"Sod off! This one's taken."
Funny Animal Pictures by Ty Buchanan
Heat Kills
Everyone knows that Australia is a hot country, perhaps not as hot as Africa. Nonetheless, it can get "stinking hot" here. In the past, some regions have experienced 10 days or more with temperatures close to 40 degrees Centigrade (100 Fahrenheit).
We are going through a cool period now with La Niña. However, this winter has been the warmest on record. There seems to be rain along the coast, hardly any inland. This is an odd situation. La Niña should make it wet everywhere.
Australians treat heat as a way of life, knowing that the cool will end and the scorchers will soon arrive. Most do not know that heat is the country's greatest killer. If asked in the street, most would not believe this.
Combine deaths caused by bushfires, storms and cyclones. The number will not be near as many who die from heat. Research has shown that most heat related deaths occur on January 27. This is a day after Australia Day, a bank holiday where people celebrate with too much alcohol. Could this be a factor? No, Australians drink all year round. Being outside around the barbecue could contribute though.
With electricity prices going through the roof in Australia staying in an air conditioned room is now a luxury. This is why more of the poor will die. The elderly are next on the list and those with preexisting illnesses not being adequately treated are last. It could be said that death from heat is a wealth problem - take note politicians!
Society by Ty Buchanan
War Looming That Russia Cannot Win
It is certain that what is left of Ukraine, if there isn't a world war now, will push Ukraine to join NATO. Putin thinks his actions will prevent this happening. This is a great strategic mistake on his part. Adding eastern Ukraine onto Russia will make the rest of the Ukrainian people fearful.
A new cold war could result instead of a war, Probably a face off of missiles along the remaining Russian-Ukrainian border, much like North and South Korea. The thing is, Russia is a very small target. The West is a very large one. How can Russia possibly defeat the whole West. It isn't possible.
Russia is heading for further isolation that is pushing it backwards technologically. Furthermore, taking in eastern Ukraine will be a tremendous financial burden. Russians may like what he is doing now, but they will change when economic hardships begin. Note that the conflict has already pushed Russia into recession.
✴ Politics by Ty Buchanan ✴
Oil Found Off Australia's North West Coast
There has always been a belief that Australia's future lies in finding a mineral that is plentiful in the north west of the country. Till now this has not been achieved. Everyone knows that Western Australia is full of iron ore so this is not what they are looking for.
Drilling for many years has just made holes in the ground. Companies have gone over ground already explored before. This is how the latest find was made. There is oil there and in vast quantities. Apache Corp. has made the announcement that was greeted with surprise by some people.
Apache was searching for gas when it made the discovery. Considering Australia's oil production has fallen to its lowest level for forty years this can only be good news.
Income to Western Australia from iron ore has declined due to a fall in Chinese demand. The price for iron ore is down by a third since January. Australia is producing far more ore than it can sell. Coal is not doing well either.
The oil found by Apache is of very high quality so a high price is expected for it when it eventually comes on line. Unfortunately, it could be some time before this happens. Normally developing a new oil field takes decades.
✴ Economics by Ty Buchanan ✴
Dangerous Love - Gonorrhoea
Millions of dollars is being spent in HIV research. It is mainly spread by sexual contact. However, venereal diseases in general are being forgotten.
Antibiotics are becoming ineffective in combating venereal diseases. Such infections have been around for thousands of years and there is still no cure. Antibiotics used to "knock it on the head" in the past. This luxury no longer exists.
A serious resistant strain of gonorrhoea is extant in Australia and New Zealand. It has now arrived on our doorstep. A8806 is very similar to H041 which is absolutely untreatable. Different resistant strains have appeared in Japan, the US and Norway.
Because people today are more promiscuous than ever "the clap" is spreading extremely fast. The disease affects the whole body invading mucous membranes such as the sexual organs, eyes and throat. Arthritis, heart infections and meningitis can result.
Most people have serious symptoms. Pain when urinating, bleeding and oozing puss are common. The greatest problem is that some sufferers have no symptoms at all, so they unknowingly keep spreading the disease.
✴ Health by Ty Buchanan ✴
Two New Species Carrying Irukandji Found in Australia
It never fails to amaze me how new things are discovered on our doorstep when the majority of people think everything is known about nature. This is particularly true in Australia where a low number of people live on a vast continent. Some places have not even been visited by humans for thousands of years.
Dr Lisa-Ann Gershwin has identified two species of jellyfish that can carry Irukandji syndrome. The new species are Keesingia gigas and Malo bella. Doctor Gershwin works for CSIRO. There are now 16 species that can cause Irukandji.
Keesingia can grow to 50 cm in bell height. This is by far the largest jellyfish. Juvenile leatherjacket fish safely live in its subumbrellar cavity as with the more common medusas.
The two newly documented species have been generally known for some time. However, they have not been found in Australian waters before. They could have been present for a long time or maybe they are new, moving here due to climate change and the warming ocean.
Dr Lisa-Ann Gershwin has identified two species of jellyfish that can carry Irukandji syndrome. The new species are Keesingia gigas and Malo bella. Doctor Gershwin works for CSIRO. There are now 16 species that can cause Irukandji.
Keesingia can grow to 50 cm in bell height. This is by far the largest jellyfish. Juvenile leatherjacket fish safely live in its subumbrellar cavity as with the more common medusas.
The two newly documented species have been generally known for some time. However, they have not been found in Australian waters before. They could have been present for a long time or maybe they are new, moving here due to climate change and the warming ocean.
Biology by Ty Buchanan
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