Aussie Carnival Blog On Cairns
June 18, 2008
Welcome to the June 18, 2008 edition of
Carnival of Australia and Blog On Cairns.
My Carnival hosting tradition is to always begin with a post from the previous host: it is my way of saying, “Thanks for hosting and sharing in the success of the Carnival of Australia.” Of course last fortnight it was a sister Cairns business blogger who hosted: Keran from Birdwing Therapies. This fortnight, Keran gives us, Operation Centurion. Perpetrators and Pedophiles Being Arrested. This is something right up my ally. As child protection advocates both Keran and I are very conscious of online predators and we both share ALL information with the police if needed. As Keran says, “If you have any information which may lead to an arrest contact your local Police or Crime Stoppers“.
Blog On Cairns
What’s winter like in Tropical North Queensland? Steve and Maria from Cairns Unlimited have had one day where they had to wear long sleeves and trousers. Steve keeps a wonderful tourist centric blog and he says, “Winter in Tropical North Queensland is a far cry from the season that the southern half of Australia endures at this time of year. It’s 11:00am as I write this, and my trusty Cairns Unlimited thermometer tells me it’s 27 degrees (that’s 81 degrees American) which is not a bad winter’s temperature, I reckon”. I’m with you Steve…if it drops below 25 degrees, I freeze.
Paul Dymond of Have camera Will Travel suggests that The more you edit the better you look. Correction Paul, you’ve got it around the wrong way for the majority of us amateurs - the more you professional photographers edit photographs of us, the better we look! Paul is actually referring to the blog presentation of edited photographs. In the age of digital cameras and blogs, Mum and Dad photographer have a penchant for putting all of their pics up. Paul suggests raising your own status as digital guru and only publishing your very best and edited shots. FANTASTIC shot of a Cassowary on the Daintree Road.
Mike Moore over at Cairns Blog is finally back to his regular blogging. In Drunk Driver, Mike shares a horrific picture of a drunk and sleeping driver smashing into a group of cyclists.
Introducing Luke Grange from Knowledge Solutions. Luke and his team offer all manner of Web-based information solutions and their new corporate blog focuses on Web 2.0 applications and the benefits of blogging as a business tool. On a more personal not, Luke was one of my rescuers in my near drowning experience on the Great Barrier Reef. I am eternally grateful to Luke and I encourage you to head over to his new site and giving him a little blog karma 
.
Did you know that verylongdomainnamesarefrustrating. Over at Nicky Jurd’s she urges new website builders to consider their domain names…preferably before you buy them! What does your business do? What does your domain name say about your business? Can your clients easily remember your domain name? An excellent little post Nicky.
Jean Burman, aka Billy the Kid, is a marvel. There were only three Cairns bloggers who used the power of the blogosphere to raise consciousness around the recent Childhood Hero Day. Two of those bloggers are child safety advocates and professional in the area. Jean on the other hand, deserves accolades and fanning with banana palms, because she does not make her living from child safety. Jean shares a wonderful story of being a childhood hero, with teeth and skin, in tact.
Nunyaa, our own little Flying Nun of Flying Fish Point (I don’t know if that’s where Nunyaa lives - it just fitted with the flying nun habit comment), raises some safety and control issues around the hotly debated OneSchool data base: Students on the Net.
Queensland State Government is planning on entering personal details including photos of every state school child in an online data base. Photographs, personal details, career aspirations, off-campus activities and student performance records are being collected from all 1251 state schools.
OneSchool rhetoric comes with a threat or two: it is non negotiable and students who do not supply the required information may well be refused a state education. Ummm, I just cannot see how that could ever happen.
I understand the reasons behind state education wanting such a data base but without the security needed (let along fast internet!) to protect such sensitive online information, the potential for hacking, manipulating and sharing information about minors, leaves me a little perturbed. At this stage, I am wanting to join Nunnyaa and say, “I prefer the old hard drive and paper files thanks Mr Welford.”
Andrew Griffiths wonders if Maybe it’s time to get mobile. There is no denying the massive growth in business to your door models. Andrew posits that the model will only grow and that traditionally sedentary business houses will begin to go mobile. I wonder if anyone has done research on the environmental impact of “to your door” business verses customers seeking out business at a fixed address.
Andrew asks:
Are there ways that your business could take your products or services directly to your customers? A few prime examples that I seen develop recently are:
1. Mobile battery sellers - they come to you when you get a flat battery.
2. Mobile mechanics - they come to you to work on your car.
3. Mobile dog washers - no more wet dogs in the car.
4. Mobile finance brokers - discuss your finance needs in your own home.
5. Restaurants - home delivery is becoming more popular by the day.
6. Hairdressers - many will now come to your home or office.
I have long thought Imaginif could make use of a mobile child therapy room (a mobile home/caravan sort of an affair) that visits the smaller towns around us once a week. Paul (my accountant husband) will cringe when he reads this and I know what he will say, “Stick to your business model woman and don’t plan anything else into the cash flow!”
Like sands through the hour glass, Melody (from Biglittlesister)and her family are taking beach advantage on the fine, but cold, days Cairns has experienced (have I ever mentioned that I hate winter!). In delightful artistic talent, the girls did a sand portrait of papa bear, Lyndon. Very Aussie! [Megan breaks into song] There was an old man who swallowed Australia.
Melody, the above sand artist from Big Little Sister , has a huge parent blogger following. Cairns businesses interested in marketing their family focused wares cannot do better than giving Melody a promo to review. A positive review from Melody will reach thousands of Aussie parents all heading this way for winter warmth. Ummm, what could Melody blog about - weekends away, family centric restaurants, resort wear, tours: the list and Melody’s parent influence is endless. Blog searches are fast becoming search engine in style. Indexing, easy home based seo strategies and huge visitor numbers means that blogs often come up before tradition web or information sites. If you haven’t got a blog on your website, you’ve got rocks in your head. Thank goodness you’ve got access to experienced bloggers who can parent test your product though.
Here are the other Cairns bloggers that I know off. Get to know them, encourage them, link to them and build a solid web of people in Cairns who get the enduring strength of blogging as a tool.
- Berry Baby
- Cairns Action for Sustainable Transport
- Kaj Haffenden
- Psych Matters
- Spasmodic Dysphonia
- Tropical Passions
Business
Des Walsh ate before he wrote, A Book I Must Have for Doing Business in China over at deswalsh.com. A delightfully serious, humorous, and humble reflection of how unChinese Des may have been, he has now whet my appetite for the book as an entree to Chinese business culture as well. Des, did you know, in China they don’t call it Chinese food. Amazing! (12 year old is looking over my shoulder groaning at my jokes)
Family
GP presents Innkeeping Heloise Style posted at Innside Montana-Your Home at the Range, saying, “Innkeeping ‘Heloise” style here in the US of A. Cheers maties” What a laugh. Thanks GP, that tickled my non cleaning elbows.
PlanningQueen presents 10 Ways To Save On Your Food Bill posted at Planning with Kids, saying, “With higher food prices looking set to stay, here are some easy steps you can take to save on your food bill” Planning’s posts are always super sensible and parent practical. I wonder if not feeding the kids would ever make one of your lists PQ? My 12 year old son is in danger of not being fed because he and his friend are eating me out of my wage! I keep offering them Tripe but they don’t seem to want that! My serious money saving food tip is to put a cup of rolled oats in with mince - yummy, healthy and doubles dinner
The three times kewl Alison was tagged for a meme by Cairns based Melody: Six question meme. The diversity of lodgings, employment and preference always amazes me when I read personal memes. Alison has been a circus performer and now operates a menagerie and young people home. She is also an amazingly intelligent young woman who lives her life around inclusive and non discriminatory practices. A rare bird, Alison will be in Cairns late July and I intend to have a Bloggers Meet so that you can all meet Alison too (she is a regular reader of several blogs that participate in Carnival of Australia).
Food
The wonderful Jeanie presents Cannelloni Comforts! posted at Jeanie in Paradise, saying, “How to g-r-a-d-u-a-l-l-y extend your child’s eating horizon!” Jeanie, that was very clever and the pics are divine. One of my kids was a true, pie addicted, Aussie. The only food he would eat had to be wrapped in pastry and end with the work “Pie.” We wanted soft Tacos for dinner. I told Master Pie Face that they were Mexican Pies He loved his Mexican Pies and still eats pie bread (tortillas) to this day.
Personal Development
Belongum presents If ever there was an apprenticeship in Ironing… posted at Belongum’s Weblog. What a laugh - this single post explains the risks associated with ironing.
…when you’re ironing in a hurry, with only your undies on! Don’t let anyone fool you - for all the burn resistance cotton might have over anything resembling polyester, it still hurts like a bastard when that’s all that happens to be between your iron (on it’s ‘Linen’ setting), and any patch of skin that might reside between your belly button and where the top of your legs are! If it’s not that, it’s the steam - do I really need to explain those particular hazards in detail any further? I thought not! The ‘dangle factor’ aside folks; I’m afraid I have to tell you that ironing in your duds, isn’t necessarily a healthy thing to be doing - but ‘needs’ tend to necessitate all manners of odd behavior.
Belongum, I am an Army brat - starch and ruler bred. Nowadays though, I am an environmental safety officer (self appointed) and ironing is a high risk and environmentally black task (aka, I let my husband do my ironing. Can’t wait to witness a mishap like yours hehe).
Sport
R.Pettinger presents Australian World Harmony Run posted at Sri Chinmoy Centre News, saying, “On April 27th, the Australian World Harmony Run team began an epic journey around the entire coast of Australia.” Congratulations to the runners and the organisers. Social understanding is something I strive toward and I fully encourage such projects. Thanks for submitting this to the Carnival of Australia.
Travel
Our Red House presents Our Red House: Wilson’s Promontory: Landscapes posted at Our Red House. What beautiful clear pictures. It doesn’t even look cold. While I am often focused on the northernmost tip of Australia, this post comes from the southern most tip of Australia. How cool that our Carnival spans from one tip to the other. Thanks for joining us in the Carnival. We ruin fortnightly so please do come back.
Fancy a trip to Japan in a virtual origami boat? No. Then how about sending an origami boat to the the Prime Minister of Japan: Join the mass online protest against whaling in the Southern Ocean. Activism and social change is within easy reach of us all. Join The Body Shop Activist in a few virtual paper folds and help to create a sustainable future worth having grand kids for.
That concludes this edition. Any takers for hosting next fortnight? If not, the Carnival will run here at Imaginif again.
Submit your chosen blog post to the next edition of Carnival of Australia and Blog On Cairns using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page. You must be Aussie (no matter where you live in the world) or have a post about something Australian. I received a lot of spam this edition and some posts that I could not work out the Aussie connection. If you are an overseas Aussie blogger and it is not obvious on your About page, please let me know you are Australian.
Links back to the Carnival are always appreciated and act as positive marketing for our collective Carnival.
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Comments
9 Responses to “Aussie Carnival Blog On Cairns”
Got something to say about the above post or child safety in general?
Copyright © 2007 
Awesome carnival! The Blog On Cairns just gets better and better every edition! I can’t wait to check out the real thing next month
great lineup… worth a swim on over maties
I am honoured to be included.
GP in Montana
Hey A and GP. Thanks for joining the Carnival. It will only ever be as good as those who participate. Must be pretty good if we’ve got you two, ey!
I have a friend who lives in Hobart-She says there is a nice little market and fun band in the evening…post some blogs on that (even though it is on the other side of Australia!) I wanted her to blog on it but she says that she only has library access-no computer at home..the Horror the Horror!
i enjoy reading these
What a tremendous job you’ve done here, Megan, to go through all the submissions and comment on them so informatively and warmly. We you carnivaliers salute you!
Thanks for including me, Megan. As usual, a great line up for the afternoon’s visiting.
Gee you are a hard worker putting these all together in one post. Well done and thanks for including me! *smirk*
I almost thought I didn’t make it you know… little people making for an interesting sideline as we got them ready for bed lol
Army brat eh… me too - then you know ALL about this business then! Haha… cheers for the line-up!
Regards