Date: December 18th 2009

 

Westprint Friday Five December 18, 2009

Included this week are:

• Desert Parks latest Bulletin

·         Satellite Phones

 

Have you missed any copies? Use this link for archives  

To view the range of products from Westprint use this link

www.westprint.com.au

Unless otherwise noted all special prices listed in the 

Friday Five are valid for seven days.

 

Friday Five 18.12.09 Great biographies

 

1. Colonel Lionel Rose. Colonel Rose AM, OBE deserves to be celebrated for his military career alone. He served in two world wars but achieved even greater things as the chief veterinary officer of the Northern Territory from 1946 -1958. $33.95 plus post.  Add to Cart 

2. Head over Heels. At the age of 19, a young farmer, Sam Bailey, miscalculated a bend in the road, rolled his ute and became a quadriplegic. After months of struggle, he learned how to resume his life as a farmer, running a sheep and cattle property in northwest NSW. Then he met and fell in love with Jenny Black, an ABC Rural journalist, proposed to her on air, and the rest is history. Jenny tells Sam's story in his own laconic, wry style. By turns romantic, funny and moving, it affirms the strength of iron-willed determination and the power of love. $29.95 plus post. Add to Cart 

3. I Can Jump Puddles. Alan Marshall's story of his childhood – a happy world in which, despite his crippling poliomyelitis, he plays, climbs, fights, swims, rides and laughs.  His world was the Australian countryside early last century: rough-riders, bushmen, farmers and tellers of tall stories – a world held precious by the young Alan Marshall. $19.95 plus post. Add to Cart 

4. Over the Top with Jim. In 1950s Brisbane the Cold War is hot news, and so were the cakes at Lunns for Buns, Fred and Olives famous Annerley Junction cake shop. Enter one Jim Egoroff: Russian agent, all-round tough guy (aged 9), and the boy Hugh Lunn (also aged 9) is destined to make his left-hand man. This delightful memoir of an Australian childhood has now become a classic bestselling family favourite. $22.95 plus post. Add to Cart 

5. You'll Never Take Me Alive. A powerful tale of betrayal and vengeance. This is the story of Ben Hall; know as the gentleman bushranger and a chivalrous champion of the people. 336 pp. $35.00 plus post. Add to Cart

Books are allocated on a first-come first serve basis. To reserve your copy of any of the following books please email info@westprint.com.au with the title you are interested in. All emails will be answered during the following week, either with details of how to pay, or a ‘sorry, the item has already sold’ email. Where possible, postage on multiple items will be recalculated to offer you the best price. 

Postage Rates. These items will usually not be found on our website. Orders will be supplied on a first come, first serve basis. Westprint normal postage rates are now $8.50 for one book, $11.00 for two books, $13.00 for 3 or more books. Free post applies to orders of more than $150.00. Postage rates apply to Australia only. Airmail postage rates apply to overseas orders.

 

Disclaimer.

Please note that the opinions and articles included in the Friday Five are not necessarily those of the Westprint mob. Nor do we endorse any products (other than our own), or tours listed in contributed articles.

Friday Forum

Jo’s forum comments in green.  

National Parks and Wildlife South Australia

DESERT PARKS BULLETIN - 14th December 2009

The Simpson Desert Regional Reserve and Conservation Park will be closed from December 1 2009 to March 15 2010. 

Outback temperatures are frequently higher than 40 deg. C. If you decide to travel in the Outback Region, you should ensure your vehicles are properly prepared and equipped for outback travel and any emergencies or delays. The use of trailers in the Simpson Desert is strongly discouraged, plus motor homes and caravans should never attempt this crossing. Serious damage can be caused to vehicles and the environment, and difficulties are likely to result. Take extra water, food and fuel supplies. Ensure good communications equipment, either HF Radio or Satellite Phone. Ensure you notify a responsible person, such as a family member, of your plans prior to travelling into remote areas, and seek local advice.

If you attempt driving in sandy conditions and get bogged, do not attempt to get the vehicle out without ensuring 4WD and hubs are engaged, tyre pressures are decreased and sand is removed from the path of the tyres. If you become stuck, do not leave your vehicles to walk for assistance as this can have fatal consequences.

Check road and weather bulletins and local conditions before travelling into the Outback Region. Speed limits of 40km per hour apply within all Parks. For up to date public road information outside of National Parks, please call the Transport SA Road Condition Hotline on 1300 361 033 or visit the Transport SA web site on http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/quicklinks/northern_roads/northern.asp.

LAKE EYRE NATIONAL PARK

If you decide to travel in the following areas you should ensure your vehicles are properly prepared and equipped for outback travel and any emergencies. Take extra water, food and fuel supplies. Ensure good communications equipment. Notify a responsible person of your plans prior to travelling.  No fires at Lake Eyre.

INNAMINCKA REGIONAL RESERVE

Due to prolonged dry conditions, there are many sand drifts on tracks and roads so please drive cautiously and slow down at sand drifts. Most tracks open. Contact Bollards Lagoon (61 8 8091 3873) prior to crossing private land.

SIMPSON DESERT RESERVE

Simpson Desert – Closed.  The Simpson Desert Regional Reserve and Conservation Park will be closed from December 1 2009 to March 15 2010. The closure is due to the combination of high summer temperatures, soft sand dunes and low visitation which can lead to visitors being stranded.  This is a high public risk that can be fatal.

Warburton Crossing – Closed until March 16 when the Simpson Desert re-opens after the summer closure.

Note: The Border Track (Vic –SA) is also closed for the fire season.

Website wanted

I m trying to locate a website regarding the water level at Innamincka.  

·         Just ring the pub or Trading Post (general store) at Innamincka to find out how much water is over the causeway.  Me, I would rather go and see for myself, heh, heh, heh. Peter

Trip Notes – Maidenwell (South East Queensland)

·         I finally got to Maidenwell last weekend. Spit roast was ordinary which surprised me as I expected it to be well above. Cost is $13.50 per person. You can see the roast pig cooking on the spit during the day. Breakfast is served for $9.00 per person on the pub veranda. I did not go but those who did thought it was pretty good.

We camped in the fairly small freebie across the road but camping is also available behind the pub and again it is free. There are toilets at the pub and in the street in front of the pub. Hot showers are available for a gold coin donation at the hall next to the Maidenwell Trading Post. Payment and key available the Trading Post before 6pm. Meals are also available here.

Limited non-potable water available at the BBQ near the freebie camping area.

There was a kiwi fellow singing as the entertainment at the pub on Saturday night and he was brilliant but I do not know if he is there every roast night. I would go back again just to see him. The spit roast is a regular monthly event and it is preferable to book as they often get very busy with as many as 200+ people attending.

There is a lovely permanent swimming hole 2 km from town with a bit of a hike from the car park down to it but well worth the climb back and it is a very well maintained area. Kate.

 Mining in North Flinders Ranges

·         From last week: www.savearkaroola.com.au. The deadline for submissions has been extended to 29 January 2010. Go to what is proposed on that website which has been created specifically to deal with this issue.- Tony Milln

·         Just for the record, Reg and Griselda Sprigg’s ashes are scattered over Mount Painter. How about we declare this area a whitefella sacred site and see what double standards are encountered with the Government. Just my humble opinion. Bruce

 

Desert Channels Bullet

 

·         The November Bullet (Desert Channels Queensland newsletter) is now available. This issue contains: Stock Routes: an asset or liability? Whose asset and whose liability? Climate change: doom, gloom or boon? Exploring the Basin: Part 2 of an historical look at the Lake Eyre Basin. For a copy please email info@dcq.org.au  

Satellite Phone Capabilities

·         Jim forwarded a letter from Pivotel regarding satellite phone coverage. The letter states that the proposed launch of satellites in 2009 has not happened. Partly due to finances, partly due to an earthquake in  Italy near the manufacturing works. Two launches of six satellites are planned for 2010 and two more launches of six early in 2011. These 24 second generation satellites will complement the eight first generations satellites in use and users should notice significant improvement in coverage by the end of 2010. The second generation of satellites are expected to be in use until 2025.

·         - A GSM mobile phone is not a satphone and thus needs to be in range of GSM radio towers to work.

- 112 is an international emergency number that should in theory work in every country

- Not even a satellite phone will work in some isolated spots, because there is NOT 100% coverage of the earths surface. -- Correct, the rest of the sentence was almost entirely incorrect.  Some reasons why satphone do not work in every location in the world are:

1. not all satphone networks attempt to cover the world

2. Sat phones need a direct line of sight to their satellite, which they won't get in gullies and the like

3. There may be some outages, and satellite phone satellites do not transmit in all directions.  Only downwards.  Iridium has 100% global coverage and is the only network to do so.  The other networks cover only part of the globe.  The point about all you need to be sure is HF needs clarification as that is complementary to a satphone, not a direct replacement, as is UHF radio and a distress beacon.  Finally the point about circular shapes...these circles are extremely large, around 1/3 of the globe, and for those satphone networks that use such a constellation (geostationary, eg Thuraya) there is significant overlap. Robert.  

·         I have heard rumours recently that 911, the emergency number familiar to most kids after watching US TV shows, is actually recognised as the ‘International’ emergency number and will also get a connection to ‘000’.  Is this true?  Perhaps if you are seeking an ACMA view, this could also be clarified. Jim 

 

Friday Funnies

Books on the Christmas wish list for the Westprint Mob

John: Boxed set of 10 previously unpublished Biggles Books

Graeme: Make your own V8 Supercar in 5 easy steps and less than $100

Bev: The tidy office: how to get your workmates to clean up their mess.

Jo: Beautiful handcrafts to complete in 10 minutes while sitting in the car waiting for the kids.

Sonya: How to make and decorate children’s healthy birthday cakes

 

I found the following on the ahajokes.com website.

A parents night before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house,

I searched for the tools to hand to my spouse.

Instructions were studied and we were inspired,

in hopes we could manage "Some Assembly Required."

The children were quiet (not asleep) in their beds,

While Dad and I faced the evening with dread:

A kitchen, two bikes, Barbies town house to boot!

And, thanks to Grandpa, a train with a toot!

 

We opened the boxes; my heart skipped a beat....

Let no parts be missing or parts incomplete!

Too late for last-minute returns or replacement;

if we cant get it right, it goes in the basement!

 

When what to my worrying eyes should appear,

But 50 sheets of directions, concise, but not clear,

with each part numbered and every slot named,

so if we failed, only we could be blamed.

 

More rapid than eagles the parts then fell out,

All over the carpet they were scattered about.

"Now bolt it! Now twist it! Attach it right there!

Slide on the seats, and staple the stair!

Hammer the shelves, and nail to the stand."

"Honey," said hubby, "you just glued my hand."

 

And then in a twinkling, I knew for a fact

that all the toy dealers had indeed made a pact

to keep parents busy all Christmas Eve night

with "assembly required" till mornings first light.

 

We spoke not a word, but kept bent at our work,

till our eyes, they went bleary; our fingers all hurt.

The coffee went cold and the night, it wore thin

before we attached the last rod and last pin.

 

Then laying the tools away in the chest,

we fell into bed for a well-deserved rest.

But I said to my husband just before I passed out,

"This will be the best Christmas, without any doubt.

 

Tomorrow we will cheer, let the holiday ring,

and not have to run to the store for a thing!

We did it! We did it! The toys are all set

for the perfect, most perfect, Christmas, I bet!

 

Then off to dreamland and sweet repose I gratefully went,

though I suppose there is something to say for those self-deluded...

I had forgotten that batteries are never included!

 

 

To all of our Faithful Friday Five readers.

Please be aware that there are numerous reasons why your email address may be deleted from our system. One of the main difficulties is that many spam companies also use the program we use for publishing and this means the Friday Five may be rejected as spam. If you do not regularly continue to get the Friday Five please check with Graeme at info@westprint.com.au Remember to include a phone number or other alternative contact.

New email addresses are constantly and automatically being added to our list. If you do not wish to be part of our Friday Five group then please unsubscribe from the link at the bottom of this newsletter. This takes effect immediately. Westprint apologises for any inconvenience.

 

 

Cheers for now,

Jo

 

 

 

 

The link below is to UNSUBSCRIBE from this Newsletter only.