AN investigation has confirmed the presence of asbestos fragments right across the Helensburgh Mountain Bike Track.

Wollongong City Council says it is making progress to resolve the asbestos problem found at the 2.3ha site, and is working closely with the licensee, Helensburgh Off Road Cycle Club (HORCC), on the next steps for the facility.

Council said it is currently working through site remediation approval processes with the regulator.

The Helensburgh Mountain Bike Park has been closed as a precautionary measure to allow for an investigation after asbestos was found at the site earlier this year. As a consequence, the park has been closed since May 4 after concerns were raised with Wollongong City.

The information was provided to Council by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, which had confirmed the presence of asbestos containing material within a dirt jump structure on their adjoining land.

Council closed the park to investigate the makeup of soil material on the sites dirt tracks. Regular air monitoring has...

NORTHERN suburbs residents, particularly those in bushland settings, are urged to prepare and mitigate risks ahead of a potential dangerous bushfire season this summer.

This years bushfire season has the potential to be especially dangerous according to a UNSW fire expert. Professor Guan Yeoh, director of the ARC Training Centre in Fire Retardant Materials and Safety Technologies, says recent weather patterns have created conditions that increase the chance of major bushfires.

Those include three years of increased rain which have promoted rapid vegetation growth, followed by a more recent very dry winter creating a tinderbox scenario. That means any incident of lightning, which is the cause of around 50 per cent of bushfires in Australia, could easily spark rapidly spreading fires over wide areas.

In addition, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has recently forecast that the southern hemisphere is entering into an El Nio climate cycle and has warned of a surge in global temperatures.

In the last few years, we have had a lot of rain and floods and because of that there has been a lot of...

Following Fridays announcement that Victoria will ban gas connection to new homes from January 1, 2024,  the Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales (NCC), is urging NSW to follow their lead.  

The NCC says the move will save consumers money, replace gas with more efficient alternatives, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

NCC CEO, Jacqui Mumford, said the Victorian government has signalled with this decision that there is no place for gas in a clean energy future and NSW should follow their lead.

A gas substitution roadmap

NSW Labor committed to...

Israels protest leaders are strengthening an ethnocratic identity that lacks all consistency with their democratic mission. But an alternative exists.

The post The only answer to the Israeli rights war: A state for all its citizens appeared first on +972 Magazine.

Gathered for their biennial General Assembly in Louisville, Kentucky, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the U.S. and Canada overwhelmingly adopted a resolution affirming many of the laws, policies and practices of the State of Israel meet the definition of apartheid as defined in international law.

upstart writes:

A sailor and his dog found after months stranded in the Pacific:

A stranded sailor and his dog have been rescued in the South Pacific Ocean after months at sea, rescuers told Australian media over the weekend.

The sailor, Tim Shaddock, 51, and Bella, the dog, departed from La Paz, Mexico, three months ago. A month into his journey, a storm struck his white catamaran, wiping out all electronics, according to 9News. He says he and Bella survived three months at sea eating raw fish and drinking rainwater.

They were rescued by a Mexican tuna trawler over the weekend, 9News reported.

"I have been through a very difficult ordeal at sea," Shaddock told the channel, adding that he had fishing and other survival gear with him.

[...] Shaddock and Bella were spotted last week by a helicopter accompanying a tuna trawler, which was on its way back to Mexico, according to 9News. It was unclear when Shaddock first left Mexico, and where he and Bella were rescued.

[...] Shaddock said he avoided sunburn by sheltering under his boat's canopy, eating raw fish and drinking rainwater.

[...] Not only did Shaddock have to look after himself, but also his dog, which Tipton said, helped in the pair's survival.

"He had companionship. Once you've got enough food and water, then I think the dog has an advantage," Tipton said. "Your survival time is as long as you can keep collecting water, getting occasional food and doing things that help you stay positive," he added.

Finding Shaddock was like a "needle in a haystack" in the enormous Pacific Ocean, Tipton said, especially since the helicopter was not even actively looking for him.

"It was a combination of luck and the right behavior," he added.

---

Original Submission

Read more of this story at SoylentNews.

It was there for all to see.  Embarrassing, cloying, and bound make you cough up the remnants of your summit lunch, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III stopped by one of the vassal states to make sure that the meal and military service was orderly, the troops well behaved, and the weapons working as they should.  On the occasion of 2023 AUSMIN meetings, the questions asked were mild and generally unprovocative; answers were naturally tailored.

Seeing that Australia is now rapidly moving into the US orbit of client status its minerals will be designated a US domestic resource in due course and given that its land, sea and air are to be more available than ever for the US armed forces, nuclear and conventional, nothing will interrupt this inexorable extinguishing of sovereignty.

One vestige of Australian sovereignty might have evinced itself, notably in how Canberra might push for the release, or at the very least better terms, for the Australian national and founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange.  The publisher faces 18 counts, all but one of them pertaining to the Espionage Act of 1917, an archaic, wartime act with a dark record of punishing free speech and contrarians.  The Albanese government, eschewing the hailer approach in favour of quiet diplomacy and not offending Washington, has conspicuously failed to make any impression.

In April, an open letter to the US Attorney General, Merrick Garland, featuring 48 Australian MPs and Senators, including 13 from the governing Labor Party, argued that the Assange prosecution would set a dangerous precedent for all global citizens, journalists, publishers, media organizations and the freedom of the press.  It would also be needlessly damaging for the US as a world leader on freedom of expression and the rule of law.

Despite such concerns bubbling away in Parliament, Australias Foreign Minister Penny Wong was in no danger of upsetting their guests.  [W]e have made clear our view that Mr Assanges case has dragged for too long, and our desire it be brought to a conclusion, and weve said that publicly and you would anticipate that that reflects also the positive we articulate in private.  But, as ever, there are limits until Mr. Assanges legal processes have concluded.  The assumption, laid bare, is that Australia will only push for terms once the US secures its treasured quarry.

Blinken...

RT.com July 29, 2023

Russia is always ready for any scenario, President Vladimir Putin told journalists on Saturday, commenting on a potential direct confrontation between the Russian and NATO militaries. The president was answering a question about recent near-collisions involving Russian and American aircraft in Syria.

No one wants that, the president added, pointing to the existing conflict-prevention lines that allow Russian and US officers to talk directly about any crisis situation. That fact that these lines still work shows that no side is interested in a conflict, he added. If someone wants it and thats not us then were ready, Putin added.

The Russian military has reported a total of 23 dangerous incidents involving Russian aircraft and those of the US-led coalition since early 2023, said Admiral Oleg Gurinov, the head of the Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria. Most incidents took place in July, he added.

In 11 cases the Russian pilots recorded being targeted with Western aircraft-targeting systems. Such actions on the part of the US-led coalition led to the automatic engagement of onboard defense systems, which saw Russian aircraft releasing decoy flares, the admiral told journalists.

Moscow has also repeatedly warned Washington and its allies about the risks of a potential direct conflict between Russia and NATO, particularly amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Continued Western arms supplies to Kiev only extend the hostilities and make its Western backers engage in the conflict even deeper, Russia said.

Source

The coder-favorite Q&A site will let AI answer common questions, letting its experts focus on the hard problems.

Stack Overflow, the question-and-answer site thats become an essential reference tool for coders across the world, announced concrete plans last week to start answering questions through generative AI.

Read Full Story

Social media has become an integral part of our lives, providing a platform for sharing experiences and staying connected with friends and family. However, it can also be a window into someones emotional state, including their marital happiness. While social media is not a definitive tool to gauge someones emotions accurately, certain habits and patterns may suggest underlying issues in a marriage. In this article, well explore ten social media habits that could potentially indicate a husbands unhappiness in his marriage. Remember, its crucial not to jump to conclusions solely based on social media, as open communication and understanding are key to addressing any marital concerns.

Decreased Frequency of Couple Photos

If a husband was once enthusiastic about posting pictures with his spouse but has now stopped, it might be a sign of underlying dissatisfaction in the relationship. Fewer couple photos could imply a lack of interest or emotional distance between the partners.

Absence of Expressions of Love

A husband who used to publicly express affection and love for his spouse on social media but has stopped doing so might be experiencing emotional turmoil in the marriage. A decline in sweet messages and romantic gestures could indicate unresolved issues.

Constantly Liking Other Womens Photos

Its perfectly normal to look at other people when youre married but if your husband is always the first one to like every Instagram models post, we might have a problem. Viewing and liking arent always an issue. Commenting and direct messages can be. It also says a lot about how we feel about the people in our lives when we see something that evokes a positive emotion, who do we choose to share it with?

 Erika Jordan, Love Coach, NLP

Frequent Solo Outings and Activities

A sudden increase in posts about solo outings, hobbies, or activities without any mention of the spouse might suggest a desire for independence or escapism. It could indicate a need to find happiness outside the marriage.

Engaging with Relationship-Related Content

When a husband starts interacting with content related to unhappy marriages, divorce, or relationship challenges, it could signify that he is seeking answers or relating to these issues personally.

Secretive Online Behavior

If a husband becomes overly secretive about his online activities, such as hiding friend lists, posts, or messages from his partner, it may indicate potential emotional disconnection or involvement in inappropriate conversations.

Increased Time on Social Media

Spending excessive amounts of time on social media might be an attempt to escape from real-life problems, including marital issues. This behavior could lead to further disengagement from the relatio...

NSW Farmers, Australia's largest farming organisation, is demanding a prepaid decommissioning fund for solar farms, to prevent farmers being left with the bill for decommissioning and disposal.

The post Aussie NSW Farmers Call for a Ban on New Solar Projects first appeared on Watts Up With That?.

Editor's Note: This article is a reprint. It was originally published December 3, 2017.

Is salt bad for your blood pressure? James DiNicolantonio, Pharm.D., answers this and many other questions relating to salt in his book, "The Salt Fix: Why the Experts Got It All Wrong and How Eating More Might Save Your Life." DiNicolantonio is a doctor of pharmacy, and it was during his work as a community pharmacist that his interest in this culinary staple emerged.

"[P]atients were put on this low-salt diet and were having all these symptoms like muscle fatigue, muscle spasms, cramps and heart palpitations. They said their doctors ordered them to not add salt to their food because they have high blood pressure. Yet they were suffering from all these new symptoms symptoms of salt deficiency.

What I ended up doing is kind of pushing back and telling my patients, 'You know, you really need to go to your doctor's office. Tell them these symptoms that you're having, and get your blood-sodium levels drawn because you might be deficient in salt.'

Sure enough, these people were severely dehydrated. They had low sodium levels in the blood. Within a few days of just upping their salt intake, all of these symptoms went away. Right there, I knew that this low salt advice was just not panning out in the real world."

In some cases, the patients' sodium levels were so low their doctors actually ended up reducing or eliminating their prescription for diuretics, which are commonly prescribed for high blood pressure, and instructed them to start adding salt back to their food.

This is an important lesson because, while it's actually hard to consume harmful amounts of sodium, it's easy to end up with too little. These real-world experiences prompted DiNicolantonio to write his book, in which he also provides a historical perspective about the use of salt.

>>>>> Click Here <<<<<

-->

Historical Usage of Salt

Salt has been widely and...

Over five hundred and twenty-five days ago, between the evening of February 13 and afternoon of February 14, 2022, four men were arrested for their participation in Freedom Convoy protests at the Alberta border town of Coutts.

They were charged with conspiracy to commit murder of police officers in support of a plot to overthrow the Government of Canada. They have been dubbed the Coutts Four.

The accused are self-employed fisherman Chris Carbert, who ran a landscaping and fencing business with nine employees. A Lethbridge, Alberta, resident, 42-year-old Carbert is a single father who has been raising his son since the boy was nine-months-old.

Another Lethbridge resident, and best friend of Chris Carbert since public school, is 49-year-old Chris Lysak. He is an electrician and father of two girls.

A third member of the Coutts Four accused of conspiracy to commit murder is 41-year-old Jerry Morin. He is a lineman who grew up near Vulcan, Alberta. The CBC states he resided in Olds, Alberta, at the time of his arrest. The fourth accused of these serious charges is Anthony Tony Olienkick. Tony, age 40, took part of the clean-up in High River, Alberta, after the 2013 floods.[1] He has a gravel truck and is self-employed, and the CBC has reported his home is in Claresholm, Alberta.

The Coutts Four have been denied bail. They have remained in custody for over 525 days with a trial date yet to be set. More pretrial motions will be heard between July 25 to 28 by the crown and defence lawyers at the Lethbridge court house. Since the Magna Carta was signed in 1215, kingdoms and democracies have allowed those charged with a crime to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. With that provision has come the right to be granted bail and to a speedy trial. When citizens are accused of a crime and left to rot in prison without having their day in court, their spirits can be broken and be persuaded to agree to plead guilty even when they are innocent.

Bail Is Granted to Those Accused of Having Committed Murder, and Lesser Charges in Canada

In Canada, when someone is charged with committing a crime, they are released on bail. This includes for those charged with murder. For example, on September 2021, 31-year-old Umar Zameer was released on bail after being charged with first-degree murder of Toronto Police Constable Jeffrey Northrup.[2] In April 2022, Marlena Isnardy was released on bail after while awaiting her trial for the charge of murdering 27-year-old Matthew Cholette in Kelowna, British Columbia.[3] A case of double murder in the city of Mission in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia, concerned the deaths of Lisa Dudley and her boyfriend Guthrie McKay. Accused of first-degree murder, Tom Holden was released on bail.[4] And in March 2023, 22-year-old Ali Mian was released on bail as he awaited trial to answer to charges of second....