I managed to see a world championship sporting event today - for free and by accident!
It started with a warm, sunny holiday Monday. This prompted me to cycle to Dee Why, although I cheated a bit by taking the Manly ferry and bypassing the steep hills of the lower north shore. The northern beaches aren't flat either, but riding from Manly to Dee Why was a pretty trip and a bit of an exploration. I had just enough energy for a brief swim - the water was surprisingly warm, and the waves were a good size.
Then I was able to watch one of the contests on the women's world championship surfing tour, which was taking place a little further along the beach. It was particularly impressive to watch the athletes gliding and turning over the waves, after I'd just spent twenty minutes wimping out and diving under all of them. There was a crowd of a few thousand enjoying the surfing, as well as a food festival and a band.
One other amusing part of the day is that I simultaneously have salty surf hair and squished helmet hair.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Worst Anti-Drug Ad Ever
I just heard a radio ad aiming to discourage cannabis use. It had a male voice talking about how he had been a good swimmer, but then threw it all away because of weed. It finished up with the line "If it wasn't for marijuana, I could have been, you know, famous or something."
Now there might be good reasons to avoid marijuana, but saying it will ruin your swimming career is a pretty poor argument. Surely even the potheads remember Michael Phelps' 14 Olympic gold medals, and also his famous bong photos?
Now there might be good reasons to avoid marijuana, but saying it will ruin your swimming career is a pretty poor argument. Surely even the potheads remember Michael Phelps' 14 Olympic gold medals, and also his famous bong photos?
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Putney Punting
I've gone on a fair few cycling expeditions this summer, taking advantage of all my spare time. Maybe it was the perfect weather, or feeling a bit loopy after not sleeping well the previous night, but I decided to go on a last long ride before starting work on Monday. So I made a circuit that included the Putney Punt.
It's a real anachronism - a little cable ferry that carries up to 15 cars across the Parramatta River between Mortlake and Putney. It became totally redundant when the six-lane Gladesville Bridge opened in 1964, only a couple of kilometres downstream, but some sort of heritage order keeps the ferry running. It's even toll-free!
I first cycled to the north side of the river by way of Drummoyne and the Gladesville Bridge, and then made my way across to the ferry's embarkation point. I forgot to bring any sort of map, and received rather vague directions when I asked in Putney, but was lucky enough to find the right headland on my first try. I even had a few minutes to wait for the ferry to leave, and watch a pelican circling overhead.
There was another wildlife moment as I rode home along the shore of Exile Bay. I passed a cormorant swimming almost submerged, with only its head poking out of the water. Then a large fish, about the size of a big carp, leapt out of the water for a second or two. It was as if the birds and the fishes wanted to challenge my ideas about their natural elements!
It's a real anachronism - a little cable ferry that carries up to 15 cars across the Parramatta River between Mortlake and Putney. It became totally redundant when the six-lane Gladesville Bridge opened in 1964, only a couple of kilometres downstream, but some sort of heritage order keeps the ferry running. It's even toll-free!
I first cycled to the north side of the river by way of Drummoyne and the Gladesville Bridge, and then made my way across to the ferry's embarkation point. I forgot to bring any sort of map, and received rather vague directions when I asked in Putney, but was lucky enough to find the right headland on my first try. I even had a few minutes to wait for the ferry to leave, and watch a pelican circling overhead.
There was another wildlife moment as I rode home along the shore of Exile Bay. I passed a cormorant swimming almost submerged, with only its head poking out of the water. Then a large fish, about the size of a big carp, leapt out of the water for a second or two. It was as if the birds and the fishes wanted to challenge my ideas about their natural elements!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Bill Impresses Me All Over Again
I've been reading "The Merchant of Venice" this week, the first time I've read Shakespeare in a while. What really struck home was the way he scatters brilliant asides - clever lines that aren't strictly necessary, but give the audience something to consider in addition to the main plot and themes.
Here are a few examples, just from the first half of one play:
"I can easier teach twenty what were good to be done, than be one of the twenty to follow mine own teaching." I, ii, 16-19
"I like not fair terms and a villain's mind." I, iii, 81
"... For lovers ever run before the clock." II, vi, 4
"All things that are, are with more spirit chased than enjoy'd." II, vi, 12-13
"... I fear you do speak upon the rack, Where men enforced do speak anything." III, ii, 32-33
Other drama sometimes manages this trick, but often the words of wisdom are culturally specific (e.g. "... don't make fun of grad students, they just made a terrible life choice," from The Simpsons). Shakespeare's insights are much more universal.
Here are a few examples, just from the first half of one play:
"I can easier teach twenty what were good to be done, than be one of the twenty to follow mine own teaching." I, ii, 16-19
"I like not fair terms and a villain's mind." I, iii, 81
"... For lovers ever run before the clock." II, vi, 4
"All things that are, are with more spirit chased than enjoy'd." II, vi, 12-13
"... I fear you do speak upon the rack, Where men enforced do speak anything." III, ii, 32-33
Other drama sometimes manages this trick, but often the words of wisdom are culturally specific (e.g. "... don't make fun of grad students, they just made a terrible life choice," from The Simpsons). Shakespeare's insights are much more universal.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Climate Change Optimism
I just came across the most hopeful article I've read on climate change for ages.
The one paragraph summary is that there is already a limited cap and trade program involving ten states on the east coast of the U.S. Another seven states in the western U.S. are negotiating to set up their own separate cap and trade program by 2015 (along with four Canadian provinces). At that stage, American industry groups might start to lobby for uniform national regulations, rather than having to deal with a variety of carbon emissions regulations across the country. That has occurred in the past with other pollution measures.
That suggests to me a plausible route to a global agreement on climate change:
1. The more environmentally conscious American states restrict emissions of greenhouse gases.
2. The U.S. congress imposes national regulations on greenhouse gas emissions, at the behest of industry lobby groups that want uniform environmental laws across the country.
3. The U.S. then insists that other countries control greenhouse gases, and threatens trade sanctions if they don't comply. Major greenhouse gas emitters bring in these controls, because they don't want to risk losing the American market.
Why I could see this happening is that it doesn't rely on heroic, selfless gestures. Step 1 is already in progress, step 2 assumes an American government dominated by selfish lobbyists and step 3 assumes that the U.S. is a domineering superpower. Surely even the most jaded left-wing pessimist would concede those two points.
Of course this process might lead to quite weak global regulations, that don't emerge until some time in the 2020s. Hopefully it will be enough to spur big improvements in renewable energy and efficiency that cut greenhouse gas emissions in time. It's a bit of a long shot, but I'm revising my outlook from "Climate change will almost certainly end our civilisation in the latter 21st century" to "Climate change will probably end our civilisation in the latter 21st century."
The one paragraph summary is that there is already a limited cap and trade program involving ten states on the east coast of the U.S. Another seven states in the western U.S. are negotiating to set up their own separate cap and trade program by 2015 (along with four Canadian provinces). At that stage, American industry groups might start to lobby for uniform national regulations, rather than having to deal with a variety of carbon emissions regulations across the country. That has occurred in the past with other pollution measures.
That suggests to me a plausible route to a global agreement on climate change:
1. The more environmentally conscious American states restrict emissions of greenhouse gases.
2. The U.S. congress imposes national regulations on greenhouse gas emissions, at the behest of industry lobby groups that want uniform environmental laws across the country.
3. The U.S. then insists that other countries control greenhouse gases, and threatens trade sanctions if they don't comply. Major greenhouse gas emitters bring in these controls, because they don't want to risk losing the American market.
Why I could see this happening is that it doesn't rely on heroic, selfless gestures. Step 1 is already in progress, step 2 assumes an American government dominated by selfish lobbyists and step 3 assumes that the U.S. is a domineering superpower. Surely even the most jaded left-wing pessimist would concede those two points.
Of course this process might lead to quite weak global regulations, that don't emerge until some time in the 2020s. Hopefully it will be enough to spur big improvements in renewable energy and efficiency that cut greenhouse gas emissions in time. It's a bit of a long shot, but I'm revising my outlook from "Climate change will almost certainly end our civilisation in the latter 21st century" to "Climate change will probably end our civilisation in the latter 21st century."
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Thoughts on the AFL Grand Final
2:20
I've never liked Qantas's sentimental advertising, trying to claim expat Aussie nostalgia for one company. Translating "I Still Call Australia Home" into an Aboriginal language makes the airline's use of the song even more obnoxious.
2:32
Just heard the national anthem, and couldn't help thinking that we've had a bit too much of that golden soil this week.
2:44
The Saints are choking big time at the start.
2:49
Riewoldt just managed the best non-mark I've ever seen.
2:59
The game's turning around - Geelong are bending, will they break? St. Kilda really need to make this pressure pay off.
3:21
St. Kilda are dominating, but that's about the fourth easy shot on goal they've missed.
3:23
And now their margin is less than a goal.
3:29
Ablett really is brilliant at everything - even milking the free kicks.
3:32
Quality match considering how wet it is.
3:34
Can you choke in front of your defensive goal? Because I think Zac Dawson just managed it.
3:36
Dawson's no longer the goat after seeing the replay. The goal umpire performed much worse.
3:41
Although Millburn's trying hard to be the goat by arguing that goal and giving away another.
3:50
Good point from the commentators - Geelong are still playing a dry weather game with all the handballs. Wonder if they'll change tactics in the second half?
3:59
Just saw an ad for the latest disaster movie. Really not looking forward to three years of hearing about the Mayan calendar's millennium bug.
4:10
Great commentary on Goddard: "He's OK, if you can can a bloody nose OK. Maybe it's even broken. In football terms it's probably still OK."
4:14
Amused by the fan who incorporated his white beard into the St. Kilda logo painted on his face.
4:21
Geelong seem to be dropping off here.
4:22
Great goal from Geelong. Shows how much I know.
4:34
Could that be the matchwinning goal from Montagne? Just feels like St. Kilda taking the lead at the end of that scoreless passage could make the difference.
4:44
Hope Geelong do pull this off. I like their open, active style of play, and if they only lose 2 out of 3 grand finals, nobody will try to play that way again.
4:51
Ooh, sunshine to go with the rain.
4:54
I don't know that Steve Johnson has managed anything productive this game.
4:59
Next goal wins, I think.
5:01
Great commentary in homage to Kipling: "Ablett kept his feet when all about him were losing theirs."
5:04
Still haven't had that decisive goal.
5:06
Now we have, and what a goal it was from Chapman. Can the Cats hang on?
5:09
Well, Johnson did well to force the ball over the line there.
5:12
Congrats, Geelong. That last goal was rubbing it in a bit, though.
I've never liked Qantas's sentimental advertising, trying to claim expat Aussie nostalgia for one company. Translating "I Still Call Australia Home" into an Aboriginal language makes the airline's use of the song even more obnoxious.
2:32
Just heard the national anthem, and couldn't help thinking that we've had a bit too much of that golden soil this week.
2:44
The Saints are choking big time at the start.
2:49
Riewoldt just managed the best non-mark I've ever seen.
2:59
The game's turning around - Geelong are bending, will they break? St. Kilda really need to make this pressure pay off.
3:21
St. Kilda are dominating, but that's about the fourth easy shot on goal they've missed.
3:23
And now their margin is less than a goal.
3:29
Ablett really is brilliant at everything - even milking the free kicks.
3:32
Quality match considering how wet it is.
3:34
Can you choke in front of your defensive goal? Because I think Zac Dawson just managed it.
3:36
Dawson's no longer the goat after seeing the replay. The goal umpire performed much worse.
3:41
Although Millburn's trying hard to be the goat by arguing that goal and giving away another.
3:50
Good point from the commentators - Geelong are still playing a dry weather game with all the handballs. Wonder if they'll change tactics in the second half?
3:59
Just saw an ad for the latest disaster movie. Really not looking forward to three years of hearing about the Mayan calendar's millennium bug.
4:10
Great commentary on Goddard: "He's OK, if you can can a bloody nose OK. Maybe it's even broken. In football terms it's probably still OK."
4:14
Amused by the fan who incorporated his white beard into the St. Kilda logo painted on his face.
4:21
Geelong seem to be dropping off here.
4:22
Great goal from Geelong. Shows how much I know.
4:34
Could that be the matchwinning goal from Montagne? Just feels like St. Kilda taking the lead at the end of that scoreless passage could make the difference.
4:44
Hope Geelong do pull this off. I like their open, active style of play, and if they only lose 2 out of 3 grand finals, nobody will try to play that way again.
4:51
Ooh, sunshine to go with the rain.
4:54
I don't know that Steve Johnson has managed anything productive this game.
4:59
Next goal wins, I think.
5:01
Great commentary in homage to Kipling: "Ablett kept his feet when all about him were losing theirs."
5:04
Still haven't had that decisive goal.
5:06
Now we have, and what a goal it was from Chapman. Can the Cats hang on?
5:09
Well, Johnson did well to force the ball over the line there.
5:12
Congrats, Geelong. That last goal was rubbing it in a bit, though.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Prius Ads: Why?
I've seen a few TV ads for the new Prius in the last week, which is a change. There wasn't much advertising for the earlier versions, and certainly no TV commercials. Toyota only made a few of those prior Priuses, and mostly relied on word of mouth to shift them.
Hopefully the move to TV ads show that the new hybrids have been manufactured in sufficient quantities to justify advertising. That would be an encouraging sign that the technology is going mainstream, and that we're well on the way to all-electric cars.
However the ads still seemed to be emphasising the novelty of the Prius, rather than promoting it as a great car to drive. This makes me worry that Toyota is still marketing to a very limited audience of geeky environmentalists (e.g. me), but now even this small market segment needs a big ad campaign.
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