Hunter River early Sunday. The Sun Herald cartoon had Men of Faith: Hunt - Enviro Minister, Prime Minister Abbott and former PM Howard standing in a church pew -

Oh Lord, protect us from the zealotry of climate scientists, and deliver us from experts with their wacko, evidence - based thinking

11am Sunday 17 November join SYDNEY DAY OF CLIMATE ACTION Prince Alfred Park. Be part of National day of climate action.

.....if you go down in the woods today you're sure of a big surprise...beneath the trees where nobody sees....
and the groom wore a ten gallon hat

...beneath the trees where nobody sees they'll hide and seek as long as they please.....

If you go down in the woods today....

Tranquil. How long will it last? Unprecedented cyclone in Asia and extreme hardship for the people. Take the safer option and prepare for climate change with carbon trading and sustainability.

Into the psychoanalythic woods and the mirror image. Rorschach would have a 129th birthday according to Google's person of the day. Rorschach did inkblots.  It's simple, an inkblot is is an image of the thyroid gland and that's significant because the thyroid is of hugh importance.

More horse power - Emirates Park in the Upper Hunter - horse breeding not the airline.  Coal trains are seen on the move all down the valley.  It is relentless. 

High noon at Murrurundi just this side of a 'mountain pass' through the Great Dividing Range into the Hunter valley.
It looked as though the long coal trains from Liverpool plains or where ever are assisted over the range by two extra locos on the end.  But there was no sign of them here. They must have parted company prior to this point.

Melbourne Cup Day,  Horse power and Raymond Loewy - who is today marked by Google who shows us a rakish steam locomotive designed by Loewy.
An old paper clipping found tucked away by a relative is of the then biggest and most powerful locomotive in the world completed at the Schenectady works of the Northern Pacific Railway, America. "It will develop 6000 horse power, and with tender will weigh approximately 1,100,000 lbs." On checking the 'net it could be said that this loco is a 2 8 8 4, with those two sets of eight driving wheels, possibly a Yellowstone type and Northern Pacific was the first to order one in 1928. Seemingly built by ALCO connected with New York Central rail. Rail was hugh and soon traversed most of America. Imagine the classic syle of vintage rail cars some of which had interiors also designed by Loewy. Another loco, Big Boy is a 4 8 8 4 with Union Pacific and must be well known and restored examples may be seen. Just imagine a behemoth 2 10 10 2 type of 1913. The last of such big examples of locos were probably built in Russia as late as 1955. Mallet, a Swiss engineer, developed the amazing articulated aspects where the first set of driving wheels were free to enable the loco to drive around curves. Yesterday, I came across what seems to be the same train as the photo in a baby's first picture book.   

Paterson River.  Just after sun rise. The cattle in the paddock could be young Charolais cattle originally a French breed. doh.

Sunrise. Paterson River.

Dawning. Paterson.

Family Fair and Open Day that is set to enjoy This Saturday Nov 2 Linuwel School East Maitland on the road to Morpeth.

We won't be needing this fully imported fire engine after all!  At this moment it is pouring rain - absolutely bucketing down.  Forgot what rain is.

Doctors have talked about the need for me to have this and that done.  Are they talking through their hat as prime minister Anthony Abbott has recently said about an expert?
Maybe evidenced based medicine is simply not good enough.  What would all those professionals know?
Medical researchers and the body of knowledge represent only one opinion among many others.
I could be like the minister Gregory Hunt and consult Wikipedia - the custodian of real true guidance on medical science.
Despite scholarship and peer review and all the rest of it there is no substitute for common sense and we can pick and choose what to run with.
Medical sceptics, quacks and News Corp columnists are entitled to be heard uncritically in a free society and given equal weight.

All this analogy is rather undermined by the recent Catalyst show (ABC TV) in which questions are raised about Cholesterol levels and accepted approaches. Some of those outside of mainstream have long held disbelief about reduction of cholesterol and see the harmful
ingredients in butter substitutes or margarine spreads as quite a problem.

Ich bin ein Clarence Towner. Das auto. Show and shine motor show around the pub, beer garden and the band played.  All to raise funds for pink ribbon issues.

Coincidence. In a crime story I was reading yesterday Rebus had tickets to Lou Reed.  And the lines were...hadn't listened to him for years ...don't suppose he's learned how to sing in the interim.... Following the concert we were given neutral comments and problems over ringing in the ears.
Ian Rankin. The Falls. 2001 Orion.

Clarence Town.  Rituals begin.  A hotted up car is revved up to the max for the gang to hear. Heaven. The sound transports the whole town. 

Clarence Town. Road Closed. What's going on? North of Newcastle.

Rural fire fighters and the whole effort is hughly appreciated.
Just imagine how unpopular the following words will go down.  The fires are a media event.  Generally it is inpossible for information and warnings  to be totally up to date contary to the impression we are given. Reports are an approximation.
An emergency warning flashes up on the screen which seems in order but unless you know precisely whats going on, it is a problem and possibly a bit useless in guiding ones actions, if you are to rely on a warning on TV.
Vision of clouds of smoke rising from bushland is all about generalities.
We are told a road is closed, minutes later one might advise someone you know to take an alternative route, half an hour later motorists will phone the radio with a totally different version of events.  Naturally the situation is dynamic but one must keep in mind that even with the best intentions and dedication, media and experts give the impression of immediancy but really there is no minute by minute up to date version of events.
Also it is misleading to repeat old footage of last weeks fires and ruins if it can be confused with current events

Imagine the distress when your school child is prevented by bushfire from returning home after school and not knowing their whereabouts.  And groups of people seeking shelter from the flames.  Then finding they have lost everything to fire. As has just happened.

In poor taste and ill timed I suggest that similar but hugh problems are the experience of thousand of refugees and those living under attack in Syria. In addition food and all supplies are scarce in the towns and little children have malnutrition. Whatever is their government thinking?  It must be full of sadists and or psychopaths.
 The ABC Radio relief appeal for Syria is on Sunday. Between 12md and 3pm we will be reminded to donate to the charities that work among the thousands who have next to nothing in Syria.  

http://www.abc.net.au/appeals/

All day we could smell the bush fires and thick smoke from the fires in the district filled the city air. It is one of those times I am very glad I live in town away from bush fires.

Hottest weather ever has been recorded. Together, nations can change their carbon footprint. We need to be among those who price carbon as the way to back each other up. It is cowardly to refuse carbon pricing or trading or significant actions. Be among the leaders, be part of the push and bring others along. Forget it with a 'Bott government who is merely looking at measures that should be done anyway in the ordinary course of events. That certain measures cost us is the point of it all. why else will anyone change their power consumption? A current advertisement for a solar system talks glowingly of the luxury of using up heaps of power at will. That's a disappointing way of looking at it.

A 'squatter' mentioned this is known as 'the valley', round Nundle area, where cattle breeders dwell as well as having a significant dairy farm.