In a big way I'm glad I am back in Singapore this period. Melbourne's going through one of the worst heatwaves ever. I've experienced highs of 42 and 40 degrees last summer, but this summer's quite insane. Very intense. A whole week of 40+ degree temperatures. Madness!
Read more below!
---
The Age
Andra Jackson
January 30, 2009
Full article here...
THERE was an eerie feeling on Melbourne's streets yesterday. They were largely deserted, as people took refuge indoors to beat the searing heat.
The city's temperature reached 40 degrees by 11.40am. The mercury continued to climb throughout the afternoon, notching 44.3 degrees at 4.40pm.
It was the city's third-hottest day on record (the hottest was Black Friday — January 13, 1939 — with 45.6).
The heat followed a sticky night, with the temperature falling to 28.7 degrees at 3.13am. There have only been two nights hotter, the hottest of them on February 1, 1902, when the low point was 30.5 degrees.
Lifesaving Victoria's Guy Britt said people had been shunning beaches during the day because it was too hot. Instead, they descended from 6pm until late into the night.
More than 70,000 people flocked to the state's beaches on Wednesday night, prompting a call to lifesaving volunteers to patrol beaches and put up flags on the heatwave nights. More than 30 clubs responded.
In the city's meltdown yesterday, the air-conditioning at the DFO outlet in Spencer Street failed, forcing many shops to shut and send staff home.
Ambulance Victoria was flat out, with 75 heat-related calls between 9am and 5pm.
The Metropolitan Fire Brigade was also under siege. Emergency calls jumped dramatically in the 24 hours to midnight on Wednesday, with 266 calls on the first day of the heatwave.
MFB and Country Fire Authority firefighters received a total of 986 calls, including multiple power pole and transformer fires as a result of the heat.
Across the border, Adelaide sweated through its hottest night on record on Wednesday, with the temperature dropping only to 33.9 degrees.
Adelaide hit 40 degrees-plus yesterday for the third day in a row. It is forecast to remain in the 40s and 30s into next week.
The extreme heat also spread to Tasmania. A high of 41.5 degrees was recorded on Flinders Island — the state's highest temperature since 1976.
On day two of Victoria's heatwave, the top temperatures were 45.8 at Avalon airport, 45.3 at Geelong airport, 44.8 at Mount Gellibrand, 43.6 at Bangalore, 43.9 at Bairnsdale and 43.3 in the Latrobe Valley.
Mildura and Albury, normally the state's hot spots, reached 42.8 and 41.5 degrees respectively.
Another blistering hot 43 degrees is predicted for today.
Melbourne last suffered through a severe heatwave in 1959, with three consecutive days of temperatures in the 40s.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Chope - Easy Come Easy Go
Finally, some new material after a long while. With the studio built, Wes, Ron and myself have gotten down to work to test the capabilities of the studio and our gear.
Here's a sneak preview to some of the new music we're working on. Not anywhere near ready yet, but I figured it'll be worth getting some feedback on our new tunes. So, this is by no way at all an official release :) But it sure is a product of 2 weeks of intensive band camp - more so to get our workflow correct and that the gear work, so please do pardon the quality of the track - it really is just a demo!
This is Easy Come Easy Go, and we're now called 'Chope'. Yup, we're done and dusted with English names that aren't quite enough to say what we would like to say, and 'Chope', harking back to our days as kids does the right job. For those who don't recall - remember playing Catching or Police and Thief and going 'Chope' when you seriously need a time out to tie those laces or catch a drink? That's what we're about. Stepping aside, taking a breather, living life outside that narrow line.
Download it here (file's valid for downloading for 7 days)
Thank you!
Here's a sneak preview to some of the new music we're working on. Not anywhere near ready yet, but I figured it'll be worth getting some feedback on our new tunes. So, this is by no way at all an official release :) But it sure is a product of 2 weeks of intensive band camp - more so to get our workflow correct and that the gear work, so please do pardon the quality of the track - it really is just a demo!
This is Easy Come Easy Go, and we're now called 'Chope'. Yup, we're done and dusted with English names that aren't quite enough to say what we would like to say, and 'Chope', harking back to our days as kids does the right job. For those who don't recall - remember playing Catching or Police and Thief and going 'Chope' when you seriously need a time out to tie those laces or catch a drink? That's what we're about. Stepping aside, taking a breather, living life outside that narrow line.
Download it here (file's valid for downloading for 7 days)
Thank you!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
The curious PhD
So, I've decided to pursue for my love and passion for 'rediscovering' China by way of a PhD. So that's another 3 years of study, although now I realise at this level, it's not study. It's an adventure where one separates oneself from the rest of the 'real-er' world and immerses in a reality much like seeking out a holy grail! This means having to resign from my beloved job at Republic Polytechnic. My first job, 6 years I had with them. And it's coming to an end. But well, a bright new spark awaits.
And here's my curious approach to deciding the area of research area. By way of really happening possible titles!
Here's a selection of what I've been mulling on - all related to overseas-born Chinese and their relationship with the mainland.
* The New Mandarins
* Borrowing the East Wind
* The Great Firewall
Any thoughts? I know they're really too broad for starters, but hey. A good title is a great part of the battle won!
And here's my curious approach to deciding the area of research area. By way of really happening possible titles!
Here's a selection of what I've been mulling on - all related to overseas-born Chinese and their relationship with the mainland.
* The New Mandarins
* Borrowing the East Wind
* The Great Firewall
Any thoughts? I know they're really too broad for starters, but hey. A good title is a great part of the battle won!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Chinatown and a great new year everyone!
Spent a lovely evening conquering Chinatown and the hordes of people in a massive revel preparing for the new year!
Friday, January 16, 2009
front yards, back yards, and lost kampungs
overheard on a doco which made me think how life has changed rather quickly.
from kampungs and open fields
to void decks. what a name! void decks.
becoming such a closed society where we live.
front yards with high fences
spending our lazy afternoons in the backyard where no one can see
is it such a faraway place to sit out front and watch the world go by, whilst saying hi? has it become so hard to be friendly without an agenda? we'll see.
Singapore's making moves to destroy our last remaining village at Jalan Buangkok. Seriously, do we need more (read another) modern high rise steel citied skyscapes? And must we really do WITHOUT our last village/kampung? Perhaps I don't have the lateral foresight of our urban planners. But that's their job as administrators. As a citizen, I am saddened. Must the only way to experience our life of old be through printed material and glossy brochures that really does little to save our trees?
"SINGAPORE — It is Singapore’s secret Eden, a miniature village called Kampong Buangkok that is hidden in trees among the massed apartment blocks, where a fresh breeze rustles the coconut palms and tropical birds whoop and whistle.
Charles Pertwee for The International Herald Tribune
The New York Times
Kampong Buangkok will be demolished and redeveloped.
With just 28 houses in an area the size of three football fields, it is Singapore’s last rural hamlet, a forgotten straggler in the rush to modernize this high-rise, high-tech city-state. But apparently not for much longer. Kampong Buangkok is designated by the government for demolition and redevelopment, possibly in the near future. When it is gone, one of the world’s most extreme national makeovers will be complete.
Kampong is a local word for village and also defines a traditional rural way of life that Singapore has left behind.
“The big overhaul began in the early 1960s,” said Rodolph de Koninck, a professor of geography at the University of Montreal and one of the authors of “Singapore: An Atlas of Perpetual Territorial Transformation,” which graphically charts a half-century of change.
As the decades passed, a clamorous tropical settlement reinvented itself as a spic-and-span outpost of the developed world."
For full article, go here.
---
otherwise...
good thing I'm back now that it's summer in full swing in Melbourne. It as 39 when I left, and Singapore's been rather kindly cooling!
from kampungs and open fields
to void decks. what a name! void decks.
becoming such a closed society where we live.
front yards with high fences
spending our lazy afternoons in the backyard where no one can see
is it such a faraway place to sit out front and watch the world go by, whilst saying hi? has it become so hard to be friendly without an agenda? we'll see.
Singapore's making moves to destroy our last remaining village at Jalan Buangkok. Seriously, do we need more (read another) modern high rise steel citied skyscapes? And must we really do WITHOUT our last village/kampung? Perhaps I don't have the lateral foresight of our urban planners. But that's their job as administrators. As a citizen, I am saddened. Must the only way to experience our life of old be through printed material and glossy brochures that really does little to save our trees?
"SINGAPORE — It is Singapore’s secret Eden, a miniature village called Kampong Buangkok that is hidden in trees among the massed apartment blocks, where a fresh breeze rustles the coconut palms and tropical birds whoop and whistle.
Charles Pertwee for The International Herald Tribune
The New York Times
Kampong Buangkok will be demolished and redeveloped.
With just 28 houses in an area the size of three football fields, it is Singapore’s last rural hamlet, a forgotten straggler in the rush to modernize this high-rise, high-tech city-state. But apparently not for much longer. Kampong Buangkok is designated by the government for demolition and redevelopment, possibly in the near future. When it is gone, one of the world’s most extreme national makeovers will be complete.
Kampong is a local word for village and also defines a traditional rural way of life that Singapore has left behind.
“The big overhaul began in the early 1960s,” said Rodolph de Koninck, a professor of geography at the University of Montreal and one of the authors of “Singapore: An Atlas of Perpetual Territorial Transformation,” which graphically charts a half-century of change.
As the decades passed, a clamorous tropical settlement reinvented itself as a spic-and-span outpost of the developed world."
For full article, go here.
---
otherwise...
good thing I'm back now that it's summer in full swing in Melbourne. It as 39 when I left, and Singapore's been rather kindly cooling!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The Home Studio
Pride and joy. And a life long dream come true. The Home Studio accomplished.
Ronald Lee on Guitar and backup Vocals
Bobby T on drums
Wesley Choo on Bass and lead Vocals
Erin Holmes on Vocals
Ronald Lee on Guitar and backup Vocals
Bobby T on drums
Wesley Choo on Bass and lead Vocals
Erin Holmes on Vocals
Sunday, January 11, 2009
and so it is.
love is brightest in the dark.
just finishing watching an interesting doco/drama on climate change. 'Set in the Year 2075. Climate predictions made at the beginning of the 21st century have turned out to be dramatically true and global warming of the Earth's atmosphere has now serious consequences on the every day lives of our grandchildren.'
the film's from France and called Changing Climate, Changing Times. Recommended watch! Summer, has really been weird here in Melbourne this year. It's most definitely a month late to date.
In other climate related news. Here's a good read on the winners and losers of our changing climate. Most of us are suffering under what the industrialized nations are imposing on us.
just finishing watching an interesting doco/drama on climate change. 'Set in the Year 2075. Climate predictions made at the beginning of the 21st century have turned out to be dramatically true and global warming of the Earth's atmosphere has now serious consequences on the every day lives of our grandchildren.'
the film's from France and called Changing Climate, Changing Times. Recommended watch! Summer, has really been weird here in Melbourne this year. It's most definitely a month late to date.
In other climate related news. Here's a good read on the winners and losers of our changing climate. Most of us are suffering under what the industrialized nations are imposing on us.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Ice Cream for Summer (where to go)
from the Age. Where to go for ice cream in Melbourne come Summer!
Cold comfort
Justine Costigan
January 6, 2009
Justine Costigan savours a range of flavours that take some licking.
EATING ice-cream is a lovely thing to do all year round, but when the temperature reaches 25 degrees or beyond, it becomes that much harder to walk past a gelateria or icecreamery without succumbing.
Now that it’s prime ice-cream time, Epicure has road-tested some of Melbourne’s best to help you fi nd that perfect flavour combination...
Full article here.
and overheard - - -
the last thing I need is you, and all your black and white views.
Cold comfort
Justine Costigan
January 6, 2009
Justine Costigan savours a range of flavours that take some licking.
EATING ice-cream is a lovely thing to do all year round, but when the temperature reaches 25 degrees or beyond, it becomes that much harder to walk past a gelateria or icecreamery without succumbing.
Now that it’s prime ice-cream time, Epicure has road-tested some of Melbourne’s best to help you fi nd that perfect flavour combination...
Full article here.
and overheard - - -
the last thing I need is you, and all your black and white views.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
happy new year!
happy new year everyone!
all good things.
summer's gone a little nuts over here. It's 11 degrees tonight!
last year was a super 42 degrees same day New Year's. I remember well coz I was out camping out in the bush with Windsor!
all good things.
summer's gone a little nuts over here. It's 11 degrees tonight!
last year was a super 42 degrees same day New Year's. I remember well coz I was out camping out in the bush with Windsor!
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