Species of the day

Amongst the endless number of web pages appearing on a daily basis, there are always some that take your interest, well at least for me. I found the IUCN Species of the Day website from a link on another blog. I first learnt of the IUCN and its categories for rare and threatened species in my undergraduate years in Tasmania while I was studying at the University of Tasmania. The link to Species of the Day, gives a good overview of the IUCN Red List and also links to initiatives for threatened species recovery, news articles and images of threatened species. More information about the categories used by IUCN, can be found here.

Fender Guitars

I think the history of Fender guitars is an amazing journey and I often wonder where they found inspiration to develop what is now, probably a global household name. Especially for us Fender owners:-) I wonder if Leo Fender, George Fullerton and Freddie Travares thought that the Fender guitar would eventually have a global presence when they made the first one in 1954. Fender guitars have certainly stood the test of time. The info on Wikipedia for Fender gives a good account of the history and other details such as the different models available, signature series and notable Stratocaster players, sadly I do not appear on the notable players list...yet! One thing about Fender that has caused some concern, particularly to Stratocaster owners...yes, me included, is the numbering system that relates to date of manufacture. While it is relatively easier to figure out in late model guitars, around 25 years ago when I purchased my Stratocaster, there was some confusion about this, particularly for those manufactured in USA. I have seen a number of guides and books about determining age from serial numbers but they always give a range of values rather that a specific year. I guess one day I might be able to figure this one out. Keep watching here and if I ever find out how, I will post it here!

Interesting news feeds from around the world - Very Quiet

Interesting news feeds from around the world - Very Quiet I found this site while trawling around the web a few weeks ago. It looks very interesting and the interface seems relatively user friendly and it's easy to navigate around the different links and pages. One of the cool things on this site is that it seems to be updated regularly and it also has features for text size and language options. It has a good choice of news options and links to articles from BBC, Yahoo, Sky, Reuters and a host of others. Go check it out and report back when you have a chance with any comments. Cheers.

Amateur Radio

As I write this, I am about to celebrate my 28th year as an amateur radio operator...otherwise known as ham radio. Once you have 'served 25 years as a 'ham' you can be officially recognised by your amateur radio colleagues as an 'old timer'. I am claiming to be the youngest old timer in Australia as I write this post! No one quite knows where the word ham became associated with amateur radio. I kind of like the story that the the initials of the first people to experiment with electro magnetic radiation (radio frequencies) were H, A, and M. Maybe they were Harry, Albert, and Mark! Anyway, the word amateur is also a misnomer because us amateur radio operators have been at the front line ever since electro magnetic radiation was invented (well I mean discovered of course). Without amateur radio operators, we would not be enjoying many of the conveniences we take for granted these days. Just to name a few...broadcast radio (AM and FM), television, microwave ovens, remote controls, wireless networks, and last but not least mobile phones! Australia is home to the oldest amateur radio association in the world, the Wireless Institute of Australia which was founded in 1910.

Lake Pedder

Lake Pedder was flooded in 1972 as part of a Hydro Electric Development in Tasmania. The flooding of the lake was controversial and despite compensation being offered by the Australian Federal Government at the time to stop the flooding, the project proceeded as planned by the Tasmanian Government in power at the time. The flooding of Lake Pedder, was the catalyst for the birth of the worlds first Green party, the United Tasmania Group. This party was formed during a meeting of the Lake Pedder Action Group and eventually grew into the Tasmanian Green Party and from that the Australian Greens. A campaign to restore Lake Pedder is ongoing and the Lake Pedder Restoration Committee remains active in its aim to restore the lake. The move to restore the lake is also supported by UNESCO and the David Suzuki Foundation. Furthermore, a symposium held at the University of Tasmania in 1995, demonstrated that restoration of the lake is possible but the current political climate is a barrier to realising its restoration.

Read my latest article about the restoration of Lake Pedder

Guitar amplifiers

I used to have one of these amps. If I ever decide to revive my music career I might need to hunt another one down! Well of course they are used by all the experts in the business. Sadly, I never made it to that level ...lol

Check out some of the new products from Mesa Boogie. They look great and sound amazing...as always! I think if you are looking for these amps in Australia, then check out what Pro Audio in Canberra has to offer.

Triple J

I remember listening to 2JJ in Sydney on the AM broadcast band before it eventually became the national Triple J. That could say something about my age! Triple J is definitely a national icon...in my humble opinion :-)