotel car park and bashed him until he was unconscious."
Nov 1, 2007: "Brisbane public relations worker Courtney McLennan got an early Halloween scare at the weekend when she was attacked by a flying fox while leaving a friend's birthday celebration. In a rare bat attack, the 23-year-old was waiting to meet a friend outside The Normanby Hotel on Sunday afternoon when a bat swooped from the sky and clamped on to her ankle."
Oct 21, 2007: "Brisbane soldier Michael John O'Shannessy, 25, could lose sight in his left eye after the incident of June 15, which occurred on a ramp leading to a designated smoking area in the car park of the Normanby Hotel at Red Hill."
Dec 20, 2005: "The alleged assault of two off-duty detectives at an inner Brisbane hotel on Saturday has sparked two separate investigations. Police and the Liquor Licensing Dvision have began inquiries into the Normanby Hotel incident but investigations have been hampered by the alleged offender's severe injuries, caused after he fled the scene."
Sept 14, 2005 "The Queensland Armed Robbery Squad had a big knees up at the Normanby Hotel last week. They advertised it in the August issue of the Queensland Police Union's journal. There was a giant screen with music, a live DJ and, for $30, you could drink all the booze you could handle for five hours. Sounds great? Couldn't agree more. But weren't there some new laws introduced in April banning the advertising of drink promotions. You know, the ones aimed at curbing binge drinking. Licensees can cop $7500 fines for breaching the ban. No doubt the Armed Robbery Squad will be dealt with in similar fashion."
Water Water Everywhere But Nowhere To Be Seen
You may be able see a small section of the dam wall in the distance!
We decided to take a drive out to the Hinze Dam yesterday [26/01/07] to check out its reported full capacity.
And we weren't alone in discovering, as did many other Australia Day drivers, that the dam was closed.
Evidently the dam has been closed since last October, when construction commenced on raising the dam wall from 93.5 metres to approximately 108.25 metres, at a cost of $383 million. According to the propaganda page (sorry, official website) - http://www.hinzedamstage3.com/ - the raising of the dam wall will:
"reduce the flooding in the lower Nerang River catchment, increase water supply from Hinze Dam to 225 million litres per day, and ensure the dam complies with current safety standards and guidelines."
The website also states that work will be completed in December 2010, but I couldn't see any information indicating that the dam would ever be re-opened to the public.
Not to worry, we caught glimpses of the large body of water - Advancetown Lake, as we wound our way through the picturesque Numinbah Valley.
We also encountered the damage caused during the recent flooding of the Nerang River. The sheer force of the water had crushed vegetation growing along the riverbank. Up at the Natural Arch, safety fences had been washed away.
The river appears to have returned to its usual flow - merely a trickle in some sections. Which got us thinking. Before the Hinze Dam was built, the Nerang River must have been a mighty watercourse, so what will happen after the dam wall is raised? Hopefully there will be steady and regular releases into the lower Nerang river to ensure a healthy waterway.
But we can report that the wildlife and people of the Numinbah Valley are resilient. We observed many locals in the process of clearing away flood debris from around their properties, along with a common tree snake looking for a feed on some warm river rocks.
A Common Tree Snake
Natural Arch
Teaching Degrees To Be Axed
"If you wanted the sky I would write across the sky
in letters,
That would soar a thousand feet high,
To Sir, with Love"
'To Sir, With Love', written by Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders
from the soundtrack to the 1967's film of the same name (performed by Lulu).
Rolf ... Something's Unravelling In The "Smart State"
The Minister for Readin', Writin', 'Rithmatic and arts funding cuts has announced that all teaching degrees are to be cancelled as of the commencement of the 2008 academic year.
Speaking this morning on Radio Rupert with Mrs Fagin, the Minister said that Queerland didn't need any more teachers.
"Everybody knows the OP score for teaching has been low for the past decade and all I'm trying to do is provide another distraction from this big Russ, I mean Ross tennis centre business," he said.
"And it's fortuitous we've had all these devastating floods. Look at Captain Bligh - out in One Nation land doing a marvellous job for the media. Gee that story about the man eating plant isn't bad either."
Ms Lo-Marks, from the State Tertiary Entrance Bureau, said the Minister had failed to mention that university places operated on a supply and demand basis.
"The more popular the course, the higher the OP," she said.
"No one wants to be a teacher because they get paid sh*t money and
are continually vilified in the media."
Councils To Issue Fines For Outdated Christmas Decorations
Councils throughout South East Queensland will commence issuing fines to anyone displaying Christmas decorations as of next Monday [14/01/08].
Fines will range from $100 through to $2,500 depending on whether the decorations appear on residential or business premises.
"We will also be looking at how extensive the decorations are," said Goldie Council Spokesperson, Ms Com Ercialinconfidence.
"For example, a single santa is not as offensive as a long row of bells and flashing lights."
Business operators and residents have expressed concerns about the latest fines. Owner operator of Fast Bastard Jet Skis said it was wrong to turn such a trivial social faux pas into an offense.
"I think this is really unfair - look how hypocritical council are being - they still have their decorations up."
But Ms Commercialinconfidence said that the council decorations were up early for Christmas 2008.
"South East Queensland residents should be starting to think about what they will need to buy for Valentines Day and Easter. Get to the shops and start stocking up on those chocolates and hot cross buns," she said.
"Christmas is right around the corner."
In related news, Mayor Marathon has announced that because the Big Russ Dam is now at 100% capacity, beach showers on the Goldie Coast will be switched back on.
Beach goers will be allowed to use the showers on the condition they remove their togs.
"We don't want people using the showers as a laundry for their budgie smugglers," he said.
Bus Shelter Scarcity
Bus shelters are few and far between on the Gold Coast Highway. The section between Harbour Town and Helensvale is particularly bad, forcing commuters from Arundel, Parkwood and Coombabah etc to stand in the searing sun or driving rain.
Park Street, Milton Railway Bridge Captured 8/1/08
The 'Courier Mail' [26/10/07]:
"The property is being sold by an offers to purchase campaign, which is scheduled to close on November 29.
It ceased operations many years ago when Tennis Queensland sold the property in 1999. Property records reveal it was most recently bought in 2002 for $5.9 million by Milton Courts Development.
It is believed the current owners are associated with the family of the late Eddie Kornhauser, which recently sold off the ATO building at Chermside for $85 million."
John Howard Wins Neo-Con Think Tank "Irving Kristol" Award
Recently "retired" ex-Prime Minister John Howard has won an award from a leading neo-conservative business sect in America. The American Enterprise Institute has a Council of Academic Advisers who have selected John Howard for the Irving Kristol Award. The award is given to individuals who have made exceptional intellectual or practical contributions to improved government policy, social welfare, or political understanding. Mr. Howard will receive the award and deliver the Irving Kristol Lecture at the Institute's annual dinner on March 5, 2008, at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C.
We'll being listening to that lecture and look forward to bringing you a report. Mr Howard won the award for 2007 because:
"After September 11, 2001, Prime Minister Howard forged a strong alliance with the United States and Great Britain in the global war on terror, sending Australian troops to Afghanistan and later to Iraq."
(From: AEI website http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.27308,filter.all/pub_detail.asp )
Rupert Murdoch is a big fan of the American Enterprise Institute, Kristol, neoconservative ideology and John Howard. Murdoch owns 'The Australian' which reported that Mr Howard has a fairly big parliamentary pension (welfare payment from the taxpayers) of about $330,000 yearly. Forever. 'The Australian' article didn't put this news on the front page but did mention that he has advertised for an assistant:
"It is expected that one of the first roles for the successful candidate will include helping Mr Howard prepare for a trip in March to Washington, where he will receive the Irving Kristol Award from the American Enterprise Institute."
That was it. No more to see here folks. To the victor the spoils. He starts to publically collect his rewards for what he did to Australia behind closed doors for all those years. Congratulations Mr Howard, a job faithfully done. The Irving Kristol Award has been around since their War on Terror began. Previous winners are at:
2007 Bernard Lewis
2006 David Hackett Fischer
2005 Mario Vargas Llosa
2004 Charles Krauthammer
2003 Allan H. Meltzer
Such nice people, and with so much in common!!
We first heard of this through Gandhi on 3/01/08 : http://www.howardout.blogspot.com/
Just Married!
The new mural on the site office [captured 8/01/08] at the Ann Street Presbyterian Church development, must be from the U.S. - unless the wife is driving!
Perfect Counterpoint To Warhol Obscured
Email response from GoMA [3/1/08]:
"Thank you for your email and for your kind words regarding the Guy Debord film included in the Leisure Class exhibition at GoMA. I am sorry to hear the experience of watching the film proved frustrating due to the legibility of the subtitles. Unfortunately as there were no screening materials available for the film with English subtitles, we had to prepare a humble version ourselves to ensure English-speaking audiences could engage with this important work. I will discuss with my colleagues the problems you have raised and look into what possibilities there might be to reformat the electronic subtitles or make available a hardcopy transcript in the exhibition space. If you are interested in reading a transcript of the film, there is a new translation presented on this website: http://www.bopsecrets.org/SI/debord/
Best regards,"
Email to GOMA today [26/12/07]:
Hi,
My husband and I went to the thought provoking 'Leisure Class' exhibition at GOMA today.
I wondered if you were aware that one of the most powerful exhibits - Guy Debord's film 'La Société du Spectacle' - was frustrating to watch because the subtitles were often faint and/or obscured by other text within the film.
Surely this is something that can be easily remedied?
If this is not the case, perhaps you could have a copy of the full text available as a companion to the exhibit?
Regards,
You can read the text of 'The Society Of The Spectacle' here:
http://library.nothingness.org/articles/SI/en/pub_contents/