This will hurt me...

Here is a koala. Koalas are an Australian marsupial, but are not found in the wild in Tasmania (or Western Australia). This koala lives at ZooDoo , which is just outside Hobart in the town of Richmond . I managed to get right next to this little lady and snap off a picture. If you’ve got littlies, or just like animals, I’d heartily recommend a visit to ZooDoo. You can get in close to most of their animals, and the kids can touch and have their picture taken with pretty much anything there (although I don’t think they let you for a play with their new pair of Bengal Tigers! The Koala is sort of like a Wombat that lives in a tree. Wombats are their closest living relatives, but koalas have a thicker coat, much larger ears and longer limbs. They also have large, sharp claws to assist with climbing tree trunks. We have plenty of wombats in the wild down here in Tassie. But, please, don't get worried. I’ve never heard of wombats OR koalas acting out in the strange manner that one New Z...

I stumbled up this concept on the blog Not Too Crazy , and think that the concept is a very sound one, even if I can't agree with every example offered up ( Journey , Styx or Chicago are a little light on the 'genius' for mine)! Broadly speaking, ‘the Lindsey Buckingham Paradox’ is what happens when clearly brilliant musicians decide that they are better off away from their bandmates and venture out into solo "careers", only to somehow never again grasp their own genius in the way demonstrated by earlier efforts. I can think of a few examples of my own, and would differ on my choices. For example, she includes Paul McCartney. If I were to list a Beatle, it would be John Lennon. Lennon’s solo work from ’69 until ’71 was pretty good, but the rest ( Mind Games the single aside), well, meh. I mean really, Some Time in New York City ? Try listening to that not off your nut. Give me any of the Wings albums ahead of that. I wouldn’t include Lennon though, as there ar...

Here is a shot of Mount Wellington – which sits overlooking Hobart – as seen from the eastern shore of the Derwent River. This was taken just down the road from our house. For a reasonable chunk of the year, there is a good covering of snow on the mountain, which brings with it a chilly wind over the city. As a bonus, I've also included a picture of a younger Henry after his trek to the summit last July to experience the snow.

Two ads for today, and they have a political theme. As in any dictatorship, anniversaries were big events in the former-East Germany. My post for today features some government posters prepared for the thirtieth anniversary of the DDR in 1979. The emphasis that you can see in the two that I have chosen is generally indicative of the propaganda line of the state: a youthful, peace-loving, hard-working nation that was strongly supported by its citizens. And didn’t that turn out to be true? These posters interest me as much for the way that they conflict with the general idea of what East Germany was supposed to be like as the designs themselves. Remember, for most of us in the West the images of the DDR were stark: depressing, horrible food, old people shuffling about, monotonous, tired, lots of mullets , angry in a despondent kind of way. Really, it was like Devonport. "Our congratulations!" "Everything for Human Happiness." A broader collection of thirtieth annivers...

Inspired by my post yesterday by what we should and shouldn't laugh about – or at least what we should feel guilty about laughing about – I made a comment on another site that prompted some more thought on the topic. Now I have to preface this with a statement about my sense of humour. I broadly accept the whole, "a joke is just a joke, don't get too precious about stuff" line. Indeed, I've told many an unsavoury joke and used it in defence of myself plenty of times. Also, I can't stand ultra sensitive types. These people generally bore me and appear to float about looking for something, anything , to get offended by, and thus giving themselves the opportunity to sermonise about their own moral superiority. Yet I couldn't help myself making such a comment at another website yesterday, when reading yet another angry little rant on how dreadful Hillary Clinton would be as President, and spotting an ad for a t-shirt in the side bar that the site itself appe...

The photo I’ve posted today was taken a two mornings ago. It was just too cold and wet to stand around today looking for a decent shot before going to work! You know it must be cold when there are barely any people around at 7:40 am on a business day. The weather has certainly turned for us down here. Only a couple of weeks ago we we're sweltering in 38 °C, today it will be lucky to crack 14 °C. What a day to forget your beanie! This shot was taken on the city side of Davey Street, looking over Sullivan’s cove. I’m not sure what you call these clouds, but no doubt it begins with a ‘c’.

Should you be laughing at this? Note to readers: I am myself chuckling, but feeling slightly guilty about laughing at some of them.

I will be totally honest with you guys, there’s no stand out contender for mine in the current (long, dreary, tiresome) campaign. Bill Richardson is gone. I do like the other Bill, but Hillary not so much. Barack leaves me cold, and John McCain is just too darn flip floppy trying to be all things to all people, and consequently is nothing to no-one! But now there is a new player in the electoral race. He’s left his run late, but could be the man to save the United States of America from itself. Thus, I offer my endorsement to: So come on everybody, hop on the Wiggum-Wagon !

Jen, Hen and I all went in for the 20 week scan today. I do love it when hospitals book you in for eight o'clock but you don't get seen until nine. The less said about the organisational standards about that place, the better! Everything went well and the baby is going great guns, it has all the bits you would expect and is a fine looking creature. We didn't get given a disc with pictures on it this time; otherwise I would have picked one of those for my photo of the day. As it is, I've gone with a photo taken in the room where Jen had her ultrasound. If you've ever been to an ultrasound, you will know that they keep it pretty dark in there. This should explain the use of the flash. It's not a great quality photo, but the sign did make me laugh. As to its content I only have one thing to say: "I should hope so!"

I give thanks to the eagle-like gaze of true patriots like those at Obscene Desserts , whose alert eyes may well avert future catastrophes for humanity. I should really put them onto the case of the mysterious, yet somehow evil terrorgnome of Salta province ! Yet it is important that vigilant citizens do not get too distracted by the tiny menace of Tucumán teens (how about that for a sentence?). The new threat to society as we know it comes from a far greater evil: Nazi racoons! Yes, it appears that an army of militaristic mammals are on the march and threatening Europe in a manner not seen since World War Two. Even worse, these beasts appear to have been handpicked by evil Nazi genius (and sometime cross-dresser) 'Hungry' Hermann Göring! See everyone's favourite paper The Sun for more! I am almost too scared to contemplate the other evil revealed by all of this: the "Kitler" phenomenon. That is, cats that look like Hitler !

I wanted to say something about Pru Goward's 'interesting' public comments on paid maternity leave of late. Aside from an unhealthy self-indulgence – in that any model bar her own is seemingly unacceptable – it makes some rather awkward assumptions about what it means to be a feminist. At any rate, I wanted to say something about it but haven't had the time. Fortunately though, Kim at Larvatus Prodeo has done so, and expanded into some of the margins of the maternity leave debate that also interest me. It may also interest you, so if so, pop along and have a gander!

I know that I shouldn't be, but I can't help being shocked that this sort of thing was allowed as late as 1941. I wonder if white people avoided watermelons because of the link that they seemed to have to po' black folk. If anyone has a clue, please let me know.

It has been a wet and humid day this morning, with not great light for photographs (especially of the snap off while walking past variety). I've decided to go with a shot of the Colonial Mutual Life Building in Hobart. I think that it's an impressive looking building, and I've gone with a shot from the other side of Macquarie Street, from Franklin Square. The heritage listing describes the building as an excellent example of "Inter War Stripped Classical C.1915–40". This is a building with eclectic influences, incorporating Art Deco elements which were fairly typical in Stripped Classical buildings in combination with English Picturesque elements. I happen to think that is an attractive edifice, and thought that I would share it with people.

What a big week in footy! The Bombers flying high after thumping North Melbourne , the Tigers spoiling cheating Carlton's party , Melbourne appearing to throw in the towel for the 2008 season about seven minutes in, and the Sydney Swans endeavoring to lift the ratings for SBS's bigamy melodrama Big Love with their special brand of "football" . The sense of excitement has only been heightened with a strong start to the tipping season for our mob, with four tied all on top with a very impressive six from eight, with the inexperienced Henry, pregnant and fatigued Jenry and the unfortunate exile in the city of sin Good Parson Edgar Freelove hot on the heels only one tip behind. This could turn out to be the closest tipping year on record. A scan of the post-round wrap up in tomorrow's fish and chip wrappers has thrown up an early candidate for comment of the year. The newcomer to footy coverage, the Herald Sun's self-professed girly-girl Miss Saints aptly captu...

That naughty Abu Bakar Bashir is at it again! I don't want to enter too much into this guy or his latest caper, because to be honest there is no need as the guy doesn't need my help to establish that he is a fool. However, there is one aspect of his latest tirade against infidels that struck me. Here is this bloke, 69 years old, advising to the youth of Indonesia that "the young must be first at the front line - don't hide at the back. You must be at the front, die as martyrs and all your sins will be forgiven. This is how to achieve forgiveness." Right. And how many times has old Abu martyred himself for the grand cause? That would be the first question I would ask if someone was advising me to die for something they believe in.

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) long-range frigate HMAS Warramunga has been in Hobart this week, and I managed to take a snap of her while leaving work last Thursday (these ships generally berth right across the road from my office). Warramunga is capable of air defence, surface and undersea warfare, surveillance, reconnaissance and interdiction. Their website tells me that her main armament comprises one 127 mm gun capable of firing 20 rounds per minute, ship launched Mk 46 torpedoes and a Mk 41 vertical launch system for the Evolved Sea Sparrow point defence missile. There is no word on whether or not they paid any parking fees. I would wager few parking officers would stick their hands up to collect.

Today's picture of the day is of a cake that I made for Henry and Jen. Although not the prettiest cake around, it was very tasty, and that is what matters most. I hadn't made a cake since, Jen's birthday, and realised that over one and a half months is too long to go without making one. I've attached the recipe below, if anyone is interested in trying it out. Blueberry Coffee Cake Covered in blueberries that reside between a layer of cake and a cinnamon flavoured streusel, the cake itself can be eaten hot or cold. It doesn't have to be blueberries on top, and I've already got in mind some raspberries for next time. It works just as well with blackberries, apples, plums or pears. The trick is to use enough fruit to cover the entire surface of the cake batter and then top it off with the streusel mixture. Streusel Topping: 1/3 cup (45 grams) all purpose flour 1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated white sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 cup (56 grams) cold unsalt...