Souviners in Mulga wood. 
Mulga, Acacia aneura, tree grows extensively inland, is a hardwood hence very high adurability and has various uses.
Traditionally found in spears, clubs and boomerangs.  Makes fence posts and is fodder.
The wood turns well and takes a high polish and in times past was seen in small ornamental pieces for the tourist.

Vintage souvenir in Mulga wood.  It would seem to be the work of a non-indigenous artist.  Assume nothing.

  Now days,the Aborigines have been creating works of art for the market place and can be seen painting in studio or retail space in central Australia, women in particular, where trendy and outstanding traditional works are seen in a variety of mediums.  Painting are very appealing.
  It was notable to find the aborigines employed in the tourist village and good to be in the same space as them for myself who normally has very little contact.  In one other town less positive aspects were apparent. 




  

Items like this large plate with an image of an Aborigine were in production at one time probably in the 1950s or 60s.  And there were smaller items.

Furniture of the Colonial days strongly typified by a red cedar table and balloon backed chairs.
Well, that's my description, rightly or wrongly. Maybe the upholstery is not exactly kosher.

Bring on a Rum Rebellion and oust the leader of the opposition, now!

It's metal. It's opened. The saying is 'what's under.... ?

Indonesian style fabric. Local Ethnic Community groups featured cultural collections, food, music and dance on Australia Day holiday where crowds were busy relaxing all over the city, parks and beaches. Japanese design was outstanding in a mini display and the Ukraine was revealed in a potted history which provoked wander-lust then an Indonesian food tasting and samba lessons were cooled off by a small shower of rain and relief from the hellish humidity and before any drunks got out of hand.

Duplicating, has faded away, the term is no longer heard, the stencils, the ink and the clatter have gone from around here. Roneo was another term.
Gestetner was a Hungarian who began manufacturing in Tottenham, North London and ended up with hugh world wide sales of the duplicating machine. The design was very effective. Mimeograph and Roneo were other contenders. The company merged with others and the NRG Group appears to be the result.
My very last foray with a duplicator happened when a printing supplier failed at short notice and I tried to 'fill the gap', I was inexperienced, it was very tricky but ended up with something like the original.

Some months ago people waited hours for the doors to open in George street, Sydney, to be the first to get the new Apple iPhone (3G). It is a nice little device compared to my mobile for I am such a dag with a flip model and as well I hardly ever watch Oprah but today caught a show where Oprah and Bono were in a shopping epicentre promoting a new red product line with a special edition red iPod which I think we call nano something.
Those red lines from Bono and consumerism raise money for humanitarian projects. Google reveals that the episode actually occurred in Oct 2006 but, I guess it is all timeless.
In my case the new phone was flourished and run thru its features when I ventured into this 'Apple orchard'. At other times exploration of the shopping centres is not always as easy as that for often one needs a second language, even a third, to do well at discovering more about what's new and interesting in whole centres that all specialise in imports or in attempts to find items that one took for granted. Would'nt we all do well to become bi-lingual?

Light-emitting diode or LED lights.
These small glowlights use only a tiny amount of power.
Bulbs are newer items and are for sale in this display.
LEDs first came on the scene to illuminate readouts and dials or to show that an appliance was on. Diodes abound in electronics and these products exploit their lighting properties and white light has been an advancement.
Technical data exists about developments but, for example, the lights are of some use for interior lighting for a camper van that is dependent on solar or a genny when travelling away on remote adventures. LEDs are used in traffic lights.
Saw the light at Cetnaj P/L Mayfield West.

The motoring writer in The Herald, Brent Davison, is not enamoured with the minor idiosyncrasies found in the Citroen C4. And he writes 'Can you dislike a car because some of its basic design points don't work or should that be seen as character-building? I see what he means.
We have always had a succession of cars. Some European carmakers just change the steering over to the right hand side and the controls remain back to front, even the pedals seem offset. Gears are for the left hand anyway.
Against this are all the rest of the cars that are designed with certain conventions for the driver who sits on the right.
Changing between these two style of cars each day or so adds to the driving experience. One obstacle is the motor horn which is just never there where you thought it was and there's momentary helplessness when someone is about to reverse into you or the like but of course this doesn't happen very often but then there's the blinkers etc etc....
Renault cars are in the photo.

Move over Norm Frazer and all the rest. Seen at a custom bike emporium which has a new image and exploits old warehouse-type premises and vintage fittings to match.

This postmodern business is full of illusion. A lift is grounded and goes nowhere and acts as a fitting room, a big eatery is crowded out and, on the serious side, motorcycles adopt a new identity, where, I am told, Yamaha 400 singles and Kawasaki 650s are targets for grand modifications, the Kawasaki itself a copy of an old Truimph. Retro on retro.




Dare (!) Jennings, 58, has created Deus Ex Machina, a cheeky play with words which operates in Sydney in Camperdown. Sunday Life reveals he was also the founder of Mambo (into surfing gear) This is not likely to be Dare Jennings in the photo but is an employee.

The change room lift.
On another note, Casey Stoner has number one grid position in tonights motorcycle race and is hanging in there.

Here is a psychedelic sign. No, it is not a test for colour blindness and shows a few reflections. We are prompted to:

'Wear green and gold until your eyes hurt. Australia Day. Celebrate what's great'

SUMMER NATS IN SPEERS POINT

The windy weather yesterday was just right for the National Titles for the Stingray and Cobra class at Speers Point Amateur Sailing Club. For more news see Cobracat.com. These boats stand for a certain era.

One disappointed participant had broken the mast earlier in the week. He said the club house could revert to the city council and become a restaurant. I wonder how this fits with absolute waterfront development codes? Perhaps the sailing clubs are being encouraged to move and share facilities.

WORK HORSE

Lawn mower resting beside the Lemon Grass (both with long blades). Grass gets out of hand at this time of the year and it thrives in humid stormy weather but this very basic model Victa mower is easy to use and is powered by a Briggs and Stratton engine which is such a well-known 'work horse' and is possibly one of the few well know products that we have originally from the USA.

TO MARKET TO MARKET

Potential shelters waiting for market day and bigger and better times.
City markets were planned but were unsuccessful. In the short term, the developers had no commonsense at all. Out of town consultants? No local knowledge? But the council was a player! Perhaps, it takes a large population and a critical mass to support some ventures.
We have seen this before in the city. Ideas are developed as a tax dodge or whatever - "we tried hard and failed" type of thing. Several restaurants are up to something as well.

MOBILE ART

Here is an another intrepretation of the cathedral if one looks closely.
It seems a youth group has been commissioned to do cool works of art on the City Council construction vans.
An additional roof on the van makes it even cooler in summer.
The starting blocks on a swimming pool and a street diagram are included.

THIS IS NOT A GRAFFITO

But the gang's all here. Newcastle City Council Works Gang on location.

WELL KNOWN STORE

The shop decor is unpretentious! The Kotara branch of Strathfield Electronic gear.
Anyway, I'm on your side, Ol' Man Lincoln, I go along with height restrictions near residential areas.

CITROEN TRACTION - ILLUSTRIOUS SUPERNOVA !

CITROEN SAFARI WAGON GENRE: UNSURPASSED