meanwhile back in australia

[allflowerz]

ahhhhh

[zenbabe]

Australia : WA : Bunbury
Friday, 9 March 2007. 13:46 (AWDT)

Conservationist uses wine bottles to build energy-saving house
A house in Western Australia's south-west is being built entirely from recycled wine bottles.

Around 13,500 wine bottles will be used in the walls of the house, which owner Peter Little says will save energy.

He says by filling the bottles with water, the entire building will be insulated.

Mr Little has spent 30 years developing environmentally-friendly building methods and he says this one has potential for Australia's hotter regions.

"Water is probably, I think one of the miracle building materials of this century which nobody is using," he said.

"From our point of view it can store more energy, heat or cool than any material we know."

[madasacutsnake]

Vegemites happy to claim roles
By Evan Schwarten
March 14, 2007 06:42pm

KRAFT is closer to identifying the original Happy Little Vegemites after a national call for the children who appeared in the iconic 1950s advertisement to come forward.

Some 13 people contacted the food producer today claiming they starred in the original Happy Little Vegemites commercial, although only eight children appeared in the ad.

Vegemite brand custodian at Kraft, Janice Falzon, said the Vegemites would need to prove their identity by answering a series of secret questions and providing a childhood photograph.

"We have had a number of particularly strong leads that we're very excited about, and we're still working to confirm the original eight Happy Little Vegemites," she said.

Neither Kraft nor the advertising company that created the commercial kept records of those involved.

Ms Falzon said the company wanted to track down the stars to say thank you.

"The reason we're searching for the original Happy Little Vegemites is to thank them for the role they've played in our history and to celebrate their stories since they starred in this iconic ad," she said.

She urged anyone with information on the original eight Happy Little Vegemites to phone the Kraft Customer Care team on 1800 033 275 with their details.

[Hyakujo's Fox]

Fire licks largest lollipop

April 20, 2007 - 11:05AM

Australia lost its largest lollipop in a store fire in the northern Victorian town of Echuca this morning.

The fire started in the heritage-listed Echuca Heritage Sweet Company at about 4am and damaged two adjacent shops, and led to the evacuation of 14 guests from a local bed and breakfast in the heritage-listed area of the town.

Fire authorities are still investigating the cause of the blaze, but estimate that it has caused between $300,000 and $500,000 worth of damage to the 90-year-old shop.

Country Fire Authority spokeswoman Robyn Hobbs said that the shop was popular with tourists and locals, but "especially with the kids".

However, Ms Hobbs said that the most well-known object in the shop, Australia's largest lollipop, had been damaged beyond the point of being salvaged.

"There's a lollipop in the front window that's been half burnt - that's Australia's largest lollipop.

"Anybody who's been to the Echuca Port Area will know. When you say the largest lollipop, they'll know exactly where it was."

http://www.theage.com.au/news/nation...697051739.html

[craig johnston]

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia

Emergency services in Australia have launched a search for the three-man crew of a yacht found drifting off the North Queensland coast.
The vessel was found with its engine running, and a table laid for dinner, but there were no signs of any people.

An air and sea rescue operation has been launched to retrace the yacht's voyage, and pinpoint the search area.

The three-crew members are thought to have set sail for Townsville from Airlie Beach on Sunday.

The 12m (40 foot) catamaran was spotted by a helicopter on Wednesday, but a rescue team only reached the boat on Friday, and confirmed that there was no one aboard.

Rescue crews say they are puzzled by the mysterious disappearance.

"The engine was running, the computers were running, there was a laptop set up on the table which was running, the radio was working... and there was food and utensils set on the table ready to eat," said Jon Hall, a spokesman for Queensland's Emergency Management office.

"It was a bit strange," he added.

All the vessel's sails were up, although one was badly shredded, and lifejackets were still on board.

Mr Hall said rescue workers had recovered the boat's global position system (GPS) device, which might give them more clues as to the crew's whereabouts.

"That will now enable us to track backwards where this yacht has actually been in the last few days, and we're hoping that can pinpoint the search area for the missing crew," he said.

Twelve aircraft are now searching for the crew of the boat which is already being dubbed "the ghost yacht".

[madasacutsnake]

Originally Posted by Hyakujo's Fox

http://www.theage.com.au/news/nation...697051739.html

NOT THE BIG LOLLIPOP!!

[madasacutsnake]

Vets go nude for Anzac Day
By Nikki Todd
April 21, 2007 05:33pm


NUDISTS will mark Anzac Day with a parade of a different sort when they hold their annual beach cricket stoush in northern NSW.

More than 200 nudists and their families are expected to meet at Tyagarah Beach, just north of Byron Bay, on Wednesday to pay their respects to the diggers who fought for their freedom.

After marking the moment with a minute's silence, a naked Australian team will get down to the serious business defending its title against New Zealand.

The event was first established six years ago by two Vietnam veterans - both nudists - who thought it would be a good way to remember their fellow diggers.

Free Beach Australia president Anita Grigg said the event was a fun-hearted way of honouring the Anzacs.

"People honour the Anzacs and other soldiers who fought for Australia in different ways," Ms Grigg said.

"You don't have to honour them by marching in a parade if that is not your scene."

She said the founders of the event had wanted to remember their mates "for the good times and not for the bad times".

"Between battles they would get onto a field or a beach and play cricket," Ms Grigg said.

"And afterwards when they were hot they would often all strip off and go to a local stream and have a swim - that started the idea of commemorating them this way."

Ms Grigg denied the nudist games were an affront to the memory of the Anzacs.

"We have got family activities bringing families onto the beach for just fun and games, whereas the majority of people who are out there marching in the parades will probably just go to the pub and drink themselves silly," she said.

"I would say our (event) is far more reverent than anything else."

[Avalon]

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