Back-Seat Deriver

Aussie Needed, For Driving Miss Deborah

My good friend, Utah-based blogger Deborah Gamble, is looking for an Australian. No, no, she’s very happily married, but she figures it’d be more fuel-efficient if she acted on something I posted last week. It all started when a colleague of mine told me (and I quote) ``The average Australian walks 900 miles a year, and drinks 22 gallons of beer a year, which means the average Australian gets about 41 miles per gallon.’’

Debbie was swift with her calculations. In the weekend post A Cleaner Burning Fuel, she reckons she’s going to swap her people-mover and opt for Plan B, which is ``to drive an Australian’’. I won’t give you all her punchlines, but you can see why there is good logic behind her assertion, ``There must be at least one Aussie that would prefer a sledding party Christmas to a beach party Christmas.’’

Take The (Paint) Tube

Some Photographers Love The Rain

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

It's great taking photographs in rain, because the wet streets open up a whole range of reflection. This shot was taken late on a rainy September night in Quebec City. I had just walked past the Chateau Laurier hotel and the soft colours on the street corner caught my eye. The shot above was taken with a Pentax Optio, while below you can see a different rendering of the same frame. As I showed you in the recent post Easel Come, Easel Go, this is what it would look like as a virtual oil painting.

Check This Out, Comrade

Now's The Time To Come To The Aid Of The Party

Too young to remember East Germany? No worries, you can just go to a Berlin hotel called Ostel. The hotel, which opened last month, re-creates a pre-1989 era of brown and orange wallpaper, spartan furnishings and Politburo portraits. In the reception area, four clocks show the time in Moscow, Berlin, Havana and Beijing. The hotel was the brainchild of two former East German circus performers, Daniel Helbig and Guido Sand, who recognised the wave of interest for some aspects of life in former East Germany, expressed in the cult status of Trabant cars and the hit film `Goodbye Lenin'. So how on earth did they find all the Communist-era furnishings? Easy - they tracked them down in private homes and furniture dealers. A display case in the lobby even contains a rare roll of GDR toilet paper.

Chocolate Sheikh

Do Yourself A Favour And Try The Flavour

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Like Forrest Gump told us, back in 1994, life is like a box of chocolates. I was walking to my car on Thursday afternoon when I saw this delivery van pulled up outside a city hotel. I guess someone there must have had a suite tooth.

Trivia Pur$uit

In the 1850s, a Parisian newspaper was printed on rubber for the first time - for the benefit of people who enjoyed reading the latest news in the bath.

Soccer Scheme Cops Penalty

Business Plan Is Just A Load Of Hot Air

A Chinese company that once tried to sell land on the moon has lost an appeal against a court ruling that stopped it from selling bags of "World Cup air". The Beijing Lunar Village Aeronautics Science and Technology Co. lost a suit against the Beijing Administration for Industry and Commerce, which refused its application to sell "special air from a special place." Last December, the Chaoyang District People's Court ruled against the company's proposal to sell green plastic bags full of air from stadiums that hosted matches in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Li Jie, the company's chief executive officer, had planned to sell the bags to soccer fans for 50 yuan ($6.50) each.

Time To See The Light

Thanks, Terry, For The Great Idea

If you noticed the new pictorial header up the top of this blog, all the credit goes to my friend and tech oracle Terry Fletcher, who is based in Lisbon, Portugal. This morning I found an email from Terry, showing what my blog would look like with the picture in the header. I was gobsmacked. You might recognise the photograph, which is one of a series of winter solstice shots on my post Light Entertainment. My picture, his idea, his layout, his technical execution (and, crucially, the thumbs-up from his wife, Maria). My heartfelt thanks to Terry and Maria on a weekend when I barely had time to compile the weekly blog awards. If you'd like to know how to incorporate changes into your blog header, Terry will post a tutorial on his terrific knowledge-sharing blog, Terry's Playpen.

Freeze A Crowd

Wanna Play Ice Spy?

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

The best thing about an icy morning here in Melbourne is the sunny, cloudless day. This shot was taken about half an hour ago, just before 9am Sunday morning (yes, it's Sunday here) when most of the ice had melted off the top of my car. But I raced out with my camera because the sun was glinting on the thin remnants of the ice, making it glint like tiny diamonds.

On a working day, the trick is to make sure you never suffer from FHS, or frozen hose syndrome. Back in the winter of '95, I was confronted with a car so comprehensively frozen over, even the door handles were iced shut. What? Me worry? Never. I just walked over purposefully to where I had cannily uncoiled the garden hose the previous night, in preparation for what I knew would be a grim cold snap. Only problem was, the hose was frozen stiff. It was like someone had put a metal rod into the hose.

The other danger, for Melburnians, is in disconnected hoses. See ice on the car. Connect hose. Turn tap on. Hose connection splits under pressure. You're drenched and ready to do a Jack Frost impression.

But you have to feel sorry for the Russian bloke who copped his own version of FHS, about four years ago. There he was, at a deserted bus stop on a sub-zero night. And the pressure on his bladder was beginning to mount. So he did the decent thing and looked all around, to make sure he wouldn't offend anyone by seeking relief.

He nestled into the corner of the bus shelter but he got too close. In that instant, flesh and metal fused together in the cold. Rescue workers eventually got him free, but when warm water failed to do the trick, they had to resort to pouring hot water instead. When the mortified bloke got to hospital, they had to figure out whether to treat him for frostbite or burns.

And spare a thought for the hardy residents of the Yukon (yep, Sergeant Preston's territory) in northern Canada, where the mercury often drops to minus 30C, even before the wind chill is taken into account. One evening I came out of the Gateway Lounge, a pub in Haines Junction on the Alaska Highway. And squinted at the electrical leads attached to every parking spot. Huh? That's where hardy winter drinkers plug in under-bonnet connections so their engine blocks don't freeze.

Hops Scotched

That’s Not Fruit Cocktail, It’s A Pour-Pour

The ``beersicle'', a beer icy pop, might be just thing for a hot day. But a suburban Washington restaurant is catching some heat from liquor authorities. Frank Morales began selling beer pops last week at his Rustico Restaurant, but the novel plan has hit a snag. State regulations require that beer be served in its original container or served to the customer immediately after it has been poured.

Easel Come, Easel Go

Oil Painting Without Any Brush Strokes

Photographs: DAVID McMAHON

Towards the end of 2005, just after I returned from photographing Quebec City, Montreal and parts of Muskoka for the Canadian Tourism Commission, I spent a few days cataloguing the images from that memorable trip. At the time, my son asked me if I had done any watercolours during my time in Canada. For once, I had not, because I had concentrated only on my cameras.

Then he showed me a program by which you can convert a photograph into a file that looks remarkably like an oil painting. The picture above was taken with a Pentax Optio down the charming lane in Quebec City that is famous for its artwork. The rendering below is what the same shot would look like in oils.

Aussiejourno's Weekly Blog Awards

Top Blogs For Week Ending 23 June

Aussiejourno's Weekly Blog Awards are meant to encourage bloggers from all round the world and they give new bloggers the chance to get their work noticed in an increasingly popular forum, alongside the world's most-visited blogs.There is no monetary reward, no live TV coverage, no red carpet interview, but the exposure comes with international bragging rights. If you would like your blog (or someone else's) to be considered for next week's awards, please leave the url here, in the comment section. You can nominate as many blogs as you want. Entries close at midday Greenwich Mean Time each Friday.

1. http://www.ramblingtraveler.com/
2. http://www.bartraeke.com/
3. http://bobs-diary.blogspot.com/
4. http://chewy-myblog.blogspot.com/
5. http://uncommonnotions.blogspot.com/
6. http://grumpyandfarting.blogspot.com/
7. http://dancewithsun.blogspot.com/
8. http://mushysmoochings.blogspot.com
9. http://shrinkwrappedscream.blogspot.com/
10. http://suz50.wordpress.com/
11. http://adarkershadeofblack.blogspot.com/
12. http://jenerahealy.blogspot.com
13. http://www.mcglinch.com/blog
14. http://thedanmega.blogspot.com/
15. http://invisiblestudio.blogspot.com
16. http://www.blogguelph.com
17. http://geraldthemajesticgoat.blogspot.com/
18. http://thatblueyak.blogspot.com
19. http://cherished79.wordpress.com
20. http://copperstiletto.blogspot.com/
21. http://yesbut-images.blogspot.com/
22. http://karolineswednesdayschild.blogspot.com/
23. http://randomblethers.blogspot.com/
24. http://aquarius2626.blogspot.com/
25. http://ianqui365.blogspot.com
26. http://querkeyturkey.blogspot.com/
27. http://www.autopartsplace.com/bg/
28. http://magickriver.blogspot.com
29. http://unforeseenpaths.blogspot.com/
30. http://profbush.blogspot.com
31. http://www.ozlady.com/
32. http://chummachumma.blogspot.com/
33. http://creekjournal.blogspot.com/
34. http://womanwandering.blogspot.com/
35. http://brianinoxford.blogspot.com/
36. http://lukedockery.blogspot.com/
37. http://wwwscala.blogspot.com/
38. http://achessworld.blogspot.com
39. http://memoirsofabrokenman.blogspot.com/
40. http://www.ubertramp.com/
41. http://colorado-bob.blogspot.com/
42. http://chalkhills-collective.blogspot.com/
43. http://open-and-explore.blogspot.com/
44. http://davids-pics.blogspot.com
45. http://chateau-gontier-daily-photo.blogspot.com/
46. http://terrysplaypen.blogspot.com/
47. http://web.mac.com/allancook/
48. http://shashikiran.com
49. http://bellurramki18.wordpress.com/
50. http://kalyansdreams.blogspot.com/

And honourable mentions go to: Cuckoo, Near Post, Fat Hairy Bastard, Confused Sam, Goddess, Lotus Reads, Lensational, Craver vii, Savannah, I'm On My Weigh Down, Daub du Jour, Chele 76, Movies Sans Frontiers, Travellin' Mama, Pasture Musings, Nobody's Friend, Mur 38, Sandip Madan, Who Dat Dare Pokah, Sketch and Colour

In conclusion, I would just like to say I've been mentoring several bloggers for a while and it is important to know that the work of a blogger whose url has only 10 hits can be ranked alongside a blogger whose url has 10,000 hits or more. I would like other would-be writers and bloggers to benefit from the fact that I am a bestselling novelist (`Vegemite Vindaloo', published by Penguin) and career journalist with almost 30 years' experience in writing, editing, design, newspaper technology and production.

Vodka Slammer

How To Cement Your Reputation

A drunk Russian woman had to be pulled out of a newly-laid road in Kemerovo after she fell into a concrete mixer and then into a pool of drying asphalt. Elena Pavlovna, 43, saw her path was blocked by machinery left by workers who were taking a break from resurfacing a road. She tried to step over the machinery but she slipped and fell into a concrete mixer which had been left on and after a few minutes of being twirled around inside with the concrete mix she was "poured" out onto a pool of asphalt. As she struggled to get out of the asphalt mix she had to be pulled out by rescue workers. One of them said: "She did not shut up and kept on telling us what we should be doing. It was really annoying."

FOOTNOTE: Really a case of one for the road.

Big Ben(t)

From Go-Kart To Woe Kart

Things to remember when selling an item on eBay - don't damage the goods! Formula One ace Lewis Hamilton pranged his McLaren Mercedes go-kart - minutes after selling it for £42,000, with the proceeds to go to charity. He damaged a rear axle when he crashed on a corner of the specially-built track in Central London. McLaren Mercedes will repair the damage before it is handed over to its new owner. Ironically, the prang took place at only 40mph.

Turning Japanese

Could Be A Hit (On The Big Screen)

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This shot, taken a few hours ago, is reminiscent of one of those striking Japanese screen paintings, don't you think? But it doesn't always look like this. Let me start of the very beginning. I drive past the BMW showroom after work every day, but I do so in daylight. However, drive past a familiar scene in the dark and suddenly it acquires a completely different character. This is the top of the showroom and how dramatically the mundane view changes when there is a soft floodlight and the bare branches of a couple of trees in silhouette. I guess we all need to step away from familiar sights sometimes - and see them in an entirely different light.

That Sinking Feeling

Driver's Miracle Escape After Cliff Plunge

Photographer Mike Dugdale might find that one of his pictures becomes prime evidence in an unusual insurance claim. It's not your run-of-the-mill automobile picture, however. It shows a battered, dark shape, barely recognisable as a vehicle, floating out on Corio Bay here in coastal Victoria, about an hour's drive from Melbourne.

A 19-year-old driver had a miracle pre-dawn escape on Wednesday after his car veered off a road and plunged down a cliff and into the ocean at Clifton Springs. Sergeant Darren Savickas of Victoria Police told Southern Cross Broadcasting the driver had missed a sharp left-hand turn and drove through a wire fence. ``It's gone through a wire barrier fence and off a cliff with a drop of about 80 metres,'' he said.

Fortunately for the teenaged driver, a nearby resident heard the noise, went outside to see what had happened and then called police. An amazing rescue unfolded as the police helicopter managed to locate the car floating in the Bay. Police and State Emergency Service members had to contend with a rising tide as they tried to free the driver, the only occupant of the car. He is now recovering in hospital.

And the car? Alas, it sank in Corio Bay, which is why Mike Dugdale's great picture, published in the Geelong Advertiser and the Herald Sun, might be critical in proving that it actually came to a watery end. To view the photograph, go to target="_blank">Geelong Advertiser.

Trivia Pur$uit

According to strict protocol, the United Kingdom's flag is properly known as the Union Flag. It should only be called the Union Jack when it is flown from the jack mast of a ship.

Board With Life

Let Them Eat Cake, Says Los Angeles Baker

A bakery in Los Angeles is getting some mileage out of Paris Hilton's time in jail. The City Bakery is baking spice cupcakes with emery boards coming out of both sides. They're calling them Paris Hilton Visitor's Cakes. The owner of the bakery said, ``If anybody actually gets these to Paris Hilton, she has the choice to actually do her nails with it or try to break out.'' The bakery is selling 50 to 75 of the cupcakes a day.

Phantom Menace

Plenty Of Grunt Under This Hood

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Last week I had the privilege of photographing not one but two Rolls-Royce Phantoms at Trivett Classic Aston Martin at Southbank, here in Melbourne. After I had shot about twenty frames, I asked a staff member if it was possible to pop the hood. They readily agreed and I pored over the engine bay, revelling in the opportunity to shoot a fairly rare sight. The first shot (above) has the hood ornament, the Spirit of Ecstacy, in sharp focus, while the engine is in soft focus. For the second shot (below) I reversed the focus, concentrating on the engine and I was intrigued by the halos of reflection on the hood ornament.

Page Buoy

Thanks For The Book Review, Dan

I guess every novelist writes in the hope of being recognised and (perhaps) dreams of being on a bestseller list. I was extremely fortunate that my debut novel `Vegemite Vindaloo', published by Penguin Books India, got some great media reviews and was on bestseller lists from July until late December last year. The best reward of all was being at No. 3 on one list, with the Booker Prize winner at No. 1 and two giants - Frederick Forsyth and Jeffrey Archer - below me.

But it's been equally rewarding to see a few bloggers ordering the book and reviewing it. Dan was kind enough to review it this week. Here is an extract from his post.

``Here is my review: GET IT. Honestly, I cannot recall a time that a book made me laugh out loud on a crowded train and I didn't care. The stares I received from others was interesting but again, I didn't care. I really enjoyed it and thought it was a good read. (might I add, its the second book that actually made my eyes well up ....just a little though, ha). ''

Seizure Salad

Sounds Like He Was Hungry (For Punishment)

Consternation over the hunt for a vegan burglar in Somerset, Pennsylvania. Someone kicked in the door of a man's apartment, stuck a knife in the door and took a chilled salad from his refrigerator. The man told investigators someone broke into his apartment while he went to a nearby tavern. Nothing but the salad was missing, police said.