Tarzan's endless chin

I found a bag of mostly boys' toys at hardwaste in my area. In amongst the obligatory McDonald's toys was this odd object. It is most likely for the Disney version of Tarzan.



Gorilla carrying a human baby aspect aside, there is something weird about this toy. I think it the way the baby's head has an endless chin as it shoves its head out of the blanket - like he's poking his creepy little head out of a cannon. Yes I think that's what it is.

Talk like a Pirate / Corgi Day - Yaaarrf!

Captain Juan Blacktoe* - AKA Fonzie the Corgi - contemplates the muddy waters off  NewTurf Island.


*so named for he has one black toenail, the other fifteen are pink.

Queensland Sanctions Shooting Threatened Bats

I understand that the fruit industry is important to the state of Queensland but so is its natural beauty and wildlife. This is an ineffectual and cruel way to deal with loss of crops. It needs to be stopped. I would have thought endangered and vulnerable species' survival was more important in the long term than any crop. The government could be subsidising netting not allowing shooting. Why does wildlife need to have a dollar value before its custodians care for it?


 Series IV, Pod II, detail*
modelled on the grey headed flying fox

Please help stop this slaughter by sending an email from here / signing the petition here!



Series IV, Little Reds, detail*
modelled on the litte red flying fox

*Images of my sculptures taken from my folio blog here.

Melbourne University Cultural Treasures - Part 2, The Medical History Museum, Real Steam punk!

In conjunction with the Melbourne Open House program, various collections at Melbourne University were open to the public as part of their Cultural Treasures Festival. Following on from Part 1, Zoology here is Part 2,The Medical History Museum. Note that the museum is open to visitors throughout the year.

The museum includes a relocated Victorian Pharmacy of which I took no pictures. It's a very small space!

I am conflicted when it comes to the Steampunk genre. I love Victorian age imagery and style, incorporating it into my art and to an extent my interior, and clothing. I have always been interested in science particular natural history. Steampunk is therefore up my alley as far as the things I'm enthusiastic about. However some of it is downright silly. The gratuitous/thoughtless use of gears, goggles worn on hats never on eyes, and ridiculous ray guns kinda gets my goat but not as much as it does my BF's
'Some of you are keenly aware of my misgivings regarding this whole Steampunk thing. Today NG provided me with the tools to succinctly opine at any given moment. Therefore, instances of that which has hitherto been referred to as "Steampunk", yet exclusively places aesthetic over substance (i.e. damn near the whole sodding movement), I shall henceforth refer to as "SteamPimp". Reserving Steampunk for applications where cogs might intersect in a meaningful and possibly even functional manner.'

As it turns out they have been doing it wrong. Yes cogs and copper are pretty but real Victorian scientific gadgets are mostly made with brass and they have knobs. Sometimes these knobs are knurled. Sometimes there is a wormgear but otherwise, they aren't bedazzled with gears!


Lister's carbolic acid steam spray
c. 1880
A particularly pretty example of this device as it turns out. What do you do with it? Sterilise the operating theatre in a hospital.


Microruling machine
c.1910
Unfortunately the accompanying label did not explain what it does - though none of the other labels on things did either. Here you go: link. Essentially it rules microscopic lines very close together on a piece of glass to create diffraction patterns from which to calibrate the field of view under a microscope and stuff. Clear as mud? You're welcome.


X-ray tubes
c.1905
They are a bit like a lightbulbs but instead of visible light they emit x-rays: link.


Compound monocular and binocular microscope c. 1864


Compound monocular microscope
c. 1820


More microscopes
c. late 1800s


Compound monocular microscope c. late 1800s

Spring blooms

Some spring flowers in my garden.


Apricot blossom bud


Bluebells


Freesias. It's a pity the camera can't capture the lovely fragrance! I put a couple of sprigs in a vase to delicately scent the lounge room.


Violets. There are enough of them to be smellable when hanging the wash out if the wind/temperature - or lack there of - is right.