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Dragonfly P0rn


I took this picture yesterday at Maldon Weir on the Nepean River. If you ignored the weeds it was very pretty. We were on a baby bug hunt and came across many adults doing the deed, so we had to watch and watch aaand watch for quite some time...all in the name of science i'll have you know.
They fly around like this aswell, and I thought Dadhyayataka was impressive.

As a Odonata pervert expert explains-

All insect males have their genital opening for sperm at the ninth abdominal segment. Dragonflies/damselflies males have (beside the first genitalia) their secondary genitalia, which is the accessory organ on the second abdominal. Sperm is moved from the first genitalia into the secondary genitalia just before copulation.
Dragonflies usually start copulation in flight, the male swing up the female. The female then curls her abdomen forwards to contact with the secondary genitalia in order to receive sperm. The male and female form the heart shape wheel and it is known as Wheel Position. Most dragonflies start copulation in flight, some may continue in flight and some may settle. Settle copulation usually last longer, from minutes to hours. Air copulation may last only a few seconds.

For some species, it is found that before transferring his sperm, the male will remove the existing sperm from the female genitalia which is from earlier mate, then replace it with his own.

But it wasn't all about bug sex

Ok this one is bug sex aswell....

Look no bug sex...pretty

Ohh a rock that looks like a Dragon's head...it does ok...look closely.

and i got paid for this...WOOT!

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FIVE MINUTES PEEPS....
Thats all it takes, really.

I was hitting the 'Next Blog' button the other day, as you do. Wow there are some kooky/dull/interesting/baffling stuff out there, and I thought I wasted too much time on pointless stuff.
I found one blog that posted a story about 9/11 and companies pulling products....anyway it sounded dodgey, so i went to Snopes, and sure enough its one of these email hoax stories that do the rounds.
Two Minutes of research.

Last year two hoax emails were sent around work by well meaning people.
A friend sent a 'warning' to about a dozen of us, from the Red Cross, about needles left in theatre seats and the risk of AIDS, so be very very afraid.
Now i know that one has been around for yonks and had seen it before, so i went to the Red Cross site and sure enough there was a post about these false emails and not to believe them.
I replied to all and sent them the link saying it wasn't true. Nobody mentioned it, and i hope i did not embarrass my friend but really!
Five Minutes of research

The other one was sent to everyone on my work site, which is alot of people. It was about AT&T phone scam. Once again it sounded wierd, for one AT&T is an American company. I Googled a few key words to see what i got and I found this site and then checked it on Snopes.
Now i understand if you have not heard of hoax whacking sites, but everyone should know at least enough about search engines to find infomation.
I again replied all with what I found. A couple of people emailed me back saying thanks so i didn't feel like a total nong.
Eight Minutes of research.

Now if i was going to post something like that (esp health warnings) to people, whether it be 10 or 100's I would at least check it out first...is that so crazy?

There have been a few others. My Mum-in-Law, who i love dearly, sent one about the elephants rescuing people after the Tsunami. Which is a great feel good story, and i can see why people believe/wish they are true.
I hope i don't come across all smug and party pooperish but i can't let it pass. It would be worth it if at least one person next time remembers the site and checks before believing everything they get emailed.

Snopes is a fascinating site, with alot of urban myths, scams and hoaxes. They also have a lot of true stories aswell, some of which are just as strange and kooky as the false ones.
The glossary has a couple of great words to start using- Slacktivism and Glurge
They may make mistakes but its a good place to start before worrying about the hooked hand, ghostly, albino alligator hitchhiker.

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GIVE ME SOME WOOD BABY

Or possibly Silverware.
Today is our 5th year of being hitched-a-roonied. YAY for us.
5 years of sinnin', 5 years of paying our dues to a religious, patriarchal ideal. Woot!
But seriously folks, its all very, very good, and i have no complaints.
(Ob - if you have complaints start yer own blog)

The whole traditional presents thing is very odd, and we have no truck with it.
6 - candy and/or iron...what?? yeah her name's Candy dear, so its ok..
7 - Wool/copper or desk sets....better than a iron i suppose
14 - Ivory or gold watches...by 14 years i will need my love to be proved by big game hunting and big game hunting only, gold does not go with my eyes.

Instead we are meeting up at a brew pub in the city then off to dinner at Yipiyiyo in Darlinghurst. Have been there before and its scrummy.

Shiny Happy People
I really like this photo. Loverly one of my Mum, okish one of me, though it would not have killed me to to open my eyes, and a totally HOT one of Rob....

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Having a RDO yesterday (best invention since sick days and holidays) i wandered up to Rookwood Cemetery. Its so close and i've always meant to go.
I found the oldest section and wandered, just me and the crows.



Not believing in a afterlife, part of me thinks the whole graveyard thing is a waste of good land but there is a certain feeling i get from reading tombs, wondering who they were and how they died. Alot of the area is overgrown, and half hidden, which makes it seem otherworldly and mysterious. There is a real sense of history there, and it would let people connect to their past.
If i had people there i would definatly visit and say Hi.


Its also a great place to photograph. I don't rate myself as a great photographer, but i have taken some good photos over the years. I think with a good subject you can't go very wrong.





One of the things that always strikes me looking at old places is the number of childern and young people who are there. Alot of people did live to 70+ but a whole lot died very young.
Nothing is sadder than seeing a tomb of multiple children and their parents, who either died young themselves or lived till 90.


I think that anyone who rails against modern technology, favours alternate medicine and/or is anti vacc, should be made to spend some time there. Then as a counterpoint visit the newer sections. There will be young people there of course but nothing like what you will see before the mid 1900's.




It is a beautiful place, maybe a wierd thing to say about a cemetery, but its true. No one is more peaceful than the dead.

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MY NEW WORK UNIFORM



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THE WEEPING SONG

Last weekend's paper had a article about bands who use or don't use thier music to sell stuff. Which frankly i don't have a problem with if they do. Its theirs and none of my beeswax what they do with it.
There was a couple of quotes by Nick Cave on declining various offers to use his songs.
This really moved me....(big sook)

" I get letters from people telling me they got married to 'The Ship Song', or that they buried their best friend to 'Into My Arms', and I don't want them to look at the TV and see that they buried thier friend to a Cornetto ad or something"

Just when i thought the man could not get any cooler, he ups the anti.


Which got me thinking about music at funerals. Now would it be better to play some Brittney or Boys to Men, rather than beautiful ones, so when that song is heard again it doesn't get associated with that time and sadness?
I don't know really, but if it was up to me to plan mine, i say bugger the whole funeral palour guff and head straight to the wake. Have a glass or two.

('Sanvean' by Dead Can Dance....not that i'm hinting or anything)

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THE CATS OUTTA THE BAG

Well the US side knows of our plans to move to the Land Of The Free, and they are just a tad excited.
We were holding off mentioning it to Rob's family as his Mum would probably have a house, job, dental and holiday plans organised for us in a flash, and if we didn't end up going then....tears before bedtime.
She is trying to organise a family reunion later in the year and possibly a Grand Canyon river trip, which sounds awesome and i'll be there in a sec if i could. I said to Rob we either need to knock on the head the whole idea of us coming over in August with some excuse or other, or tell them why it may not be possible.
It makes no sense to fly over for a few weeks then move there a few months later.
Soooo now they know. Not sure if she has a house for us yet but they will try and move the family do later on.

Rob has been valiently doing his US taxs, which are a total bitch. Well they look horrible and thats just from me looking over his shoulder, kissing his fevered brow then going back to playing WOW.... What! theres only so much i can do.
Once they are done, then the actual process can begin.
I took the tome the consulate send me and photocopied spares of the forms. I just know i will spell my name wrong or tick Yes to 'Are you, or have you ever been a Nazi, terrorist, drug pedaling whore?' i just will.



After filling out I-130, DS-230 parts 1 &2,DS-2001, I-864A, interviews, medical, police report....blah, blah, blah i better get a card with 'Alien Resident' on it or i'm coming back home.

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