Thomas Peregrinus
for all those that were asking on Sunday...
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Saturday, June 02, 2007
2028CONGRESS -- 6-8th July 2007
visit www.towards2008.org.au for more details... registrations have just opened... available to students & young adults... official program out within days.
I keep getting comments from people I never knew who read this blog asking why I can't get back to posting... so I decided to post something... very brief.
What I'm up to:
1) Uni... trying to finish final year engineering and am the Project Manager of the HYBRID SOLAR ELECTRIC VEHICLE team. See the HSEV 2007 WEBSITE for more details. It has attracted an amount of media attention already.
2) Job search... A number of interviews and weighing up my options for 2008. It's a bit crazy that I'm likely to sign a contract before I even sit my second to last round of exams.
3) ACSA... Our conference is so big this year that we are calling it a CONGRESS. See towards2008 and the post above for more details.
So I'm praying that I get through the next 4 weeks... without failing or burning out.
What I'm up to:
1) Uni... trying to finish final year engineering and am the Project Manager of the HYBRID SOLAR ELECTRIC VEHICLE team. See the HSEV 2007 WEBSITE for more details. It has attracted an amount of media attention already.
2) Job search... A number of interviews and weighing up my options for 2008. It's a bit crazy that I'm likely to sign a contract before I even sit my second to last round of exams.
3) ACSA... Our conference is so big this year that we are calling it a CONGRESS. See towards2008 and the post above for more details.
So I'm praying that I get through the next 4 weeks... without failing or burning out.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Indolent update
As you have noticed I have been away from blogging for sometime. I apologise for leaving opened ended without an explanation. Here is somewhat of an explanation.
I’ve been busy. Very busy. The last time I blogged was about 2 weeks before I finished working full-time at ASC to return to uni after the summer break. They were a tiring 2 weeks as I chased up loose ends, wrote a presentation and handed over my ongoing work to the new graduate. I’m still working once a week on Thursdays but in a different department.
It was also the time when my final year engineering project got cranking. This meant some hours at uni after work, looking at team structures, deliverable deadlines but most importantly at that stage marketing and sponsorship.
The project is the Design & Build of a Hybrid Solar Electric Vehicle (HSEV) to be completed by the end of October. We don’t have a massive uni grant for the project so have to gain our own sponsorship from business. I took on the role of Managing Director of the project which includes 9 Mech Eng & 4 Elec Eng with 3 supervisors. This takes up most of my time at the moment as we arrange sponsorship proposals, a project launch and I prepare presentations for the launch and a special do with Engineers Australia. It’s terribly exciting and the prospects for success should be rewarding.
I’ve also accepted a new position at the university. You may recall that I’m the student member of the University’s governing council, and from that I was invited on to the University’s finance committee for 12 months. It’s an exciting time and should be another useful experience. (Council meeting the other day went for 6 hours though…)
And then of course there is ACSA. Once uni returns for the year we all know it’s time to really get the conference plans cranking, and we are yet to secure any large donations. Speakers are beginning to be locked in and the line-up is looking just about as wished (so far).
So with such a busy year ahead – I stayed in on the Saturday night of Week 1 – I probably won’t be blogging terribly much at all… so please accept my apologies and absence.
I’ve been busy. Very busy. The last time I blogged was about 2 weeks before I finished working full-time at ASC to return to uni after the summer break. They were a tiring 2 weeks as I chased up loose ends, wrote a presentation and handed over my ongoing work to the new graduate. I’m still working once a week on Thursdays but in a different department.
It was also the time when my final year engineering project got cranking. This meant some hours at uni after work, looking at team structures, deliverable deadlines but most importantly at that stage marketing and sponsorship.
The project is the Design & Build of a Hybrid Solar Electric Vehicle (HSEV) to be completed by the end of October. We don’t have a massive uni grant for the project so have to gain our own sponsorship from business. I took on the role of Managing Director of the project which includes 9 Mech Eng & 4 Elec Eng with 3 supervisors. This takes up most of my time at the moment as we arrange sponsorship proposals, a project launch and I prepare presentations for the launch and a special do with Engineers Australia. It’s terribly exciting and the prospects for success should be rewarding.
I’ve also accepted a new position at the university. You may recall that I’m the student member of the University’s governing council, and from that I was invited on to the University’s finance committee for 12 months. It’s an exciting time and should be another useful experience. (Council meeting the other day went for 6 hours though…)
And then of course there is ACSA. Once uni returns for the year we all know it’s time to really get the conference plans cranking, and we are yet to secure any large donations. Speakers are beginning to be locked in and the line-up is looking just about as wished (so far).
So with such a busy year ahead – I stayed in on the Saturday night of Week 1 – I probably won’t be blogging terribly much at all… so please accept my apologies and absence.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
The perils of public transport
A THAI woman who was lost for 25 years after catching the wrong bus home was finally reunited with her family thanks to simple song.
The last time Jaeyaena Beuraheng saw her seven children was in 1982 when she left the southern Thailand province of Narathiwat on one of her regular shopping trips across the nearby border with Malaysia.
She disappeared, and police later told her family that she had apparently been killed in a traffic accident.
In fact, Jaeyaena had simply taken the wrong bus home - an error that would have been easy to fix except that she only speaks the local dialect of Malay known as Yawi, according to officials at the homeless shelter where the 76-year-old has lived for two decades.
On her way back from Malaysia, she mistakenly hopped on a bus to Bangkok, some 1150km north of her home in Narathiwat province.
Unable to read Thai and speaking a language few Thais can understand, she again took a wrong bus, this time to Chiang Mai, another 700km further north.
There she ended up as a beggar for five years, until she was finally sent to a homeless shelter in the central Thai province of Phitsanulok in 1987.
More...
Monday, February 05, 2007
Catholic Blog Awards
Nominations for the Catholic Blog Awards are now open but only until February 9th... (hint hint). Though of course my ego would love a nomination... I also point you to the many wonderful blogs that I link to that are far more superior to mine.
The categories are for:
[Pity there isn't an award for most outrageous Australian Blog, but then again Dominicanus might win that!
The categories are for:
- 1. Best Overall Catholic Blog
- 2. Best Designed Catholic Blog
- 3. Best Written Catholic Blog
- 4. Best New Catholic Blog
- 5. Best Individual Catholic Blog
- 6. Best Group Blog
- 7. Best Blog by Clergy/Religious/Seminarian
- 8. Funniest Catholic Blog
- 9. Smartest Catholic Blog
- 10. Most Informative & Insightful Catholic Blog
- 11. Best Apologetic Blog
- 12. Best Political/Social Commentary Catholic Blog
- 13. Best Insider News Catholic Blog
- 14. Most Spiritual Blog
[Pity there isn't an award for most outrageous Australian Blog, but then again Dominicanus might win that!
Now here is some good news
From the ABC News website:
Uni to vote on church's demand for stem cell research banI sit on the equivalent of the Senate at the University of Adelaide. The choice is simple - comply or don't buy, and they would be silly not to buy!
The University of Sydney is considering complying with a church request to ban a new medical research centre from conducting embryonic stem cell research.
The university wants to buy land from the Catholic Church to build the Institute of Health and Medical Research.
The church's deed on the land stipulates there should be no foetal stem cell research or procedures involving the termination of human life or artificial creation of it.
The president of the Student Representative Council, Angus McFarland, says it is outrageous a health and medical research facility would be banned from such research.
"I'm really concerned that is going to be compromising academic freedom," he said.
"To build a medical research centre on land where you are not allowed to ever, ever engage in human stem cell research or any sort of research that involves the artificial creation or termination of life - I think it's a very limiting thing for the university to do."
The university's Senate will vote tonight on whether to accept the conditions.
Now here is some good news
From the ABC News website:
Uni to vote on church's demand for stem cell research banI sit on the equivalent of the Senate at the University of Adelaide. The choice is simple - comply or don't buy, and they would be silly not to buy!
The University of Sydney is considering complying with a church request to ban a new medical research centre from conducting embryonic stem cell research.
The university wants to buy land from the Catholic Church to build the Institute of Health and Medical Research.
The church's deed on the land stipulates there should be no foetal stem cell research or procedures involving the termination of human life or artificial creation of it.
The president of the Student Representative Council, Angus McFarland, says it is outrageous a health and medical research facility would be banned from such research.
"I'm really concerned that is going to be compromising academic freedom," he said.
"To build a medical research centre on land where you are not allowed to ever, ever engage in human stem cell research or any sort of research that involves the artificial creation or termination of life - I think it's a very limiting thing for the university to do."
The university's Senate will vote tonight on whether to accept the conditions.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Blogs4Life
Blog4Life have a conference on this year and as a promotional thing they have AngelMouse cartoons for all their boggers. You can even see my blog's template in the background!
I'm still trying to get my head around the new Blogger. So please forgive the messiness of the blog at the moment.
Work has been very busy over the last two weeks but rewarding nonetheless. My performance review on Monday went well and it that means that I'll all but guarenteed a full-time job there when I graduate at the end of this year.
This also signals that there is only 3 weeks left until uni resumes. My final year and all engineering subjects. But there are some interesting ones there such as Engineering Management and Professional Practice along with Finance for Engineers. I can't wait to finish and get out.
Work has been very busy over the last two weeks but rewarding nonetheless. My performance review on Monday went well and it that means that I'll all but guarenteed a full-time job there when I graduate at the end of this year.
This also signals that there is only 3 weeks left until uni resumes. My final year and all engineering subjects. But there are some interesting ones there such as Engineering Management and Professional Practice along with Finance for Engineers. I can't wait to finish and get out.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Papal lace-makers now producing G-strings
(From CathNews earlier this week)
This actually made it into the daily paper in Melbourne. Makes you wonder really...
Catholics in a Polish lace-making village that produces altar cloths and robes for priests - including the Pope - are in uproar after declining demand for their products led women to develop hot selling new product lines including sexy G-strings for international markets.
The Age reports that the radical adaptation of the traditional skills of the women of the southern mountain village of Koniakow has proved a huge success and online sales of items costing over $100 are soaring.
But the Catholic Church and other critics say the new products including tight little tops, pants, bras and G-strings, known as stringi, are bringing shame on a respectable craft.
Malgorzata Stanaszek, who set up Koni-Art underwear and is now supplying Japanese, American and European customers, said: "We weren't selling much lace, so we had to think of something. It wasn't one woman's idea, it was more like a collective idea."
However, Mieczylaw Kamieniarz, who runs the lace museum in Koniakow, says that "all of Koniakow is ashamed".
"We have made Koniakow lace for altar cloths, priests' robes, even the Pope himself. And now people are going to wear Koniakow lace on their bottoms."
More...
This actually made it into the daily paper in Melbourne. Makes you wonder really...
Hello out there
Well well well. No blogging for such a long time! The truth is, that I have been busy, but busy with things that don't involve a computer (outside work). Last two nights I have been transporting some antique furniture that the elderly relative gave me. Most will go in storage for the short-term until I leave the nest.
And you'll have noticed that I've finally moved to blogger beta - only because I was forced to.
And you'll have noticed that I've finally moved to blogger beta - only because I was forced to.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Australia Day
Australia Day
By + Cardinal George Pell
Archbishop of Sydney
28 January 2007
Many Australians would be surprised to learn that our country is one of the oldest democracies in the world; one of the earliest nations to give all adults a vote, including women.
We know well that the colony of New South Wales was founded as a British prison, partly in response to the fact that the government in London could no longer offload their convicts to Georgia in North America after the American War of Independence. Few of our United States friends are aware of this and fewer speak about it publicly. But wishing cannot change the past.
As a child I was told that most of the convicts had only committed minor crimes and that many of them were Irish political rebels. In fact most of the convicts were wild, very wild, and often made worse by hardships, by the length of the journey to the other side of the world in small boats and the fierce cruelty of the system, which was worse again on Norfolk Island and Sarah Island in Tasmania.
But there was another side to the story as ex-convicts and their families changed for the better when they received their freedom, were given a fair go, encouraged by good governors such as Macquarie and Bourke. The discovery of gold in the 1850¡¯s, changed our society further.
Australians do not attempt to deny our past, the misery and degradation of the gaols, the awful mistakes, sometimes crimes, with the aborigines, because these humble beginnings emphasise the distance we have travelled to build one of the most prosperous and decent societies in the world.
The climate was hard for the first Europeans, the distances were immense, usually preventing any return, and for more than 150 years there were bouts of sectarianism, English versus Irish, Protestant versus Catholic. Catholics then were often seen as Moslems are today. But the old stories of how communities battled successfully to overcome these hurdles generate national loyalty for us now, reinforcing the conviction that we are Australian citizens, bound to one another by mutual obligations and belonging, not hostile neighbours.
Our young people should be told of our ancestors¡¯ achievements, exploring and settling a huge wilderness, planting self-governing communities, building roads and railways, schools, hospitals and churches, defending freedom here and abroad. We shall continue to thrive only if there is a critical mass of givers not takers, prepared to put themselves out for the common good, energetic enough to keep public opinion sound and courageous enough to withstand its mistakes.
No one has to belong to a particular race or religion to become an Australian, because the nationhood we celebrate on Australia Day is a civic, open nationalism, not racial, not hostile to anyone who chooses to belong and contribute.
Whatever our backgrounds and differences, if we are Australians, old or new Aussies, we belong to one another.
By + Cardinal George Pell
Archbishop of Sydney
28 January 2007
Many Australians would be surprised to learn that our country is one of the oldest democracies in the world; one of the earliest nations to give all adults a vote, including women.
We know well that the colony of New South Wales was founded as a British prison, partly in response to the fact that the government in London could no longer offload their convicts to Georgia in North America after the American War of Independence. Few of our United States friends are aware of this and fewer speak about it publicly. But wishing cannot change the past.
As a child I was told that most of the convicts had only committed minor crimes and that many of them were Irish political rebels. In fact most of the convicts were wild, very wild, and often made worse by hardships, by the length of the journey to the other side of the world in small boats and the fierce cruelty of the system, which was worse again on Norfolk Island and Sarah Island in Tasmania.
But there was another side to the story as ex-convicts and their families changed for the better when they received their freedom, were given a fair go, encouraged by good governors such as Macquarie and Bourke. The discovery of gold in the 1850¡¯s, changed our society further.
Australians do not attempt to deny our past, the misery and degradation of the gaols, the awful mistakes, sometimes crimes, with the aborigines, because these humble beginnings emphasise the distance we have travelled to build one of the most prosperous and decent societies in the world.
The climate was hard for the first Europeans, the distances were immense, usually preventing any return, and for more than 150 years there were bouts of sectarianism, English versus Irish, Protestant versus Catholic. Catholics then were often seen as Moslems are today. But the old stories of how communities battled successfully to overcome these hurdles generate national loyalty for us now, reinforcing the conviction that we are Australian citizens, bound to one another by mutual obligations and belonging, not hostile neighbours.
Our young people should be told of our ancestors¡¯ achievements, exploring and settling a huge wilderness, planting self-governing communities, building roads and railways, schools, hospitals and churches, defending freedom here and abroad. We shall continue to thrive only if there is a critical mass of givers not takers, prepared to put themselves out for the common good, energetic enough to keep public opinion sound and courageous enough to withstand its mistakes.
No one has to belong to a particular race or religion to become an Australian, because the nationhood we celebrate on Australia Day is a civic, open nationalism, not racial, not hostile to anyone who chooses to belong and contribute.
Whatever our backgrounds and differences, if we are Australians, old or new Aussies, we belong to one another.
Monday, January 22, 2007
To Blog
Thanks to Miss Monification for this tip. Try it for yourself if you don't believe it, but Blogger's own spell check doesn't accept the words 'Blogger' or 'Blogging'.
Spiders on Drugs
A mate sent me a link to this video today. I couldn't stop laughing - 3million views... it's gotta be awesome!
Oz politics
A piece worth reading from The Australian by Tom Switzer. It's in relation to this news here that former ABC presenter Maxime McKew will be working for the ALP.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
I haven't been posting much lately and probably won't until Monday. The excuse is that I've be soooo busy.
I had a meeting set up with my local Archbishop, Phillip Wilson DD JCL for Friday and was keen to get an ACSA "Annual Report" done in time for that meeting. Arch. Wilson is the President of the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference (ACBC) and we report to them on a yearly basis. So my entire Wednesday night was taken up churnign out that report.
Thursday night my ACSA Treasurer, the redoubtable Camillus, hit Adelaide with a storm. He decided he wanted a bit of a holiday and made sure it co-incided the the ACBC meeting. 'Twas good to have some support.
I had a meeting set up with my local Archbishop, Phillip Wilson DD JCL for Friday and was keen to get an ACSA "Annual Report" done in time for that meeting. Arch. Wilson is the President of the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference (ACBC) and we report to them on a yearly basis. So my entire Wednesday night was taken up churnign out that report.
Thursday night my ACSA Treasurer, the redoubtable Camillus, hit Adelaide with a storm. He decided he wanted a bit of a holiday and made sure it co-incided the the ACBC meeting. 'Twas good to have some support.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Like something out of Yes Minister!
Here Down Under we are in one of (if not the) worst drought on record. There are water restrictions in place in nearly every state and even people employed to moniter the suburbs. You are also encouraged to alert the authorities about neighbours breaking the laws regarding the use of water. The laws include only being allowed to water your garden for three hours and only after 8pm on a certain day of the week.
The classic story today from The Advertiser is about the Minister for Water, Michael Wright breaching his own laws. (The Aussies will apreciate this).
It is clear how it occured. You forgot to turn off the tap!
The classic story today from The Advertiser is about the Minister for Water, Michael Wright breaching his own laws. (The Aussies will apreciate this).
"It's not clear how this occurred but the sprinkler was turned off immediately it was realised," Mr Wright, who was interstate for work yesterday, said in a statement.
It is clear how it occured. You forgot to turn off the tap!
Monday, January 15, 2007
Shine Jesus, Shine
I hope you're all preparing for World Youth Day 2008. Here in Adelaide we've been working on an acceptable alternative to Graham Kendrick's 1987 classic Shine Jesus Shine. You all know the chorus which will no doubt be sung at least 7x7 times a day over the two weeks.
Are there anymore "hymns" we can "improve" before 2008??
Shine, Jesus, shineAlthough it doesn't quite match in an exact translation, a very reverend and pius brother has been working on a version called Lux Jesu, Lux. It fits the same tune as well so stay tuned for publication of the final product.
Fill this land with the Father's glory
Blaze, Spirit, blaze
Set our hearts on fire
Flow, river, flow
Flood the nations with grace and mercy
Send forth your word
Lord, and let there be light
Are there anymore "hymns" we can "improve" before 2008??
Sunday, January 14, 2007
McAuley and the Cardinal
I'm still in the middle of the biography The Heart of James McAuley by Peter Coleman and published by my mate at Connor Court. McAuley was a famous Australia poet and one of Australia's bets known Catholic converts. He was involved politically in the 50s and 60s in the Cold War battles that raged in Australia and the Labor Party. He was a close friend and confident of Bob Santamaria and was very scathing of his Archbishop, Cardinal Gilroy over his "betrayal" of the Movement and its work. So harsh was the relationship that Cardinal Gilroy refused his imprimatur to McAuley's first published hymn book which includes the often sung Help of Christians Guard this Land. (Australia is under the patronage of Mary, Help of Christians.) Archbishop Young of Hobart was happy to give his imprimatur to the publication.
The first verse is:
It's a very stirring and upbeat hymn and infact you could easily march to it. We adopted it three years ago as ACSA's official hymn.
Links: Wikipedia's biography of McAuley
The first verse is:
Help of Christians, guard this land,
From assault and inward stain;
Let it be what Christ has planned,
His new Eden where you reign.
It's a very stirring and upbeat hymn and infact you could easily march to it. We adopted it three years ago as ACSA's official hymn.
Links: Wikipedia's biography of McAuley
Length of Sermons
Okay guys, I'm looking for a bit of help and your opinion. How long should a sermon go for at your average Sunday morning Mass? Should it be short, sharp, shiny and to the point (5mins) at one extreme, or should it ramble on and repeat itself to hammer in the point (15-20mins)? I'm looking for a opinions here and reasons.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Ruddock doing something useful
Story from ABC News today:
The piece later quotes the prominent Northern Territory anti-euthanasia campaigner Tom Kylie as believeing that the book should be published. He believes that its publication would lead to a more healthy debate. Weird! There are some things that shouldn't be published. Last year Sandra Kanck MLC read out instruction to kill yourself in Parliament here in South Australia. The section was removed form Hansard.
Euthanasia advocate Phillip Nitschke is furious that federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock is attempting to stop his book from being published in Australia.
Mr Ruddock is appealing a decision by the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) to approve the sale of the self-help euthanasia book under strict conditions.
The book offers advice and tips to those considering euthanasia and is being sold in the United States and Canada.
Dr Nitschke denies his book would lead to an increase in Australia's suicide rate.
"Desperate people are the ones who do desperate things," he said.
"What we find is that when people are in possession of the best information, feel like they have choices and control, is that they actually live longer.
"So I simply don't agree with that idea that putting this information out is going to lead to a spate of suicides.
"Rather it will help or improve the overall general health of a lot of anxious and elderly folk at present."
Dr Nitschke says the Government's action is a violation of Australia's democratic rights. More...
The piece later quotes the prominent Northern Territory anti-euthanasia campaigner Tom Kylie as believeing that the book should be published. He believes that its publication would lead to a more healthy debate. Weird! There are some things that shouldn't be published. Last year Sandra Kanck MLC read out instruction to kill yourself in Parliament here in South Australia. The section was removed form Hansard.
Speck archives
Dragging out the archives still... will have to wait until I'm regularly at uni for some new ones.
"I never met an altar boy before... say something in Latin!"Girl banned from wearing Cross at school
From the Daily Mail via The Australian
A BRITISH schoolgirl has been barred from wearing a crucifix necklace in class, the Daily Mail reported today.We hear about these stories so often at the moment. Such a shame especially in 'Christian Europe' as it was once known.
Samantha Devine, a 13-year-old Roman Catholic, was told by teachers in Gillingham, south-east England, that it breached health and safety rules, the paper added.
Her family reportedly says it will fight the decision and has accused the school of discriminating against Christians because Sikh and Muslim pupils can wear religious symbols.
The case echoes that of British Airways employee Nadia Eweida, who was suspended in October for failing to remove her necklace or hide it under clothing in accordance with company policy.
The girl has pledged to keep wearing the cross when school restarts next week after the Christmas holiday.
"I am proud of my religion and it is my right to wear a cross around my neck.
"I can't understand why the school thinks a tiny crucifix on a thin silver necklace is a health and safety hazard," she told the Mail.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Catholic Church's agencies under fire from Australian Media
The Catholic Church in Australia and it's agencies have been under scutiny by the Australia press. It's started again because of The Federal Government's funding of the Catholic CentreCare to provide pregnancy counselling. Much of the media and sections of the parliamentary parties and lobby groups believe than counselling can only be given by pro-choice agencies.
Anyway, this article appeared in The Australian today, attacking the Catholic-run hospitals for not refering rape victims to agencies which offer the morning-after pill. This opinion piece also featured today. Tony Abbott continues to cop it, but he continues to keep abortion in the press... something that has kept up since March 2004. And something that hasn't happened in decades.
Oh everyone loves a stab at the Catholic Church! The thing is, its because the other Churches have long given up any moral or ethical values they may have once held! Recall the Uniting Church's support for RU486?
(On a side note, did you see this piece in CNA? Where Uruguary's left-wing President expresses his total comittment to support the unborn!)
Anyway, this article appeared in The Australian today, attacking the Catholic-run hospitals for not refering rape victims to agencies which offer the morning-after pill. This opinion piece also featured today. Tony Abbott continues to cop it, but he continues to keep abortion in the press... something that has kept up since March 2004. And something that hasn't happened in decades.
Oh everyone loves a stab at the Catholic Church! The thing is, its because the other Churches have long given up any moral or ethical values they may have once held! Recall the Uniting Church's support for RU486?
(On a side note, did you see this piece in CNA? Where Uruguary's left-wing President expresses his total comittment to support the unborn!)
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