The Great Rudd Junket

Anon by viral email: "Below is a list of the 114 Australians who went to Copenhagen as part of the Rudd delegation. We are paying for all their travel, accommodation and meals and we thought Kevin Rudd and Penny Wong were genuine about trying to cut greenhouse gases!"

Read on and marvel:

H.E. Mr. Kevin Michael Rudd
Prime Minister

H.E. Ms. Penelope Wong
Minister, Climate Change and Water Office of the Minister for Climate Change and Water

H.E. Ms. Louise Helen Hand
Ambassador for Climate Change Department of Climate Change

Mr. David Fredericks
Deputy Chief of Staff Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Mr. Philip Green Oam
Senior Policy Adviser, Foreign Affairs Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Mr. Andrew Charlton
Senior Adviser Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Mr. Lachlan Harris
Senior Press Secretary Prime Minister's Office Office of Prime Minister

Mr. Scott Dewar
Senior Adviser Office of Prime Minister

Ms. Clare Penrose
Adviser Office of Prime Minister

Ms. Fiona Sugden
Media Adviser Office of Prime Minister

Ms. Lisa French
Office of the Prime Minister Office of Prime Minister

Mr. Jeremy Hilman
Adviser Office of Prime Minister

Ms. Tarah Barzanji
Adviser Office of Prime Minister

Mr. Kate Shaw
Executive Secretary Office of Prime Minister

Ms. Gaile Barnes
Executive Assistant Office of Prime Minister

Ms. Gordon de Brouwer
Deputy Secretary Prime Minister and Cabinet

Mr. Patrick Suckling
First Assistant Secretary, International Division Prime Minister and Cabinet

Ms. Rebecca Christie
Prime Minister's Office

Mr. Michael Jones
Official Photographer Prime Minister and Cabinet

Mr. Stephan Rudzki

Mr. David Bell
Federal Agent Australian Federal Police

Ms. Kym Baillie
Australian Federal Police

Mr. David Champion
Australian Federal Police

Mr. Matt Jebb
Federal Agent Australian Federal Police

Mr. Craig Kendall
Federal Agent Australian Federal Police

Mr. Ian Lane
Squadron Leader Staff, Officer VIP Operations

Mr. John Olenich
Media Adviser / Adviser to Minister Wong Office of the Minister for Climate Change and Water

Ms. Kristina Hickey
Adviser to Minister Wong Office of the Minister for Climate Change and Water

Mr. Martin Parkinson
Secretary Department of Climate Change

Mr. Howard Bamsey
Special Envoy for Climate Change Department of Climate Change

Mr. Robert Owen-Jones
Assistant Secretary, International Division Department of Climate Change

Ms. Clare Walsh
Assistant Secretary, International Division Department of Climate Change

Ms. Jenny Elizabeth Wilkinson
Policy Advisor Department of Climate Change

Ms. Elizabeth Mary Peak
Principal Legal Adviser, International Climate Law Department of Climate Change

Ms. Kristin Tilley
Director, Multilateral Negotiations International Division Department of Climate Change

Mr. Andrew Ure
Acting Director, Multilateral Negotiations International Division Department of Climate Change

Ms. Annemarie Watt
Director, Land Sector Negotiations International Division Department of Climate Change

Ms. Kushla Munro
Director, International Forest Carbon Section International Division Department of Climate Change

Ms.. Kathleen Annette Rowley
Director, Strategic and Technical Analysis Department of Climate Change

Ms. Anitra Cowan
Assistant Director, Multilateral Negotiations Department of Climate Change

Ms. Sally Truong
Assisting Director, Multilateral Negotiations International Division Department of Climate Change

Ms. Jane Wilkinson
Assistant Director Department of Climate Change

Ms. Tracey Mackay
Assistant Director International Division Department of Climate Change

Ms. Laura Brown
Assistant Director, Multilateral Negotiations International Division Department of Climate Change

Ms. Tracey-Anne Leahey
Delegation Manager Department of Climate Change

Ms. Nicola Loffler
Senior Legal Adviser, International Climate Law Department of Climate Change

Ms. Tamara Curll
Legal Adviser, International Climate Law Department of Climate Change

Ms. Jessica Allen
Legal Support Officer Department of Climate Change

Mr. Sanjiva de Silva
Legal Adviser, International Climate Law Department of Climate Change

Ms. Gaia Puleston
Political Adviser Department of Climate Change

Ms. Penelope Jane Morton
Policy Adviser, Multilateral Negotiations (UNFCCC) International Division Department of Climate Change

Ms. Claire Elizabeth Watt
Policy Advisor Department of Climate Change

Ms. Amanda Walker
Policy Officer, Multilateral Negotiations Department of Climate Change

Mr. Alan David Lee
Policy Adviser, Land Sector Negotiations Department of Climate Change

Ms.. Erika Kate Oord
Australian Stakeholder Manager Department of Climate Change

Mr. Jahda Kirian Swanborough
Communications Manager Ministerial Communication Department of Climate Change

H.E. Mr. Sharyn Minahan
Ambassador DFAT Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Denmark

Ms. Julia Feeney
Director, Climate Change and Environment Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Mr. Chester Geoffrey Cunningham
Second Secretary DFAT Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Germany

Ms. Rachael Virginia Cooper
Executive Officer, Climate Change and Environment Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Ms. Rachael Grivas
Executive Officer, Environment Branch Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Moya Elyn Collett
Desk officer, Climate Change and Environment Section Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Mr. Rob Law
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Mr. Robin Davies
Assistant Director General, Sustainable Development Group Australian Agency for International Development

Ms. Deborah Fulton
Director, Policy and Global Environment Australian Agency for International Development

Ms. Katherine Renee Ann Vaughn
Policy Advisor, Policy and Global Environment Australian Agency for International Development

Mr. Brian Dawson
Policy Adviser Australian Agency for International Development

Mr. Andrew Leigh Clarke
Deputy Secretary Department of Resources Development, Western Australia

Mr. Bruce Wilson
General Manager, Environment Energy and Environment Division Department of Resources Development, Western Australia

Ms. Jill McCarthy
Policy Adviser Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism

Mr. Simon French
Policy Adviser Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Mr. Ian Michael Ruscoe
Policy Adviser Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Mr. David Walland
Acting Superintendent, National Climate Centre Bureau of Meteorology

Mr. Damien Dunn
Senior Policy Adviser The Australian Treasury

Ms. Helen Hawka Fuhrman
Policy Officer, Renewable Energy Policy and Partnerships

Mr. Scott Vivian Davenport
Chief Economics NSW Department of Industry and Investment

Mr. Graham Julian Levitt
Policy Manager, Climate Change NSW Department of Industry and Investment

Ms. Kate Jennifer Jones
Minister, Climate Change and Sustainability Queensland Government

Mr. Michael William Dart
Principal Policy Advisor Office of the Hon. Kate Jones MP Queensland Government

Mr. Matthew Anthony Jamie Skoien
Senior Director, Office of Climate Change Queensland Government

Mr. Michael David Rann
Premier, South Australia Department of Premier and Cabinet, Southern Australia

Ms. Suzanne Kay Harter
Adviser Department of Premier and Cabinet, Southern Australia

Mr. Paul David Flanagan
Manager, Communications Government of South Australia

Mr. Timothy William Loughlin
Deputy Chief Executive, Sustainability and Workforce Management Department of Premier and Cabinet South Australian Government

Ms. Nyla Sarwar
M.Sc student Linacre College University of Oxford

Mr. Gavin Jennings
Minister, Environment and Climate Change and Innovation, Victorian Government

Ms. Sarah Broadbent
Sustainability Adviser

Ms. Rebecca Falkingham
Senior Adviser Victoria Government/Office of Climate Change

Mr. Simon Camroux
Policy Adviser Energy Supply Association of Australia Limited

Mr. Geoff Lake
Adviser Australian Local Government Association Sridhar Ayyalaraju Post Visit Controller DFAT Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Denmark

Mr. Tegan Brink
Deputy Visit Controller and Security Liaison Officer Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Denmark

Ms. Melissa Eu Suan Goh
Transport Liaison Officer and Consul DFAT Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Denmark

Ms. Lauren Henschke
Support Staff DFAT Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Denmark

Ms. Maree Fay
Accommodation Liaison Officer DFAT Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Denmark

Ms. Patricia McKinnon
Communications Officer DFAT Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Denmark

Eugene Olim
Paasport / Baggage Liaison Officer DFAT Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Denmark

Ms. Belinda Lee Adams

Ms. Jacqui Ashworth
Media Liaison Officer Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Denmark

Ms. Patricia Smith
Media Liaison Officer DFAT Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Denmark

Mr. Martin Bo Jensen
Research and Public Diplomatic Officer DFAT Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Denmark

Mr. Mauro Kolobaric
Consular Support DFAT Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Denmark

Ms. Susan Flanagan
Consular Support DFAT Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Denmark

Mr. Stephen Kanaridis
IT Support Officer DFAT Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Denmark

Mr. George Reid
Support Staff DFAT Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Denmark

Ms. Ashley Wright
Support Staff DFAT Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Denmark

Ms. Jodie Littlewood
Support Staff DFAT Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Denmark

Mr. Thomas Millhouse
Support Staff DFAT Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Denmark

Mr. Timothy Whittley
Support Staff Driver DFAT Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Denmark

Ms. Julia Thomson
Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Denmark

Mr. Donald Frater
Chief of Staff to Minister Wong Office of the Minister for Climate Change and Water

Ms. Jacqui Smith
Media Liaison DFAT Diplomatic Mission of Australia to Denmark

Mr. Greg French
Senior Legal Advisor, Environment Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Mr. Jeremy Hillman
Advisor PMO

Journalism and freedom

By Hal Crawford, ninemsn.

Rupert Murdoch has made many good points in his recent push to make his online news outlets profitable, but the central thesis that freedom is best served by charging for content is wrong.

In fact, Murdoch's move represents a big threat to freedom.

There appear to be two basic prongs in the News Corporation plan to make money. The first is to find a good way to charge people for its content.

This may be practically difficult, but operations like Apple's iTunes have shown that people will pay if it is easy and they get something they want.

The second prong is to legally prevent other publishers from using the same content to make money.

Murdoch sees this as an essential part of his plan, and it is this push that undermines one of the key tenets of a free society.

That idea is: no one owns information. Read on...

Merc

The Veggie Merc project continues despite setbacks...

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w201-190-class/1460254-om605-turbo-diesel-99-c-class.html

Counting the Copenhagen cost

If the 30,000 people attending the Copenhagen Climate Conference all flew, the total man-air-mileage would be 97,930,800km(1) at a cost of 0.00029 tons of co2 per person per km,(2)
or 28,399.93 tons of co2.

Therefore those 30,000 people could each drive a thirsty SUV for 6 months(3) assuming an average mileage of 5259.25km/year for the same environmental cost. That, or cut down 157,777 trees!(4)

(1) http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/aviation_polls/read.main/167694/ Users "Top Airline," Vhqpa and Tennis69.
(2, 3, 4) http://www.carbonneutral.com.au/

Monster Truck Show

Monster Trucks Mayhem

The Monster trucks that came to Moree after competing in the Australian Championships in Brisbane put on a night of high flying action and pure destruction.
Some acts that the monster truck show consisted of were the Scooby Doo, Batman, Thunder Down Under and Taz monster trucks (one was driven by the American champion and one by the Australian champion).

The night also had a jet force daihatsu car which was said to have great brakes to stop it from taken off at speeds over 300km and let off amazing heat. On the night a demolition Derby took place and the number 69 Commodore took out 3 ford falcons which got the crowd fired up. The night was quoted by Barb " To be a wonderful highly professional show that had international quality". This brought out a great crowd of 3000 people which made the organiser Clive Featherby very glad that he could make so many young people happy.

A test run in the Taz monster truck was taken to show a close up look, so click the link and enjoy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1Z3eR8Ztzw

Luke ' The Slave' Woods

Budget Supercars from UK - Export to Australia and save

My friend Frank is excited about the prospect of living in the UK because he can buy a new-ish Range Rover V8 with FHS* for £10,000. But what if you don't want to live in England? Due to some outdated trade-unionist laws, post 1988 vehicles cannot be imported into Australia without special provisions. This leaves us with everything built before December 1988. Shame, we miss out on the face lifted 911 and Ferrari 348 of 1989.

Budget uber-cars with pre-1989 build dates in the UK:

Turbo Lotus (X180 shape 1988-2003) Decent examples start at around £8,500. Australian delivered examples worth considering start at around $40,000.

AUDI Quattro 1983 (The Skyline GTR of it's time) Local examples are rare, properly sorted Quatto's start at around $22,000. This jaw dropping 80's pinup is yours ex-UK for £10,995 although decent cars trade for £6,500.

Old AMG options Mercs (rare here, common Isle-side) This immaculate hotch potch is yours for £1295 from a dealer. As a w201 owner twice over, I can recommend these early modern examples as a good place to start your MB odyssey.

Ferrari TR (1986-1994-ish) Prices? Big. You'll save about 35% after taxes and port costs ex-UK. Only mint examples with known histories should be considered.

The 911 Turbo is so common, the price difference doesn't warrant importing one. The styling feels a tad fussy, even cheap on 1988 examples.

The Tom Wilkinshaw Racing 6 liter Jag XJS is rare but cheap. Builds began around '88. I couldn't find one. Think 175mph and 6.8 secs to 60mph. Fast for a barge with a bodykit.

*FHS = Full Service History. Look for garaged 1 owner cars too, as everything including Queen Lizzy rusts UK side.

Shave me Kieran

In my never ending quest to explore ever more inappropriate behaviour, I have asked our young intern Kieran to shave me!

Fat Camp 16-11-09

09/11/09: 101.7kg, 16/11/09: 100.2kg.

So close to double figures! I haven't been this thin since my early, early teens.
Listen to the last episode of Fat Camp here: http://www.nowfm.com.au/stuff/fatcamp.mp3

Movember week 2 photo

Movember week 1 photo

Movember

I'm growing a fuzzy Mo for Movember - the men's health charity raising awareness and funds for prostate cancer and depression in men.

The funds raised go to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and beyondblue: the national depression initiative.

Please join me by making a small donation at: http://au.movember.com/mospace/members/search/q/now+fm by clicking on me (or your favorite Now FM presenter)

>>> And you get to see what I look like with a Mo! <<<

The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia will use the money raised by Movember to fund research into the causes, detection, diagnosis and improved treatment of prostate cancer.

beyondblue will use the money raised by Movember to fund the beyondblue info line and to increase community awareness about depression and reduce the stigma associated with the illness.

For more information on the outcomes of Movember go to:

http://au.movemberfoundation.com/research-and-programs/

Thanks for your support, every tiny little donation counts!

Brooke Saxby - Ocsober hero

If you're on Facebook, you've seen the party photo albums. What you might not have noticed is Brooke. She's in all of them!

Now Gundy's very own party girl has cut out the booze for Ocsober. It's all for a good cause so please send her all your money.

Ocsober website – Search Brooke Saxby (takes you to the everyday hero page)
Facebook – Search Brooke Saxby (You can friend her, I think that's what she said)
http://www.blogger.com/

By request - How to re-spray your own car - with video

Paint: the reality... it can be done at home


The paint choice will be dictated by the prep layers, let the person who is going to do the top coats choose the brand (defined as X below). You can do the final coats yourself but that's only 10% of the job, leave that last step to a friend with experience.

(0) Pre Prep
,,,,0.1 Take everything you can off the car, glass, door handles, rubber etc.
,,,,0.2 Clean everyting
,,,,0.3 Mask interior and wheels up
,,,,0.4 Sand the whole body:
,,,,,,,,0.4.1 Rub sound paint with 800 grit paper to dull it
,,,,,,,,0.4.2 Machine sand weak, bubbly, flakey or chalky paint right off with 120-240 grit till it's gone
,,,,0.4.3 sand and scrape away all rust and treat with rust converter
,,,,,,,,0.4.3.1 etch prime the converted spots and any bare metal - brand X
,,,,0.4.4 Clean everything
,,,,0.4.5 Solvent wipe everything - brand X
,,,,0.4.6 Mask everything - use expensive blue painters tape, trust me.
(1) Bare metal/pre-pre surface
,,,,1.1 Etch primer - brand X
,,,,1.2 F.Glass and flex fillers if needed - any 2 part automotive brand
,,,,1.3 Body filler - any 2 part automotive brand
,,,,1.4 Hi fill primer - brand X
(2) Paint layers
,,,,2.1 Primer - brand X
,,,,2.2 Base metallic colour coats (or solid colour top coat) - brand X
,,,,2.3 Clear coats if using metallic etc. - brand X
(3) Finishing
,,,,3.1 Cutting compound wax coat - any automotive brand
,,,,3.2 Hand wax finish - any automotive brand
(4) Have a beer - as long as it's not Fosters, we don't actually drink that down here, it's for export suckers.

If that's all too much, here is a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9S9oQ2OWl4

You can move anything in a hatchback

James shows you how...

Michael Jackson's Nose!

G'day, this is Steve the news guy bringing you sad news you've probably already heard... Michael Jackson is dead!

As a tribute here's a link to a site that shows Michael's transformation from handsome young black man into frightening, ugly white man.

http://www.anomalies-unlimited.com/Jackson.html

A real shame about Michael, but at least we have his music and his strange antics to keep us amused for many years to come.

Peace Out.

Steve

Fat Camp Win

01/06/09: 106kg, 09/06/09: 105.1kg.

Total weight loss to date: 34.9kg
Weapon of choice: Subway diet.

Fat Camp Fail

18/04/09: 105.4kg, 01/06/09: 106kg.

Bugger. I feel like this little guy....

Listen to the latest fat camp here: http://www.nowfm.com.au/stuff/fatcamp.mp3

Biodiesel Merc is going 2 be Sweeet

2 seats are done (pictured) and the new turbo donk is on the way from England as we speak.... Check this out, it's one with the same engine I ordered (smoke is good when you're on Veggie Oil!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VwpNktflAw - ff to about 60 secs in.

Weekends

YouTube description: Can Explode, Holden drift.
Feat. James + Frank. Don't try this at home.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NIU9rYAFNU

Dominique Rizzo Vs. Nat in Bachelor Cookoff

Where else can you find a celebrity chef cooking with SPAM and Cheetos chips? Today I caught up with Ready Steady Cook chef Dominique Rizzo for a battle of wit and daring as we enter the world of bachelor cooking!

Listen here: http://www.nowfm.com.au/stuff/cooking.mp3

Ps, near the end I'll give you the recipe for 200 calorie mince Tacos, great for the not-so-fatty in all of us.

Condom Ice Cream

Nat samples Korean Condom Ice Cream at GirlDom's Extreme Lawn Bolws Challenge...

Lawn Bowls - why abstain when you can smoke and drink?

Let me make one thing nice and sparkling clear: I am not at home to lawn bowls. That is, I wasn't until the other day.

Imagine chasing Ashley Simpson* through a field of warm grassy temptation, with your best beige sweater billowing in the early morning breeze. Now picture her bathing in a secluded clearing, half covered and glowing in the amber dawn. You edge ever closer and to your horror, discover she's 82 years old and denture-having.

This has always been the problem with Lawn Bowls.

But what would happen if there were no old people on the Green? We decided to find out: http://www.nowfm.com.au/stuff/bowls.mp3

*Girls, try Zac Efron instead.

Skiing in April is dissapointing.

My holiday at work wasn't going to plan so I commissioned Station Slave to build a snowboard that works in summer. Equipped with two trolleys, tape, foam and a stuffed turtle, she built a monster of Frankenstein proportions.

I came, I saw, I downhill 'skied...' I savoured the hopeless suckfullness.
http://www.nowfm.com.au/stuff/skiing.mp3

Shaving blind is much, much harder than you think!

I've never had a blind friend. I once had a deaf friend, but that was in primary school and I don't know where he is anymore. All this ads up to make me the perfect candidate for some carefully crafted experiments that aim to simulate the everyday world of the legally blind male.

Blunt razor in hand, I proceeded to lather up and scrape my face off.... the results were mediocre at best.

The experiment was abandoned at 1044 hours.

hAPPY cAPPY eASTER!

I'm outa here... oh, wait: Need an Easter gift and can't work out what 2 give? "The Soundtracks Of Your Life" try http://www.thesoundtracksofyourlife.com/

c ya.

5 steps to find your keys

Thx Hayneedle (www.hayneedle.com)
1. Count to Ten
Slowing your body and mind down will allow you to focus on the task at hand without the adrenaline clouding your judgment.

2. Retrace Your Steps
visit common areas where you tend to leave things - a counter, a desk, the couch, your dresser - anyplace where you tend to set things down.

3. Engage Help
the more people you have searching, the better.

4. The Usual Suspects
The usual suspects include anyone or anything that likes to play with objects and doesn’t always put that item back where it came from. Children and pets are the most common culprits. Take a peek in playrooms, dog-beds, toy boxes, game closets or any other locations that these culprits frequent.

5. Don’t Lose Your Stuff In the First Place!
And if all else fails, try some memory tricks The Learning Web has a bunch, and you can check ‘em out at www.hayneedle.com

Ignorgasm

"Ignorgasm" (n; an explosion of physical pleasure derived from ignoring someone who desperately deserves it)

Cheap as chips fuel

Earlier this week I spent some time with Damo Murphy talking biofuels and, amongst other things, the veggie oil powered Merc I've been building with the help of Brett O'Neil.

Basically I needed a cheap commuter so I picked up a 190D with some rego remaining and set about converting it to Biodiesel. After some filtration issues and one very long night in the middle of nowhere I decided to use the repair budget to go the whole way and convert to straight veggie oil. Since then the Merc's done nearly 30,000 miles at an average of 7.43l/100km.

It made for a good opportunity to test the mighty Merc on the drag strip against the ch9 rent-a-falcon. Plus I was feeling candidly romantic that day, because nothing says S.N.A.G. like dirty finger nails and an oily old car.

The vid is on 9MSN here:

Tags: A Current Affair, Vegetable Oil, Petrol Fuel Prices, Channel 9, Moree.

http://video.au.msn.com/watch/video/cheap-as-chips-petrol/xvbdipk

New Year's Resolution: Broken Ankle :-(

Bugger. Welcome to '09.