AIR AMBULANCE

yed
Telstra Child Flight had just carried a patient to John Hunter Hospital this evening. It was busy, another chopper arrived soon after, to touch down on the roof of the car park.

Is MASH the greatest sitcom? It has an enduring worth and reruns can be enjoyed on Prime TV. Klinger in drag was ahead of his time and played by Jamie Farr who is always anxious to return from Korea to Toledo, Ohio.

Department Stores

The traditional Department Store, David Jones, has traded on this corner for years and at least one other company preceeded it, on the corner of Hunter and Perkins.
David Jones Stores originated in Sydney and were/are a stylish 'institution' there and many branch stores have opened.
Their catalogue was a classic edition particularly for families out in the 'bush' or country - naturally enough.
Hunter Street has long been closed to traffic and mall-ised.

ACTIVE OR PASSIVE VOICES

Inside City Hall, downstairs, through the corridors, into a quiet sacred space, the monks were in ritual.
Outside City Hall protestors were making a point. State Parliment was in session and the protestors wanted to be seen by the MPs. The question of coal exports raised its ugly head.

From time to time, State cabinet undertakes forays into the 'provinces' with their fancy cars and their minders. Minders? The local scene is quite laid-back.
Resistance in passive and more active form was at work.

REFUGE FROM THE WORLD

Buddhist Monks were invited to our City Hall this time, where they held meditations, lectures and created an intricate sand mandala on the floor. Ethnic handcrafts could be purchased in order to support the struggles of their people .

HMAS NEWCASTLE

,

'Dreadnoughts' and Crosses were played today with an underwater opponent in a tank on the wharf near the guided missile frigate named after our city and paying us a visit.
In recent times HMAS Newcastle has been to such places as the Middle East and to the Pacific island of Fiji where another coup was underway and it was said that the expats might need escape.
Read that the frigate is powered by two GE LM2500 gas turbines for the main propulsion which is innovative for the Australian Navy.

Newcastle By Day

Having fun with spirited expression of the feminine mystique in dance. Belly dancing has grown so much, has it gone global ? Or pear shaped!
A Gothic spire is in the distance - St Andrews. Unfortunately it has led to a photo with an empty grassy patch in the centre. Incongruous scene but very enjoyable in the sunshine in the merry month of May. We also saw a sociologist on bass guitar do a reto Marxist riff and other fiesty artists from several countries.

Birthday At Thai Restaurant

Surprise, surprise!. . . . And Thai food makes you look happy. It is heavenly .

Wicked Camper IV - each with a unique design

ON DOG WATCH

The regulars all say 'hello' to this dog, Pat, who has a special observation place under the market stall.
Abraham Lincoln (Brookville D Photo) wrote that he once had a dog that lived to the enormous age of 23 years. I heard that small dogs live the longest.

Newcastle players are represented in the popular State Of Origin League match tonight. NSW and Queensland in the first of three matches. League is derived from Rugby Union.( Australian Rules is a different game again)

Evening In May

The crescent moon beams down on all of us just now.
It's tiny but in the park, the moon and evening star ( is it Venus?) above
Early touches of snow are expected overnight on the small southern highlands. Winter at last.

Prevent land clearing and loss of habitat. Example: in the north of the state, wet land eco-systems have been illegally cleared and destroyed recently, including areas for water bird and migratory birds.

Cultural Stomp

Quiet circle of meditation at the multicultural festival, Saturday, Newcastle Civic Park. ...the festival encourages community members to awaken their senses through the arts...for peace and justice...showcases our city's art, multicultural, sub cultural and environmental groups.

Its Just Saturday Night - Thats All !

Eating mini pancakes under a tree - as you do.

Why Do I Still Call Australia Home?

Car Sticker: Free Hicks Now.
And Today's The Day Hicks returns home.
What does this case stand for?


Blogger dashboard says I am 'saved'! Oh my, thanks Google!

Searching For Another Overload

These are the lines
that carry the power
To run the PC
out in space cyber
Virtual city
visitor be visitor see. . . .unpublished by Glen Cowbell

Solar power is sustainable

Obscure Obelisk

Many cities are adorned with an obelisk. Strangly, Egyptology was a strong influence, even so, at least, this obelisk would have had its origins here. Amusingly, from this popular viewpoint, it is partly obscured by a palm tree, taking us back to the Nile. The evening lux touched the edge of the tiers as they took one ever up to the glorious heights! (This photo doesn't do it justice.)



ancient past and with restraint a sustainable future

And Horseshoe Beach

May is just the best month
Dogs love to exercise, without their leash, at Horseshoe Beach. They swim and chase after things watched over by their doting owners. The old dog in the foreground is 14 years old and 'fragile'. A few areas of town are designated for dogs where they are allowed to be without their leash.

Anjing senang bergerak bebas tanpa dirantai, berlari-lari di Pantai Horseshoe. Mereka mandi dan suka mengejar-ngejar sesuatu dan selalu diperhatikan oleh pemiliknya yang menyayangi mereka. Ada beberapa tempat di kota dimana anjing diizinkan bergerak bebas dirantai.
Bahasa Indonesia thanks to AM & I

Local Varieties of ATMs

The latest 'hole in the wall' from Newcastle Permanent Branch at Waratah Shopping Village. (lower photo)
Is there an alternative banking institution? One that does'nt take billions profit nor pay its CEOs obscene amounts. Newcastle Perm is a smaller bank, perhaps it's the alternative.

Celebrate biodiversity Conserve biodiversity

Foggy Morning

The best warm sunny days in May can occasionally be followed by a foggy day.
About 9am today. Solar light and heat was about to break through.
My relative was flying to Brisbane and the flights had long delays.

Cherish biodiversity

Chequerplate with a 'Q' or Checkerplate or Treadplate

Hasn't this aluminium caught on? Not only is it used in the making of storage for work gear or somesuch but it is likely to turn up on the walls of kitchens or whatever.

Mothers Day this Sunday

Women are remarkable the world over.
DWI Madang, in earlier times, with P.M. Somare; B. de Breurer and others.

Splendid and dignified Highlander women in Hargen.

For Mothers Day 2007

Mother earth is own only home

Mothers Day

Mother as hunter and gatherer.


Mother earth is our only home

Tyre Kicking in Newcastle West.

This model Holden (GMH Aust) goes to the EU and USA under different guise.
It's a matter of taking coals to Newcastle as the saying goes. The car has quality, this is no banana republic, not at last count anyway!

Cut greenhouse gases

The Set

Movie making with a surfing theme, near Nobbys Beach, last Saturday. Low budget films are most often the best.

Biodiversity is everything

In Newcastle Today

Right outside this office door, at the wharf, was Sea Tow, a barge, involved in bulk freight and salvage. Must be part of an international company.

Caravaners from the north appear to be well set up with a roomy van with air con and a retractable shelter. Happy Holidays! Usually southerners go north later on for winter.

Conserve biodiversity

Newcastle Showground.

A deserted showground is eerie yet liberating. The Dog and Poultry Pavilions, built in 1906-08, are expected to be demolished due to their very poor condition and significant white ant damage. An archival record will be produced and an interpretive plan prepared later on.
Apart from that, Agricultural Shows are not as significant as they once were.
The Entertainment Centre (white) is also on site.

It is not the strongest of the species who survive, nor the most intelligent but the ones most responsive to change.

Street Art that Surrounds an Entrance to What's Underneath the Road

Mark Twain visited Hunter Street during his travels. These figures stand almost in the middle of the street in this strange formation at the junction of Hunter and Scott Streets. Aliens guarding a mystery?
It has been said that chained up they represent our convict past or this can be left to our imagination. And going by appearances, has gender deconstruction been at work there?
A photoblogger suggested this topic and his work can be admired at his site aptly named Azureglobe

Biodiversity is crucial. Example, bees are scarce in parts of the USA and are now being imported.

Speed and the Locals

The sunny destination was Bar Beach Car Park for this group of bikers, complete with fake bullet holes.

France is the next destination for Casey Stoner leader of the premier MotoGP (800cc motorbike) international round.
Yesterday he took out the Shanghai GP on a fiery red Ducati.(The Herald Newspaper)
Casey is from Kurri Kurri, a small, no frills, town near Newcastle. It is interesting to see the number of winners that shine through from our small state.

-Respect Biodiversity-

Newcastle West

The evening peak 'hour' is underway, luckily we never get big traffic jams.
The silhouette shows a pit or poppet head usually associated with a mine shaft but believe it or not, no mining is done nowdays right in the city.
The pit head is a museum piece.

..biodiversity forever........

Cow Patch

Scene on a suburban footpath.
Would like to see how others, especially our Abraham Lincoln (photographer and Ohio farmer) would have captured this bovine? They posed very well! So often it's a matter of taking a photo while 'on the run'.
A herd of cows made of corrigated iron - there's always a surprise in store.


- Biodiversity is crucial-

Civic Centre, Newcastle.

Skateboarding roxs!
There's a skateboarder there somewhere. The city doubles up as a skateboard ramp although places have been set up in some of the parks.
Exercise on the run - activity and fitness go together.


Enjoy biodiversity, conserve biodiversity

Imagined Cities. V.

Another city within a city.

The British High Commission
Canberra, ACT.
Side view with Union Jack
Little Kingdom?


























The Canadian High Commission
Canberra, ACT.

The high structure in the far distance
is atop Federal Parliament and the South Wing!

Imagined Cities IV

For a mixed metaphor, like a Matryoshka or Babushka doll the Chinese Embassy is embedded in Canberra. A city within a city?
All diplomatic missions enjoy extraterritorial status making them exempt from our law and in all respects treated as being part of the territory of the parent country.

Naturally enough, the property is very Chinese and extends into a pleasant walled garden with small decorative pavilions. A strong pair of lions, in stone, take pride of place at the entrance. No real entrance should be seen without a lion nearby.

Lost Cities III.

Where Am I? ....... South Korea?....Taiwan? ........Calif?
Sally knew the Nan Tien Temple is not too far away to the south of Sydney built for the Mahayana Buddhist sect: Fo Guang Shan and has a college, temples, oversized images, hotel and conferences. It was quality built not so long ago with wonderful attention to detail and colour and contrasts enormously with the earthy ancient examples of pagoda or temple. The sect is Taiwanese.
BTW Also built in remarkable pagoda style in Taiwan is Taipei 101, the world's tallest building.
Previous post is of The KNIGHTS Rugby League, grounded in Newcastle and winner last Monday night.

Ghost Ride

Ghost Ride, last night in a.............fantasy Ghost Town?

City X

Markets.
Could be anywhere?