The Cruel Sea

Red Cross says 1 million displaced by tsunamis

As I read this morning in The Age, it is our duty to support in any way we can. Please do so.


CARE Australia
World Vision Australia - Asia earthquake disaster
Australian Red Cross
CNN.com: Aid groups accepting donations for victims


Also, bad weather strikes the Sydney-Hobart fleet. Lets hope common sense prevails & there is no repeat of 98/99.

Buy this book!

Two wheels good, four wheels bad
Bicycle: The History - By David Herlihy, Yale University Press
Don DeLillo's White Noise (to many, the American novel of the 1980s) uses a toxic-gas leak to locate a crucial question about technology and independence: Stripped of your purchased comforts and dependencies, which of the technologies that seem so quintessential to modernity or even the human species could you yourself replicate to aid your own survival? In short, alone and tool-less, could you even make a fire, let alone communicate or travel across vast distances?

Like the car, electricity or running water, the bicycle has become such an ingrained fixture of human life (and one far more global than the car) that we would be hard pressed to think of its invention as a lengthy international contest of misdirections, unexpected reversals and reluctant collaborations. Unlike any of these other technologies, though, the workings of a bicycle are so visible that the great New Yorker artist Saul Steinberg called a bicycle "an X-ray of itself." That is to say the bicycle is neither electric nor (even less comprehensible) electronic, and yet, the genealogical history of this observable machine of immense social impact is still as unpopular as its mechanics. That is, until David Herlihy's handsome new Bicycle: the History.

Hint, hint: Amazon.com: Books: Bicycle: The History

Lance in orbit

teehee!

Moving around something, again

Bus is born again, says transport head
Victoria's new director of public transport, Jim Betts, says Melburnians wait too long for buses but believes the city will experience a "bus renaissance" within three to four years. He says trains and trams are important to Melbourne but buses are the city's future.

.....but.....

No end to sprawl
Plans to limit Melbourne's sprawl and to tempt 20 per cent of people to use public transport by 2020 are doomed to fail, new research shows. The great Australian dream of owning a big suburban home and multiple cars is flourishing in Melbourne, the survey shows.

...and this totally stinks...

Fumes testing station won't reopen
One of two monitoring stations set up to check the impact of car exhaust fumes from the CityLink tunnels on nearby suburbs has been shut down for more than a year and will not reopen. The station at Madden Grove, Burnley, monitored air quality from the Burnley tunnel ventilation stack between Coppin and Rooney streets, Richmond, but closed in November last year after Translink Operations' lease for the site expired. Translink is a subsidiary of CityLink.

....ooppps....

Payouts to 209 drivers
The State Government has started paying out $6 million in compensation to drivers who lost their licences because of faulty digital speed cameras on Melbourne's Western Ring Road. The Department of Justice has sent formal letters offering compensation payouts to 209 drivers who applied for ex gratia payments for loss of income as a result of having their licences suspended after being caught speeding by the faulty cameras.

...at the trough....

Why it is possible to remove freeway tolls
It will not cost billions of dollars to remove tolls on the Scoresby freeway and the Bracks Government knows it, writes Robert Clark. Russian revolutionary Vladimir Ilich Lenin is reputed to have said that a lie told often enough becomes the truth.The Bracks Government is relying on this maxim with its repeated claims that "independent advice" shows it would cost $7 billion to remove tolls from the Scoresby freeway.

Cycling along - good news from Japan, US & Europe

Takashi Kosugi: New law would pump up cycling's `cool' factor
Bicycles that do not consume gasoline provide an economic means of transportation. Since they don't discharge exhaust fumes, they are environmentally friendly. They are also a good way to keep physically fit, do not require a license nor take up a large parking space like cars, which cost as much as 100 times to buy.

Judge: 'Critical Mass' Bicyclists Don't Need Permit
Bike Rally Arrests Began 2 Days Before GOP Convention
NEW YORK -- The city's bid to force cyclists to obtain a parade permit for a monthly Manhattan bicycle rally that has resulted in hundreds of arrests since summer was dismissed Thursday by a federal judge. U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley III said he tossed out the city's lawsuit because police had not required the Critical Mass rallies to have permits for nearly a decade until officers began arresting riders two days before this summer's Republican National convention. In addition, he ruled, police had for years aided the rally by blocking cross-town intersections to allow cyclists to proceed without interruption and by letting them run red lights.

The Bicycle Man Makes Christmas Dreams Come True
Christmas came a couple of days early for hundreds of children in Cumberland County. The man affectionately dubbed 'The Bicycle Man' held his annual bicycle give-a-way Thursday. For the past 9 years, Moses Mathis has been on a crusade of sorts. He and his volunteers spent the year fixing up donated bikes for this special day. 'Well I know I'm giving out 749 and 52 computers. And I'm hoping that next year I can double that.'

Dutch Pioneer Corporate Bike to Rival Company Car
In a nation with more bicycles than people, two Dutch entrepreneurs are selling the concept of a company bike, as an alternative to the much more expensive company car that clogs up roads and cities. Although most Dutch citizens own a bike, very few in the big cities have ever ridden one that is comfortable, safe and never gets a puncture, the duo reckoned. Some 80,000 bicycles are stolen every year in the capital Amsterdam alone, according to the national Cycling Union, which explains why most people rarely fork out more than $65 on a rusty third-hand bike with no lights and a creaking chain.

BikeBiz: Jill doesn't just dance, she cycles too
Perhaps Strictly Come Dancing winner Jill Halfpenny will cycle to her new job as one of the two female leads in Chicago in London's West End? She's just one of the cycling celebs in our irregular look at who's whom on two wheels. For instance, Condor Cycles can confirm Mick Jagger rides and Chris Tarrant does so with his wife (Tarrant's wife, that is, they've just bought a tandem...) Forget stretch-limos, a growing list of film stars, rock legends and leaders-of-the-free-world take to two-wheels for speedy, paparazzi-free transport and, of course, to keep their figures in trim.

Something oughta be done about it!

Stop Press - Naughty Cyclists!

UK - Conservative Party - Press release: Conservatives promise action on 'unsafe' cyclists
Conservatives are calling for new laws to tackle the problem of unsafe cyclists who are a danger to others. The Conservative Party will be pressing for a specific new offence banning cyclists from 'using a phone whilst on the public highway' when the Road Safety Bill is introduced in the House of Commons early in the New Year. Shadow Transport Minister Greg Knight said:

'Far too many cyclists are ignoring traffic lights and a growing number are now using mobile phones whilst on the move. 'These people are not only a danger to themselves but they are a menace to other road users and should be prosecuted.'

Singapore- Pregnant woman almost hit by cyclists
Imagine walking along the middle of a busy road, dodging vehicles that are whizzing past. It's a little like that to walk on the footpath in certain parts of Singapore.

Cyclists jostle for space with pedestrians, and it's not unusual to have bell-ringing bikers make strolling grannies jump aside. Some cyclists are courteous and move carefully through the crowds, but others have an out-of-my-way-or-else attitude.

Season Greetings

this time in better taste!

An oldie, but a goodie.....

'Twas the Night of the Crit Mass

'Twas the night of the Crit Mass, when all through the street
Happy cyclists were joyously pedaling feet;
Riding on two wheels to show that they care
about hopes of safe streets, world peace, and clean air.

The children would watch and smile to see,
"These people ride bicycles exactly like me!"
"They don't need a chauffeur, a taxi, or car,
They just have fun riding from here to afar."

When gliding along there was barely a clatter,
No insurance fees, gas, or license would matter.
A virtual dream in a modern-day world,
Where the hustle and bustle of traffic unfurled.

When I first gazed upon them I thought it a trick,
That people on bikes could travel so quick.
More rapid than cars stuck in traffic they came,
And they whistled and shouted and cheered once again.

The moon on the smiles of bikers below
Gave proof to their vision of happiness so,
Social Space would be conjured and friendships appear,
Where autos once jostled in streets filled with fear.

Now, CYCLIST! Now, WALKER! Now BUS RIDER TOO!
On, RAIL! On BIKES! On SANDAL and SHOE!
Come out of your homes and come out of your stalls,
To the streets which are here for the use of us all!

We will share with you now this magic we know
Of laughter and fun, no more life-on-the-go.
There's FREEDOM inside every person on Earth,
And there's HAPPINESS waiting to spring forth with MIRTH!

But for many unsuspecting and steady a soul,
Car-culture has become a spinning black hole.
The pollution has darkened the blue sky above,
Oil wars have come, and jailed the Peace Dove.

The car is a jail for its driver as well,
Changing farmland and woodland to cartoonish hell.
Replaced with oppressive parking lot and mall,
And the lackluster views of unending sprawl.

"What happened?" you ask, "I do see it now,
How do I fix this? Won't you please tell me how?"
Go back to your families and neighbors and friends
Share the word now, before the chance ends...

When you take for yourself before sharing, you see,
And set aside caring for community,
You forsake the value of LOVE for a collar,
And sell out your soul for the $ign of the dollar.

But if you're looking to live in a happier way,
Then just stop. Come join us. Right now! Today!
For the story's not finished, you can write the end,
Unite and be heard, empower your friends!

Just keep growing and caring, it's not out of style.
This short season of sharing should last all the while.
So the Trumpets of Victory shall ring every day,
And the spirit of community will return to stay.

Ride a bike, fly a kite, take a swim, have a hike,
Plant some flowers, hug a tree, count the stars out at night.
Play some music, learn to dance, make a painting and find...
That the key to be happy is all in your mind.

Yes, "Do Unto Others" was the message they called,
Love your neighbor, and nature, and our fragile blue ball.
And I heard them exclaim as they biked out of sight,
"HAPPY CRIT MASS TO ALL
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!"

-Mark Motyka

Only in America...

New Internet Site Monitors Local Road Rage Conditions
San Jose -- Experienced drivers know that some days are worse than others on the road. Some days everyone just seems to cut you off. Is it you, or is the Monkey Meter on 'Extreme Danger' level?

MonkeyMeter.com rates the current traffic conditions based on the level of road rage from the previous visitors input. When first visiting the site, the national average is displayed. At that time you may either: see the current rating for a city of your choice, input your own road rage rating for your past driving experience, or see the recent activity from the other users. The site is simple to use, quick, and no membership required.

paper bag! pronto!

Blame irc images for this. Don't know whether to LOL, ROTFL, PMSL, or simply throw up. Suppose someone out there, of either gender, finds this twunt vaguely attractive....

Moving stuff around

No advantage for local 'smartcard' system tenders.

Victoria's Transport Ticketing Authority has rejected calls to prioritise local tenders for the new 'smartcard' ticketing system. The authority has compiled a short-list of four bids for the job. Two Victorian companies and two overseas firms are vying for the project. The plastic, re-loadable cards will be used for trains and buses in Melbourne and regional networks.

Helping to end traffic blues

Contractor Paul Upton makes a final roadside check yesterday - the work he's looking at might appear to be a new paint job for the totem poles that watch over CityLink and welcome visitors to our city, but these blue poles are part of the Craigieburn Bypass, a new road connecting the Hume Freeway to the Western Ring Road.

The first stage of the $306 million project will be opened today by Transport Minister Peter Batchelor and federal Roads Minister Jim Lloyd. It will join the Ring Road to Cooper Street, Epping, and is expected to ease congestion at the Western Ring Road and Hume Freeway interchange. Motorists driving between the Ring Road and Epping can expect to save about three minutes. When finished, the road will be 17 kilometres long. The project is funded by the Federal Government but is being implemented by the State Government. The road will be open for public use by early evening.

((((vale mr curly sedge))))

Delivering mail becomes a gas
Vishy Karri is joking when he says it's only a matter of time before the petrol companies take out a contract on him.

Associate Professor Karri yesterday took the wraps off the latest weapon in the war against the burning of fossil fuels, a postie bike which runs entirely on hydrogen. And it could soon begin its rounds after Australia Post executives had a preview yesterday and left mightily impressed. Compared to its petrol-based siblings, the new postie bike gives a 20 per cent reduction in power usage and releases no emissions.

Calera cyclist still rolling at 90

Alex Lachman is not concerned about high gasoline prices. 'The price could go through the roof and it wouldn't bother me a bit,' he said.

That's because the 90-year-old Calera man has always relied on his own power to get him where he wants to go. For years, Lachman and his three-wheeled cycle have been a fixture on the streets of Calera. 'Everybody knows him and everybody's seen him riding his bicycle,' said Bo Parks, manager of the Calera Senior Center. Lachman said he has never owned an automobile. He grew up without them, he said, save for a brief time during his childhood.

Peak Oil capers

US Dept of Energy office supports Peak Oil theory.

you know you're paranoid when the US Government agrees with you....

vale

Cyclist killed in road accident

A cyclist died after a road accident today in Wollongong, south of Sydney. The man was believed to have been hit by a truck about 1.20pm (AEDT) on the northbound off-ramp of the F6 freeway at the intersection with Northcliffe Drive. A Lake Illawarra police spokesman confirmed the male cyclist had died but could not provide further details. An ambulance spokesman earlier said the man had been treated at the scene and rushed to Wollongong Hospital in a critical condition, suffering cardiac arrest. A spokeswoman for the hospital said medical staff revived the man but he later died of his injuries.

Cyclist dies in collision
An elderly cyclist died today after a collision with a car in Melbourne's inner north. The accident about 6.15am (AEDT) was at the intersection of College Crescent and Cemetery Road West in Parkville, police said. 'The cyclist, a 70-year-old-man, received serious injuries and was taken to hospital were he died a short time later,' a police spokeswoman said. 'The driver of the car, a 30-year-old man, was not injured.' The cyclist's death takes Victoria's road toll to 330, up by 16 on the same time last year.

..yet more silliness

Think the assembled artists below should plan a showing of their 'shopped work?

From Flying Dutch: "howabout Disks, no cage, aero helmets, no TV (except July)*, cables, chimneys, car-removal-device,and onboard Xbox?"

*Hmm. subtle TdF reference?


From Tim Jones: Now with irrefutable proof that the aliens are coming!

the saga continues....

XTC Granny


cfsmtb version

Most Beautiful Bicycle Photo In The World Parts 1, 2,& 3

Back track to this recent bit of blogging.

From the continuing aus.bicycle thread - three groovy updated images!

Look Ma, no taxi


Look Senorita, nifty hats


Look Ma, funky 80's retro helmets!

New York Critical Mass - article from NY Press

Legs in the Prize
'With their very bodies they obstructed the wheels of injustice.'

This is how African-American civil rights pioneer James Farmer describes the actions of the men and women who, in 1960, put their lives on the line to sit in at segregated lunch counters and public facilities throughout the South. Today, Farmer's words just as easily refer to the 112,000 New Yorkers who use a bicycle as transportation each day. Thanks to the lunch-counter moment of August's 5000-rider Critical Mass and the city's crackdown on all cyclists since then, there is a new civil rights movement underway. This time the sit-in takes place on the seat of a bicycle.

Go J.K.!!!!

The 2004 Meredith Gift
AUSTRALIAN NUDE DISTANCE RUNNING RECORD ATTEMPT - LANGWARRIN TO MEREDITH

"....J.K. is a man obsessed with the world's stupidest foot race, The Meredith Gift. The Meredith Gift began eleven years ago when a band was late to arrive at the Festival. The organisers being a resourceful bunch thought they'd encourage the festival crowd to entertain themselves with a nude footrace across the amphitheatre. Several years on and now a Festival icon, the Gift has turned into one man's obsession.

J.K. is that man. After running second place four times, J.K. has been left nude and unfulfilled too many times.

After some correspondence with the judges in 2002 (see below), J.K. was awarded the coveted Golden Jocks but followed this contentious win (he was first to grab the Golden Jocks after there was a false start in which a huge pack of runners broke, he came first in that pack) with a crushing defeat in 2003, coming a familiar second. After basking in his nude glory and scaling the dizzying heights of celebrity in 2002, it was a deflated J.K. in 2003. ...."

Cycling benefit + Mass News

Cycling benefits 'outweigh deaths'
The benefits of regular bike riding outweighed the loss of life through cycling accidents, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said today. About 35 cyclists die on Australian roads each year, but a recently published report said while the risks of cycling should not be ignored, they must be considered with the benefits.



Story on BikeBiz: Lid law land agrees that health benefits of cycling outweigh the risks
In the early 1990s, Australia became the first country to introduce compulsory cycle helmet legislation. A new report from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau agrees with Mayer Hillman: despite speeding cars and thundering juggernauts, it's healthier to cycle than not cycle. Admitting that helmet compulsion is still 'contentious', the ATSB reveals that 'the vast majority of cyclist deaths occur on public roads and involve a motor vehicle,' the type of crash profile cycle helmets are not designed to protect from.

"Lid law land" WTF??? Cripes, those Poms are just soooo witty....further discussion on aus.bicycle here.



Melbourne Indymedia: New York Critical Mass also hassled
Just like the Critical Mass not allowed to go near Burnley tunnel media and police FEAR frenzy the NYC Mayor has laid down the law. Is this a conspiract against Critical Mass a coincidence or just a global crack down on autonomous 'disorganisations' ? Follows is NYC cops leaflet to disinfo citizens. NYC: Bloomberg Declares War on Cyclists. Sixteen cyclists were arrested in Manhattan on the night of the monthly Critical Mass bike ride, police said.

San Francisco Examiner: Critical Mass collides with U.S. police:
Critical Mass, the monthly bike takeover, has been a ritual in New York for the past few years, closely monitored by police but rarely controversial -- until August.

New York Daily News: Cyclists face highest risk at downtown crossroads
How did the bicyclist cross Tillary St. in downtown Brooklyn? Very, very carefully. The intersection of Tillary and Adams Sts. is the most dangerous in Brooklyn for cyclists, according to a new analysis of citywide traffic accidents released by Transportation Alternatives.

May all your Christmas's come at once

Breaking story - refer here first -hippyblog: Oh.. the humanity!

But the good news is they all lived happily ever after....

Australia Tests its Solar Power

RenewableEnergyAccess.com
Australia's got the technology, now the country's government wants a real world test of how solar heat and power applications can benefit its cities. The Solar Cities program trial will provide AUD 75 million (USD 58 million) in government funding for trials of a sustainable energy future for urban Australia.

Cutting edge slide of reality

Ho Ho Ho

Free public transport at Christmas
Victorian commuters will have another reason to be jolly on Christmas Day this year - free public transport. And unlike the Government's promise of free travel to the Commonwealth Games in 2006, the Christmas Day freebie will be extended to country travel. Commuters in metropolitan Melbourne will get a free ride on the city's trains, trams and buses, while in regional areas passengers will commute freely on V-Line trains.

Peak Oil: article from Mother Jones

No Escape from Dependency
See Spot run. See gas prices rise. See Dick dig for oil in Alaska. See well-heads and pipelines in Iraq burn. See Hummers hum down our highways. Hum, hum, hum. See George take on the Axis of Evil. See military bases being built across the oil-lands of the Earth. See the neocons covet Iran. Covet, covet, covet. See the public look away. See an energy crunch loom. See energy terrorism grow. See... "

Australia: fat, worried & thieving

ABC Radio - Survey finds Australia getting fatter
It's official- not only is Australia's population getting older, but it's getting fatter too. A survey of 1,000 GPs, conducted by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, has found that over a third of their patients are overweight, with more than 20 per cent falling into the obese category. The figures also reveal depression is now the second most common chronic problem among Australian patients.

Rivers, global warming worry Garrett
Former rock star Peter Garrett used his maiden speech in federal parliament to call for action on the environment and the plight of indigenous Australians. The former Midnight Oil frontman was elected to the safe Sydney Labor seat of Kingsford-Smith at the federal election. He said he had a singular passion for Australia. 'I do love a sunburned country its ancient landscapes, its exhilarating reaches of sand and sea,' he told parliament.'And I value its traditions; none more so than the freedom to express an opinion.'I've protested, sung, marched, written organised and campaigned on those things I simply believed were important, not just to me but to the life of the nation.'

Thieves raid Olympic cyclist
A $7,000 elite racing bike has been stolen from a Melbourne shop owned by champion cyclist Kathy Watt. Thieves took the bike after smashing a front window to gain entry to the 1992 Olympic gold medallist's bicycle store in the Melbourne bayside suburb of Black Rock. Police said the Inexa Carbon Fibre Elite Race Bike was stolen from the shop, Kathy Watt Cycling, in Beach Road, around 1.30am (AEDT). Witnesses told police they saw a man climbing out of the shop window with the bike. Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers.

Most Beautiful Bicycle Photo In The World

On a Bicycle Built for ?, 1981. Photo: Bruce Howard

Link from aus.bicycle>>A great picture from the age.
The above image is part of photos from a new exhibition at the National Library in Canberra called In a New Light: Australian Photography 1930s-2000

Ahhhh!!!! My favourite bicycle photo ever!!!

It was originally published in either the Herald or Sun in 1981.

It can also be found published in "Moments in Time - Great Images of the 20th Century", in a double spread on pages 212-213. Found this book up for sale when working down at Webb Dock, you know the workplace book sales where you can browse & pay when the sales rep visits once a week etc.

Caption: "Pootchie gets a 360-degree view and plenty of fresh air as owner Beverly Whitehurst of Williamstown, takes her mother, Elsie, and the dog on a shopping trip in 1981".

Unbelievably bloody inspirational! Wonder what Bev is up to now? Who built that amazing rig?

Oooo, think it's going to rain!

cats & dawgs? wombats & numbats? Possibly the sort of weather when Black Cockatoos leave the mountains. For updates, click on the mildly addictive 128km Melbourne Radar

point, laugh & cringe....

Burnley Tunnel - Rogue jam donut wreaks havoc with cops


Obviously 'shopped. Still very evil.


Part 1- Don't leave the kids home alone (snigger)


Part 2 - Don't leave the kids home alone, or they'll grow up & do lame shit like this.


Part 3 - Don't leave the kids home alone, or they'll grow up & do hideous stuff like this.

Trouble at Mill, again

Mentioned last week on this blog, 6,500 low end bikes, 600kms, hmmmm....

GVBR - Rumours - from aus.bicycle

"Greetings,
A friend's son is on the current Great Victorian Bike Ride. He's done it before so he knows what to expect. However, when he rang home the other day, he wasn't happy. Queues are longer than they have ever been before. I heard that there are about 8000 riders this year. Yikes! I did it in 2000 and there were around 3000 and I thought that was too many.

Anyone heard similar complaints about numbers this year. Does Bicycle Victoria need to limit the number of riders?"

Great Victoria Bike Ride - from aus.bicycle

"A female caller to Radio 3AW Rumour file today suggested that a number of riders had withdrawn blaming overcrowded facilities. Anyone know about this?"

CM9 Roundup - Melbourne Media

FD, his fixie & Ms Keyte!

Jail threat forces late back-pedal
Traffic was given a reprieve from radical cyclists last night when they abandoned a ride through the Burnley tunnel.Police had warned Critical Mass cyclists on last night's ninth birthday ride that they could face fines or jail if they tried to enter the tunnel.

Cycling crackdown discourages protest... maybe
A threatened police crackdown on cyclists taking part in this evening's Critical Mass protest in Melbourne appears to be having the desired effect with protestors indicating they wish to avoid confrontation.

On your bikes
At last the police have done what they should have done in the first place - invoked the law to stop the radical cyclist action group Critical Mass from repeatedly disrupting Melbourne traffic.

Police vow to stop cycle of protest
Radical cyclists planning to clog the Burnley tunnel on Friday face fines or even jail.In a tough new stance, police say they will stop cyclists from action group Critical Mass entering the tunnel for a planned pro-bike, anti-car demonstration. And police say they plan to prosecute those flouting the law.

Cyclists riding in tunnel protest face jail
Cyclists who ride through the Burnley tunnel with protest group Critical Mass will face arrest and up to five years' jail under a police crackdown.

Too much time spent fiddling with photoshop!

CM9 - Letters to the media

Peak Hour Madness - Letters - www.theage.com.au
Excellent letter from Mr S. Dixon

Policeman crosses the thin blue line - Letters - www.theage.com.au
Forget the argument about whether or not it is OK for the group Critical Mass to enter the Burnley tunnel and block traffic, I was completely gobsmacked to read (The Age, 23/11) the comments attributed to Superintendent Mick Williams from Victoria Police: 'It's not all students, unemployed people and rent-a-crowd types . . . there are a number of professional people from the corporate sector, a number of public servants and people from local government. We don't want them to risk prosecution.'

This is an outrageous comment that cannot go unchallenged. For anyone, let alone a police officer, to assert that one group is more deserving of protection from prosecution than another is unacceptable. The second point, to suggest that someone who is a professional should somehow know better than to exercise their democratic right to protest, highlights a worrying attitude. One has to wonder whether this is a further erosion of the idea of the right to protest, or something more sinister. A conspiracy against students and the unemployed?
Ann Corcoran, federal Labor member for Isaacs

"Nobody likes protests", Peter Hancock (24/11)? I love them, for two reasons: they make me think about the issues involved, and they make me grateful that I live in a country where protesters are neither shot nor beaten. True, some protests are silly, the chanting is a bore, and the frequent presence of "rent-a-crowd" can dilute the message, but they are an essential part of our society. My own days of "taking it to the streets" are probably now several decades behind me - but I'd do it again tomorrow if a suitable cause arose.
Lewis Winders, Sheffield, Tasmania

Critical Mass ban has ramifications- Letters - www.theage.com.au
I was particularly disappointed to read about the Critical Mass cycling group facing jail terms for a planned protest ride through the Burnley tunnel (The Age, 23/11). While I'm not generally a supporter of Critical Mass, I do support their right to protest. The police quote the community as being 'sick of this and we are listening to what the community is saying'. Does this suggest that if the community is sick of public transport strikes, or sick of teachers' strikers, or sick of health workers' strikes, the police will make those protests illegal too? Nobody likes protests - but the right to protest does exist. Is this an ominous sign of things to come?
Peter Hancock, Kensington

Welcome to FUH2.com!

FUH2 Fuck You And Your H2
Welcome to FUH2.com, home of the official Hummer H2 salute!

CM9 Roundup - Melbourne Indymedia

CM9 Photos
Photos from the 9th anniversary ride of Melbourne Critical Mass by urbanbicyclist. There were 3 attendance counts of this ride (Michelle:414, Juz: 418, Tony: 436)

Eureka 150 years: Howard snubs Australian history
Mark Latham last night celebrated the spirit of Eureka and criticised John Howard and the Coalition for missing its symbolism and significance.

Critical Mass: Photos from 9th Birthday Ride
A great crowd turned up for critical mass on friday to celebrate 9 years riding for ecological sustainability. Unfortunatley the burnley tunnel didn't happen. Maybe next time?

start of critical mass bike ride
The 9th birthday ride got off to a great start, though someone else will have to fill in on how it ended ....

Victorias finest...Keystone Kops
I'm assuming there have been no arrests at the critical mass and so Victorias police have, once again made a complete ass of themselves.

Critical Mass: 150 Police to Ensure City Link Profits
Victorian police, led by Super Intendant Mick Williams, have vowed to prosecute and even jail riders attempting to cycle through City Link's Burnley tunnel this Friday. The ride, dubbed "the tunnel of love" is due to leave the State library at 5.30pm to celebrate Critical Mass's 9th birthday. 150 police are reportedly on stand by to prevent the tunnel ride from happening.

Cyclists riding in tunnel protest face jail
Cyclists who ride through the Burnley tunnel with protest group Critical Mass will face arrest and up to five years' jail under a police crackdown.