PossumCorner

They should be near the worm farms - if I get to Bunnings this afternoon I'll put up the Fineline here.

Photography advice is always conflicting: all you can do is weigh it all up and do what you think suits your needs. I don't like the "go to a shop see what feels best in your hand" advice. Mine would be to look at the features you want and buy the camera that has them: it will become second-nature and suit your hand soon enough. Mirrorless are great, we have the Sony(s). Just need to accept that there is shutter-lag, not as much as with point-and-shoot but there is lag. For most playing I do now I use a Sony, but if I want a more precise result for action then I use the Nikon, DSLR don't have shutter-lag. I prefer single-shot for action. If you are happy with machine-gun then it really makes no difference, just the luck of the right action from one of many shots makes them equal. The question was "for beginners". I'd say the DSLR and look well at the features you need (brand doesn't matter, all the major ones are good as). But the difference is marginal unless action precision is the main need: then the DSLR is best choice over mirrorless.

Pretty special. I wondered about the camera too - as in wondering if the Nikon is still on the sick-list? That's the beauty of Pentax isn't it, that they didn't make them so that the early lenses were no use. Old Pentax glass is magical quality. Same with my cheapish little Sony(Minolta) - the old Minolta lenses are lovely, pity the new sensors let them down a bit. Look at the light and river through his(her) bill - that is such a super shot. How are you going with someone to sort your stored images? I'm no closer to doing my own but at least thinking about it if that counts.

Interesting Kirislin, and under $1million. Hope it doesn't go to developers for subdivision. Would be great if it stays as a larger market garden, and the asparagus growers don't lose their lease.

So very sorry Dogsbesotted to hear about Denny's Dog - beautiful song, sad and moving, - "No one knows the tears I've cried" says it all for how we feel at this time. You have had such a tough week Dogsbe, look after yourself.

For the same reason I wouldn't feed dogs to my dogs. (Irradiated, purified or whatever treated). Nothing to do with the medical reasons Maddy mentioned. Everything to do with what I consider the ethical issues - no inclination to supporting the waste/excess production from the 'industry'. And I don't eat my friends nor encourage my dogs to do so. I worked in Poland for a couple of years - horse-meat is normal there for human consumption. But many Poles are conflicted about this and totally uncomfortable with it, because horses are, as in Australia, a huge part of their cultural heritage and recognized and loved as such. Yes I eat meat, but no I wouldn't butcher my own pet sheep or goats or alpacas (or ponies) - disposal is with respect as it is when any of us lose a loved dog. I guess ethics are a personal thing: I don't question other peoples' opinions on this issue, but I won't step away from my own.

Some alpaca shots - loving everything alpaca, even the silly lines: "We're going on an adventure? great, alpaca my bags". New baby's first day, found the milk bar thank heavens, now just need some more condition on Mum, but she is improving. 9/52 Day 2: a bit unsure of the world 10/52 And yesterday: now six weeks old, catching some cold-morning sunshine and experimenting eating Mum's hay. 11/52 LFF, waiting, waiting now.

I am going to do catch-up with doublets and triplets: lots of overlooking of rules has happened this year so I don't feel too bad. C'mon LFF, not too late. The birds are liking the new blue birdbath 6/52 So are the wild bunnies 7/52 Nothing like a good stretch and yawn after the morning coffee 8/52 Sprung. I'm outta here 9/52

You got HOW MUCH??? (We got 2 mil, din wet the ground). Lovely shots Perseph, admittedly seeing them through a green mist at the moment.

Sunrise from the kitchen window earlier this week - not the landscape that travel adverts are made from, but reliable if there is cloud (which is not too often). The derelict silo 'next door' is about 100 metres from our house, it gives a great cooling shadow when needed as well as being an icon of past glory in the cropping country. Even the railway lines have gone since the last grain-train ran, sad the way some great infrastructure has been abandoned. This one is of the silo at Sunset, in the last electrical storm that passed across (taking its rain to Castlemaine or somewhere else of course).

These are encouraging Perseph - our neighbour is arranging to have one come to our area "after it rains" - not much point now bare and under drought. I have "ordinary" aerial shots of the district from 30 years ago, green as Ireland, unbelievable. Our springtime green after rainfall is very fleeting, so looking forward to having some drone-platform shots taken to look at for the rest of the year. There is no dramatic/beautiful scenery around as you have to warrant having them come sooner. Bring on the rain. OH talks about getting a "hobby" one: I'm a bit worried about what effect it might have on the animals - did any of yours react or don't you have muddle-headed goats/sheep etc who are easily panicked??

Lovely Ozstar - we barely saw it for the clouds, so it's good to see your set. Weeks escaped me, will do a small catch-up after the weekend.

Rabbit Lady's outfit is some special. Love the fabric. Do we sense a book in the offing? Ozstar the bee eater shot is great - and a highlight in the eye too!

Can't help, it is some distressing though. Two little old doggies here, Frodo is borderline blind and deaf, and losing the plot a tiny bit. Rheneas also at near 14 is tracking okay aside from at this stage mild arthritis (he'd lost the plot before we rescued him years ago). Couldn't bring another dog into the mix, particularly an active one. Nekhbet I'd be happy to put a hard-copy notice on town notice board if appropriate, if you supplied wording/contact details. Maybe the Rescues are collectively holding their breath waiting for an incoming tsunami of Greyhounds?

This made me laugh - having just read the secondary link from Gapvic's link. Just as widely known, and very pertinent. http://www.australianracinggreyhound.com/tag/positive-swabs Another hoot. How can an industry that is low grade sleaze from top to bottom pretend glamour? Reminds me of that lovely expression in "Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow" when she walks into the luxurious Casino, takes a look around and calls it a "gilded piece of shit". Perfect for an industry that runs on gambling, and all the corruption and evil that underpins it. (No different to horse racing, look at the rotten to the core behaviours that surrounded our two "best ever" race-horses, seventy or so years apart).

I'd really thought that the possums and piglets were the losers. The sympathy expressed has done a big shift from the original victims to the spin-off victims. Of course the massive possible numbers of greys being affected is horrendous, but there are not "that" many people as concerned about the rabbits, guineas, cockerels and other small animals. What happens to the (?hundreds?) already in cages just awaiting being killed in terror and agony around various "facilities". Bet they won't be thoughtfully disposed of - they will be doubly ill treated as lash-out punishment by the thugs involved - let alone deprived food and water which I doubt is ever involved in their management in any case. Grumpette they are good links you have in your posts.

Lovely news - as we hoped - and word of mouth from those ten to their friends, etc etc. Edit to add: well over 100,000 signatures now on the Animals Australia petition - and a good plug there for adopting an OTT greyhound - that's a lot of people now aware of the possibility.

I don't think so Gapvic, I believe all the negative concern in the thread and elsewhere about how this will affect public opinion of the dogs is way over-stated, people are not stupid (no matter what the dol fraternity's general attitude to the non-dog/dol fraternity). There is a strong minority of less interested and less thinking people, and as tdx said, they are not the homes you seek for the greys, as they simply wouldn't have been in the first place. There is just as likely to be a backlash in support of the dogs, because more thought will be given to the overall issues - not just the issues specific to the dogs as in the coverage a couple of years ago.

Yes and some of the perpetrators were at "glittering" social functions wearing three-piece suits. Yes some with less intelligence did much (not all) of the dirty work: there is no point making them the scapegoats: the thrust of the prosecutions will hopefully be at the money end. 4Corners will be repeated at 10.00am this morning (Tuesday).

The expose on greyhound training on Four Corners tonight might be too much for some of us. Taking the barbaric use of rabbits, possums etc to its inevitable conclusion in rewarding and encouraging prey drive. So denied for so long by the industry, time it was made public with some proof. Mentioning here as relevant also to this thread as well as "in the News" forum item.

Huh, working with the track operators - some small minority!! The old saying you can't run with the hare and hunt with the hounds comes to mind eh - how can a non-independent body possible claim to be trying to keep things clean? Yes for sure Christina, the money comes first every time.

It's complex though isn't it, peoples needs and lives change. I've no problem with people putting out 'good things' to be taken - it's more generous of spirit than putting a dollar value to scrounge the last bit of benefit from it. Everything about the tip and recycling industry seems rotten to the core. In the Dandenongs (and all eastern suburbs I think) hard rubbish belongs to the council and the Contractor as soon as it is put out. So it is illegal to scrounge from it, and a hefty fine. Why - because it's not compressed and buried, it is sorted by the Contractors and on-sold at their choice - whether up-market antiques or the shop at the tip (which is also very profitable for them). I'm not saying corrupt, but I think borderline - if someone wasn't making a fortune out of all this, why so illegal for the public to touch it? I know people do, everywhere, but also they can be charged with theft and fined heavily so it's a major deterrent: and the ones who pick up the most are the professional tip-ratters, not just a member of the public who appreciates the chance to pick up a lovely piece of furniture they wouldn't have otherwise. It all makes me so angry - that's why I said complex - Ranga it is unspeakable to dump garbage on bush tracks, but it happens a lot because tip fees are also unspeakable. The choice to dump rubbish is made by the more dreggy members of society, low income, low education, maybe low intelligence or just plain thuggishness, whatever. Not making excuses for them, but tip fees encourage people to making bad decisions, they certainly don't reward the ecologically aware or the socially responsible public. Around here people don't wait for hard rubbish days (if there are any, not sure) just leave items out at random, usually with a free sign to make it clear. I'm eyeing off some doors 30k down the road that might suit chook pens, just need to motivate myself to hitch up the trailer. Kirislin you have done great giving a new lifetime to good quality things - and yes the fruit boxes always move on gumtree etc, very collectable. Edit to add: they are knockout photographs, terrific record. Do you still do camera club: that would be the basis for a theme.

Good fun, well done! (Publish or perish).

Falling behind as usual - here's a related triplet from yesterday to catch up. First contact: 3/52 Here they come. Don't spit til you see the whites of their eyes. 4/52 The rotten thing just as I nearly bit it too. Bleergh, alpaca germs, now I'll probably grow a long neck. 5/52 Jeeze what happened then!? Whatever it was, we're out of here.

Poison baits are never totally safe: (hate to think of the laboratory animals killed in testing dead-rat-eating to safe levels, horrible). Previous owners here poisoned liberally and we still find blocks or pellets in odd spots three years later, quite scary. I threw out the live-traps when I had a couple of mis-trips and poor mice were mutilated. So now it's back to snap-traps with great success. Perseph I think the Big Cheese rat-traps are the best - like their mouse-traps (snap-traps, not live) they are very easy to set and clear, and reliable again and again. Bunnings have them people, they are red and white hard plastic: mice/rates don't seem to have the same suspicion of them as they do of the wood and wire or metal traps. The brown snake that was resident near my chook pens seems to have moved on, haven't seen him/her since before Christmas but still keep aware. The mouse population there has much decreased so the snake did some good work between scaring me and making the area off limits to the dogs for their safety. We'll never totally eradicate little rodents because of the wheat storage silos next door, it is a massive safe home base for them to constantly spread out from.