authorblog

Thursday, June 14, 2007

H€adlines & D€adlines

Buddhist Monk Wants World Peas

Pointing out stories you may have missed: A 24-year-old man who is the world's third holiest Buddhist has set up his own MySpace page. His Holiness Karmapa Trinlay Thaye Dorje, also known as the Black Hat Lama, revealed he spends his spare time listening to the Black Eyed Peas, surfing the internet and watching `The Simpsons'. His heroes are England cricketers Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff and he'd love to meet The Beatles and Elvis. His Holiness, the head of the Karma Kagyu school of Buddhism, says: "I spend much of the day studying Buddhism but I also have a PS3 and like surfing the internet and listening to music.'' He rationlises his many interests simply: "You can enjoy all the world's modern conveniences while still working towards the best personal behaviour. That is one of the things Buddhism teaches."

News source: Ananova.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Stormy Petrol

Hey, This Must be April Fuels Day

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

And you think YOU pay a lot for petrol? Huh, you ain't see nuthin' yet, mate! Have you ever paid $888.8 for a litre? Here is photographic evidence of how much we pay. But you can breathe easy - this Shell service station in Caulfield is being refurbished, with new underground storage tanks and better access. And when I drove past today, they were simply testing the pricing display - hence the astronomical sum.

At that rate, 65 litres would cost $57,712, so the contents of my fuel tank would have cost a fair bit more than my car itself! And just for the record, the average price in Melbourne today was very low at about $1.28 a litre, For the benefit of my American friends, that works out to $5.76 a gallon, or 54 pence a litre for my mates in the UK.

FOOTNOTE: Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater, sold his house to buy a litre.

Goldilocks And The Three Beers

Last Swill And Testament

Okay, here’s a confession. I enjoy statistics. So a colleague of mine sent me an email yesterday with some interesting data. ``Based on a recent study,’’ said the email, ``it is thought that the average Australian walks about 900 miles a year. Another study found that Australians drink an average of 22 gallons of beer a year. That means, on average, Australians get about 41 miles per gallon."

But I’m not a huge drinker. Maybe two or three beers a year. So who’s drinking my share?

Democrats Versus Publicans

Inn For The Long Haul

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Have a look at the photograph above. So you make a snap decision, based on the nature of the beautiful exterior lamp on a period building? Perhaps it's a place of great culture. You know, like a court of law. A place of worship, perhaps. Or a university. Maybe some sort of library. Correct? Nope, never take anything for granted. It's a pub. Yep, that's right, a pub. I took these shots outside the popular English-style pub, the Elephant and Castle, right in the heart of Melbourne. Just shows, make sure you always get the full picture!

H€adlines & D€adlines

Hi-Ho, Selva, Away

Pointing out stories you may have missed: An opposition Italian senator has offered to resign after a scandal erupted over his fraudulent use of an ambulance. Gustavo Selva was widely criticised for using an ambulance to rush to a TV interview. He used the emergency vehicle to speed through Rome's streets, which were blocked with traffic during the visit by US President George W. Bush. Selva reportedly feigned an illness, asking the medical personnel to take him to his heart specialist, but instead gave the address of the television studio.

News source: BBC.com.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Crack Troops

It's Omelette, Prince Of Denmark

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

I've photographed a few hard-boiled characters in my time, but this shot was just taken on a whim. I had just opened this egg carton when I noticed the light through the window was just perfect across the shells and the biodegradable carton. Naturally, I got the camera out immediately. Everyone else was just, er, shell-shocked.

Poplar Mechanics

Knot Easy, As Scanners Boost Timber Industry

CT scanners employed to peer inside humans are now being trained by scientists on hardwood trees to detect knots, cracks and other imperfections in a bid to help lumber mills make the best possible cuts of valuable logs. Five tree species - hard maple, black cherry, yellow poplar, white oak and red oak - are being run through the scanner. With the US hardwood lumber industry facing growing foreign competition, enlisting the technology is vital. Using black and white images, the CT scans show slices of the log that reveal knots, cracks, insect damage, areas of decay, growth rings, grain patterns and other features.

Deck Whittington

Imagine If The Boy Stood On The Burdened Deck

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Even on a day when the sky is cloudy one moment and clear the next (it's a Melbourne thing - and we love it) there are still some striking images to be captured. My attention was drawn to the blue and yellow hull of this tourist-trip vessel, and of course the diffused reflection on the surface of the Yarra River. I paint watercolours, but this sight has convinced me to try oils as well. Stay tuned for an update ...

Star Tech

The Writing's On The (Virtual) Wall

A few days ago, I was asked to review the blog written by Bangalore-based Shashikiran Mullur.

The writing on your blog is very refreshing and there is a virtual ``welcome'' sign on your site, inviting us back again and again. I've made a few visits to your home town in my days as a spotswriter, but you certainly paint a vivid picture of your surroundings. Your word pictures are never static, your phrases are never hackneyed. Since you asked me if I would care to review your blog, I have savoured the posts and their diverse subjects.

Many bloggers have their niche subjects, their comfort zones. You, on the other hand, are adept at describing in two succinct paragraphs how you are about to listen to a motivational speaker. The minutae of life, in the hands of a less capable writer, mean nothing to readers 10,000 kilometres away. But you venture into every subject with abandon - and you present your thoughts with aplomb.

In particular, I really enjoyed your description of the time spent beside the Ulsoor Lake. You switched us from one quadrant of the scene to the next with geographical precision, and with a few brush strokes you gave us an series of images as if we were watching the scene through one of those old ViewMaster gadgets. They were short, sharp, precise descriptions and they were presented in sharp focus.

On another post, one phrase in particular caught my eye. It was your description: ``We went down to the edge to the river: two ribbons under the dilapidated bridge fused to a sloughy green before our land.'' That's your forte. And you span such a rich variety of subjects. We learn about the Scottish nun at your school, we learn about your view of Thai boxing, we learn about the city that embraces you, we learn about your yen for travel. I enjoyed the introspective sentence: ``Ishmael could tell when he needed to go away to sea. I can tell when I need to go away to Singapore: when Apple have released upgrades.''

But I would make some (minor) suggestions. It might not be a bad idea to write shorter paragraphs on your blog. It's all about grabbing the attention of a first-time reader - and a long paragraph, not matter how well written it may be, is likely to be a deterrent.

And finally, one other suggestion that I have made to many other terrific bloggers. Blogging is a multi-dimensional medium. It is not static. So pay a little attention to design elements. You could introduce photographs, artwork or breakout quotes. These and other devices simply break up the monotony of screen after screen of text. You write so well, but you also need to grab the attention of a casual reader or web-surfing visitor and force him or her to remember (and return to) your blog.

Your readers, I'm guessing, come from all round the world. They are curious, but not in an inquisitive way. They want to be invited into your life, your ambience, your surroundings. Invite them in, in that wonderfully hospitable Indian way. Show them images of the subjects you describe so intimately. It will add another dimension to a memorable blog.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Mixed Grille

Wheelchair Man Gets Surprise Highway Ride

A man in a wheelchair was taken for a high-speed ride along a US highway after his handlebars became tangled up in the front grille of a truck. The back of Ben Carpenter's wheelchair was scooped up and the driver was completely unaware that he had a new passenger, kept in his wheelchair by a seatbelt. Passing motorists told police, who found the man unhurt. Officers in the town of Paw Paw, Michigan, said Mr Carpenter had told them "it was quite a ride", but complained only that he had spilled his soda. The truck driver refused to believe there was a man in a wheelchair stuck to the front of his truck until he saw it for himself, police said. To view the photograph, check out BBC.

Al Bundy, Peg's Soaked

I Won't Hang Out The Washing Today, Dear

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

The weather on Saturday and Sunday was magnificent, but the rain has set in today, even as the ski season kicks off. As you can see from this shot of the clothes line in our back yard, ain't nuthin' gonna dry outdoors today.

FOOTNOTE: Raindrops keep fallin' on my headlines.

Trivia Pur$uit

If you don't like commas, semi-colons and full stops, pick up Englishman Timothy Dexter's autobiography, `A Pickle For The Knowing Ones'. It is famous for having no punctuation.

Dead Reckoning

It's A Life-And-Debt Situation

A Lancashire man was surprised to discover his mortgage had been paid off and that his wife was getting a $50,000 payout. But Harry Wood's delight turned to shock when he was told it was because he was dead. When he rang insurers Norwich Union to investigate, he was told by a consultant: "But I'm looking at your death certificate." Paper mill worker Harry, 45, of Heysham, added: "If I'd have been a rogue I could have kept the money." When the error was verified, the company said: "A man with the same name and date of birth has died. We apologise for the mix-up."

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Nudge, Nudge, Wing, Wing

Riveting Sight, From This Angle

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This Qantas Boeing 737 is completely painted in Aboriginal artwork, titled `Yananyi Dreaming'. During the recent International Air Show at Avalon, I had the opportunity to take some shots of the aircraft from unusual angles. This picture of the port winglet was taken from underneath. It's interesting to see the blue sky, because it was a very cloudy, grey day throughout. I was trying to concentrate on the rivets along with wing's leading edge, but this was one frame I couldn't resist.

Fluke, Skywalker

V-Dub Landspeeder Is No Ordinary Folks' Wagon

Wanna buy a landspeeder? Not quite sure what it is? It's basically a rocket car - and it looks like something out of `The Thunderbirds'. And at the moment it's languishing in a police impound lot in Florida. I read about the landspeeder an hour ago, in a post by Alex Nunez at Autoblog. The Autoblog post credits StarWars.com which in turn says Cedar Grove Police Chief Guy Turcotte discovered the unique vehicle there when he began work at the station a year ago.

``Coke One'', as it was originally known, was actually a custom vehicle built by the Coca-Cola Bottling Company back in the early 1980s for use in parades and special events. Chief Turcotte says the landspeeder will be roadworthy once the '71 VW engine is fixed by a collector with some know-how. Strangely enough, it was passed in at auction the first time, but we're tipping there'll be a ``lot'' of interest in this auction.

FOOTNOTE: In for a penny, in for an impound!

Reverse Psychology

Chrysler’s Idea Was Not A Backward Step

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This shot, accentuating the hood of a vintage DeSoto taxi, was taken at Movie World on the Gold Coast, Queensland. In 1933, five years after Walter P. Chrysler introduced DeSoto, the company hired race car driver Harry Hartz to drive one of their cars backwards (yes, backwards!) across the country. It was not just a stunt, because Chrysler engineers proved that the car’s fuel consumption was better in this radical experiment. As a result, automobile design was revolutionised and aerodynamics became a big factor in saving fuel while increasing performance.

And here's some personal trivia. This shot was taken with a Canon EOS 3000 film camera and when the photo lab printed it, I was devasted. The shot was composed to include the entire chrome hood ornament - but the print had cropped away part of the right-hand side. Fortunately I still have the negative!

Aussiejourno's Weekly Blog Awards

Open And Shut Case

Technorati Option Is As Bright As A Button

Interesting to note that Technorati have added a ``close'' button to the right of the search ticker on their home page. According to Dorion Carroll's post Technorati Ticker gets a Close Button dated 30 May on the Technorati Blog: ``Thanks for the feedback - we aim to please. Do note that, at the moment, there isn't an Undo, so, once it's closed, it's closed.'' But if you closed it and now want it back, relax - all is not lost. He ends his post with the sentence: ``For those who want to get it back, please be patient, we'll add a recovery preference soon.''

Saturday, June 09, 2007

Think Outside The Square

It's High Time You Saw The Light

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This is Federation Square here in Melbourne. It was built to commemorate the centenary of Federation, which took place in 1901. Melburnians call it Fed Square and it is many things to many people, a multi-faceted place of many moods and many faces. I guess it has become the centre of the city, in many ways. I love photographing it, because there are so many nuances at different times of the day, at different seasons around the calendar. This was shot around dawn, just before the sun started to climb. I wanted some colour in the sky, but I also wanted the warm autumnal colours cast across the remarkable scene.

My Fare, Lady

Whaddya Mean, We're Rank Outsiders?

Photograph copyright: SIDDHARTH KHANDELWAL

This wonderful shot was sent to me a few days ago by Siddharth Khandelwal, an up-and-coming young photographer from New Delhi. This, in his words, is the story behind the picture:

``We were driving to Ramgarh, Rajasthan, when I saw this SUV. These vehicles run as taxis, stopping and picking up passengers along the highway. This is a perfect example of demand exceeding supply. As you can see from the rear of the SUV, people who couldn’t get a place inside were holding on outside but this guy in the orange shirt with only his head inside, looked like he was trying to emulate an ostrich. They were in front of us for a good five kilometres an he maintained his (uncomfortable) position for the entire distance.''

A Piece Of The Auction

Buddy, Can You Afford This Ford?

I was intrigued by the recent post ``StangNet's Glassback GT500 project'' at Autoblog. The best Ford story I've come across was about three months ago. On 27 March, the Herald Sun newspaper in my home city, Melbourne, ran a wonderful display on a forward news page. The main photograph on the page was a five-column shot of a humble 1971 Ford Falcon GTHO alongside a Rolls-Royce – and the headline said: ``Guess which car sold for $683,000’’.

Yep, that's right, the 36-year-old Ford fetched the highest price ever paid for an Australian muscle car at auction. And the car didn't even have current registration (``rego'' to us Aussies - and culturally considered vital to a successful sale!).

The 1971 GTHO Phase III cars were originally developed for racing at Bathurst in new South Wales and only 300 were ever made. When asked why he paid such a hefty price, Darryl Mattingley, 56, quipped: ``I don't know, I must be silly.'' Will he be driving the car? Er. no. Even though it has just over 25,000 miles (40,000km) on the clock, he's keeping it as an investment and he reckons it could be worth a million dollars one day.

Ah, the classic lines of a Phase III. Definitely the phase that launched a thousand pay slips.

Trivia Pur$uit

Dennis Wheat of Malvern, Arkansas won a used car in a 1964 raffle only to discover it was the very same sedan he had traded in, six years earlier.

Willy Wonky

Forget Hero And Leander, It's Hero And Meander

Whatever you do - don't follow this centre line. Blundering contractors have been ordered to repaint wonky road markings that they painted in the dark. The wobbly markings on the A337 Lyndhurst to Cadnam road in New Forest, Hampshire, have caused some amusement to motorists since they appeared last week. The workers have been ordered to do the work again after the first job was done at night, using only a small mobile light to see. Chairman of nearby Lyndhurst Parish Council George Bisson said it was no wonder the lines were wonky. "Presumably they were doing it then to prevent traffic disruption but perhaps it was counter-productive." To see the wobbly line, go to Ananova.

FOOTNOTE: Sorry, I forgot the link. Thanks for the wake-up call, Bart!

Friday, June 08, 2007

Shadow Ministry

D'ya Reckon This Could Be Charlotte's Church?

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This shadow looks as though it has been cast by some towering cathedral with an immense spire. But it's just a quirky combination of mid-morning light and architecture. There is a pyramid-shaped piece of masonry on the building on the right of this picture. It's not even a couple of metres high, but when the sun is at a certain height, it casts the shadow of the masonry on the triangular, opaque blue glass ceiling on the left. Regular readers would recall that a few weeks ago I posted Darth Invader with a couple of photographs evoking one of the most memorable villains in movie history.

In Sickness And In Help

Kick Start For The Scooter Guy

My friend Doug, who writes the blog Scooter Guy, is taking care of his health and will now just monitor his blog for comments from friends and readers. He and I have exchanged many thoughts this year and I was extremely touched by his recent post that says: ``So many thanks to David McMahon who gave me the courage and confidence with blogging.''

Well, what can I say, Doug? All I did was validate your own self-belief and give you some simple advice. You would have done the same for me, mate. From the entire blogging community, good luck, God bless and we hope you find the health and strength you seek.

Love Me Ten, Dear, Love Me Do

(Sorry, I Musta Had My Blue Suede Shoes On)

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Yes, this is the first week of winter, but the daytime temperatures have been extremely mild. It was about 12 Celsius when I took this shot four hours ago, but as you can see, it's just a perfect afternoon here in Melbourne. Blue sky. Plenty of sun. There was no breeze early this morning and the surface of the river was barely rippling. The weather's been fairly cruel in Sydney, but we're just enjoying the sunshine. Let's hope it stays that way for the long weekend, the official start to the ski season. At the moment, the clear sky means we're going to cop a cold night - with the promise of snow in the Victorian Alps.

Star Tech

Highest Comment Denominator

This is a question that comes up fairly regularly, so I dealt with it in my Blog Cabin newspaper column in `mX' (published simultaneously in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney) this week.

Some bloggers get lots of comments, but I haven't had any yet.What am I doing wrong?

Let's deal with the technical aspect first. Go to the template and if you haven't ticked the option to enable comments, do it now and hit the "Save Preferences" option. To avoid spam comments, tick the "enable comment moderation" option. This simply means you have the final say over which comments are actually displayed.

Now for the non-geeky part. A comment is the internet equivalent of an SMS or a phone call. You only get 'em from people who know you or are familiar with your blog. It can take a while - even for a great blogger - to get that first comment. The more visitors you get, the higher your chances of getting comments. It is good protocol to reply to comments. They are the only form of one-on-one communication between you and your readers, so be courteous, be concise and prompt when you respond.

For new bloggers, the more comments you reply to, the more you'll get. Likewise, it also pays to leave comments on other blogs with themes similar to yours. Don't leave trite messages such as "Nice post. LOL" because they mean nothing. By leaving a comment that is brief but pithy or to the point, chances are someone else in turn will check out the link to your blog.

Home Run

Monopoly On News As Paris Goes Free

Heard this one on Melbourne radio. D’you know why the newly released Australian edition of the Monopoly board game sold out so fast? Because Paris Hilton found that the ``Get out of jail free’’ card actually works.

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Trivia Pur$uit

The African boabab tree can have a circumference as large as 30 metres. One such tree in Zimbabwe is so wide that the hollowed-out trunk serves as a shelter at a bus stop, with room for 40 people.

Upper Crust

Plenty Of Mushyroom On Our Pizza, Thanks

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

My fellow blogger Mushy suggested we meet for a pizza. Just one problem. Geography. You see, Mushy lives in the US of A and I live on the other side of the world, in Australia. No worries, mate. I suggested he jump on a plane to Oz - after all, it's only a 17-hour flight. I make a mean pizza, starting with my own dough, but if he doesn't want to chance my cuisine, we can make a booking here, at Wise Guys Pizza and Pasta on Kingsway, under a towering gum tree. Whaddya reckon, Mushy?

Purple Patch For Big Brother

Some Day, Their Prince Will Come

Prince is reportedly set to stun the UK `Big Brother' contestants with a private gig. The star is a huge fan, according to `The Sun', and has asked his management to arrange an appearance. The gig could either be performed in the BB garden or screened in the house from a London studio. Prince hopes it will be a big moment in the show's history, but BB insiders fear that several housemates may not know who the musician is.

FOOTNOTE: Maybe he needs a Flying Purple People Meter!

Is This A Jagger I See Before Me?

The Rolling Stones Kick Off With A Bigger Bang

Guess who was responsible for a Belgian traffic jam that extended for 50 kilometres? The Rolling Stones, that’s who! The band kicked off the latest leg of their A Bigger Bang European tour in the town of Werchter, getting rave reviews in the national media, with De Morgen calling it a "triumph". The 30-date tour will take in Serbia, Russia, France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Scandinavia, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary and includes three gigs at London's O2 arena in August. Their concert in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, was due to take place at the city's racecourse, but was moved after fears that it would upset 300 horses in nearby stables.

FOOTNOTE: An un-stable environment, perhaps!

Standing Tall

Winter Silhouette On A Sunny Afternoon

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This shot was taken at lunchtime, for Brian In Oxford, who wanted to see Melbourne in winter. It was a balmy day, about 15 Celsius after a chilly start, and I was lucky enough to capture some beautiful colour down by the Yarra. There was hardly any cloud and plenty of sunshine. Then I suddenly saw this sight on Sturt Street in South Melbourne. The sun was just in the perfect position to give me part of the city skyline in silhouette. Interestingly enough, because of the configuration of the buildings on the left and their relative heights, it gives the shot a slight fisheye effect.

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Give This Man A Medal

He Even Has To Salute His Mother-In-Law

Private Duncan Schneider of the US Army has more reason to behave himself in uniform than most other members of the military - his platoon sergeant is also his mother-in-law. He says he doesn't mind, since he can serve his country with a family member who also has experience in the military, Sergeant First Class Lisa Mesteth. "I feel very good about it," Schneider said at a mobilisation ceremony for the Oregon Army National Guard's 224th Engineer Company, which is about to begin training for a year in Iraq. "It's a family thing."

Mug Shot

Has Someone Been Using Ceiling Wax?

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Here's a couple of shots I took with a Pentax K10D, an updated version of the K100D that I own. I was sitting at my desk at work and took this shot, focusing on the rim of my dark blue coffee mug. Then I reversed the focus, trying to get a clear shot of the surface of the water in the mug. I was pretty impressed by how clearly I could see the reflection of the ceiling panels and the fluourescent lighting above me.

These are just low-resolution versions of the two shots, but the high-res images are pretty impressive. Interesting experiment all round - but I realised later that the reflection would not have been so clear if there had been tea or coffee in the mug. And as regular readers know so well, I do not digitally enhance my shots in any way. What you see here is exactly what I shoot. Nor have the images been sharpened with the aid of a computer programme.

Oxford Decree

Brian Thought It Was Casino Royale

What’s not to love about the humour of fellow blogger Brian In Oxford? I love the way he’s blogrolled me. Most people just link to Authorblog or David McMahon (Bart has me linked as ``Irreverence Down Under) but Brian’s got me pegged as ``Down Under David (DUD?)’’ and I love it, I think it’s very funny. Brian also made an interesting remark about the picture I posted a few hours ago of glass bangles at No Tangles, Just Bangles. One viewer and I agreed that the reds looked like salami in a delicatessen, but Brian’s comment was ``I thought perhaps you'd taken a photograph of chips from a casino. Perhaps the pinks are worth $5, the greens $25, etc. Very nice shot, though.’’

Trivia Pur$uit

The first chocolate bars were made of bittersweet chocolate. Milk chocolate was introduced in 1875 when Henry Nestle, a maker of evaporated milk, and Daniel Peter, a chocolate maker, joined forces and invented milk chocolate.

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

No Tangles, Just Bangles

Nice Angles, For Mister Bojangles

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

I love the vibrant colours of India. This shot shows an array of glass bangles (called ``churis'') at a roadside stall in Calcutta. As someone who grew up in India, I can still ``hear'' the distinctive sound of bangles on women's arms. These ones caught my eye because they were so neatly arrayed, in regimented colours along cardboard dividers. I've never seen bangles sell so fast, nor have I seen stocks replenished so rapidly. My favourite picture of bangles, however, can be seen at Star-Bangled Spanner.

Fall Guise

Who Said Red And Green Don’t Mix?

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Denbigh Road in Armadale is not a long street, but it is blessed with stunning foliage at this time of the year. In late fall and early winter, the trees are a riot of colour. I took a couple of long shots of the street a few days ago, but as I was walking back to my car, I noticed this sight. These leaves were – unusually – just ankle-high at the base of a tree.

Star Tech

Hari Spotter And The Exchanger Of Secrets

In my newspaper column `Blog Cabin’, published in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, I recently answered a question from Hari. This is an edited version of my answer to his question, which I think might perhaps be relevant to other bloggers as well.

Could you please review my blog and let me know what can be done to improve it.

Mate, I hope you're good at algebra, because there's one piece of an interesting equation missing here. Good blog? Check. Wide appeal? Check. Reader comments? Er, um, gone AWOL, your honour.

Book review blogs are safe territory, because they always evoke a reaction. Yours embraces many genres, but I'm baffled by the lack of comments. Like Julie Andrews, let's start at the very beginning. Claim your blog at Technorati and activate the Technorati ping sequence, which tells people every time you update the blog.

Next, you need a hit counter. If you're serious about engaging your readers (and there's no reason why a blog of this nature cannot do so) then you need to know who's visiting, how long they spend on your site -- and, vitally, if they're coming back.

I use the Site Meter hit counter. It's free and gives you a wide range of real-time information and statistics. All you have to do is register at SiteMeter.com and follow the prompts.

Editorially, I would suggest some basic improvements. First up, proof-read or spell-check each post. Don't allow mistakes to creep into text. Just as they would irk you if you were reviewing a book, they are a turn-off to your readers too. When you talk about Shirley Hardy-Rix, there is a reference to her as Shirley Hardy-Pix - and there's a smattering of other minor errors that should be fixed.

It's great that you try to contact some of the authors. This could be the one thing that sets you apart from other book review bloggers, so highlight an author's response when you get it. Post well, post often - and make sure to emphasise features that set you apart from other similar blogs.

PS: Take your lawyer to the pub every Friday - you'll need his/her help if you call authors ``horny''. Publicity is good, but not when you're being sued.

Safe (And Sound)

Put Yer Hannes Up – The Cops Are Here, Buster

German police who stormed a house, expecting to find crooks drilling their way into a safe, found a dentist working a night shift. Neighbours heard the drilling noises at night at the flat used as a dental surgery in Moenchengladbach, and called police, who sent five patrol cars to the address. After hearing the drilling noises, police officers broke down the door - only to find dentist Hannes Mader working a late shift on a patient.

Trivia Pur$uit

The distinctive smell that you get when opening a box or packet of crayons comes from stearic acid - which is the formal name for processed beef fat.

Monday, June 04, 2007

Top Hat And Tales

Check Out This Neon, Leon

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This is a very well known neon sign in Melbourne and the words ``City'' and ``Hatters'' flash on and off rapidly. I was about twenty metres away and thought I'd timed my shot to perfection, but as I hit the shutter, one of the words went off. So I kept walking and was a few metres closer when I took this shot. As you can see, this time I got both words illuminated. But because my first shot was a failure and I then moved to a different position, I also got the reflected glow of the red neon on the underneath of the metal roof. A bit like life, I guess - one failure is not always a disaster, and it gives you a better chance, with a clearer perspective. Would you agree with that?

In Good Spirits

How Do You Explain These Images?

About ten years ago, the Herald Sun in Melbourne published an amazing photograph, showing a cloud distinctly shaped like a 3D angel. It was one of the most amazing images I’ve ever seen. Now I’ve just seen another story about an Ohio couple, Beverley and Ron Johnson who think they might have captured a friend’s spirit in a photograph. I’m open-minded on this subject, so you can check the picture yourself at KiroTV.com. Just for the record, it was taken with a film camera, and the couple say nothing was spilled on the negative.

Eiffel Towel

Forget Scooby-Doo, Go For `Scuba Do’ In Paris

Want to see the Eiffel Tower through water? Now’s your chance – if you’re really quick. Until Sunday 10 June, would-be scuba divers can take the plunge with a practice dip in a pool beneath the most famous monument in Paris. A dozen professional scuba instructors are offering free one-on-one lessons in the heated, above-ground pool at the foot of the tower as part of an initiative to promote the sport among Parisians and visitors. Lessons last about 30 minutes and include a how-to demonstration and safety lecture, as well as the swim. Wetsuits and scuba gear are provided. And, oh yes, you get a biodegradable towel as well.

Trivia Pur$uit

The only novel to top the bestseller list for two consecutive years - 1972 and 1973 - was Richard Bach's `Jonathan Livingstone Seagull'. It was a fable in novella form about a seagull learning about life and how to fly.

Sunday, June 03, 2007

Heart Specialist

Trust Me, This Was A Delicate Operation

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This is a slinky, one of those expandable playthings that received a new lease of life in the wonderful animated movies `Toy Story' and `Toy Story II'. Regular visitors to this blog know that I always try and shoot objects from a new or unusual angle. So I took the slinky under a recessed light in the ceiling (we call them ``downlights'' here in Oz). Holding only the top rung of the slinky in my left hand, I let it fall, expanding to its full length. I knew I would get the soft glow of the downlight reflected along the slinky's plastic surface. It took this shot holding the camera in my right hand. Not an easy shot to take - and I think the kids were laughing because I looked like the Hunchback of Notre Dame!

The Write Stuff

Put Yourself In The Fiction Section

If you have the inclination, there are still a few sentences to be written for the latest Passing Sentence game, Lucid in the Sky With Diamonds. Each game has attracted positive reviews from the respective critics - and we've got a great panel of judges lined up for us. Have fun!

Aussiejourno's Weekly Blog Awards

Saturday, June 02, 2007

A Calcutta Man's Newspaper Ritual

Taking Portrait Photography At Face Value

I don't take a lot of portraits and on the rare occasions that I do, it is because my attention is caught by a striking face. During my brief trip to India, a friend pointed out this elderly man sitting outside his front door in South Calcutta, reading his newspaper in the warm sunlight. I got out of the car, introduced myself to him and asked if I could possibly take his photograph. He kindly agreed. I just wish I'd had the time to ask him to tell me a few things about himself. All I can tell you is that he was kind, he was gracious and he was dignified. He could have been anyone's grandfather.

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

I'm Not Superstitious (Touch Wood)

I'll Just Keep Holding My Four-Leaf Clover

Thanks, Bellur, for blogrolling me at your site Rambling With Bellur. I also enjoyed your post about superstitions. I grew up in India, where superstitions play a big part in the everyday lives of people of all religious faiths. As a former sports journalist, I always marvelled at how world-class sportsmen and women readily confessed to their own little idiosyncracies. Steve Waugh had his lucky red towel, while Sunil Gavaskar always wore something new for a Test match, even if it was a new pair of shoe laces! I can honestly say I am not superstitious at all - but there is a segment in my novel `Vegemite Vindaloo' where one of the characters burns red chillies over her son's head to ward off evil. Do you know anyone who is superstitious? Leave a comment and tell me about it ....

Star Tech

The Graph Is Greener On The Other Side

In the past couple of weeks, I've been exchanging thoughts about growing a blog's audience with some people who write very lively blogs, including OzLady, Confused Sam, TCOs Garage, Pijush, Bart and Ak-Man. And I guess the common thread has been: how does a blogger ensure constant reader growth?

Let's put this in perspective. Has your readership decreased recently? No? Then you're already a winner. Next up, pay attention to the basics. If you want people to visit your blog every day, you need to post every day. Be lucid, be coherent, be honest to yourself. You don't have to write a 1000-word editorial on world peace. People read blogs to be entertained, to be stimulated.

Many bloggers suffer from ``writers' block''. There is a simple solution, however. If there is a subject you'd discuss in animated fashion with your friends, post it on your blog. Chances are it will engage your readers. And if people comment on your blog, reply to the comments. This is not simply good protocol, it also builds a bond of loyalty.

There are two types of readers. The first category is regular readers who visit your blog irrespective of what you're posting. The second category is casual readers, who might follow a link or a Blogger NavBar update. Check on what they are drawn to - and if there is a pattern, then use it to your advantage. If you find readership increases every time you post about technology or about Paris Hilton or Ron Paul, then that's what will drive your readership higher.

There is one other crucial element if you want to increase readership. Check the stats on your hit counter regularly. This ain't a vanity thing, believe me. Not only are you the editorial director of your blog, you are also the marketing manager. And if you want more readers, you need to know why they're reading you in the first place.

Every blogger needs to be resilient. Don't get discouraged if you get 10 hits a day. As you can see from this Site Meter graph, I only had about 10 hits each day in October. But I persisted ....

Paradise Glossed

It's Bloom Or Bust This Winter

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This spectacular bloom is called a bird of paradise, because of its distinctive shape. I've noticed quite a few of the tall flowers in gardens around the suburbs, but this was the first one I've seen in the city. I kept the frame really tight, to give you an idea of how unusual they are - but there's also an interesting background. That's a window on the right, with the reflection of a couple of city buildings - and a clear blue sky. What's not to love about a Melbourne winter?

Gold Shoulder

Rub-A-Dub-Dub, There’s A Thief In The Tub

A glittering bathtub made of gold worth nearly $1 million has been stolen from a Japanese resort hotel. A worker at Kominato Hotel Mikazuki in Kamogawa, south of Tokyo, notified police that the fancy tub was missing from the 10th floor. The round tub, worth $987,000, is made of 18-karat gold and weighs 176 pounds. The tub, flanked by two crane statues, was a huge attraction of the hotel's shared bathroom. Visitors were allowed to take a dip in the tub, but it was only available a few hours a day "for security reasons". It seems the bathtub was not riveted to the floor, so someone simply cut the chain attaching it to a door - and removed the tub. Police cannot study video footage - because there were no video cameras (naturally!) installed near the tub.

Trivia Pur$uit

On March 16, 1970, a bidder at Sotheby's in London paid more than $15,000 for a glass paperweight. It must have been worth its weight in gold!

Friday, June 01, 2007

Cold Comfort

The First Dray Of Winter

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Today is the official start of winter, so I headed downstairs at lunchtime to get some shots to give you an idea of what a beautiful day it is. The gale-force winds of the past 48 hours have vanished and we have mainly blue skies and a crisp day. I had shot about a dozen frames and was about to turn back when I heard the distinctive ``clip-clop'' of horseshoes on asphalt. Nothing like a couple of well groomed Clydesdales (and a Melbourne tram) to give you a picture of a sunny winter day here Down Under. To get an idea of just how sunny it's been, check out the shadow of the horses.

Cord On Blur

Who’s Got A Hang-up About Their Phone?

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

I decided it was time to challenge my photographic abilities. Yes, I’m attracted by strong colours. But would I be able to shoot something totally devoid of colour - and still produce an interesting image? So I decided I had to shoot something in monochrome. And it had to be no further than a radius of two metres from where I was sitting at my desk at work. I thought about the window blinds, but they were just outside the two-metre radius. Then my phone rang and I thought, ``Must untangle the cord’’. That’s when I realised I had the answer to my own challenge. This image might look like a nest of mutating aliens, but it’s only the tangled cord of my telephone. I shot it on macro, without the flash.

The Astound Of Music

Now’s The Time To Rock On, With Jazz

This is for my childhood friend and fellow blogger, Patrick, who spent many fruitless moments in our teenage years trying to get me to understand and appreciate jazz. No dice. No go. Never even got out of first gear. Rock was what appealed to me. Being a callow youth, I told him – rather scathingly and rather often – that jazz was nothing but ``plink, plonk, plunk’’ music. But maybe I’m finally growing up. As you can see from the posts Everything You Wanted To Know About Sax and Everest Bass Camp I spent a good part of last Saturday actually entranced by jazz. So there.

H€adlines & D€adlines

German Mechanic Gets The Boot

Pointing out stories you may have missed: German police staged a major operation to find a kidnapped child after a woman spotted a "young boy" being locked into a car boot. The panicked woman alerted authorities as the car drove off, and police set up road blocks and dispatched patrol cars to intercept the vehicle. But when the car was finally sighted and stopped, police found the "boy" was actually dwarf car mechanic Klaus "Shorty" Mueller, 27. He had climbed in the boot and asked to be driven around so he could see where a strange rattling noise had been coming from.

News source: iol.co.za.

Trivia Pur$uit

The plaice, a large European fish from the flounder family, can lie on a checkers/ draughts board and reproduce on its upper skin the same pattern of squares, for camouflage.