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Messages - scotcar
1
« on: September 03, 2007, 04:56:47 am »
Thanks all!
It has been 3 days and we may have the venue sorted out...then the real fun begins (thought it was the hardest part, my married friends have informed me otherwise).
I was trying to get it all out sourced, including my appearance, but that is a no go.
I am encouraging Emma to do all the work...she is too smart for that though. She is already writing a list of things for me to do...
They always talk about the three rings associated with a wedding:
The Engagement ring;
The Wedding ring; and
The Suffering......
Unfortunately her comment when she see me play is "What are you playing that stupid thing for?" Maybe she will come around...maybe....
Now that I think of it...this might make a great CDQ.....
2
« on: June 19, 2007, 03:19:38 am »
*Mutters how inappropriate it is to discuss others ages....*
3
« on: May 08, 2007, 05:12:12 pm »
Regarding bioengineered crops you need to understand the farming system.
In many crops, farmers buy need seeds every year. Keeping seed (Brown bagging) may be up to 30% of the market, the rest is new seed from companies.
There are already seed breeders rights in many countries that means you have to pay a "technology fee" for using that variety. The fee goes back to the plant breeding companies so they can invest in new varieties.
Believe it or not, farmers do not have to buy the seed. In fact, unless you are giving them something extra (money, time or productivity) getting them to buy a product is very difficult.
Lasty, seedless/sterile varieities of plants already exist. Seedless grapes and watermellons, hybrid tomatoes and hybrid leeks all have a market/production advantage. However farmers can't sell the seeds from these crops.
As research into food crops continue, meaning we identify oils, proteins and other nutritional factors that people want in their food, you will want the quality control provided by new seed each year to produce the foods you want. Maybe not the best example, already McDonalds has high quality control on the potatoes it uses for frying (certain type, size and shape). Australia has systems to identify specific protein profiles in wheat to suit specialty markets. By knowing the grain quality of new seed you can meet these requirements.
If people say that you can't beat the big boys, here is one example were we did. We took (non-GM) germplasm from Australia to the US and took nearly 90% of one part of the market. Sure we added in a GM trait, but the germplasm was what did it for us. Basically it was what the farmers wanted so they brought it. Even though we are a big company our seeds business was not strongly funded.
Hrm...too rants in two days. Not good.....
4
« on: May 08, 2007, 05:22:38 am »
Hrm...I had written more than that but for some reason it does not like being copied and pasted from word.... Just did a random search and came across the following paper Environmental Effects of Increased Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide - Global Warming Petition ProjectHaven't looked into the researchers and the source etc so I don't know how valid it is but just as an example to alternatives. I also like this site for a lot of science myths. Of course, take it with a pinch of salt JunkScience.com -- The Real Inconvenient Truth: Greenhouse, global warming and some factsI would like to state that I am not against cleaning up pollution (and you should never assume that all those opposed to your point of view don't care about pollution) and agree that politically some really stupid things are done. What I object too is when someone identifies a relationship between one factor and another and says "That's the answer". Especially when the system is much more complex than that. Using that reasoning I can say there is a relationship between the speed of computers and global warming. By using data I could even "prove" that. I could even do something more stupid and blame it on left handed people as there are now more of them in the world then there was 200 years ago. Thing is, you can't prove that it isn't true (science can't prove a negative). As for maximising shareholder value, that is true. However, if someone develops a product that is better for the environment and extracts a premium brining more wealth to the share holder, is that bad? I wouls also argue that any company doing a dodgy activity that pollutes is putting at risk shareholder value. Cleaning up can be very expensive. After studying ecotoxicology (from the environmentalist side) I agree with my supervisors comment "give me data and the right statistical tools and I can prove anything. Also, regardless of all the evidence, you can't prove gravity exists. If I hold a spoon I can't actually prove that it will drop. I can demonstrate it and there is a huge body of evidence but I can't prove it before hand. Guess that I am also old enough to remember the old "the next ice age is coming" There is historical data to show that in the last 1000 wheat was cropped across Greenland and that the country was also locked in ice. Everything they have at the moment are models based on assumptions. We only have detailed temperature data going back 150 years. Ice cores/tree rings are much more localised then global temperture data now available. Fear is a great mechanism to drive change. Personally I would prefer good data to do that. Or better, people to actually give time and clean up after themselves. A novel idea I know, but one day it may actually happen.
5
« on: May 07, 2007, 06:54:48 am »
Interesting reading.
I should declare my hand as I work for a big evil multinational and work with bio-engineered crops. Not that it changes my opinion mind you!
I thought that Al Gore's movie was brilliant. It was an absolute mastery of pseudoscience. He did not demonstrate a scientific link between CO2 and the earths temperature. I have heard counter arguments that CO2 is the least of our worries, as it works both to heat and cool the earth. I think it was more aimed at political gain than anything else
6
« on: May 04, 2007, 05:35:34 pm »
Just realised I can log into the account I made in the US...Savon LIVES!
7
« on: May 02, 2007, 04:49:41 pm »
Thanks all!
Alas poor Savon...I knew him well *Sniffs*.
Thanks for sorting that out for me. Hopefully I can get Ward and Kuguar sorted out...then I will be set!
8
« on: April 29, 2007, 01:33:18 pm »
Hi all,
it is 3:31 am Monday morning and I have nearly been back home (in Australia) for 24 hours. I'm still on US time. But I have used it to great affect, downloading all the patches :-)
Now I have access to Pendar and my other characters :-) Just have to get Savon Strongarm transferred across...one thing at a time.
It is great to be home, but I think I'll miss the US but not the coffee. First thing I did when I got to Sydney airport was buy a coffee. Man it was good :-)
Hope to see you all online...now I just have to find out where my characters are....I know I left them somewhere on the world....
9
« on: April 29, 2007, 12:45:48 pm »
See ya mate. Was always good to kick around with you. Even if you did pick on all my characters....
Scott
10
« on: April 29, 2007, 12:43:05 pm »
Hi,
hope everthing is ok. Any unresolved heath issue is annoying, at least you are treating it in good humour which means that you are part way there!
I had a CT scan on my back last year, they are very cool!
Keep us posted!
Scott
11
« on: February 15, 2007, 09:19:05 pm »
Really?
I'll have to look into that..might have to make a US character :-P
12
« on: February 15, 2007, 05:20:49 pm »
Hi All,
well I am in the US and got me a computer...that runs Vista so I can't log on...don't have my character details anyway. But if I can find a way to log on...i'll give it a go!
When I was in Taiwan I studied Chen Pan Lings 99 form Tai Chi, Buagwa, Hsingi a form called Mountain Top Boxing and a Shaolin pole form. I also pacticed the Tai Chi sword form a little :-)
Apart from that, everything else is going fine. Keeping busy and I'm off to Texas next week.
Hope everyone is well and saving the world!
Scott
13
« on: January 25, 2007, 09:21:04 pm »
Hi,
back from Taiwan (about 3 hours ago).
I trained with the sons of Chen Pan Ling, namely Chen Yun Ching. Learnt some new forms and met a lot of great people. The two weeks just flew!
Now I am jet lagged and starting to think abou what I need to pack for my next trip....
Hope everyone is well!
Scott
14
« on: November 22, 2006, 12:19:20 am »
Top stuff!
15
« on: October 03, 2006, 01:39:45 am »
Seek me out.
Pendar
(Also an Aussie, on most evenings)
16
« on: September 08, 2006, 06:06:21 pm »
Sold
17
« on: September 07, 2006, 01:07:57 am »
Carefully folding his new clothes away, Pendar couldn’t help but smile at the reactions of his friends. The new robe had clearly impressed them and it was a refreshing change from his old robes, a style that he had worn for many years.
When possible, Pendar would talk to Elhara and other dwarves, in an attempt to learn the language. It was difficult, the gruff sounds somewhat new to him. Although elven, Elhara spoke dwarven fluently, even if he had to be aware of what she was saying. Elhara could be a little blunt some times.
Alleina confused him. A pretty elf, apparently wise but not always attentive to what was happening around her. A little vague in fact. Still, they got on well together. Pendar wasn't sure if she was interested in him as more than just a friend. It didn't matter, it was too soon. It always would be too soon.
18
« on: September 05, 2006, 03:18:42 am »
I think that is the third record of a person that died due to stingray attacks in Australia. The first is a soldier that dived off a pier in St Kilda, Melbourne in 1945 (struck in the chest with the barb). The other was a 9 year old boy, again the barb entered his heart and he died later. The rumor here is that Steve pulled the barb out before he died. Considering that it is barbed like a fishing arrow, it would have added to his trauma but he probably had no chance regardless.
Stingrays are not aggressive, so it is very unusual for people to be struck by them. Being a surfer and seeing the bull rays under you is amazing, you cannot imagine how big they can get. But I have never felt threatened by them.
Knowing the Australian animals he often played with, I reckon he was slightly mad (No-one plays with King Browns, one of the most angry and poisonous snakes in the world like he did). But what he has done for Australian conservation far outweighs the silly things he did. Ironically, I think he was more popular overseas then here.
Good to see people from OS using "Crikey!". He spoke like a true country Aussie.
Hopefully people will do good things for conservation in his name. That is probably what he would have liked. He lived more life in his 44 years then most people do if they lived twice as long. Still, he did not deserve to die. My thoughts go to his family.
19
« on: September 04, 2006, 01:54:22 am »
There had been a few other changes in his life recently. He was now a member of the Farstriders, not that Pendar had traveled much with them, still it was a pleasant feeling having some people to rely on. Not that it had been a clear cut decision, Karana had not voted and neither of them was very civil to each other. Maybe that would change in time.
Reaching over to a pile of books, Pender flicked through one, allowing the owner to cast a few enchantments. He was getting quite a collection. Although not rare, they would look good in his library. Scattered about the desk beside the books were all manner of enchanted gems, another hobby that Pendar had been pursuing lately.
The comments made by the seer haunted him. Now, Pendar often wandered without a hood, many people seeing his face for the first time. The sun on his face felt good, it was a refreshing change. Maybe this change was what the seer had spoken about, but in his heart, Pendar knew it wasn’t the case. Maybe now was not the time….maybe.
20
« on: August 30, 2006, 01:39:05 am »
Agreed, although I have some good friends from high school, I have met some of the most important people to me at Uni. Your true friends will stick to you no matter what. Besides ten years after high school when you meet, if they are good friends, it will be as if you only saw them yesterday.
You do a lot of maturing at Uni, it is the first time that you have to really motivate yourself to work. I didn't get a hang of that until 3rd year....
You will be fine. You will figure out that you really can do an assignment by staying up all night (and still be attentive in class the next day, coffee really helps, or learn to sleep with your eyes open) and that going out every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night until 2-4 am is normal.
Not that I did anything like that...
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