Hey, Google! Give me back my ability to do a decent search or I walk

I only lost Google Search Engine’s Search Within Results option last week when using Internet Explorer – AND I WANT IT BACK NOW! It was more than annoying when Google decided to install Web History which automatically modified search results on a predictive basis thus limiting deliberately wide searches. It was simply awful coping with that intrusive low IQ Instant Search until I managed to permanently switch it off. However, the last straw was finding the search within option deleted by those increasingly highhanded geeks at Google Inc. Now looking about for a new search engine to be my ‘best friend’ in cyberspace.

Browned Off
Bangalow

* Guest Speak is a North Coast Voices segment allowing serious or satirical comment from NSW Northern Rivers residents. Email ncvguestpeak at gmail dot com to submit comment for consideration.

Senator Eric Abetz - the gift that just keeps on giving

This is an excerpt from an Australian Liberal Party Federal Senator Eric Abetz media release on 17 January 2011, in which he demonstrates that he is a serious history buff:

“To imply climate change is responsible for flooding is to deny the World’s history from Noah and beyond.”

Does this mean that when flood mitigation measures are inevitably discussed in the Senate later this year that Abetz might be recommending funding local government areas to build wooden arks for residents and ratepayers?

Image from Google Images

Reader Alert! Pistols, or perhaps handbags, at 10 paces at dawn

Two very seasoned correspondents who appear regularly (some might say, "too regularly") in The Daily Examiner's letters columns seem set for one almighty brawl. 

The correspondent from the lower end of the valley (the area that contributes vast amounts of $$$s to the coffers of the local council and helped bail out the cash-strapped upper valley council via a process of enforced amalgamation) has thrown a red flag in the face of the true-blue, conservative commentator from upstream.

Watch this space!

Abbott's 'flood' politics don't appear to be resonating with the general public

When a public figure like Australian Opposition Leader Tony Abbott tries to play politics in a rolling natural disaster; from his 'more dams' call, to cravenly trying to scare Queensland flood victims by falsely calling into doubt their basic eligibility for Centrelink's Disaster Recovery Payment and then following that with a reworking of his 'great big new tax' mantra with lines like Queenslanders should not be taxed to fund the rebuilding effort - then he too can find himself amongst the casualties:

Tables from the Essentail Report on 17 January 2011 don't indicate any great enthusiasm for Abbott. The survey was conducted online from 11 to 16 January 2011 at the height of east coast flooding and, after Abbott had given a number of interviews on the subject. It is based on 1,052 respondents.

Trust Joe Hockey to state the obvious in an attempt to point score

I rather think that Opposition shadow spokesperson on Treasury matters is beginning his 2011 push to pressure the Gillard Government concerning the Australian national budget’s bottom line, by using the January 2011 floods as his lever starting with these tweets on Saturday 15 January:

JoeHockey JoeHockey

......so watch for inflationary pressures as massive infrastructure and labour demands of rebuild kick in with higher commodity prices.

JoeHockey Joe Hockey

Prime cut meat currently $32 a kilo and producers in FNQ get $2.20 a kilo (undressed so say $4.40 equiv). Southern Aus. prices up to $3.20!

JoeHockey Joe Hockey

Watch commodity prices surge after floods. Not just coal etc but food and meat in particular. Road damage makes access to markets very tough

Emailers obviously don't know their audiences

Went to the mail box today and found amongst the assorted cattle-dogs and other junk mail one message that almost tugged my heart strings. It nearly had me convinced it was the real thing, but there was one dead-seat giveaway clue that meant it wasn't truly meant for me.

Read the e below and see if you can find the clanger.

From: Mrs. Barbara Bruno.

Dear Friend,

I am the above named person but now undergoing medical treatment.  I am married to Dr. William Bruno (Jnr) who worked with British Judicial Commission in Chelsea England for over a decade before he died on 5th of July in the year 2003. We were married for fifteen years without a child. He died after a brief illness that lasted for two weeks.

When my late husband was alive he deposited a Huge sum of money with one Finance/Security Company now a Bank in London (United Kingdom). Presently, this money is still with the Bank. Recently, My Doctor told me that I would not last for the next 150 days due to cancer problem. Though what disturbs me most is my stroke. So, you know my predicament, I have decided to donate this fund to an individual or better still a God fearing person who will utilize this fund the way I am going to instruct here in. I want an individual that would provide succor to poor donate to orphanages, widows, and propagating peace in the universe.

I took this decision because I don’t have a Kin that would inherit the funds, My Late husband's relatives are not inclined to helping the less privileged and I do not want my late husband’s Estate misused. Thus, the reason for taking this bold decision, I’m not afraid of death hence I know where I am going. I know that I am going to be in the bosom of the Almighty.

As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the My late husband's Lawyer In London he would assist in re covering the funds from the Finance/Security Company . I would also issue you a letter of authority that will empower you as the original Benefactor of this fund. I want you to always pray for me.  Please assure me that you will act according to my specification herein, Write back soon.

Thank you and May the Almighty bless you.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs. Barbara Bruno.

barbrabrun@aol.com

 Yep, it was the "God fearing person" bit. Don't ya just hate it when spammers cannot get basic facts right!

And where was Tony?

TwitPic

And where was Tony Abbott? Oh, he was doing doorstops, filmed walkabouts and radio interviews playing at 'flood' politics.
Before that? Well he was doing the odd 'flood' interview while on holidays.
Definitely a talker not a doer when it doesn't involve wearing lycra or showing off the navel.

Jules tongue-in-cheek scores a Keneally bullseye

After a year of ignoring NSW North Coast invitations to inspect problems on the Pacific Highway, NSW Premier Krisitina Keneally quickly hops up by helicopter for a photo opportunity during the recent flooding, and...............the locals noticed!

The Daily Examiner political cartoon on 15 January 2011

Slightly stir-crazy in Yamba, January 2011

Locals are quietly smiling at the fact that Clarence Valley Council set up a road block just out of town.

Rumour has it that after endless rain then flood, tourists just wanted to go home - please!

Unfortunately they wanted to take the family cars and caravans though flood water coursing over a narrow river causeway which is one section of the only road which ties the village to the outside world.

Yamba Road is expected to be open today.

Photo from The Daily Examiner

Oh, Germaine! It can't be the tyranny of distance at work - you're just around the corner

A hat tip to Clarrie Rivers for sending this Germaine Greer quote concerning the Clarence Valley flooding in January 2011:

An eight-metre levee has kept the town of Grafton dry, though the Clarence river is in massive spate, but Yamba, further downstream has no levee and is under water.

Actually Germaine, Yamba stayed relatively dry even if flood waters had cut it off from the rest of the New South Wales North Coast.

That’s because it had stopped heavily raining in the catchment about 36 hours before the flood peak came past this little coastal town during a very low tide period on its way out to sea.

Germaine presumably was submitting her copy electronically to The Guardian U.K. from somewhere in Queensland and did not think to click onto the Australian Bureau of Meteorology website to double check her ‘facts’.