pindanpost

Burnt profits?…

Tom Harley — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 01:32:00 +0000

Stubble burning questioned

POST grain harvest stubble burning has been called into question after the near-record grain harvest of 2011/12 in the WA’s Wheatbelt.

25 years ago, this was questioned…what has changed? About 27 years ago, I used to sell machinery that ploughed stubble back in, along with seed. Burning stubble? No way.

New tick disease near Canberra…

Tom Harley — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 01:24:44 +0000

First case of babesiosis in Australia baffles scientists

Tuesday, 29 May 2012 10:00

The disease is transmitted by Ixodes scapularis, the same tick that spreads Lyme disease.Image: Joshua Mayer

RESEARCHERS at Murdoch University have helped confirm the first human case of locally acquired babesiosis in Australia following the death of a 56-year-old Canberra man.

The parasitic disease is caused by infection with babesia, a genus of protozoal piroplasms and ranges from being asymptomatic to causing malaria-like fevers and chills, anaemia, low platelet counts and, in severe cases, organ failure and death.

The disease is transmitted by Ixodes scapularis, the same tick that spreads Lyme disease.

“This infection is well known in the northern hemisphere where it causes serious illness in people, but this is the first time it has been identified in Australia,” says A/Prof Peter Irwin of Murdoch University’s School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences.

“It is essentially an animal parasite that usually infects rats and mice.

“What is really interesting about this discovery is that we don’t know how the man was infected, and it raises interesting questions about the possibility that this form of babesiosis exists in our native animals or introduced rodents.”

The man was admitted to Canberra Hospital suffering serious liver, kidney and bone injuries from a motor vehicle accident.

Over four months he required several surgeries and suffered worsening cholestatic liver function, moderate-to-severe thrombocytopenia and fluctuating anaemia.

Following the discovery of ring-form intraerythrocytic parasites on his blood films, the patient was treated for malaria.

When this proved ineffective, re-examination of the blood films and recognition that the organisms did not produce hemozoin (a disposal product of the malaria parasite) led Dr Sanjava Senanayake to presume babesiosis infection.

This was later confirmed by A/Prof Irwin and Dr Andrea Paparini from Murdoch University as well as the USA’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Despite treatment for babesiosis, the patient continued to decline, dying five days later.

The question of acquisition persists.

A retrospective study has cleared infection via blood transfusion.

Overseas travel has also been eliminated, as he last travelled abroad 40 years earlier to New Zealand, a country with no history of human babesiosis infection.

His son and Stafford bull terrier, with whom he lived on a farm, tested negative for the disease.

The mysteries surrounding the case have prompted researchers to suggest the need for further investigation into the piroplasms of native mammals, introduced rodents and their ticks is necessary to identify the source of the infection.

They also recommend health professionals be aware of the signs, symptoms and treatment techniques for babesiosis.

while I complain about winter cold in Broome…

Tom Harley — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 01:16:05 +0000

Summer Begins In Greenland

Posted on June 2, 2012

Today marks the beginning of the meteorological summer. Tourists are flocking to coastal Greenland to escape global warming.

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Weather Webcams | Weather Underground

Labor…celebrating scandal and failure

Tom Harley — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 00:44:44 +0000

Why must we pay for a Labor shrine?

New species of dolphin…miniature spinner

Tom Harley — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 00:17:58 +0000

Possible new species of dolphin, a miniature spinner, found near Price’s Point. This comes soon after a new species of snubfin dolphin was found. One more reason to reject the proposed giant LNG refinery.

Come in spinner

www.theaustralian.com.au

INCOMING! Two miniature dolphins have left their main pod and are charging towards our runabout like a pair of ocean-going puppies eager to play.

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‘Mini dolphin’ discovered near site of gas port
BY: GRAHAM LLOYD, ENVIRONMENT EDITOR From: The Australian June 02, 2012 12:00AMA MINIATURE dolphin species has been discovered off the Kimberley coast near the site of the controversial James Price Point gas hub.Murdoch University dolphin researcher Simon Allen said photographs and biopsy samples from the miniature dolphins, the adults of which appear to measure just 1.5m, had confirmed the significance of the find.

A Woodside Petroleum spokesman said the Browse joint venture had spent more than $80 million to undertake environmental studies, including comprehensive studies of whales and other marine life.

“We are focused on designing our facilities and preparing for construction and operational activities that consider and manage the full range of environmental impacts,” the spokesman said.

But Mr Allen said many dolphins had simply been listed as “unidentified” in Woodside’s environmental assessment, and that no distinction was made between the normal spinner dolphin and this miniature dolphin.

More data is required to determine whether the miniature dolphin is related to the spinner dolphin, which measures about 2m and has been identified in the area, or the dwarf spinner dolphin, which is known to inhabit the Gulf of Thailand. Two tissue samples from the miniature dolphin have been analysed at a laboratory in Zurich and the test results confirmed the dolphin was a new discovery for the area.

Mr Allen and his colleagues are collecting more samples for further testing. He said it was possible the dolphin would be found to be a new species.

Despite dolphins being some of the most charismatic and popular animals on the planet, Mr Allen said very little was known of the different species across northern Australia. He added that the find reinforced how little was known about life in our oceans.

Broome Community No Gas Campaign

‎$80 million on environmental studies and they couldn’t find bilbies, turtles and now a possible new species of spinner dolphin. If you are outraged why not email or even ring Tony Burkes office and ask what he’s going to do about it? Nervous? Just remember that industry have a direct line to his office and ring him up all the time because they know the ropes. This is how you do it: ring his office, ask for his chief of staff, they’ll ask you who you are and why you are ringing, they’ll say he’s not available, you say ‘ok, can I speak to an adviser then please?’ if they say no, then tell them what you want to say – ‘I read this story in the Weekend Australian and I’d like to know what the minister is going to do about it please’, they’ll ask for your details again. If they say someone will be in touch, ask ‘when?’ if they put you on to an adviser then you ask if you can have an answer in writing. Seriously, this is a way to make a difference, be brave and polite.
They found what they wanted to find, nothing rare or valuable. Their research was the blind, leading the blind.

Save The Kimberley

Who Do You Believe? Who Can You Trust?
Make sure you read the Australian Weekend Magazine.
You’ll be shaking your head yet again. Woodside had paid experts tell us there were no Bilby’s at James Price Point yet they were found and photographed by volunteers.
The Government has told us that the Dinosaur tracks at JPP are insignificant. – Where as DR.Tony Thulborn who is an expert on dinosaur footprints and has studied most of Australia’s best sites, says “I think it’s the only place on earth where you can actually see an ancient landscape that has been moulded on that scale by the comings and goings of dinosaurs everyday.”
How much pressure is placed on these highly paid researchers to come up with an outcome that helps support a project when the hand that signs the Cheque is the proponent. Being negative about any element is unlikely to get you any repeat business is it? Well it seems another piece of the puzzle was missed.

diversity…ABC style

Tom Harley — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 23:39:19 +0000

Dog bites

Andrew Bolt June 02 2012 (12:40am)

Always good reading in Media Watch Dog. Don’t miss MWD’s examination of the record of the ABC’s new editor of The Drum in assembling a “diversity” of voices. It is, after all, a record much praised by ABC boss Mark Scott.

The Girls

Tom Harley — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 22:49:30 +0000

Reblogged from Sadie & Dasie:

my boys, Johnny the boxer and Bailie the beagle are impressed...

not always the answer…

Tom Harley — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 22:42:57 +0000

THE DANGERS OF EXERCISE: ‘I Would Rather Have Everyone Exercise. But You Can’t Ignore the Data.’

Posted at 1:00 pm by Glenn Reynolds

The same applies to diets.

Broome paradise…

Tom Harley — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:17:28 +0000

With rare wetlands, close to Broome, relatively unknown, a bird watchers dream. In 20 minutes, brolgas, 3 species of ibis, herons, lapwings, whistling ducks, many raptor species can be found.

The brolgas, Australia’s largest crane are especially worth seeing as they dance with their partners.Click to view slideshow.

An Interview with Chris McLennan

Tom Harley — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:05:11 +0000

Reblogged from Mazzarella Photo:

Forest Forward is delighted to share our recent discussion on wildlife photography with Chris Mclennan. Chris is a professional travel and tourism photographer based out of Auckland, New Zealand with a truly astonishing body of work. He is an official Canon EOS Master, and has won some of the most coveted awards in photography including the National Geographic PDN Great Outdoors Adventure image of the year in both 2009 and 2010.