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John Barnes BlogsitePutting the info and pictures "out there" in a no-frills format....(comments disabled) June 16 Suggested design - party badge for the Australian Labor PartyThis is a suggested design for a party badge for the
Australian Labor Party (ALP). It is a metal pin badge
approximately 16 to 20mm in diameter with a red centre and
blue outer section.
The suggested design shown below is an expanded view.
The party membership number would be stamped on the rear
of the badge, and ideally all members would be issued with a badge
free of charge, but on a practical level, a fee of around $10 may need to
be charged to cover the costs of manufacture on a mass production basis. At present, there is no (official or otherwise) Australian Labor
Party badge.
Suggested party badge design.
May 31 Top 20 cars sold in Australia in 1980.This list shows the top selling passenger cars in Australia
for the year 1980.
A total of 450,323 passenger vehicles were sold in Australia
during 1980.
The rear-wheel drive Mazda 626 came in at No.9 position,
with 17,099 vehicles sold.
Australia's top 20 cars for 1980. May 26 Sunplus SPHE8202D chip found in Tevion DVD playerThis Sunplus decoding chip type SPHE8202D was found inside
a Tevion DVD player.
Sunplus headquarters is based in Taiwan, but the chip was
manufactured in China.
The Tevion Dvd player, model TEV1020, was purchased at an ALDI
store in 2007.
The DVD player failed in 2009, when it refused to power up.
An 'autopsy' carried out on a workbench revealed that resistor
R1 in the power supply had overheated and burnt out.
Prior to the 100% failure, the Tevion DVD player had performed
satisfactorily.
Sunplus chip type SPHE8202D used in a Tevion DVD player.
May 20 Mazda 626 RWD Owners Club car badgeCar badge for members of the Mazda 626 RWD Owners Club.
Mazda club badge for mounting on vehicle April 13 Why Belinda Green (Miss World 1972) drives a Mazda"Why Belinda Green drives a Mazda" .
An article from Modern Motor magazine, January,1979.
March 14 Toyo Kogyo Co. (Mazda) prototype sedan of 1939.Toyo Kogyo Co. of Hiroshima (Mazda) produced a prototype
sedan in 1939 (see below), but due to the Second World War,
it was not until 1960 that Mazda began the mass production
of sedans and commercial vehicles.
The prototype was based on a British car.
Toyo Kogyo 1939 prototype sedan.
March 02 Old Receiver Site - Radio Australia Cox Peninsula 1969The photo below shows the old Receiving Site for Radio Australia at
Cox Peninsula, near Darwin, in 1969.
The Receiving Site was closed down in 1974 when a microwave
system from Mount Isa was extended through to Darwin.
The purpose of the receiving site at Cox Peninsula was to receive
short wave transmissions from Radio Australia in Shepparton, and
relay the signals to the Transmitter Site ten miles north of the Receiver
Site.
A microwave tower with two dishes can be seen in the picture. One
dish points south across Darwin Harbour to Darwin, and the other dish
points towards the Transmitter Site to the north.
The signals received from Shepparton were relayed to the Transmitter Site
via the microwave link, and retransmitted from the Transmitter at a power
of 250 Kilowatts.
After 1974, Radio Australia programme material was relayed direct to the
Transmitter Site from Darwin, which was now connected to Melbourne via
the National microwave link. There was no longer any need to receive
short-wave transmissions from Shepparton off air, so the Receiver Site was
closed down and the land handed back to the indigenous owners.
Receiver Site for Radio Australia at Cox Peninsula , 1969.
February 25 Troy Service Centre, Phillip, closed down.Troy Service Centre , formerly of 28 Dundas Court, Phillip, ACT,
closed down a number of years ago.
The centre specialised in the servicing and repair of Mazda, Telstar,
and Laser. There is presently no centre in Canberra that specialises in the
repair and overhauling of the above 3 vehicle types.
The picture below shows a Troy Service Centre card from 1996.
Note the spelling of Gearbox Overhalls (overhauls).
Troy Service Centre card (1996).
February 20 Mazda 626 RWD Owners Club (1979 - 1982 ).The Mazda 626 Rear Wheel Drive Owners Club caters
to owners of rear-wheel drive Mazda 626's covering
the years 1979 to 1982.
The Mazda 626 went on sale in Australia in January 1979.
It had a 4 cylinder 1970cc engine with a single overhead chain
driven camshaft, and came with a 4 or 5 speed manual transmission,
or a 4 speed automatic transmission.
The fuel pump was electric, and the carburettor was a Nikki twin
throat downdraught type, with a manual choke.
The Australian model had contact breaker points in the ignition
circuit, but the American model came with an electronic ignition
and the carburettor had an automatic choke.
By mid 1980, changes included a new grille and headlights, a
different tail light assembly, new bumper bars front and rear,
and a new combination switch on the steering column with the light
switch now on the right-hand side.
After December 1980, modifications to the emission control system
were made, but the front grille and rear tail light assembly remained
the same.
A different exhaust manifold was used, and the 2 pipes emerging
from the manifold were replaced with a single pipe that went to the
exhaust system. Other changes included a larger radiator and minor
wiring differences.
The Mitsubishi distributor (with contact points) and the Nikki carburettor
remained unchanged, and were interchangeable between models.
The 1982 model still looked the same as the 1981 model, but some
mechanical changes were made. The inner and outer valve springs
were replaced with a single spring, and the chain tensioner was modified
to incorporate a ratchet adjustment.
The camshaft sprocket lock tab and retaining nut were done away with,
and replaced with a spacer between the sprocket and distributor drive gear.
There were also other minor changes to the 1982 model.
The postal address for the Mazda 626 Rear Wheel Drive Owners Club is
Post Office Box 366, Mawson, ACT, 2607 (Australia).
February 17 Location of the Murrindindi saw mill north-east of MelbourneThis map shows the location of the (now abandoned)
Murrindindi sawmill where the Murrindindi bushfire broke out
on Saturday, February 7, 2009. It is located not far from
the high voltage overhead transmission lines which run in
a north-easterly direction towards Myles Rd and parallel
to Banbury Road.
It's unclear whether the fire originated at the mill
or nearby, but arson is suspected, so if anyone saw
any suspicious activities near the old sawmill or in
the Banbury Road area around 2pm on Saturday(Feb.7),
they should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
By late Saturday, the Murrindindi fire merged with the
Kilmore fire to form a massive 100 kilometre firefront.
According to the ABC "Four Corners" programme last
night (Monday, February 16), the Kilmore fire broke
out at 11.49 am on Saturday, Feb,7.
It was the Murrindindi fire which caused the devastation
at Marysville.
The old sawmill can be seen just above the word "here",
where the "you are here" arrow appears.
Map of the Murrindindi area, showing the location of the old sawmill.
February 15 60 people die in Victoria bushfires of 1926Sixty people died in the Victorian bushfires which started in
Gippsland on February 1st, 1926, and burned until March 10,
a period of 37 days.
The fires spread to the Dandenong Ranges, and to areas
north-west, including the Kinglake area.
On Sunday, February 14, 31 people died at Warburton, and
this became known as "Black Sunday".
All up, 1000 buildings were destroyed, and about 700 people
were made homeless.
One of the buildings destroyed was Thomson's Hotel at Kinglake.
It was rebuilt in 1928, and renamed the Kinglake Hotel.
During the 1960's the name was changed to the National
Park Hotel.
Since then, it has survived a number of bushfires, including the
bushfires of 1939, the Ash Wednesday fires of 1983, and the horrific
firestorm of February 2009, which destroyed most of the homes in
the Kinglake area.
The picture shows the remains of the hotel after the 1926 bushfire.
Ruins of Thomson's Hotel at Kinglake in 1926
February 06 Thompson's "B Complex" provides balanced vitamin B formulaThompson's "B Complex" provide a well balanced B vitamin
formulation, without excessively high levels of Vitamin B12
and Vitamin B6.
The RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) for Vitamin B12
is 6 micrograms, and 2 milligrams (2mg) for Vitamin B6.
The RDI for Thiamine (Vitamin B1) is 1.5 milligrams.
Thompson's "B Complex" tablets provide the following -
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine Hydrochloride) ................ 5mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) .................................... 5mg
Vitamin B3 (Nicotinamide)................................. 25mg
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)............................. 6.8mg
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine hydrochloride) ........ 5mg
Vitamin B12 .................................................. 5 micrograms
Biotin .............................................................. 20 micrograms
Choline ............................................................ 25 mg
Folic acid .......................................................... 90 micrograms
Inositol ............................................................ 25 mg
Thompson's is a New Zealand company, established in 1951.
Their products are available at most health stores (and online),
but not at chemists.
Label on Thompsons B Complex bottle.
February 05 NGK spark plugs - Nihon Gaishi KaishaThe NGK Spark Plug Co. was established in 1936,
as a separate company and spinoff of NGK Insulators
Ltd., which was founded in Nagoya, Japan, in 1919, as
a manufacturer of ceramic insulators.
NGK stands for Nihon Gaishi Kaisha (Japan insulator
company ).
Today, NGK Insulators Ltd, is one of the world's leading
producers of electrical insulators and industrial ceramics.
NGK Spark Plug Co. Ltd remains as a separate company,
with its head office based in Nagoya.
NGK Insulators Ltd. has subsidiaries all around the world,
including the Australian joint-venture NGK Stanger, based
in Melbourne, and with manufacturing facilities in Queensland
and the Northern Territory.
Stanger & Co. was established in Melbourne in 1930 as a
manufacturer of electrical switchgear. The joint-venture
of NGK and Stanger occurred in 1993.
NGK spark plugs have an excellent reputation for quality
of build and reliability.
February 04 The plains of Moab, and the death of 24,000 Israelites.The Picture below shows the dry, barren, and, dare I say,
god-forsaken, Plains of Moab.
Located east of the Jordan River, it was here that the
Israelites were seduced by the Moabite women (descendents
of Lot), prior to their entering the promised land, and, where
24,000 men were fatally struck down by a plague as punishment
for their immorality and pagan worship of the Moabite god, Baal
of Peor, egged on by the 'daughters of Moab'.
The seduction of the Israelites (and consequent idolarity),was
the brain child of the non-Israelite 'prophet' Balaam, also known
as "Bilan".
The plague came to an abrupt end when a Midianite woman Cozbi,
and the man she was seducing, Zimri, were speared to death in the
Israelite camp.
Not long after that, Moses ascended Mount Nebo, where he was able
to see the promised land in the distance, but he never made it there,
as he died on the mountain, and was eventually buried somewhere
on the Plains of Moab. He was succeeded by Joshua.
The Plains of Moab.
January 25 "Stardust Blue" - an original colour on Mazda 626 and RX7"Stardust Blue" was an OEM paint colour
supplied by Mazda on the 1979, 1980, and 1981 Mazda 626,
and on the 1980, 1981, and 1982 Mazda RX7.
The colour code for "stardust blue" was U2.
The paint is classed as a "metallic clearcoat",
but according to one paint expert, the stardust blue
was a "mono-coat", indicating that it was not a base coat/
clear coat paint job.
This might explain why many of the Mazda 626's and Mazda RX7'S
with metallic paint from that period, suffered severe paint degredation
within a relatively short period.
There was no protective "clear coat" to protect those early metallic
paints from the ravages of exposure to Ultra Violet Light and extremes
of weather.
It was not unusual to see severely faded paint on the roof,
bonnet (hood), and on the top of the boot (trunk) cover, on
Mazda 626's and RX7's with metallic paint (from that period)
by the early 1990's.
The metallic silver colours were always the worst affected,
with some of them so faded, they turned to a sickly grey-whitish
colour in the areas already mentioned, but the sides of
the vehicles were usually in good condition.
The fact that the top surfaces (roof, boot, and bonnet) were
severely affected, while the sides were still in good condition,
would indicate that ultra violet light was the main reason for
the degredation.
This phenomenon was not confined to Mazda. Other japanese cars
from the early to mid 1980's with faded paint in the same areas
have also been observed, including Toyota and Nissan.
The metallic blue colours did not suffer as much degredation as
the metallic silver colours, and the "stardust blue" is a good
example of this.
The picture below shows a 1981 Mazda 626 with its original
stardust blue paintwork. The reason the paintwork is in such
good condition, is because the car was kept under cover most
of its life, and was not left out in the sun for long periods
of time.
1981-Mazda-626 with Stardust Blue metallic paint in original condition.
The next picture shows a 1982 Mazda RX7 painted with Stardust Blue -
1982 Mazda RX7 in "stardust blue".
Finally, this picture of a 1979 Mazda 626 painted in
Stardust Blue metallic, appeared on the cover of the
Gregory's Repair Manual for the rear-wheel drive
Mazda 626's.
The colour in the picture is not quite right, and appears
darker than the actual colour.
Cover of Gregory's Repair Manual showing a darker-than-normal
Stardust Blue paint job on a 1979 (and early 1980) Mazda 626.
Note - The Gregory's Manual says "1979 to 1983" , but by 1983
the 626 was a completely different vehicle with front wheel drive, and
a new engine.
Unlike the rear-wheel drive Mazda 626, the RX7 used a rotary engine.
January 18 Automobile Registration card, State of California, 1944This State of California Automobile Registration card from 1944,
appeared in the movie "The Deep Sleep" starring Humphrey Bogart
and Lauren Bacall.
The card indicates that the vehicle, a 1935 Plymouth 6 Coupe, is
registered to Harry Jones, who resides at 240 Dunlee St, Los Angeles.
The date of registration is the 27th of October, 1944, and the engine
number is PJE 23968B. The vehicle registration number is 43 Q 712.
The registration fee is only $4.40. The "PJE" letters mean that the coupe
is an economy model with a low compression engine developing less
horsepower than the standard Plymouth engine.
The movie was filmed between October 1944 and January 1945, but
was not released to public cinemas until 1946, because some additional
scenes were added (and some original dialogue was changed) in
January 1946, due to the marriage of Bogart and Bacall in May 1945.
The marriage lasted until Bogart's death in January 1957.
The registration card seen here was placed in a card holder which was
loosely attached to the steering column of the vehicle.
It clearly states at the top of the card that the "Card must be in plain
sight in driver's compartment".
This practice of having the vehicle registration card "in plain sight",
continued well into the 1960's in the State of California.
It's hard to imagine that the rule would apply nowadays, with your
name and address displayed for all to see !
The card appeared in the scene where Marlowe (Bogart), gained
access to Harry Jones' unlocked car, and looked at the card
suspended from the steering column in order to gain information
about the owner of the Plymouth, which was parked unoccupied
at the kerbside, outside Marlowe's apartment block.
Just after that, Marlowe becomes the recipient of a severe beating
by two thugs, and when they leave, Harry Jones shows up and helps
Marlowe up to his apartment.
Automobile Registration card, State of California, 1944.
January 16 Australian soldier awarded Victoria Cross by Governor GeneralFor the first time in 40 years, an Australian soldier has been awarded
the Victoria Cross.
The medal was presented to Mark Donaldson at Government House
in Canberra today (Friday, January 16, 2009), by the Governor General,
Quentin Bryce.
Mark Donaldson was awarded the Victoria Cross for outstanding bravery
during a battle with the Taliban in Afghanistan last September.
The last time a Victoria Cross was awarded to an Australian was back in 1969.
Mark Donaldson (left) is presented with the Victoria Cross by the Governor General.
January 14 Dirk "doe eyes" Donnelley becomes 117th member of groupDirk "doe eyes" Donnelley has just become the 117th. member
of the Australian group "Australia - The Land Down Under".
Dirk works as a motor mechanic for a Government Department,
and is married with two children. He doesn't work on private
vehicles (except for his own car).
Dirk posted this caricature of himself as his membership picture -
caricature
January 10 Aerial view of Philip Island just south of Norfolk IslandThis is an aerial view of uninhabited Philip Island south of Norfolk Island
in the Pacific Ocean.
To gain access to the island, it is necessary to scale the cliff with a rope.
The island is a haven for birds nests, and there are some wild animals,
mainly rabbits.
The correct spelling is "Philip" Island, but quite often it's spelt "Phillip"
Island.
Uninhabited Philip Island south of Norfolk Island in the Pacific.
December 25 Queen's christmas message - a voice of reason in an uncertain worldI've been watching the Queen's christmas message for the past 40 years (with the exception of 1969 ), but it wasn't until today that I suddenly realized how much I'd been taking the messages for granted. In these times of financial insecurity, uncertainty, and conflict, there's something reassuring about a christmas message that has continued to be broadcast (on television), by the same person, for a period of 50 years. Although aimed primarily at a British audience, the broadcast nonetheless contains a message for Australians and other English speaking countries.
Queen Elizabeth begins her message with the words - "Christmas is a time for celebration, but this year, it is a more sombre occassion for many". However, later on in the broadcast, the message takes on a more upbeat and optimistic tone - " When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat".
The Queen goes on to talk about generous people who "have a desire to help those less fortunate than themselves".
In summary, the Queen's christmas message comes across as a voice of reason and optimism at a time of great uncertainty. I look forward to hearing her christmas message again in 2009.
Queen Elizabeth delivers her Christmas message in 2008.
A much younger Elizabeth (right) aged 10 in 1936, with her younger sister Margaret.
Postcard from 1945 - Santa arrives on a V2 rocketThis christmas postcard from December
1945 shows Santa arriving on a V2 rocket
(instead of his usual sled and reindeers ).
Santa arriving on a V2 rocket, December 1945.
December 16 Detective Chief Inspector Derrick (Horst Tappert) dies at 85Horst Tappert, the actor who played the role of Detective Chief Inspector Stephan Derrick, has died in Munich aged 85. 281 epidodes of Derrick were broadcast on German TV between 1974 and 1998. A number of the episodes were broadcast in Australia by SBS with English subtitles between 1988 and 1998, and was a popular series here.
Horst Tappert as Derrick.
December 14 Time to seal the Great Central Road from Laverton to the OlgasAs part of the Federal Government's national infrastructure program,
a good suggestion would be to seal the Great Central Road between Laverton
in Western Australia and The Olgas in the Northern Territory.
This would provide the shortest sealed road route between Perth and
Uluru (Ayers Rock), and give an alternative highway between the
Northern Territory and Western Australia, especially from Darwin to Perth.
The number of vehicles using the unsealed Great Central Road is around 10,000
per year, so it's more than just an outback track. The distance to be sealed is
approximately 1100 kilometres.
The map below shows a section of the Great Central Road from Warburton in
Western Australia to Tjukaruru in the Northern Territory.
A section of the pioneering "Gunbarrel Highway" can also be seen.
The picture below shows the unsealed Great Central Road as it is today, and it's
immediately obvious what a difference a sealed road would make !
The Great Central Road as it exists now.
Relief map of Eastern Australia showing the Great Dividing RangeThis relief map of Eastern Australia clearly shows the Great Dividing Range
running all the way from north of Cairns in Queensland to Melbourne in the south.
It's not a continuous range, and is made up of a series of mountain ranges.
The southern extremity is the Dandenong Ranges near Melbourne.
The Great Dividing Range of Eastern Australia.
relief map.
December 12 Castrol brake fluid manufactured by Huntsman Corp at BotanyAll Castrol brake and clutch fluid made in Australia is manufactured by Huntsman Corporation (Aust), at their Botany complex in Sydney. The site was acquired from Orica in 1998.
The picture on the left shows part of the Huntsman Corporation's complex at Botany, and on the right is a bottle of Castrol Response Dot 4 brake and clutch fluid produced at the site, and distributed all over Australia. (Castrol is now owned by BP).
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