topicalhuman.com

Yes, I have moved to stephenhamilton.wordpress.com. For a few different reasons (all of them good reasons) I’ve decided to discontinue this site at present. However I can be found at my new site, on Twitter (@steviehamilton), or LinkedIn.

Please take a look at the new site - it is still in its formative stages, but I plan to be posting there quite regularly. Don’t forget to update your RSS reader if that is how you keep tabs on me.

See you around the corner!

Many people I talk to, regular people like myself, seem to be very dismissive of any imminent threat of a severe economic recession.

Now, I am not an economist by any stretch of the imagination, but to ignore the possibility to me seems foolish. I think one just needs to consider that here in Australia we are at the start of a major downturn in the mining sector. Alcoa is laying off staff in the midst of a declining market, and Macarthur Coal and Xstrata recently announced they are cutting coking coal production by 50%. Rio Tinto has announced it is cutting 14,000 jobs, many of which are expected to be in Australia. BHP Billiton is also cutting jobs. Additionally, any new developments and projects are being heavily scrutinised by the mining companies, with many new projects likely to be delayed until the markter recovers, and the credit-crunch eases.

Despite some experts predictions that this downturn may be short-lived, this is still going to impact heavily on ordinary Australians, either directly or indirectly. The stockmarket is certainly being affected.

Even seeing retailers are feeling the effects of the global economic situation, and laying off staff. Shoobiz looks like cutting about 200 jobs.

I don’t know what is going to happen, and I certainly don’t know how to fix it. I guess it just surprises me that so many people appear to have not considered the possibility that things could get tough soon for ordinary people in this country. Some I have spoken to have even argued that things are gettting better because the interest rates on their home loans has gone down. But this is a head in the sand response - interest rates have largely fallen because the Reserve Bank is trying to stave off recession by stimulating the economy through interest rate cuts. And the job cuts spoken about above have either only just happened or are yet to happen. It hasn’t hit the fan just yet.

I truly hope I am wrong on this one, but I can see things getting tough very soon.

I have been complaining for a couple of days that the water from my tap tastes worse than usual. Then I see this. I realise the timing may not be the same (the article states that the fluoridation only started today), but it seems like a hell of a co-incidence.

Can anybody tell me if the fluoride has a discernible taste in the water? I’d like to know what is going on, because I’m not imagining that the water is tasting worse.

[Update] - Just noticed in yesterday’s Courier Mail (the 30th Dec.) that a couple of the letters to the editor (p.19) are complaining of the same thing. It seems that it is the recent storms that are the cause of the foul tasting water.

[Totally unrelated bonus link: Bluegrass by 15 year olds on Mandolin and Guitars!]

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Now playing: Link Wray - Rumble
via FoxyTunes

I recently had the fantastic experience on driving a V8 offroad race car. The car was impressive, the experience was exhilarating and the blokes who helped me out with this at Offroad Rush were good fun too. I received a gift voucher for Offroad Rush as a wedding present from my mates Chris, Clint and Andy. It was awesome. I hope to be back again sometime soon.

To top this off, my beautiful wife and I are heading to Fiji later this week for my brother-in-law’s wedding. I’m excited!

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Now playing: Green Day - Whatsername
via FoxyTunes

This is surely of no interest to anyone but me, as it has to do with my work. Specifically, a tool I have used, liked and may need sometime.

[Update] - This Lobster tool may be worth considering also.

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Now playing: Blue King Brown - Come And Check Your Head
via FoxyTunes

My sister Abbey gave birth to a healthy little girl on Saturday night - Hannah Marie Diaz. She’s a chubby little baby, but darn cute!

Yay!

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Now playing: The Ramones - Babysitter
via FoxyTunes

Here are two sites I want to look at a bit more soon:

1. The Indie Band Survival Guide
2. Google Music Search

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Now playing: Bob Dylan - Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
via FoxyTunes

Issac Hayes has been found dead at his home. It appears that he collapsed while exercising in his home.

He started off as a musician playing with another of my heroes, Otis Redding. Isaac Hayes went on to make his own mark on music - he made his own style of Soul, one that would later be a huge influence on many Hip Hop artists. And, like the show or not, he became a cultural icon of another sort as the voice of Chef in the animated series South Park.

P.S. - My web host has been down for a better part of a week, so this may explain the temporary absence of this site from the interweb. But at least we’re back up now. If only I could get my email working…

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Now playing: Isaac Hayes - Theme From Shaft
via FoxyTunes

I’ve been casually interested for a while in the notion of environmentally-friendly, energy efficient houses. I’m not in a position to be building a house, but I like the idea that if I was in such a position, I could build just such a house. I’ve also often thought that there could be a business opportunity in this.

Since changing my career last year and getting into the building industry, I have both become more interested, and less excited in this idea. As I now work in this industry, in theory I’m much closer to being able to learn what one would need to know to embark on this kind of project. But having worked in the building industry for a short while now, I am also getting an idea of just how difficult this kind of project would be.

Scott Adams reminded me of this with his recent post on the same topic. It is sad that there appears to be no real demand for green homes. And from my small experience, I have to agree with this assessment.

I also agree that the biggest issue is that there is so much FUD surrounding this topic, people just give up. ‘Tis a shame.

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Now playing: Green Day - Hitchin’ A Ride
via FoxyTunes

Yes, I’m back. Likely to still be posting lightly for a while, but we’ve finally gotten the internet connected at home.

It’s funny how not having it for 3 months or so makes you realise how much you need it, but also how much time you can waste on it. I’m going to be minimising much of the superfluous stuff (which includes posting here sometimes), and getting on with things that really matter. Speaking of which, I’m off to the Gym now with my lovely wife. Ciao!