Pre-Federation Australia: A Coal Goldmine The first mention of coal in Australia’s history books dates back to 1797 in NSW and marks the beginning of a lucrative history with Australia’s 2nd largest export and economic influence today. Throughout the 1800s coal was discovered in just about every state in Australia, and as technological advancements led to means of converting this resource into power, long gone were the days of gas powered lighting and soon enough major cities history with electricity had begun. Where did the gas for Australia's gas-powered lighting come from before coal? h ..read more

MAY 4-6 MAY 10-12 May 22 Statistics: Posted by Doodoo — May 3, 2024, 11:46 am ..read more

Pleasant, cooling shower for the FES worthies at CCW. IMG_20240503_165445.jpg Statistics: Posted by tamada — May 3, 2024, 9:56 am ..read more

Oh look mum! Another arse! Wow. You surprised me with this well thought out highly intelligent response. Agreed. Not up to my normal pithy and insightful self. Three Tetley's smooth flows and a several very large screwdrivers tends to take the edge off. Time zone's a bit of a bugger but? Statistics: Posted by tamada — May 3, 2024, 9:52 am ..read more

I hope it doesn't woke you up, Uncle. I was a woke...ultra a woke if I may say so. The guy might have been on to something. At 3 this afternoon the skies over Khon Kaen darkened, and the wind picked up and then...no rain. Hey, there are still eight hours to see if the croaker (the frog, not tamada) can pull this forecast off or not. How are the skies down Perth way? Statistics: Posted by Laan Yaa Mo — May 3, 2024, 9:20 am ..read more

Finifugal This is what you’d call someone who is afraid of finishing anything. What does finifugal mean? This arcane-sounding word was coined in the 1800s and infrequently used during the last century, the word makes sense if you break it down: fini is Latin for “end” and fugal is Latin for “flight.” If you’re feeling a bit finifugal at the moment, just hit the “back button.” Just because you’re paranoid, doesn’t mean they aren’t out to….help you? Statistics: Posted by Doodoo — May 3, 2024, 8:37 am ..read more

Shandy Hall in Coxwold, North Yorkshire, gives visitors a fascinating insight into the life of Laurence Sterne, author of Tristram Shandy; it also offers the chance to experience one of the world’s finest nature spectacles — a vibrant rookery. The upper branches of the sycamores that lift from the rim of the former stone quarry, which forms Shandy Hall’s woodland garden, are filled with the black baskets of rook nests. The rise and fall of cawing sweeps from these stately trees like the howling of wolves. The rooks are not confined to this visitor attraction, however. Nearby, a huddle of hawth ..read more

on this day In 1966 news was placed permanently on the front page of The Times for the first time, after a radical redesign; in 1968 the first heart transplant in the UK, the tenth in the world, was performed at the National Heart Hospital in London. The recipient survived for 45 days; in 1988 the White House confirmed that Nancy Reagan, the first lady, had used astrological advice to schedule President Ronald Reagan’s activities; in 1979 the general election was won by the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher, beating the Labour Party of prime minister James Callaghan. The Conservative ..read more

Oh look mum! Another arse! Wow. You surprised me with this well thought out highly intelligent response. Statistics: Posted by Kenr6583 — May 3, 2024, 3:53 am ..read more

Let's hope so. A frog has been croaking all night long under our window for the past few nights so something may be up. Perhaps it's just an ultra croaker. Statistics: Posted by Laan Yaa Mo — May 3, 2024, 12:44 am ..read more