Who's driving drunk on our roads?

When the subject of driving while on the turps comes up at my local watering hole quite a few fellow greybeards immediately start pointing a finger at young drivers.

Now if there's one thing northern NSW is known for it's the imbalance between age groups in the local population - with the number of older people steadily growing over the years and those in the late teens to twenties thin on the ground in towns and villages because many are moving away to get steady work .

So who exactly is responsible for the high number of drink-drivers on our North Coast roads?

Well a clue or two can be found in The Daily Examiner piece on 17th September 2009 when it reported that the Coffs-Clarence Area Command district had twice the state average of recorded driving under the influence nabs by police.

That works out as about 1 in every 75 drivers pulled over clearly testing positive for over-the-limit alcohol consumption.

But are they mostly youngies?

Nup and they're not tourists either.

Of the 49 drink-drivers mentioned in that newspaper since the very end of August 2009 up to last Monday, a whopping 33 of these drivers were between 30 and 68 years of age (half of these were middle aged and older).

They clearly trounced the young when it came to being caught with a skinful and accounted for all the high range PCAs highlighted.

Only 8 of the 49 drivers could be definitely tagged as tourists.

So the next time a mate at the bar starts mouthing off about the trouble with the young generation - tell him to pull his head in and watch how much he's knocking back himself.

Pic from Google Images

Like a bad smell on the bottom of your shoe some editors continue to reek long after

When Peter Chapman resigned as editor of The Daily Examiner at Grafton on the NSW North Coast to move to a similar position with the Frazer Coast Chronicle in Queensland, the Clarence Valley almost seemed to echo with a collective sigh of relief.

Still, when one leaves a job after less than fifteen months, with more than a few locals giving you a here's-your-hat-what's-your-hurry send-off, it would appear that there is an intermittent urge to revisit - like an itch you just can't satisfactorily scratch.

Therefore every so often, rather like that sudden bad smell on the bottom of your shoe, the former editor unexpectedly turns up on a page in The Daily Examiner.

This time in a letter to the editor on 16 January 2010, bemoaning the fact that his favourite small time developers did not have costs awarded to them in the NSW Land & Environment Court and using his letter to lobby against the re-election of five Clarence Valley shire councillors.

Chapman's huge ego knows no bounds.

Perhaps he should return to complaining about local government in the new home town, his weight, past hangovers, the price of a good steak, or upsetting the locals as he has been doing in the Fraser Coast Chronicle since at least 12 September 2009 and cease taking defensive pot shots elsewhere because he can't make a editorial sow's ear into a silk purse no matter how hard he might try.

When Japan hunts adult whales in the Southern Ocean this is what can be left to die

Photograph taken by Kate Westaway & found in The Sun

This is a very young Humpback Whale still reliant on its mother.
The Government of Japan is yet to give an unequivocal assurance that its whaling fleet operating in the Antarctic does not leave calves like this to die when it takes their mothers for meat.

• Background article The Japan Times: Whaling — for nationalism or science?

Australia's 2009 greenhouse gas emissions report card shows good intentions are never enough to drive meaningful change

Although government and the media are inclined to place a very positive spin on these figures from The Climate Group's Greenhouse Indicator Annual Report 2009:Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia and Australian Petroleum Use and Emissions Annual Report 2009, one has to wonder what Australia's total greenhouse gas emission levels are given that two states and one territory are missing from the electricity calculations (the Australian Capital Territory appears to be included with NSW).

What the national petroleum and electricity production and consumption profile suggests is that Australia spent 2009 merely marking time in relation to her total national greenhouse gas emissions, given that this year's figures come off the back of a national estimated increase of 553 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, or 1.1 per cent, in 2008 and an energy sector increase of 42 per cent from 1990 to 2007, and by another 1.5 per cent in 2008 according to the Federal Minister for Climate Change and Water in June 2009 and the east coast's total 2008 greenhouse gas emissions were 19 per cent higher than in 2000.

Excerpts from the aforementioned The Climate Group documents:

2009 Results

Across Victoria, NSW, Queensland and South Australia annual emissions were 5.3 million tonnes lower in 2009 than in 2008.

This is a fall of 1.8 per cent for the year.

The decrease was not uniform across all states.

Annual emissions in Victoria and Queensland registered the smallest relative reduction, with falls of 0.5 per cent (543,500 tonnes) and 1.1 per cent (852,210 tonnes) respectively.

Emissions in NSW and South Australia declined more substantially, down by 3.1 per cent (3,201,360 tonnes) and 4.2 per cent (730,210 tonnes) respectively.....

Electricity

Across the four states the total electricity generated during 2009 was 1.9 per cent lower than 2008. Coal was responsible for 87.8 per cent of all scheduled electricity generation, down from 88.9 per cent the previous year.

The share of gas‐fired generation rose from 8.4 to 9.3 per cent and the share of renewable generation increased slightly from 2.7 to 2.8 per cent.

The overall greenhouse intensity of scheduled electricity generation remained virtually identical to 2008.

In 2009, greenhouse intensity of electricity generation was 0.9267 tonnes CO2e per MWh. In 2008, it was 0.9282 tonnes CO2e per MWh.

In Victoria, electricity demand fell by 2.0 per cent in 2009 compared with the previous year.

Generation from brown coal‐fired generators increased by 1.1 per cent, while 27 per cent less electricity was produced from gas.

A fall in demand combined with a smaller decline in generation meant that Victoria's net export of electricity to other States was 73 per cent higher in 2009 than in 2008.

About 4.6 per cent of electricity produced in Victoria was exported in 2009 compared with 2.6 per cent in 2008.

In NSW, electricity demand fell by 1.2 per cent in 2009.

Generation from black coal‐fired generators in NSW fell by 6.1 per cent with gas‐fired generation achieving a 191 per cent growth due to new power stations being commissioned.

However, this was coming off a very low base of 0.6 per cent of total generation in 2008, rising to 1.7 per cent of generation in 2009.

Net imports from other states grew by 61 per cent compared with 2008 levels representing 5.6 per cent of overall electricity demand in 2009, up from 3.4 per cent in 2008.

In Queensland, electricity demand grew by 1.5 per cent this year compared with 2008.

Generation from black coal‐fired generators fell by 3.0 per cent while gas‐fired generation increased by 16 per cent.

The net export of electricity to other states from Queensland was 24 per cent less than the amount exported in 2008. In 2009, Queensland exported 8.1 per cent of the electricity it generated, down from 10.5 per cent in 2008.

In South Australia, electricity demand increased by 0.1 per cent in 2009.

Generation from coal‐fired generators fell by 2.8 per cent while electricity produced from gas‐fired generation was 11.5 per cent lower, meaning that total generation fell by 4.3 per cent in 2009.

Subsequently, South Australia went from being a marginal net exporter of electricity in 2008 to a net importer in 2009.....

Petroleum

Total emissions from petroleum‐based fuels were 95.630 million tonnes across all four states.

In contrast to the previous year, 2009 has seen a decrease in sales of petroleum‐based fuels across all states, except in SA.

Victoria was the state that had the greatest fall in emissions from petroleum, with emissions falling by 2.1 per cent or 540,000 tonnes.

NSW and Queensland only recorded slight reductions of 0.2 and 0.3 per cent respectively.

South Australia was the only state to register and increase – a marginal rise of 3000 tonnes or 0.3 per cent.

These reductions in petroleum sales come despite positive population growth in each of the states, and growth in Gross State Product in each state.

Across the different types of petroleum‐based fuels, results were mixed. Diesel sales were up across all states except for in Victoria were they fell.

Petrol sales fell in Victoria and Queensland, remained the same in NSW and increased in South Australia.....

National Overview of Petroleum

During the 12 months from October 2008 to September 2009, the use of petroleum‐based fuels across Australia produced 120.7 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

This represents around 20 per cent of the Australia's total emissions.

This was a reduction of 1.6 million tonnes or 1.3 per cent on the previous 12 months and went some way to reversing a 2.9 per cent rise in emissions from petroleum based fuels between 2007 ‐ 08.

This decline in petroleum emissions occurred despite a rise in population of 2.1 per cent across the country.

The use of and resulting emissions from LPG, petrol, diesel and other fuels all fell this past year with the exception of aviation fuel, emissions from which saw a small growth of 0.1 per cent to 16.1 million tonnes .

It is likely that the fall in overall petroleum use and emissions is largely due to the global financial crisis, which has curtailed business and industrial growth, especially in heavy industry and resources sectors.

The GFC also affected consumer confidence....

New South Wales emissions for the week ending 14 Jan 2010*:
1.972 million tonnes CO2e
This year to date: 3.808 million tonnes CO2
Last year to date: 3.699 million tonnes CO2

* NSW’s emissions from energy grew by 13% or 136,000 tonnes due mainly to an increase in emissions from coal-fired generation. Emissions from coal-fired electricity, which accounted for 85% of electricity generation in NSW this week, grew by 11% or 118,000 tonnes with a number of generation units coming online to meet the higher demand. Electricity demand grew by 14%. NSW imported 6% of its electricity demand from other states, compared to 11% last week. Emissions from gas grew by 25% or 24,000 tonnes. Emissions from petroleum products fell by 0.8% or 5,000 tonnes. This week’s Indicator is 3.8% higher than the same week in 2009 and total emissions to this stage of 2010 are 3.0% higher than the similar stage last year. This week’s Indicator is 29% above the average equivalent 1990 weekly emissions and 11% above the equivalent 2000 weekly average.

Cycling for a brighter sustainable future on the NSW North Coast?

Over the years I have heard many Yamba residents, who happen to enjoy cycling, express concerns over the fact that the only road between their town and Maclean is nigh on impassable for two-wheeled traffic and, that Yamba might as well be an island when it comes to bicycle travel.

People who enjoy a long brisk walk rarely proceed even as far as Yamba bridge due to the uncomfortable proximity of vehicular traffic.

If for no other reason than a collective lower carbon footprint, NSW North Coast local government should be actively pursuing linking its small towns via designated cycle lanes, when these same towns are within easy reach of the recreational cyclist.

The immediate spin-offs would possibly be first expressed as an increased exchange of disposable income between towns and higher tourists traffic (something Northern Rivers towns tirelessly work towards achieving).

Cycle track

IT'S time that a cycle track and walking path were constructed between Yamba and Maclean.

The Maclean to Yamba road is always busy throughout the year for work, school and other traffic - and especially at peak tourist times. Walkers and recreational cyclists in Yamba take their lives in their hands if they venture past the Oyster Channel bridge.

Increasing numbers of people cycle for recreation and fitness. We are urged to look after our health and fitness by walking.

Let's see Clarence Valley Council get on and provide this much needed infrastructure.

S SCHMOLKE, Yamba.

[The Daily Examiner, letter to the editor, 29 December 2009]

Cycling

FULL praise to Sue Schmolke for raising the issue of cycle paths in Yamba and Maclean.

Not that long ago I had to leave my car at Maclean for repairs, and because I had been a cyclist over many years I decided to take my bike with me and ride home to Yamba.

The trip back was a delight, but I am afraid to say there were parts of the road where I couldn't get off and I heard cars being slowed down as they inched their way past me.

Suffice to say, I won't be doing this again, but it seems such a shame in these days when most of us should be exercising more.

I am sure we have all seen small family groups arriving in Yamba with vans or trailers. More often than not there are bikes somewhere on the load.

This alone must give some credence to what Sue Schmolke is saying.

This comment is not intended as criticism of our council. In many ways their outlook has been marvellous with quite a few cycleways already in existence.

What is needed, however, are more ways of keeping cyclists of all ages, particularly children, out of harm's way.

More or better cycleways, plus attention to the verges on existing roads, can only add to the success that is Yamba and Maclean.

ALLAN TOWNSEND, Yamba.

[The Daily Examiner, letter to the editor,16 January 2010]

How much notice is the blogosphere taking of Rudd and Abbott at the start of 2010?

There was probably some method in the Mad Monk's verbal incontenience during the last few weeks - without it he may not have come close to keping pace with a prime minister who was being talked about even when he was going low profile during the parliamentary break.
This curve compares the popularity of queries tony abbott and kevin rudd in the blogosphere. Two terms closely related during some time period have similar looking popularity curves in that time interval, and hence these curves can be used to analyze relation between two topics. *


* BlogScope is an analysis and visualization tool for blogosphere which is being developed as part of a research project at the University of Toronto. It is currently tracking over 40.99 million blogs with 1116.38 million posts. BlogScope can assist the user in discovering interesting information from these millions of blogs via a set of numerous unique features including popularity curves, identification of information bursts, related terms, and geographical search