Into the unkown

Tomorrow morning at 7:30, Snooze and I will pile our stuff into a 4WD and start out on a 1,700km journey to a place called Yalata.

View Larger Map

We will spend a couple of days in this remote aboriginal community and then head to Oak Valley, an even more remote aboriginal community 500kms or so North West of Yalata. Right in the guts of the country.

View Larger Map

The reason for the trip is a book that Snooze is editing about the Anangu communities in these settlements. Yalata and Oak valley are the end result of the aboriginal displacement caused by the Maralinga nuclear test range. I expect it will be quite confronting but also quite extraordinary.

Despite living all my life in this country, I have never ventured into what can genuinely be called the Outback. I've spent plenty of time in the Bush, but never the deserts. I think it might be quite alien but I am very much looking forward to it.

If I feel it's appropriate I might blog about it when I get back home.

In the meantime, wish us luck...

"Mmm...genius"

I know all that's gone on here in the last few months is purely blog filler, but meh.

I think I'm in love with Michael Bay.



"I demand things to be awesome"

In other news, this is my 200th post on Itemisation. Happy bicentenary to me!

Opposition Leader Worthington-Delaney

[Via]

!!!

I has a new job!

Spotted near Sydney Rd

Apparently posted by an international student.

Don't know if it's for reals or not, but it's funny either way.

Want!

This is truly ace. The things people can do with technology. This is gaming 3.0 for Playstation 3.

It's a longish video, but skip a few minutes in for the fun.

Hello (cool change), is it me you're looking for?

Courtesy of (and apologies to) Lionel Ritchie

I've been alone with you inside my mind
And in my dreams I've kissed your lips a thousand times
I sometimes see you pass outside my door
Hello (cool change), is it me you're looking for?

I can see it in your eyes
I can see it in your smile
You're all I've ever wanted, (and) my arms are open wide
'Cause you know just what to say
And you know just what to do
And I want to tell you so much, I love you ...

I long to see the sunlight in your (h)air
And tell you time and time again how much I care
Sometimes I feel my heart will overflow
Hello (cool change), I've just got to let you know

'Cause I wonder where you are
And I wonder what you do
Are you somewhere feeling lonely, or is someone loving you?
Tell me how to win your heart
For I haven't got a clue
But let me start by saying, I love you ...

Hello (cool change), is it me you're looking for?
'Cause I wonder where you are
And I wonder what you do
Are you somewhere feeling lonely or is someone loving you?
Tell me how to win your heart
For I haven't got a clue
But let me start by saying ... I love you

Thankyou. Donations welcomed.

UPDATE: And right on cue, here it comes.

A brief lesson in the BOM's weather mappage.

This is the extremely cool new Doppler Wind indicator that was introduced late last year (click to embiggen). It shows the shift in air towards (blue) and away from (red) the central weather radar. The darker the colours, the faster the air speed. In essence, this is showing the prevailing winds at any given moment.


You can see from this screen grab (taken a short while ago with my pretty green arrows added) that the change is literally sweeping through from the South West.

The green arrow on the right (pointing down) shows the wind direction in Melbourne at present, moving from the blue patches to the North West to the red patches in the South East. A howling North Westerly wind (note the dark red patches in the bottom right corner), hence the ridiculous heat.

The green arrow on the left (point up) is the band of cold air being pushed through with the change, switching the wind direction from the North West to the South West, bringing all that Antarcticy goodness.

Whee!