Housing

A property development group said new housing approval figures for July show the building and construction industry is in trouble in Queensland. The Urban Taskforce of Australia (UTA) said that housing approvals have dropped by 9.3 percent in Queensland, compared with Victoria increasing 11.5, and with New South Wales increasing 15. UTA Chief executive officer Aaron Gadiel said that Queensland was out of step and the State Government should take notice. There was no questioning the integrity of these figures. They are published by Australia Bureau of Statistics ,but what they do tell him was the very high development levies and the increased uncertainty in the Queensland planning system started to bite.

I think housing problem is not a big deal because there are so many problems in Thailand that deserve to be resolved. I know that government can not solve every single problem, and they should concentrate on the poor of the economy instead.

Credit: http://www.abc.net.au/news/politics/

Date:01/09/2010

A New South Wales farmer who told an anchor about a hunger strike over property right has been granted to appeal to High Court for compensation. Cooma Grazier Peter Spencer argued the Common wealth and NSW government who worked together to impose on land; consequently, Australia could experience greenhouse gas emission. He said that his property was valueless when Native Vegetation Act used to stop him clearing his land, and he should be compensate for the loss of his property rights. Mr. Spencer spent 52 days on a top pole of hunger strike on his farm last summer calling for changes to Native vegetation laws. The full bench of the High Court has now laid out because of appealing to High Court of Mr. Spencer

Some part of Thailand have experienced with this crises, right violation on property of poor civilians, particularly in North-East of Thailand. At present, some Thai authorities exploit them by imposing high taxes. In my opinion, this problematic issue is actually hard to resolve because no one can fight with politician effectively, except civilian power.

Credit: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/01/2999319.htm

Date: 01/09/2010

Scientists make coral health breakthrough for Barrier Reef

Researchers from James Cook University in north Queensland believe they have found the key to protecting the Great Barrier Reef from destruction. Caroline Palmer, one of the researchers, says melanin in coral protects the reef from disease-causing bacteria and harmful UV light. Researchers have now begun to get a better understanding of what immune mechanisms corals posses and can start to look at how those mechanisms are affected by adverse conditions. Ms Palmer also says the breakthrough identifies which coral species are at more risk because certain species of coral will be the first to show signs of disease and bleaching when there's going to be an outbreak or a bleaching event.

There are few countries throughout the world having various beautiful coral areas, and Thai land is one of them. I think it is very good idea if Thai scientist concentrate on many beautiful coral areas that attract numerous tourists.

Credit: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/18/2985913.htm?site=news
Date: 18/08/2010

Tasmania to warm 3 degrees in 90 years

The Climate Futures for Tasmania project is looking at past weather patterns and greenhouse gases and has found that within 90 years. Tasmania's temperature will be warmer and there will be more rainfall on the state's east coast and drier conditions in the Central Highlands. Professor Nathan Bindoff, one of project's scientists, says the climate is already changing and it will accelerate as we go into the future. The growing season will be sufficiently long, thus, the farmers will have to change their crop types. Local government, Hydro Tasmania, farmers and emergency services will use the results to make better planning decisions into the future.

At present, heating up of global is the primary issue that affect to the global weather; as a consequence, scientists attempt to adapt human life to global change circumstance. However, I think the best way to resolve this problematic issue that is prevention. Science should concentrate on prevention rather than adaptation, including, campaign to reduce the use of fuel.


Credit: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/19/2987696.htm
Date: 19/08/2010

Taxing carbon ‘first priority of govt’

Nobel Prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz says that the first priority of any government is to put the price on carbon. Even though no one knows the exact price of carbon, but zero is certainly the wrong price. Professor Stiglitz, currently chair of Columbia University's committee on global thought, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Economics in 2001 and shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize as a key member of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He said that a mispricing of risks and assets had triggered the global financial crisis, but the mispricing in natural resources in carbon is even larger. He also told that the businesses have no incentive to either economise in their use of carbon or to innovate unless we give them some surety about what are the kinds of prices that they ought to be facing.

At present, carbon is primary factor in many industries, and subsequently the overuse of carbon bring about global heating up. As a consequence, I think increasing of carbon price is one of possible ways to dwindle the use of it even though the government did not intend to do that.

Credit: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/taxing-carbon-first-priority-of-govt/1903357.aspx

Date: 04/08/2010

Scientists say vaccine to eliminate stress

After 30 years of research, Robert Sapolsky, professor of neuroscience at Stanford University, believes he can now alter the brain chemistry to create "focused calm". The goal of Californian scientists is to produce a single injection that would help people relax without slowing down. Dr Sapolsky has been working on hormones called glucocorticoids, which are part of the body's immune system and help to fight cancer and inflammation. He has observed that, while a zebra will turn off the stress chemicals after escaping from a lion, modern man produces too many glucocorticoids in response to everyday alarms and cannot turn them off. Thus, the hormone becomes toxic- destroying brain cells and weakening the immune system. Dr Sapolsky warns that human trials are years away, but he and others scientists have proved that it is possible. They can reduce the neural damage caused by stress. The potential vaccine is called "the Sapolsky Shot." It would leave people fresher and ready to deal with another threat; so they can maintain their drive, but with more focused calm rather than bad temper and indigestion.

At present, human attempt to succeed in developing medical technology for expanding their life span and reducing stress. In my opinion, injection or any remedy can not expand human life span effectively. I think naturalness producing the best remedy to expand human life span without the use of medical technology that is neither working or relaxing too much.

Credit: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/scientists-say-vaccine-to-eliminate-stress/story-e6frg6nf-1225899750755

Date: 11/08/2010

Kiesha Abrahams, a six-year-old girl, was missing from her apartment block unit and has not been seen by anyone except her parents for three weeks. She was last seen at 9.30pm on Saturday when her mother, Kristi Abrahams, put her to bed in pink pyjamas and a purple Pumpkin Patch jacket after she had finished watching a movie, The Golden Compass, with her step-father, Robert Smith. She was reported missing on Sunday morning after her mother discovered the empty bed and the front door ajar, although it showed no sign of forced entry. Keisha’s grandfather, Rodney Jones, said Ms Abrahams believes Kiesha, who loves cats, may have got up in the night to play with one, and he thought someone got her from there. Smith said the family was going through hell. Police are searching around the areas but nothing of any significance has been found so far. Detective Inspector Russell Oxford of the NSW Police homicide squad confirmed Kiesha had not been at school for the past three weeks. He said police hold a genuine hope that Kiesha is alive and well, and nothing sinister should be read into the involvement on Tuesday of the homicide squad.

Missing people is a problematic issue which is occurring throughout the world even in Thailand, especially babies. This problem is caused by deficient in care of guardians. At present, there are so many baby kidnapper in order to sell babies abroad, so babies need attention from guardians. Besides that, government has to eradicate kidnap circle in order to prevent missing people.

Credit: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/kiesha-abrahams-hasnt-been-seen-outside-family-for-three-weeks-police-say/story-e6frg6nf-1225900595719

Brand, who is engaged to Us singer Katy Perry, had just missed the new role in latest movie Arthur. He and his new Lamborghini Superleggera (£150,000) was crashed by a heavy truck. The 35 years old actor actually escaped the incident with just minor injuries, but the car's damages was estimated of £6,000. Witnesses said that the incident was pretty terrifying. Russel was stuck in the passenger seat, and he then climb out of the driver's door. He was very shaken. He rejected to go to A&E (the emergency room) despite he had severe brushing on his arm and cuts.

At present, car accidents throughout the world occur every minute. In Thailand, there are substantial amounts of casualties from accident on the road because of weak policy. Consequently, Thai government should legislate stronger law in order to dwidle amounts of injured people.

Credit: http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/movies/russell-brand-injured-and-shell-shocked-after-new-york-car-crash/story-e6frfmvr-1225900290223#ixzz0vYXzF8JJ

Date: 03/ August/ 2010

AGR to support Gorgon pipelay preparations

AGE Drilling Service (AGR DS) provided digging services to Van Oord Australia for Chevron's Gorndon Project. According to the contact, AGR DS had to provide clay Cutter X and SeaVator seabed drilling tools for using on the Jansz Scape. They ClayCutter X have been the primary digging tools. The excavation allowed the pipline to be laid to the sea shore. Because of complete in early 2011, this project was estimated value as $7 million. AGR director John Sands and his team have made many improvements to set ppropriate tools on the right places, and they have perform well in individual job. However, the rest of the revised system will be handled by substantial changes in seabed height without any interruption in digging activities.

Credit: http://www.offshore-mag.com/index/article-display/1660540319/articles/offshore/pipeline-transportation/australia-new-zealand/2010/06/agr-to_support_gorgon.html

Date: 31/ July/ 2010

Science literacy at risk of extinction

There is approximately a third of Australians got the answers wrong in a recent survey about science. Only 3 or 4 percent of 1,500 people got them all correct. About 30 percent of the population was not being able to answer general knowledge questions like how much of the Earth is covered by water or how much of the water is fresh correctly. Moreover, they think reptiles or dinosaurs and humans were alive at the same time. Dr Foley, president of the Australian Scientific and Technological Societies, says science literacy should be about people being able to use science in a number of ways such as to make good decisions when they are going to the polls, and to be able to understand the issues which are also scientifically based like energy, food security, climate change, nanotechnology, etc. Furthermore, Dr Foley says that Australia finds itself in a grey situation where the number of science and mathematics teachers is declining because 30 and 50 percent of science and mathematics teachers are going to be retiring in the next 5 to 10 years. Australians are in need of investing as much as they can into making sure they have strong teachers, who everyone has to agree are probably one of the most fundamental groups of people in society that make them what they are.

In conclusion, at present, amount of Australian students being interested in science and general knowledge are dwindling gradually. Likewise in Thailand, because of many factors including disinterest of news and education, substantial amounts of students lack of general knowledge; moreover, they even do not know some easy questions.

Cresit: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/30/2968669.htm
By: Simon Santow
Date: 30/ June/ 2010