Friday, May 7, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Cycnics say Gunns Pulp Mill mill is dead? Bell Bay Ali says otherwise...exclusive interview....
According to an onsite foreman, the Tamar Valley pulp mill is on track.
His name is Muhammed and he migrated to Tasmania from Iraq.
He would not give his surname, not wanting to be identified (go figure?) and asked to be known as "Bell Bay Ali".
Here is a transcript of the interview I conducted with Bell Bay Ali -
"There are dozers and graders everywhere! Two roads have been completed and we are on track.
We chop down all the trees and everything is on track. Bell Bay pulp mill is on schedule and it will go ahead. There is nothing holding us up now. Green lights are everywhere my friend.
We are project ready and we expect construction of the mill to start very shortly, at any moment. Infact, I am 95.95% certain that construction of our multi billion pulp mill will begin next week.
Tomorrow i drive to the airport with Jon and Robyn and we pick up the pulp mill. It is here tommorrow.
Once this pulp mill is up and running then we will look at building another pulp mill in Tasmania. Perhaps at Sullivans Cove in Hobart. Maybe, I dont know.
What about finance?
"Finance? Huh. Kiss my bottom friends. We have finance. Too much finance. Here i give you $50. There you go, money for everyone. Yellow drinking vouchers all around. Anyhow have winfiled Aussie, aussie, aussie, oi oi oi!
Yes, plenty finance. The economics of the mill is very bloody good, but this is none of your business of course. The ANZ bank are ignorant bastards. We do not need them. We have plenty banks give us money. I have friend in Kazakhstan. He is trillionaire. He give us money, no problems".
What about those pesky greenies?
"The greenies failure is abysmal. God will roast their stomachs in hell at the hands of the pulp mill workers. The greenies want to tell the world the pulp mill is bad but they do not respect the world. They want to tell taxpayers and the public the pulp mill is smelly to keep them disbelieving.
The greens deceive with misinformation & scare-mongering. I tell you that the whining Tamar Valley greenie tourist operators will pay us when our pulp mill makes them rich. They are already surrendering.
How will you deal with them?
"Our initial assessment is that they are stupid. We will surround them with our log trucks, confuse them and then compost them. We will capture them and force feed them live animals and make them watch as we cut down the oldest tree in the forest. Then we will build the pulp mill on their bones and combie vans. We will fill them with cammomile tea, poke holes in their bellies and water our plantations with them.
We will back our lorries over their pets. We will rape their horses and ride off on their women (Muhammed asked me to mention that he meant the horses and women the other way around)
They tell lies so that they might continue with the perpetration of their crimes against the worlds greatest company.
Our company is the richest, the strongest, the geatest employer and the pulp mill is project ready. Project ready you hear!!
May the greens be accursed!
What about Bob Brown?
That bastard, the Tasmanian Senator Bob Brown. I am a better environmentalist than this villain.
The Greens, these are the environmental criminals. Tasmania can hear the warning sirens. This criminal Bob Brown is sitting in Canberra is a pathetic criminal and he and his wife Christine Mckim deserves to be beaten. In my home country we call greenies "Tarateer"– In Iraqi slang, Tartoor means a guy full of farts (i.e. hot air).
Let the green infidels bask in their illusion. Shame on them! They will forever be shamed! They have ruined the reputation of the great Tasmanian company in the most terrible way! Shame on you! We will destroy you and I will feed Bob Brown wedge tailed eagle stew!!!”
His name is Muhammed and he migrated to Tasmania from Iraq.
He would not give his surname, not wanting to be identified (go figure?) and asked to be known as "Bell Bay Ali".
Here is a transcript of the interview I conducted with Bell Bay Ali -
...............
How is the pulp mill progressing?"There are dozers and graders everywhere! Two roads have been completed and we are on track.
We chop down all the trees and everything is on track. Bell Bay pulp mill is on schedule and it will go ahead. There is nothing holding us up now. Green lights are everywhere my friend.
We are project ready and we expect construction of the mill to start very shortly, at any moment. Infact, I am 95.95% certain that construction of our multi billion pulp mill will begin next week.
Tomorrow i drive to the airport with Jon and Robyn and we pick up the pulp mill. It is here tommorrow.
Once this pulp mill is up and running then we will look at building another pulp mill in Tasmania. Perhaps at Sullivans Cove in Hobart. Maybe, I dont know.
What about finance?
"Finance? Huh. Kiss my bottom friends. We have finance. Too much finance. Here i give you $50. There you go, money for everyone. Yellow drinking vouchers all around. Anyhow have winfiled Aussie, aussie, aussie, oi oi oi!
Yes, plenty finance. The economics of the mill is very bloody good, but this is none of your business of course. The ANZ bank are ignorant bastards. We do not need them. We have plenty banks give us money. I have friend in Kazakhstan. He is trillionaire. He give us money, no problems".
What about those pesky greenies?
"The greenies failure is abysmal. God will roast their stomachs in hell at the hands of the pulp mill workers. The greenies want to tell the world the pulp mill is bad but they do not respect the world. They want to tell taxpayers and the public the pulp mill is smelly to keep them disbelieving.
The greens deceive with misinformation & scare-mongering. I tell you that the whining Tamar Valley greenie tourist operators will pay us when our pulp mill makes them rich. They are already surrendering.
How will you deal with them?
"Our initial assessment is that they are stupid. We will surround them with our log trucks, confuse them and then compost them. We will capture them and force feed them live animals and make them watch as we cut down the oldest tree in the forest. Then we will build the pulp mill on their bones and combie vans. We will fill them with cammomile tea, poke holes in their bellies and water our plantations with them.
We will back our lorries over their pets. We will rape their horses and ride off on their women (Muhammed asked me to mention that he meant the horses and women the other way around)
They tell lies so that they might continue with the perpetration of their crimes against the worlds greatest company.
Our company is the richest, the strongest, the geatest employer and the pulp mill is project ready. Project ready you hear!!
May the greens be accursed!
What about Bob Brown?
That bastard, the Tasmanian Senator Bob Brown. I am a better environmentalist than this villain.
The Greens, these are the environmental criminals. Tasmania can hear the warning sirens. This criminal Bob Brown is sitting in Canberra is a pathetic criminal and he and his wife Christine Mckim deserves to be beaten. In my home country we call greenies "Tarateer"– In Iraqi slang, Tartoor means a guy full of farts (i.e. hot air).
Let the green infidels bask in their illusion. Shame on them! They will forever be shamed! They have ruined the reputation of the great Tasmanian company in the most terrible way! Shame on you! We will destroy you and I will feed Bob Brown wedge tailed eagle stew!!!”
.....................
I’m sorry to say that after that I couldnt make out what Muhammed the foreman was saying. He was foaming at the mouth and then collapsed and had some kind of grand mal seizure. The last thing I heard him say was long live king robin, death to the green infidels.
Breaking news................Robin Gray retires as director on Gunns Board yesterday.................From the ASX
Aussie Share Market smashed again today and Gunns shares down to 49cents in line with Market falls.
Robin Gray retires as Director of Gunns. Gray, had previously indicated to the board that he intended to retire on June 30 2010, but has taken an early minute.
And the trees wept!
Has the failure of Gunns so called company restructure to fire its share price and the fact that analysts were less than impressed with Gay and Gray's continuing roles forced him out earlier?
http://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20100506/pdf/31q69ptcycn8z3.pdf
Robin Gray retires as Director of Gunns. Gray, had previously indicated to the board that he intended to retire on June 30 2010, but has taken an early minute.
And the trees wept!
Has the failure of Gunns so called company restructure to fire its share price and the fact that analysts were less than impressed with Gay and Gray's continuing roles forced him out earlier?
http://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20100506/pdf/31q69ptcycn8z3.pdf
Are those folks down at the Mock reading my blog?? Check out Sue Neales excellent article on wee willies leadership woes. You read it here first on Tas.commentary.blogspot (see article "Has Will Hodgman done a Herschelle Gibbs"
Hodgman's leadership woes - SUE NEALES - May 06, 2010 12:01am
..........................
and.....
......you read it first on this blog in this article............
Has Will Hodgman done a Herschelle Gibbs?
by Rick Pilkington
It was one of the most sensational dropped catches ever. South African cricketer Herschelle Gibbs is still remembered for dropping an easy catch off Australian captain Steve Waugh during the 1999 one day international cricket World Cup in England.
Immediately after Gibbs had dropped the catch, Steve Waugh left his crease and famously said to Gibbs "you just dropped the World Cup mate".
And thats exactly how it turned out. Australia beat South Africa and went on to win the world cup.
Herschelle Gibbs has never lived it down
A week or so back it appeared almost certain that Will Hodgman would be Premier.
Hodgman senior and Hodgman jnr were convinced. Most Tasmanians were convinced.
However it would appear Will may have pushed his luck a bit too far thumbing his nose at the Greens offer of a power sharing deal.
Was wee young Will pushed by the right wing of the party to take this stance? Now the Governor has asked the Premier to continue governing and the greens have done as they always said they would, to act in the interests of stable government and work with the government of the day.
Hodgman was given an opportunity to form government and he dropped the ball.
Will Hodgman made the fundamental error of ignoring the fact that it is the guv that giveth and the guv that taketh away. Now Will is acting like a spoilt brat and me thinks he may have just dropped his personal political equivalent of the world cup.
Has William Hodgman's allowed his one and only chance to be Tasmanian Premier slip through his fingers?
Listening to Will Hodgman's atonishingly brattish & unstatesmanlike tantrum on radio today it became increasingly apparent to me that Will Hodgman is a politician of little substance and skill. Sorry Will.
The Tasmanian Liberal party is now run by the conservative right with power brokers like Eric Abetz working in the shadows.
As I have stated previously this faction will want to make the experienced & smooth-talkin god-botherer Michael Ferguson party leader as soon as Will Hodgman begins to slide in the popularity stakes.
If this happens Will Hodgman WILL rue the day he thumbed his nose at the chance to negotiate a power-sharing government with the Greens.
Dont take any notice of Hodgmans bragging about his prinicipled stance. That wont be any consolation when talk of what could have been comes up at family bbq's
The Hodgman boy who was born to rule but
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Nick McKim's credibility takes a hit. Limo hypocrisy
Published today on The Mercury online website
http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/05/04/143825_tasmania-news.html
http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/05/04/143825_tasmania-news.html
Greens pair go first class
SUE NEALES - May 04, 2010 07:50am
"GREENS Leader Nick McKim will soon be driven around Tasmania by a government chauffeur in a plush limousine.
The new Human Services Minister yesterday announced he would take up the offer of a luxury ministerial Holden Statesman Caprice, with a personal driver, for "safety and workload" reasons.
Mr McKim's Greens colleague, partner and new Cabinet Secretary Cassy O'Connor will also have her own fuel-guzzling limousine and driver.
The cars come complete with TV screens, phones, email and computer screens.
Mr McKim also announced yesterday he and Ms O'Connor would be moving into new ministerial offices in the waterfront Marine Board Building, with first-class views.
Mr McKim, who holds five ministries in the landmark Labor-Greens Bartlett Cabinet, and Ms O'Connor, will also share an extra 10 ministerial staff between them.
The latest round of perks for Mr McKim and Ms O'Connor not showered on their three non-Cabinet Greens colleagues come in addition to their new elevated ministerial salaries.
Mr McKim, 44, will now earn $217,161 a year as a minister in the Labor-Greens Government and Ms O'Connor, 42, a salary of $168,149 as Cabinet Secretary.
In common with the other seven ministers, Ms O'Connor and Mr McKim will also be provided with a second taxpayer-funded car each for their own personal use.
Two years ago, Mr McKim rejected the offer of a chauffeur-driven car when made Greens leader, on the grounds it was an unnecessary luxury, a waste of public resources and unfriendly to the environment.
But Mr McKim said yesterday the Government had already allocated two of its ministerial cars and drivers to him and Ms O'Connor when they became Cabinet members.
The Greens' party-room meeting yesterday endorsed their decision to accept the ministerial vehicles "on road safety and workload grounds".
Mr McKim said he had discussed the issue with Premier David Bartlett, with the Department of Premier and Cabinet prepared to assess an alternative range of low-emission vehicles for potential inclusion in the ministerial fleet once current vehicles become due for replacement.
"In recognition of the increased workload due to ministerial portfolio responsibilities, plus road-safety concerns, the Greens' party room has supported both Ms O'Connor and me using ministerial vehicles when undertaking our ministerial duties," Mr McKim said.
"Neither of us intends to regularly use ministerial vehicles for short trips around Hobart."
Mr McKim said the 10 new staff, advisers and office administrators were no more than any other government minister was entitled to."
Matt Denholm at the OZ writes on Wildo's woes
Rivalry threatens green group
Matthew Denholm From: The Australian May 05, 2010
"SENIOR figures within The Wilderness Society fear a bitter split will destroy the 34-year-old conservation group as internal warring yesterday forced two senior leaders to withdraw from its key forestry campaign.
The feud between two rival camps forced two of the group's key forestry campaigners to withdraw from involvement in the high-profile campaign to end old-growth logging.
Alec Marr, TWS national executive director, and Vica Bayley, Tasmanian campaign director, who are internal opponents, decided to quarantine themselves from the forest campaign they have helped lead for many years.
The extraordinary decision is an attempt to try to prevent the bitter internal ructions from "polluting" public campaigns.
Some senior TWS figures fear that unless the warring factions can step away from the abyss, the conflict will destroy the society.
In Tasmania, there is frustration that the group, which has grown to 46,000 members nationwide, is faltering just as there is hope of victory in its long-running campaigns on old growth and the Gunns pulp mill.
A dispute that began over concerns about Mr Marr's management style has broadened into a battle for the heart, soul and budget of TWS"
3 Tassie Cyclists in Giro.
14 Aussies will start the Giro d Italia this saturday night. 3 of those are tassie boys. Cameron Wurf, Matt Goss and Richie Porte. Go Tassie!!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Must see Television.
If you are a lover of Vietnam, all things vietnamese and especially vietnamese food you must check out Rick Steyn's far eastern food odyssey n ABC 1. I may be biased having visited the country and still being under the spell, but I reckon this is one of the best food/travel programs to come out in a while.
The ABC has run the first two episodes both of which you can watch on ABC iview through the link below.
The next episode features Thailand and will be screened next Tuesday at 8.30pm on ABC1.
I even missed survivor to watch this show!!
http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/lifestyle
The ABC has run the first two episodes both of which you can watch on ABC iview through the link below.
The next episode features Thailand and will be screened next Tuesday at 8.30pm on ABC1.
I even missed survivor to watch this show!!
http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/lifestyle
C'mon Mercury. Get it right.
I like the Mock and it provides some of the best online reading about Tasmanian news and public life.
Its coverage of Local sport is not bad, but it could be better.
Case in point.---- http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/05/04/143941_sport-news.html
Have a read of this report about Richie Porte's progress in the recent Tour of Romandie.
Followers of this blog would be aware that Portey progress has been followed and documented here particularly his recent Tour of Romandie exploits. I am not a trained journo nor am I paid for what i write, however I do make an effort to get local sports stories up on the blog as they break.
Cant say the same of the Mercury when it comes to this particular report (see link above)
The Mercury's report on the Tour of Romandie was posted at 12.01 Tuesday morning.
The race itself finished 24 hrs earlier (aest).
O.k thats forgiveable...right?
Yes of course it is.
Well it would have been if the report contained news about the final results of the race which as I said finished 24hrs previous to the Mercury going to print. But no the Mock's report was about the stage that Portey won on Friday Night (aest)! 3 days ago!
There were two subsequent stages after Portey's win. No news of those.
72 hr old news!!
C'mon Mock. Well done on covering Portey's win but if this blogger can get it to print on time then what's your excuse.
Its coverage of Local sport is not bad, but it could be better.
Case in point.---- http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/05/04/143941_sport-news.html
Have a read of this report about Richie Porte's progress in the recent Tour of Romandie.
Followers of this blog would be aware that Portey progress has been followed and documented here particularly his recent Tour of Romandie exploits. I am not a trained journo nor am I paid for what i write, however I do make an effort to get local sports stories up on the blog as they break.
Cant say the same of the Mercury when it comes to this particular report (see link above)
The Mercury's report on the Tour of Romandie was posted at 12.01 Tuesday morning.
The race itself finished 24 hrs earlier (aest).
O.k thats forgiveable...right?
Yes of course it is.
Well it would have been if the report contained news about the final results of the race which as I said finished 24hrs previous to the Mercury going to print. But no the Mock's report was about the stage that Portey won on Friday Night (aest)! 3 days ago!
There were two subsequent stages after Portey's win. No news of those.
72 hr old news!!
C'mon Mock. Well done on covering Portey's win but if this blogger can get it to print on time then what's your excuse.
Tasmanian Times website provides forum for anonymous smear campaign against Wilderness Society
http://tasmaniantimes.com/index.php?/comments/12761/
The Wilderness Society certainly have some problems at the moment sorting out a painful & divisive leadership split.
However to those of us in Tasmania who love our wilderness and want to conserve it from the ravages of the logging industry the wildo's have for decades fought on our behalf on the front line. Very few would argue with this
Indeed, in recent years the Tasmanian branch of the wildo's have been a great friend us who live in the Tamar Valley and want a Gunns Pulp Mill free future.
The wildo's led admirably by people like Paul Oosting and Vica Bayley have led the fight for our community to stop the unpopular pulp mill project from seeing the light of day.
Yet, for the Hobart based Tasmanian Times, an overtly pro left wing, pro environmentalist website, and its correspondents who are mostly made up of greenies, radicals and a handful of nutcases, TWS are just not green enough. Indeed, I'm not sure if there is a shade of green dark enough for some of the hippy idealists that inhabit this website.
Whilst the TT is appropriately running some interesting reads on how the TWS split is playing out, unfortunately the site is also providing a forum (see link at top of page) to certain individuals who are serial haters of TWS and have an axe to grind against TWS. These 1 or 2 individuals are being permitted by TT to derail & hijack legitimate discussions and use the Tasmanian Times as a willing forum to run anonymous and unsubstantiated smear against TWS.
This is not the first time the Tasmanian Times has run anti-TWS smear campaigns. This have occurred on numerous occassions and what is also noteworthy is that by looking back through the Tasmanian Times archives we can see that other Tasmanian environmental and anti-pulp mill groups have been spared from similar smear campaigns.
This blogger knows from discussions with TWS staff that they are reluctant to defend themselves on the Tasmanian Times, not wanting to legitimise the attacks and allegations being made against them.
This blogger believes that the Tasmanian Times and its anonynmous correspondents are continuing to run smear and innuendo against TWS knowing that it is unlikely TWS will attempt to defend itself. In doing so TT is taking advantage of the good nature of local Tasmanian TWS staff. That does not take courage and has nothing to do with good reporting.
I have written to the Tasmanian Times seeking an explanation and I have also posted a response signing off with my real name and as yet, no response from the Tasmanian Times.
Here are some examples of the wild unsubstantiated allegations about TWS being published anonymously on the Tasmanian Times.
"TWS deserve everything they get in my opinion, In Victoria, the TWS branch have a pretty bad name"
"The fact that many of these plantations could well be toxic (nitens plantations anyway) appears to be a non issue for TWS. Have TWS come out publicly slamming toxic nitens plantations? Of course not, because to do so would be undermining their very own philosophical underpinnings (which is shut down native forest logging)".
"This is another reason why people shouldn’t give any money to TWS, because they’ll use it to promote plantations".
"Could this be TWS’s karma for the dirty and underhanded way they conducted themselves toward other conservation groups and individuals who questioned their policies and strategies?"
"It seems to me that as a lot of experienced people walked away or backed off from forest campaigning over the last few years (because TWS would countenance no debate and railroaded their false and un-winnable position over fellow travelers) the sick culture turned in on itself and imploded.
Now that they have arrived at their inevitable destination on the Grand Defunct Railway, it will be interesting to see if the heirs to this sick culture are capable of making the organisation functional again or whether it’s just a cycle in the disease".
"We now have a scenario where TWS is pushing for plantations only to supply the Gunns pulp mill"
"TWS’s greater goal of shutting down the native forest industry, whilst at the same time supporting an increase of paper production via a stinking pulp mill which will lead to a lower quality of life for people living in the area"
"The TWS strategy was not only to stop all old growth logging, but all logging (full stop!) by moving the industry immediately into plantations. This strategy eventually undermined communities and small environment groups, (many of which were opposed to woodchipping and plantations), yet who weren’t opposed 100% to native forest logging. (what about firewood, is this not dependent on native forest logging!). The Strategy has also led to a rift in the forest movement, where once all were united in their call to stop logging in old growth forests. United we stand, divided we fall. TWS pushed their strategy onto the movement with no consideration of other ways of dealing with the issue. This all or nothing approach has undermined alot of good campaign work focussing on alternatives and as mentioned before divided the movement. This is not old history. It is still present now with small regional groups still undermined by the TWS agenda, which is my mind bordered at one time on the fanatical. I agree that Gunns, Forestry Tasmania and the State Government must take almost all of the blame for the destruction, but in my opinion TWS’s strategy has made their job easier because the TWS strategy effectively castrated much of the movement. The louder and simpler the TWS message was the more money was donated into their coffers".
The Wilderness Society certainly have some problems at the moment sorting out a painful & divisive leadership split.
However to those of us in Tasmania who love our wilderness and want to conserve it from the ravages of the logging industry the wildo's have for decades fought on our behalf on the front line. Very few would argue with this
Indeed, in recent years the Tasmanian branch of the wildo's have been a great friend us who live in the Tamar Valley and want a Gunns Pulp Mill free future.
The wildo's led admirably by people like Paul Oosting and Vica Bayley have led the fight for our community to stop the unpopular pulp mill project from seeing the light of day.
Yet, for the Hobart based Tasmanian Times, an overtly pro left wing, pro environmentalist website, and its correspondents who are mostly made up of greenies, radicals and a handful of nutcases, TWS are just not green enough. Indeed, I'm not sure if there is a shade of green dark enough for some of the hippy idealists that inhabit this website.
Whilst the TT is appropriately running some interesting reads on how the TWS split is playing out, unfortunately the site is also providing a forum (see link at top of page) to certain individuals who are serial haters of TWS and have an axe to grind against TWS. These 1 or 2 individuals are being permitted by TT to derail & hijack legitimate discussions and use the Tasmanian Times as a willing forum to run anonymous and unsubstantiated smear against TWS.
This is not the first time the Tasmanian Times has run anti-TWS smear campaigns. This have occurred on numerous occassions and what is also noteworthy is that by looking back through the Tasmanian Times archives we can see that other Tasmanian environmental and anti-pulp mill groups have been spared from similar smear campaigns.
This blogger knows from discussions with TWS staff that they are reluctant to defend themselves on the Tasmanian Times, not wanting to legitimise the attacks and allegations being made against them.
This blogger believes that the Tasmanian Times and its anonynmous correspondents are continuing to run smear and innuendo against TWS knowing that it is unlikely TWS will attempt to defend itself. In doing so TT is taking advantage of the good nature of local Tasmanian TWS staff. That does not take courage and has nothing to do with good reporting.
I have written to the Tasmanian Times seeking an explanation and I have also posted a response signing off with my real name and as yet, no response from the Tasmanian Times.
Here are some examples of the wild unsubstantiated allegations about TWS being published anonymously on the Tasmanian Times.
................
"TWS deserve everything they get in my opinion, In Victoria, the TWS branch have a pretty bad name"
"The fact that many of these plantations could well be toxic (nitens plantations anyway) appears to be a non issue for TWS. Have TWS come out publicly slamming toxic nitens plantations? Of course not, because to do so would be undermining their very own philosophical underpinnings (which is shut down native forest logging)".
"This is another reason why people shouldn’t give any money to TWS, because they’ll use it to promote plantations".
"Could this be TWS’s karma for the dirty and underhanded way they conducted themselves toward other conservation groups and individuals who questioned their policies and strategies?"
"It seems to me that as a lot of experienced people walked away or backed off from forest campaigning over the last few years (because TWS would countenance no debate and railroaded their false and un-winnable position over fellow travelers) the sick culture turned in on itself and imploded.
Now that they have arrived at their inevitable destination on the Grand Defunct Railway, it will be interesting to see if the heirs to this sick culture are capable of making the organisation functional again or whether it’s just a cycle in the disease".
"We now have a scenario where TWS is pushing for plantations only to supply the Gunns pulp mill"
"TWS’s greater goal of shutting down the native forest industry, whilst at the same time supporting an increase of paper production via a stinking pulp mill which will lead to a lower quality of life for people living in the area"
"The TWS strategy was not only to stop all old growth logging, but all logging (full stop!) by moving the industry immediately into plantations. This strategy eventually undermined communities and small environment groups, (many of which were opposed to woodchipping and plantations), yet who weren’t opposed 100% to native forest logging. (what about firewood, is this not dependent on native forest logging!). The Strategy has also led to a rift in the forest movement, where once all were united in their call to stop logging in old growth forests. United we stand, divided we fall. TWS pushed their strategy onto the movement with no consideration of other ways of dealing with the issue. This all or nothing approach has undermined alot of good campaign work focussing on alternatives and as mentioned before divided the movement. This is not old history. It is still present now with small regional groups still undermined by the TWS agenda, which is my mind bordered at one time on the fanatical. I agree that Gunns, Forestry Tasmania and the State Government must take almost all of the blame for the destruction, but in my opinion TWS’s strategy has made their job easier because the TWS strategy effectively castrated much of the movement. The louder and simpler the TWS message was the more money was donated into their coffers".
........................
The quotes above contain wide ranging and serious allegations. None of these have been supported on the Tasmanian Times by literature or documentation. This blogger intends to draw the attention of TWS to these statements and encourage them to take action. I encourage all those who care about the future of the Tasmanian environment, the Tamar Valley and a fair go to make your views known to the Tasmanian Times and the Wilderness society.
See boy crying over spilt milk.
Opposition Will Hodgman justifying why he didnt have the stones to take the top job when he could.
Watch live from parliament house.
http://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/Parliament/hatbs.htm
Watch live from parliament house.
http://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/Parliament/hatbs.htm
Liquigas rider Franco Pellizotti suspended for doping irregularities....out of the Giro....up to 8 riders to be named in doping scandal. Updated 4/5/2010....two more riders named.
.............2 more riders named..........
..............."The UCI has confirmed it has requested disciplinary proceedings to be opened against Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas-Doimo), Jesus Rosendo Prado (Andalucia-Cajasur) and Tadej Valjavec (Ag2r-La Mondiale) for apparent violation of the Anti-Doping Rules on the basis of the information provided by the blood profiles in their biological passports"............
News outlets are reporting that the UCI Bio passport has snared another big name rider.
Liquigas rider Franco Pellizotti has been suspended due to irregularities in his biological passport.
Pellizotti was to ride the Giro d’Italia, which starts on saturday night (aest ) and was one of the big favourites for the race.
Suspicions were raised during last year's Tour de France where pellizotti won the polkerdot jersey awarded to the king of the mountains. He reportedly returned peculiar blood values, and he has been monitored since then. Pellizotti also finished the 2009 Giro in third place.
Pellizotti was informed two months ago.
There could a little as 4 and possibly 8 other suspensions to be announced in the coming days.
These could include a Russian, two Spaniards, a Slovenian and another Italian. Gazzetta dello Sport suggests the names will be revealed today (Monday) because the Giro d'Italia organisers RCS Sport has to make a final decision on the teams and riders it confirms for this year's race which begins in Amsterdam next Saturday.
Last year, five riders were identified as having manipulated their blood, namely Spain's Igor Astarloa, Ruben Lobato and Ricardo Serrano and Italy's Pietro Caucchioli and Francesco De Bonis.
..............."The UCI has confirmed it has requested disciplinary proceedings to be opened against Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas-Doimo), Jesus Rosendo Prado (Andalucia-Cajasur) and Tadej Valjavec (Ag2r-La Mondiale) for apparent violation of the Anti-Doping Rules on the basis of the information provided by the blood profiles in their biological passports"............
..........................
News outlets are reporting that the UCI Bio passport has snared another big name rider.
Liquigas rider Franco Pellizotti has been suspended due to irregularities in his biological passport.
Pellizotti was to ride the Giro d’Italia, which starts on saturday night (aest ) and was one of the big favourites for the race.
Suspicions were raised during last year's Tour de France where pellizotti won the polkerdot jersey awarded to the king of the mountains. He reportedly returned peculiar blood values, and he has been monitored since then. Pellizotti also finished the 2009 Giro in third place.
Pellizotti was informed two months ago.
There could a little as 4 and possibly 8 other suspensions to be announced in the coming days.
These could include a Russian, two Spaniards, a Slovenian and another Italian. Gazzetta dello Sport suggests the names will be revealed today (Monday) because the Giro d'Italia organisers RCS Sport has to make a final decision on the teams and riders it confirms for this year's race which begins in Amsterdam next Saturday.
Last year, five riders were identified as having manipulated their blood, namely Spain's Igor Astarloa, Ruben Lobato and Ricardo Serrano and Italy's Pietro Caucchioli and Francesco De Bonis.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Man v Wild - docu-drama or take the piss.
Does anyone else watch this show. Tonight's episode has to be one of 'Bear's' most bizarre.
Tonight Bear is showing us how to survive in Ireland? Do people actually get lost in Ireland? Maybe after your 6th pint of Guinness?
No Bear was not wearing a black balaclava and dodging IRA bullets in Belfast. Bear was tramping round Irelands rugged coastline, eating maggots, sheeps hearts, falling over, screwing up his face a lot, taking the hard way instead of the easy way and just generally making Charli, myself and Anna piss ourselves laughing.
I reckon this show must have a cult following by now, not so much for Bear's heroics but the take the piss value. For example, at one stage tonight Bear found himself sinking into a 'peat bog'. Luckily for bear there was rotting sheeps carcass submerged in the bog which arrested his fall. Bear pulled himself out of the bog by levering off the sheep carcass and with a straight face told us that he had found dinner and ....wait for it....something to keep him warm tonight. Oh bear!
Tonight Bear is showing us how to survive in Ireland? Do people actually get lost in Ireland? Maybe after your 6th pint of Guinness?
No Bear was not wearing a black balaclava and dodging IRA bullets in Belfast. Bear was tramping round Irelands rugged coastline, eating maggots, sheeps hearts, falling over, screwing up his face a lot, taking the hard way instead of the easy way and just generally making Charli, myself and Anna piss ourselves laughing.
I reckon this show must have a cult following by now, not so much for Bear's heroics but the take the piss value. For example, at one stage tonight Bear found himself sinking into a 'peat bog'. Luckily for bear there was rotting sheeps carcass submerged in the bog which arrested his fall. Bear pulled himself out of the bog by levering off the sheep carcass and with a straight face told us that he had found dinner and ....wait for it....something to keep him warm tonight. Oh bear!
Launceston triathlete Joe Gambles 2nd in Wildflower Triathlon / Getting fit.
In another breakrthrough performance Launceston triathlete Joe Gambles yesterday placed 2nd in the prestigious Wildflower Triathlon in the U.S. In what was described as one of the strongest fields ever gathered in the event's history Gambles improved on 2 previous 4th place performances to finish 2nd behind arguably the best middle distance triathlete in the world, Michael Raelert.
Joe only left Launceston 2 weeks and has made a brilliant start to his U.S campaign.
http://triathlon.competitor.com/2010/05/news/michael-raelert-julie-dibens-win-2010-avia-wildflower-triathlon_9230
&
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2010/05/01/1125000/dibens-turns-in-course-record.html
After last week's improved training block, I started this week with a 2.3kswim and tonight was 15minutes into an enjoyble run when I turned my ankle. always a possibility on my home trail here at gravelly beach.
The ankle is swollen and i reckon it might be good 4-7 days before i can run again. Oh well, it could have been a lot worse. I hit the deck pretty hard, but then got up and started walking o.k. The fact that in wasnt limping immediately is a good sign. Feeling fitter overall.
Joe only left Launceston 2 weeks and has made a brilliant start to his U.S campaign.
http://triathlon.competitor.com/2010/05/news/michael-raelert-julie-dibens-win-2010-avia-wildflower-triathlon_9230
&
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2010/05/01/1125000/dibens-turns-in-course-record.html
........................
After last week's improved training block, I started this week with a 2.3kswim and tonight was 15minutes into an enjoyble run when I turned my ankle. always a possibility on my home trail here at gravelly beach.
The ankle is swollen and i reckon it might be good 4-7 days before i can run again. Oh well, it could have been a lot worse. I hit the deck pretty hard, but then got up and started walking o.k. The fact that in wasnt limping immediately is a good sign. Feeling fitter overall.
Porte finishes 11th in Tour of Romandie.
From twitter Richie Porte - "last day of Romandie, cold, wet and hard stage. I'll be fighting as hard as I can for my 7th on GC. Wish me luck.. I'm gonna need it!"
And he did.
In a breakthrough performance Launceston's Richie Porte has placed 11th overall after the 6 stage Tour of Romandie in Switzerland. Recruited last year into arguably the world's biggest cycling outfit - Team Saxobank, Porte is being groomed for the big European Grand Tour's (The 3 Grand tours are the tours of France, Spain and Italy), the first of which begins this sunday - the Giro d Italia (May 8).
Porte will be the 3rd? 4th? Tasmanian behind Michael Wilson, Wes Sulzberger and Matt Goss(?) to ride a "Grand Tour".
This years Giro has 3 individual time trials and one team time trial. Team Saxobank will be looking to Porte and Olympic silver medallist Gustav Larsen to bring home a stage win. I'm not sure if a Tasmanian has ever won a stage in the Grand Tour's. With Portey's time trialling ability he looks to have a good a chance as any.
Quite an achievement for a boy from Hadspen. This week has been a massive week for Portey.
I firmly believe that if Richie stays injury free he will win a major European stage race in the next few years. He is already one of the best time triallers in the world and although comparitively lacking in experience in the big european mountains he is showing that he can climb with the best. The ability to time trial and climb well are the hallmarks of all the successful European riders.
See the link below for a report on Portey's Romandie campaign
http://www.team-saxobank.com/ny_news.asp?n_id=2760
And he did.
In a breakthrough performance Launceston's Richie Porte has placed 11th overall after the 6 stage Tour of Romandie in Switzerland. Recruited last year into arguably the world's biggest cycling outfit - Team Saxobank, Porte is being groomed for the big European Grand Tour's (The 3 Grand tours are the tours of France, Spain and Italy), the first of which begins this sunday - the Giro d Italia (May 8).
Porte will be the 3rd? 4th? Tasmanian behind Michael Wilson, Wes Sulzberger and Matt Goss(?) to ride a "Grand Tour".
This years Giro has 3 individual time trials and one team time trial. Team Saxobank will be looking to Porte and Olympic silver medallist Gustav Larsen to bring home a stage win. I'm not sure if a Tasmanian has ever won a stage in the Grand Tour's. With Portey's time trialling ability he looks to have a good a chance as any.
Quite an achievement for a boy from Hadspen. This week has been a massive week for Portey.
I firmly believe that if Richie stays injury free he will win a major European stage race in the next few years. He is already one of the best time triallers in the world and although comparitively lacking in experience in the big european mountains he is showing that he can climb with the best. The ability to time trial and climb well are the hallmarks of all the successful European riders.
See the link below for a report on Portey's Romandie campaign
http://www.team-saxobank.com/ny_news.asp?n_id=2760
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Hawthorn. Mutton birds dressed up as lamb chops.
Its official. Hawthorn are suffering from the longest premiership hangover of the modern era.
For a team that fancies itself as tough and hard, tonight Hawthorn played some of the softest footy I have seen in a long time. I saw some very slow players dropping their heads, not chasing and being whooped by Essendon.
Campbell Brown is probably the most overrated player in the AFL and to me he looks like the game is passing him. Roughead should go back to the VFL and its almost time to look at Clarkson's job.
Hawthorn you are soft.
For a team that fancies itself as tough and hard, tonight Hawthorn played some of the softest footy I have seen in a long time. I saw some very slow players dropping their heads, not chasing and being whooped by Essendon.
Campbell Brown is probably the most overrated player in the AFL and to me he looks like the game is passing him. Roughead should go back to the VFL and its almost time to look at Clarkson's job.
Hawthorn you are soft.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Taylor romps in Elwick MLC election.
Congratulations to Glenorchy Mayor Adriana Taylor on winning the upper house seat of Elwick.
All the best in the job Adriana.
Do the right thing now, resign as Mayor of GCC, let someone else do the job and make your first order of business in the upper house to lobby your fellow parliamentarians to ban MLC's from holding down local government jobs.
All the best in the job Adriana.
Do the right thing now, resign as Mayor of GCC, let someone else do the job and make your first order of business in the upper house to lobby your fellow parliamentarians to ban MLC's from holding down local government jobs.
Porte to chase overall win in Tour of Romandie
From the Team SaxoBank website
Richie Porte Won Romandie Time Trial
[30.04 17:47]
Team Saxo Bank newcomer, Richie Porte delivered an amazing performance on the 23.4 kilometer long time trial in Tour de Romandie by winning the stage ahead of specialists Alejeandro Valverde, Michael Rogers and Vladimir Karpets.
It is his first season with a protour-team but Richie Porte is not easy to scare. In any case, he took on today's challenge without stage fright and rushed through the course, 26 seconds ahead of Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne). Michael Rogers (Columbia) is the new leader of the race while Team Saxo Bank stage winner, Richie Porte jumped up on seventh place overall.
“I hardly have any nails left from biting them when I was sitting in the bus waiting for the last rider to cross the finish line. It's my first pro win and taking it ahead of big names like these is just unreal. Bradley (McGee) was talking me through every corner on the road and told me where to stay and how to ride from start to finish. There's no better teacher than him. Besides, I have Michael Mørkøv and Bobby Julich to thank for this win since they have been there for me these past few weeks. The moral on Team Saxo Bank is just without comparison. Everybody's just happy for me," said Richie Porte after his astonishing time trial victory.
And sports director, Dan Frost was proud of his young rider after his first pro victory:
“Richie (Porte) really had to dig deep in himself today and made an unbelievably outstanding result for him and for the whole team. He started his time trial relatively early and maybe the wind in the meanwhile changed direction but that was not what gave him the stunning victory today. In fact, he was behind in the intermediate and he made it up due to a phenomenal finish. As I have said before, it is really encouraging to see how these guys seize their chances in this race. Richie (Porte) determinedly went after this result and he prevailed. Tomorrow, Richie (Porte) is going to stay with the front as long he can to do a good overall result while Gustav (Larsson) is still preparing for the Giro,” said Dan Frost after the time trial victory.
Link to 3rd stage report and results from Porte's Tour of Romandie win & Aussie cyclists praise Porte
http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/64th-tour-de-romandie-upt/stage-3-itt/results
&
http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/04/news/porte-wins-romandie-tt-rogers-takes-over-lead_113812
From twitter....
Aussie pro's Mark Renshaw said "How good is Richie @porteye What a win by this pocket rocket !"
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Simon Gerrans said "Introducing Richie Porte! What an awesome win in Romandie for another young Aussie talent".
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Rupert Guinness said "Congrats to Mick Rogers for taking Tour of Romandy yellow jersey and to Richie Porte for the TT stage win!"
&
http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/04/news/porte-wins-romandie-tt-rogers-takes-over-lead_113812
From twitter....
Aussie pro's Mark Renshaw said "How good is Richie @porteye What a win by this pocket rocket !"
&
Simon Gerrans said "Introducing Richie Porte! What an awesome win in Romandie for another young Aussie talent".
&
Rupert Guinness said "Congrats to Mick Rogers for taking Tour of Romandy yellow jersey and to Richie Porte for the TT stage win!"
Porte praises McGee, Julich after ProTour stage win
from Cyclingnews.com By: Greg JohnsonPublished: May 1, 09:34, Updated: April 30, 23:38Race:Tour de Romandie, Stage 3 (ITT)
Richie Porte (Saxo Bank) was ecstatic about his first professional victory.
From nervousness to success in three days
After dropping his bike during Tuesday’s prologue at the Tour of Romandie Australia’s Richie Porte admitted to being a little shaken up. Just three days later, faced with a 23.4 kilometre individual time trial in
Moudon, Porte put the nerves behind him to claim his maiden ProTour stage win.
The victory comes just under a year after Porte won the Baby Giro’s individual effort, however this time the Tasmanian was faced with a much stiffer list of opponents. The victory over riders like former world champion Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) and all-rounders like Alejandro Valverde and Denis Menchov came thanks to Porte’s work with Saxo Bank’s Brad McGee and Bobby Julich.
“It’s exciting and a big confidence booster, especially a time trial,” Porte told Cyclingnews. “There is nowhere to hide in a time trial.
“I knew that I had the form. Training has been going well and I have been working with Brad McGee and Bobby Julich, who are two of the best time trial riders of their generation,” he added. “Then to crash in the prologue shook me up a bit but today I just went out there and hurt myself...it was worth it though.”
While delighted to lay down a quicker time than multiple world champion Rogers, Porte was quick to share his success with his compatriot. Rogers claimed Romandie’s general classification lead with his ride to fourth place, 29 seconds behind the 25-year-old Porte.
“It’s nice to win any race but then you look at the result sheet and it even sweeter to see some of those names behind you,” he said. “Also with Mick Rogers taking the overall it was a great day for us Aussies.”
Despite his Swiss success Porte isn’t making any bold predictions ahead of his Grand Tour debut at the Giro d’Italia, starting next weekend. While the idea of backing up his Baby Giro win with a victory in the elite Giro appealed to Porte when suggested, he’s keeping his feet firmly grounded.
“I guess it gives me a bit of confidence, still though I will have to take it day by day,” he added. “It is a big confidence booster. It’s just nice to be able to repay the faith which Bjarne Riis showed in me when I signed with Saxo Bank
Porte praises McGee, Julich after ProTour stage win
Richie Porte (Saxo Bank) was ecstatic about his first professional victory.
From nervousness to success in three days
After dropping his bike during Tuesday’s prologue at the Tour of Romandie Australia’s Richie Porte admitted to being a little shaken up. Just three days later, faced with a 23.4 kilometre individual time trial in
Moudon, Porte put the nerves behind him to claim his maiden ProTour stage win.
The victory comes just under a year after Porte won the Baby Giro’s individual effort, however this time the Tasmanian was faced with a much stiffer list of opponents. The victory over riders like former world champion Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) and all-rounders like Alejandro Valverde and Denis Menchov came thanks to Porte’s work with Saxo Bank’s Brad McGee and Bobby Julich.
“It’s exciting and a big confidence booster, especially a time trial,” Porte told Cyclingnews. “There is nowhere to hide in a time trial.
“I knew that I had the form. Training has been going well and I have been working with Brad McGee and Bobby Julich, who are two of the best time trial riders of their generation,” he added. “Then to crash in the prologue shook me up a bit but today I just went out there and hurt myself...it was worth it though.”
While delighted to lay down a quicker time than multiple world champion Rogers, Porte was quick to share his success with his compatriot. Rogers claimed Romandie’s general classification lead with his ride to fourth place, 29 seconds behind the 25-year-old Porte.
“It’s nice to win any race but then you look at the result sheet and it even sweeter to see some of those names behind you,” he said. “Also with Mick Rogers taking the overall it was a great day for us Aussies.”
Despite his Swiss success Porte isn’t making any bold predictions ahead of his Grand Tour debut at the Giro d’Italia, starting next weekend. While the idea of backing up his Baby Giro win with a victory in the elite Giro appealed to Porte when suggested, he’s keeping his feet firmly grounded.
“I guess it gives me a bit of confidence, still though I will have to take it day by day,” he added. “It is a big confidence booster. It’s just nice to be able to repay the faith which Bjarne Riis showed in me when I signed with Saxo Bank
Breaking news...Launceston's Richie Porte has blown away the Tour of Romandie field to take the 3rd stage individual time trial by 26 seconds!!
Breaking news...Launceston's Richie Porte has blown away the Tour of Romandie field to take the 3rd stage individual time trial by 26 seconds!!
The win has elevated Porte to 7th (from 93rd yesterday) on the overall classification and puts him into the mix for the overall win. It should mean that we see Rithcie's TEAM SAXOBANK will now elevate him to team leader for the remainder of the race and we are now likely to see SAXOBANK spending more time near the front of the race. If someone had told Portey 12 months ago he would find himself as his teams GC main man in a major stage race..???
This is Portey first major professional win and it should also ensure that SAXOBANK look to retain his services for next year and beyond, but it should also seal his place in the team for first of the upcoming grand tours - The giro'd itlalia.
The win has elevated Porte to 7th (from 93rd yesterday) on the overall classification and puts him into the mix for the overall win. It should mean that we see Rithcie's TEAM SAXOBANK will now elevate him to team leader for the remainder of the race and we are now likely to see SAXOBANK spending more time near the front of the race. If someone had told Portey 12 months ago he would find himself as his teams GC main man in a major stage race..???
This is Portey first major professional win and it should also ensure that SAXOBANK look to retain his services for next year and beyond, but it should also seal his place in the team for first of the upcoming grand tours - The giro'd itlalia.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Saints wins by 3.
Saints by 3 points in absolute thriller. You little beauty!!!
Tonights win against a rampaging dogs will go down as one of the Saints gutsiest and most important of the season. The game was the lowest scoring in the 450+ game history at Docklands (Etihad) stadium with only 95 combined points kicked. Much improved effort by Kozitschke.
Hayes, Montagna, Gilbert, Schneider, Clark, Fisher, McQaulter all great tonight.
Tonights win against a rampaging dogs will go down as one of the Saints gutsiest and most important of the season. The game was the lowest scoring in the 450+ game history at Docklands (Etihad) stadium with only 95 combined points kicked. Much improved effort by Kozitschke.
Hayes, Montagna, Gilbert, Schneider, Clark, Fisher, McQaulter all great tonight.
Tour of Romandie - AFL tips - Ride
AFL Tips
FREO
COLLINGWOOD
STKILDA
STDNEY
NORTH MELBOURNE
PORT
ESSENDON
GEELONG
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In the 2nd stage of the Tour of Romandie Launceston's Richie Porte once again finished with the main bunch and continued his move up the standings from 109th to 93rd. Tomorrow sees a 23.4km time trial in the town of Moudon. Whilst it may only be 23.4km its quite hilly which will suite climbers like Porte.
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On a beautiful morning I managed a 47km ride into town and back. Gorgeous day. 110km for the week. Aiming for a hard swim in the morning.
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