Zoo review: San Diego Zoo, San Diego, California

Tags

Absolutely Apes, Balboa Park, California, Children’s Zoo, Giant Panda Discovery Center, Gorilla Tropics, Ituri Forest, Monkey Trails, Panda Research Station, Polar Bear Plunge, Reptile House, San Diego, San Diego Zoo, Sun Bear Forest, Tiger River, Wings of Australasia

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone; written in 2009)

The San Diego Zoo has been one of the city’s most popular attractions since it opened in 1916. It is set on 100 acres at Balboa Park, just one and a half miles north of downtown San Diego. The zoo is home to more than 4,000 animals of 800 species or subspecies and over 700,000 plants from around the world.

The various exhibits recreate the native environments of the animals. Monkey Trails, opposite the zoo entrance, opened in 2005 and has over 30 species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds set in a tropical forest. You can see the animals from the elevated walkway through the canopy. There are endangered monkey species such as Schmidt’s guenons, golden-bellied mangabeys, and mandrills who will stare right back at you. Look carefully for clouded leopard who are solitary and often well hidden. The pygmy hippopotamus might be hard to find too as they too are usually solitary.

Tiger River is another jungle environment, complete with mist, tropical trees, and vines. Look closely and you might see that tigers have five toes on their front paws and four on their back paws. The large front paws are used to bring down their prey. You will also see fresh water crocodiles from Australia, less dangerous than their larger salt water cousins. Fishing cats from Asia can be seen swimming as they hunt for fish and amphibians.

Ituri Forest replicates an equatorial rain forest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Here you will see different species play together. Watch as a swamp monkey grabs the tail of a spotted-neck otter, or rides on its back. The otters will climb low trees, perhaps mimicking the monkeys who watch on. An otter might bump a monkey, and then roll away when the monkey grabs at its tail. But the otter doesn’t retreat far, seemingly enticing the monkey to try again. Hippopotamus are also in Ituri forest and may come up to the underwater viewing window to check out the humans.

Another good example of how different species can get on well together can be seen at Absolutely Apes. Here orangutans and siamangs live together and get on quite well in a natural environment similar to their original habitats. The exhibit is full of trees, sway poles, and ropes. The viewing area allows visitors to get quite close. One of the orangutans, Karen, had open heart surgery in 1994.

An Asian tropical rain forest is replicated at Sun Bear Forest with its palms, ferns, ficus trees, bamboo, and ginger. Sun bears are the world’s smallest bear. They are very active and agile and like to sit high in the canopy. Two cubs were born on 24 October 2008. When five sun bears first moved into the zoo in 1989, they tore up their habitat within a month and even placed logs as bridges, with one escaping.

The Gorilla Tropics exhibit includes features native to the gorillas’ habitat, including waterfalls, rocks, and open meadow, making them feel very much at home. Young gorillas can be seen rolling down the grassy slope. One or two gorillas often watch the visitors in the viewing area. Baby Frank was born to Azizi on 4 September 2008 and can be seen on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11am until closing. Other babies at the zoo include an anteater, and a giraffe born on 16 April 2009 who is six feet tall and weighs 156 pound.

You will get a clear view of four giant pandas from elevated viewing paths at the Panda Research Station. Bai Yun and Shi Shi are on loan from China. Bai Yun gave birth to Hua Mei in 1999, the first giant panda to be born in North America and survive to adulthood. Giant pandas are small at birth, weighing just 3-5 ounces. Adult pandas spend 12 hours a day eating 20-30 pounds of bamboo shoots. You can find out much more about them at the Giant Panda Discovery Center.

The polar bears have a cold environment created for them at Polar Bear Plunge where the water is kept at 58 degrees Fahrenheit. The viewing area allows you to see them underwater as they frolic in their 130,000 gallon pool. They are curious and sometimes come right up to the window. Diving ducks share the pool with the bears. Behind the polar bears are the Siberian reindeer. You will also see the Pallas’ cat, a small fluffy cat from central Asia which has round pupils and a coat that changes with the seasons.

Despite its name, there is something for everyone at the Children’s Zoo. It features over 30 exhibits. Kids can touch the sheep and goats. You will see spider monkeys from Central and South America. They have long and spindly limbs. Their tails are nearly twice as long as their bodies and have a hairless tip and skin grooves, serving as a fifth hand. Naked mole-rats from East Africa are neither mole nor rat. They are quite hairless and have pink and wrinkly skin that doesn’t feel pain. They are almost cold-blooded and are eusocial, with a number of generations living together. Only a few individual mole-rats reproduce.

At Reptile House, there are rattlesnakes, including some from San Diego County, as well as cobras, pythons, and boas. You will see Gila monster lizards, the world’s only venomous lizard. Reptile Mesa has Galapagos tortoises, the world’s largest tortoise, which can weigh over 600 pounds in the wild. Frogs, salamanders, and turtles can be found here too. The matamata turtle has a spiky shell covered with tubercules and flaps of skin, and has a horn-like growth on its snout.

If you want to see various animals and plants from Australia, New Zealand, and New Guinea, visit the Wings of Australasia exhibit. You will see many animals unique to Australia, such as kangaroos and koalas. The aviaries have more than 100 birds from Australasia, including hornbills, lories, Micronesian kingfishers, and the raggiana bird of paradise which has deep red plumes and is Papua New Guinea’s national bird.

San Diego Zoo is at 2920 Zoo Drive, Balboa Park, close to the city center. It is easily accessible by car, bus, or train, and there is plenty of free parking. In early 2016, a one day pass is $50 for adults and $40 for children, and there are all sorts of other packages. The zoo is open from 9am to 5pm in winter, staying open until up to 9pm in the summer months.

What is the 59 Mile Scenic Drive in San Diego, CA?

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59 Mile Scenic Drive, Balboa Park, Cabrillo Memorial, Cabrillo National Monument, California, Embarcadero, Gaslamp Quarter District, Giant Dipper, Harbor Drive, Harbor Island, Horton Plaza, Junipero Serra Museum, Kobey’s Swap Meet, Maritime Museum, Mission Bay Aquatic Park, Mission Beach, North Island Naval Air Station, Ocean Beach, Old Point Loma Light House, Old Town State Historic Park, Pacific Beach, Point Loma, San Diego, San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau, San Diego Zoo, Seaport Village, Shelter Island, Soledad Mountain, Spanish Landing, Stingaree District, Sunset Cliffs

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone)

The 59 Mile Scenic Drive in San Diego, California allows you to see as much of the spectacular scenery, history, and culture of the city as possible within the space of a few hours. You will need longer if you stop at many of the attractions along the way. The route is marked with blue and yellow signs with a white sea gull.

The journey starts at Embarcadero, near downtown San Diego. Along Harbor Drive, you will see the Maritime Museum and its three historical ships. The Star of India was built in 1863 and sailed around the world 27 times. The Berkeley ferried people to safety following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The Medea served in World War II.

Take the exit to the man-made Harbor Island where you will hotels, restaurants, picnic spots, and walks. There are two golf courses on the island, including one that is part of the North Island Naval Air Station. Back on the mainland, you will pass Spanish Landing before driving onto Shelter Island.

Next, you head to Point Loma with its panoramic views and history. Hides and tallow were exported from here in the nineteenth century when cattle was the staple of San Diego’s economy. The hides were used as currency and were worth $1. You will see the Old Point Loma Light House built in 1855 and positioned 462 feet above sea level. It was found to be too high to guide ships on a foggy day, so another one was built in 1891 and is still used. Whales can be seen from the southern tip of the point in the winter months.

Cabrillo Memorial and Cabrillo National Monument are both in this area. Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo entered San Diego bay on 28 September 1542 and named it San Miguel after Archangel Saint Michael.

The scenic drive then takes you to Sunset Cliffs, a popular surfing spot, and Ocean Beach, noted for its fishing and frequented by a number of bird species. Not far from here is the 4,600 acre Mission Bay Aquatic Park with its 27 miles of beaches. There is a marine life park in the area where you could spend hours viewing dolphins, seals, penguins, otters, sharks, and whales. Nearby, there is another marine life and entertainment park, or you can stop and watch the catamarans and wind surfers.

From there, you drive up to Soledad Mountain with its panoramic views across much of San Diego County. The route then passes the San Diego campus of the University of California and the Salk Institute. Dr Jonas Salk developed the polio vaccine. Next are the Birch Aquarium and La Jolla Cove Park and Cave.

You will then visit Pacific Beach, with its ocean front walk, and Mission Beach, with its 74 foot Giant Dipper historic landmark. Soon you will come to Kobey’s Swap Meet, an open air market with a multitude of bargains from Thursday to Sunday.

The route heads inland to the Old Town State Historic Park, a historic Spanish and Mexican area with shops, restaurants, and shops. Catch a free walking tour of the area at 2pm every day. It is well worth stopping at Junipero Serra Museum too. It has artifacts and photos of early San Diego plus great views across Mission Valley to Mission Bay.

Next you will come to Balboa Park, named after sixteenth century Spanish explorer Vasco Nunez de Balboa. At 1,400 acres, it is very large for a park so close to the downtown area of a major city. It includes many sporting facilities and museums. Within the park is the San Diego Zoo founded in 1916. It is home to thousands of animals and plants from around the world. Animals live in natural, shared environments, just as they would in the wild.

Heading back to downtown San Diego, you will pass the city’s financial district before coming to Seaport Village, a charming waterfront shopping center. Children can ride on the restored Broadway Flying Horses Carousel which dates to 1890. Nearby is the Convention Center and Embarcadero Marina Park where you can see the Coronado Bridge built is 1969. Before this, Juanita and Glorietta, known as the “nickel snatchers,” took people to Coronado by ferry.

Just up from here is the old Stingaree District where saloons, opium dens, and gambling halls did thriving business at the time of the California Gold Rush. You then come to the Gaslamp Quarter District. Alonzo Horton bought the land here in 1867 and it became the center of New Town, now the downtown area of San Diego. He made the street blocks short as corner blocks fetched a higher price. Examples of California and Victorian architecture are plentiful in this area.

Before returning to Embarcadero, you pass the Horton Plaza, renowned for its shopping and dining experiences, and as an entertainment area.

You can get more information on the 59 Mile Scenic Drive at the International Visitor Information Center at the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau on the corner of Harbor Drive and West Broadway. Also, a scenic drive map can be downloaded from a number of websites to help you navigate the route. There is a 31-track CD you can buy and play while you drive from place to place along the route. Each track tells you about the particular attraction you are passing or stopping at.

How to help neighbors struggling financially (without offending them)

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assistance, basic necessities, carpentry, charity, church group, clothing, clubs, community groups, cooking, economy, electronics, finances, food, gardening, hair care, job search, mind kids, mow lawn, neighbors, painting, plumbing, sewing, shelter, social, struggle

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone; written in 2009 but still relevant)

In these tough economic times, chances are you have a neighbor who has lost their job or is otherwise struggling financially. You probably want to help your neighbor but are aware they wouldn’t feel comfortable accepting straight out charity. There are still plenty of things you can do to assist them.

Just being sociable with your neighbor can help them. Invite them over for coffee and a chat. Get to know them a little better and see what their needs might be. They may be reluctant to receive any help. On the other hand, they might be very grateful to accept assistance in various ways. Make it a reciprocal arrangement, as there may be things your neighbor can assist you with.

Assuming your neighbor is happy to be assisted, start with food, clothing and shelter, the basic necessities of life. If you have a vegetable garden, offer them a selection of fresh food. Use tact though. Don’t go next door and say, “I brought you these veggies. It should save you $30 at the supermarket.” Instead, tell them the carrots and zucchinis are ready and you have more than you and your family can eat. Would they like some? Similarly, if you have fruit trees, take them a bucket of fruit, explaining that you’ve got a bench full of fruit at home, and any more will start to go off by the time you get to eat it.

Offer them homemade food rather than packets and tins from the supermarket. You might have made some jam or pickles for your family. Take a couple of jars over to your neighbor. If you bake some bread or a desert, ask them if they would like to try some. Make sure it doesn’t look like leftovers.

Clothing is something you may be able to give your neighbor. If certain items of your children’s clothing no longer fit your kids, you could ask if these articles might fit their kids. Don’t offer well-worn clothing or undergarments. In turn, your neighbor may have a good jacket they no longer fit into but you would fit into and like. Offer to pay for it, explaining that it would cost you three times as much at the shops.

If you are a tradesperson or have someone in your family who is handy, you could offer some carpentry, plumbing or gardening services to your neighbor. After you mow your lawn, take the mower next door and suggest that you may as well run it over their lawn too. Next time you do any painting, see whether your neighbor has a cupboard, window or door they might like painted. Say you’ve got some paint left over and probably won’t be using it.

You might be aware of certain skills of your neighbor. See if they are interested in an arrangement where you swap services with them and save both of you money. This can involve a multitude of things such as cooking, sewing, hair care and electronics. For example, if your neighbor is a hairdresser, ask if your family members can come and pay for a haircut.

Depending on your circumstances, you could offer to mind your neighbor’s kids on occasions when he or she has an appointment. Or offer them a lift to their appointment or the shops or a job interview. You might be able to help them look for a job. Make suggestions. Ask them if they happened to see a particular job advertisement you came across in the newspaper or on the web.

If you belong to any clubs or community groups, you might like to invite them along to a function. This may allow them to meet new people and help them get on their feet again. Introducing them to a church group or similar body may be beneficial too. Some people are happier to accept a helping hand from an organization rather than from an individual who they may then feel indebted to.

How far should you push your children to succeed?

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acting, activities, answers, ask questions, children, encouragement, energy levels, enjoyment, experience, formative years, goals, health, hobbies, interests, kids, learning process, listening, nurture, optimism, pageants, parents, positive thinking, pushing, self-esteem, skills, socialization, sports, strengths, success

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone)

The dream of every parent is for their children to be successful. But will children naturally strive to succeed and how much should we push them or help them along? There have been plenty of well documented cases of parents pushing their children too far. At the other extreme, many parents give no encouragement to their children, to the extent that kids are without goals or purpose and can feel worthless. Is there a happy medium?

One of the common mistakes of parents is to push their children to achieve the parents’ dream rather than allow them to meet their own goals. Ask yourself whether your children really like a sport or hobby they are doing or whether you are the one who likes the activity and you want your children to like it too. If they don’t, this might lead to conflict and resentment, and pushing them will make things even worse. They may prefer to pursue some other interest, one that they are better at or like doing more.

Rather than push them in a certain direction, let them try many activities, especially in their younger or formative years. See what they are good at and are happy doing. Once this is established, you can nurture them along in this direction. You will find it unlikely that you will need to push them much at all. Putting too much emphasis on one activity is unhealthy. Make sure your children have balance in their lives and encourage them to pursue a range of activities with many groups of children.

Think of the consequences of pushing your children too hard at a young age. This seems to be common in areas like pageants and acting. Some parents go to extraordinary lengths to try and ensure their children do well. Braces on a two year old to correct a crooked smile can lead to physical and psychological problems. A child who is pushed to attend numerous auditions for acting work and not get one job may become stressed and unhappy at the situation. It could be time to try something else.

Don’t be too critical of your children if they don’t succeed. Provide encouragement and accept that participation in activities is about enjoyment, gaining experience, socialization, and developing skills rather than being the best.

You shouldn’t have to push your child to be successful. Rather, there are a number of things you can do to enhance your children’s path through life. Success is more likely to come from pursuing these avenues than by merely pushing children to succeed:

– Boost your children’s self-esteem by making them feel good about themselves. The best way to do this is to remind them of their successes and good qualities.

– Having goals in life will help your children succeed. These can include study or career goals as well as where they want to be in their sports, hobbies or other activities in years to come. Guide them as to what might be feasible but let them set the goals.

– Discuss with them what they think their strengths and interests are. What are their best subjects? Which sports and other activities do they enjoy most? This will help them make the right choices to succeed.

– Make sure your children remain optimistic about the future. There will always be violence, unemployment, drugs, and so on, but at the same time, we have never had so many opportunities in our lives. Encourage positive thinking.

– Always encourage your children to ask questions as this is part of the learning process. Give appropriate answers and make sure you listen to what they might have to say on the topic.

– Energy levels are important too. Children are more likely to succeed in their studies, career, sport and life in general if they stay fit and healthy by exercising, eating properly and getting their sleep.

You don’t need to push your children too far at all to succeed. If you see that they are uninterested or unhappy in what they are doing, it is time to review the situation. Find out what they really like doing or are good at. Let them try other activities and different subjects at school. Give plenty of encouragement and perhaps help them set some goals.

How to tell your kids why professional athletes resort to drugs

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anabolic steroids, athletes, children, coaches, cortisone, drug taking, drugs, endorsements, erythropoietin, families, human growth hormone, injury, kids, marijuana, narcotics, party drugs, peer pressure, performance enhancing drugs, prize money, professional athletes, recreational drugs, sponsorships

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone)

Chances are your kids play sport and follow the fortunes of their favorite athlete. They might idolize this person, watching them and reading about them in the media, and perhaps being lucky enough to go and see them perform. Maybe your children want to emulate their hero when they grow up. What happens when this athlete is caught taking performance enhancing or other illegal drugs? How do you explain this to your children?

Your kids have probably received at least some drug education at school. Start off by asking what this involved. Ask them questions such as whether they know anyone at school who has taken drugs and whether this person might also have some good characteristics. You could ask your children why they think this person might have resorted to drugs. They might respond with various reasons which they may have learnt in class. This will set the scene and allow them to keep an open mind rather than have them suddenly either hating their hero or saying they must be innocent.

Discuss with them the reasons elite athletes might take performance enhancing drugs, and that it might not be just one or two reasons but many. Tell your children these people can often be under great pressure to perform. They don’t want to let anyone down and that includes your children and thousands of other fans. Champion athletes have an immense desire to win; otherwise, they probably wouldn’t have been able to work their way up through the age and graded competitions to get to where they are today. Sometimes, a whole country rides on the success or otherwise of a particular athlete, for example, at the Olympic Games.

Further pressure to perform comes from the fact that top sport is professional these days and competitors know they have to perform to make a living. Their time at the top is short, and they will strive for the chance to win prize money or gain lucrative endorsements and sponsorship deals. Families and coaches can place extra pressure on your children’s idol. On occasions, a coach may even encourage drug use. Poor scheduling of competitions or the setting of unrealistic performance standards by administrators could contribute to an athlete’s stress level.

Explain to your kids that the reasons their hero took drugs might have included a desire to speed up recovery after injury, or because they believe their opponents are using drugs and they feel they have to do the same to be competitive. Another thing you could say is that just because their hero is the best runner, swimmer or player, this doesn’t mean that they have no weaknesses. Also, people of all descriptions can suffer self-doubt, a lack of confidence, and depression. Sometimes these things can cause stress, or stress can cause them. This might make a champion athlete succumb to drug taking.

The drugs taken by the athlete might not have been of the performance enhancing variety but party or recreational drugs. Again, point out that all types of people do this for all sorts of reasons. Athletes have a life outside their sport and will often go to nightclubs and parties where drugs are available. Peer pressure might cause them to weaken in these situations, or the problem might be an inability to relax, or something as simple as shyness in a social setting.

Being more specific about the performance enhancing properties of the drugs an athlete took might help your children to further understand why this person decided to use these substances. Make sure you cover the undesirable side effects too, so they are aware of the dangers. For example, anabolic steroids increase muscle strength, giving greater endurance. But they can cause liver damage, depression, and mood swings. Human growth hormone strengthens bones and reduces body fat but might lead to heart problems and enlarged organs. Erythropoietin raises oxygen levels, though it thickens the blood and can result in a heart attack or stroke. Some drugs mask pain and allow an athlete to keep competing, such as narcotics and cortisone, but the risk is further damage. A relaxant like marijuana may be used. This can cause hallucinations, impair mental functions, and lift the heart rate.

Perhaps make analogies between the drug-taking athlete and people in other areas of life who want to succeed so much that they do the wrong thing. People in corporations might be so keen to gain promotions and get ahead that they resort to bullying and back stabbing. Those in politics are usually quite ambitious too and may occasionally not be afraid to use underhanded methods to try and achieve their ends. Your kids might know other children who, despite knowing their work, still cheated in an exam for fear of not doing as well as they wanted to.

Assure your children that their hero is hurting as much as they are. He or she will not be proud of what they have done. Make sure your kids realize the person has done wrong and will probably be punished, but emphasize that an example has to be made for all. Let them know that the athlete will most likely be taking measures to reform and get their career and life back on track.

The difference between harmless fun and bullying

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aggression, bullies, bully, bullying, cyberbullying, dominance, friends, harmless fun, hazing, initiation ceremonies, military bullying, perpetrators, physical actions, school bullying, social power, verbal actions, victims, workplace bullying

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone)

Bullying is where people inflict harm on others through verbal or physical actions that are repeated a number of times in an attempt to wear the victim down. The perpetrator has an advantage over the victim, and is usually bigger and stronger or has greater social power or dominance. The aggressive displays of the offender are not welcomed by the sufferer and the latter isn’t having fun. Isolated incidents of abuse caused by stress or frustration are not classified as bullying.

Harmless fun, on the other hand, is where no obvious victim or aggressor is apparent. A typical scenario of harmless fun might be a group of school or work friends engaged in spontaneous horseplay or friendly banter. All participants appear to be on a more or less equal footing, with no individual giving or receiving more than their fair share. Everyone is happy and willing to take part and seems to be having a good time.

The line between bullying and harmless fun is often a fine one and depends on the situation. In some cases of bullying, the intention of the bully is clearly to cause harm to their victim. In other cases, people might not see their actions as bullying but as harmless fun. Here, the victim and the bully might be friends, or at least start off as friends. Often what starts off as innocent fun can quickly and inadvertently become bullying.

Schools have traditionally been places where a fair amount of bullying takes place. School bullying can be physical such as shoving, hitting or attacking. Or it can be verbal, having an emotional effect on the victim, and can include insults, name calling, ganging up or spreading rumors. The line between harmless fun and bullying at school is usually clear cut, except perhaps for certain incidents during initiation ceremonies. Here, if the actions are quick and mild, bullying may not have occurred. However, such initiations have a history of extreme behavior with clear victims and perpetrators.

Of increasing concern in more recent years, especially among school children, is cyberbullying where perpetrators post offending text or images electronically with the intention of harming or embarrassing the victim. It’s hard to think of any circumstances where such actions could be described as harmless fun.

Workplace bullying tends to be more subtle than in schools (although certainly not always) and is likely to be emotional rather than physical. Because it is often not blatant or obvious, bullying at work can be harder to detect and resolve. Workplace bullying can involve arrogance by the boss or others, gossiping, spreading rumors, and ostracism. People at most if not all organizations will engage in harmless fun either during hours or in a social setting after work. This is quite acceptable so long as certain people don’t seem to be the butt of most jokes or other actions, and productivity isn’t affected.

Some of the worst examples of bullying have been in the military. Large numbers of young people, mainly males, working and living with each other can result in an unhealthy and bullying environment if left unchecked. The armed forces are no exception. Some argue that bullying is acceptable in the military as people who are trained to go to war should be able to cope with bullying. However, what was once thought of as harmless fun, such as extreme initiation activities, is now regarded as bullying. Attitudes have changed over time.

Many organizations such as sports teams, university colleges, the military, and police forces practice a form of bullying called hazing. This is where people, often those new to an organization, have to perform meaningless tasks to gain acceptance into a group. These may be part of an initiation process. Examples might include cleaning all the cars in the parking lot or moving a large pile of firewood from one side of a building to the other. If they fail to complete these tasks, they may be subject to some kind of punishment or abuse such as losing their trousers or being tied to a tree. This may seem like harmless fun to the initiators but not usually to the victims, although there would always be exceptions where a person is quite happy and accepting of such activity.

The line between bullying and harmless fun has become clearer in recent times. In many cases, what used to be regarded as harmless fun is now thought of as bullying. Perhaps the best way to decide if an action is bullying or a bit of fun is to ask whether all participants are clearly having fun and are happy with the situation.

How to survive an economic downturn

Tags

Australia, credit cards, discretionary expenditure, downturn, economic downturn, economy, education, employment, fiscal policy, GDP, gross domestic product, investment portfolio, monetary policy, mortgage, Queensland, recession, superannuation

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone; written in 2009 but still relevant)

The downturn in the world economy has affected just about everyone. Here in Queensland, Australia, economic conditions have deteriorated but not to the extent seen in the US, Europe, and some Asian countries. This is probably because the state’s economic fundamentals are sound. However, being a small player, we are certainly not immune from what is happening in the major economies.

Initially, we thought we would ride out the economic slump and not go into recession ourselves. This forecast has now been revised, and Queensland and Australia may be heading toward a mild recession (update – it didn’t happen). Gross domestic product was steady in September quarter 2008 and fell 0.1% in December quarter. Queensland state final demand grew 0.6% and 0.3% respectively in these quarters. These figures are considerably better than in many countries. Consumer price growth is steady. Housing prices have only fallen slightly. The drought has broken. We haven’t had banking and insurance company collapses. However, unemployment is up and job advertisements are down.

The state and national economies are being boosted by monetary and fiscal measures. Australia’s Reserve Bank has reduced the cash rate from 7.25% to 3.25% since September 2008. On the fiscal side, cash hand-outs of $1,400 to pensioners in November 2008, and $900 to single income families as well as to most other taxpayers and for each child in March and April 2009, will boost the economy.

As in any downturn, there are winners and losers. With the slump in export markets to Asia, Queensland’s mining towns are doing it tough. More than 10,000 mining jobs have been lost in Australia since mid 2008, with perhaps a quarter to a third of these are in Queensland. Further losses are expected. Manufacturing and tourism are also suffering employment cuts. The retail industry varies. Public sector jobs can be attractive in bad times. A public servant with a mortgage will most likely be better off now than before the downturn. Job applications in government sectors such as police, health, fire and ambulance have increased significantly as people seek safe jobs.

There are a number of things people can do to help get through the recession. An important one is to pay off credit cards and to keep the balances as low as possible. Shop around for better deals on credit cards. Similarly, people with a mortgage should aim to pay it off as soon as they can. It’s amazing how much you can save by making half your monthly repayment each fortnight, or by paying off extra amounts from time to time. With low interest rates, now is the time to reduce that loan. Also, make sure your home loan offers good value.

Review your superannuation. Fund values have plummeted due to stock market and property price falls, and people now find themselves having to work another few years or even coming out of retirement. Some sources say to consider cash rather than super. Cash won’t fall in value like super can, but it won’t rise like super probably will when the economy picks up again. If you do prefer cash, good rates can still be obtained on a term deposit. It can be a good idea to build up a cash reserve in case you lose your job. And gold is always a good investment.

Look at your investment portfolio. In a downturn, the best companies to invest in are the so-called recession proof businesses such as those whose products or services are regarded as necessities or whose demand doesn’t fall off. These are usually food and drink manufacturers, including alcohol, as well as those making basic clothing, household goods, and cosmetics. Web businesses should see continued strong growth.

Reduce discretionary expenditure. In other words, don’t buy things you don’t have to buy. Eat out less. Keep the old car another year or two. Make do with your 20 or 30 changes of clothes. Cut back on movies and CDs. Buy books instead; these take longer to get through than a film and are often cheaper, especially if second-hand. Buying music online can be cheaper and easier than purchasing CDs. One of the anomalies of a recession is that you will want to spend less while the government wants you to spend more.

Consider your employment opportunities. Is the company you work for recession proof? There are various sectors of the economy where your job will be safer than other areas. Health care is always in high demand and won’t suffer because of a weak economy, especially with an aging population. Education services will continue their strong growth, with more people studying and for longer. In fact, a recession may be a good time to return to education and learn new skills. The need for police and other providers of emergency services will continue to grow. The energy industry will thrive, including alternative energy sources.

In the end, how well you cope with a recession is largely up to you. Review your expenditure, loans, credit cards, job, investments, and superannuation, and do what is best for you. When the economy picks up, which it will, keep reviewing these things. Remember that as a general rule, the longer the boom times last, the bigger the eventual downturn. Plan accordingly.

How to avoid road rage

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aggression, bus, calming music, confrontation, count to 10, crash, cutting off, deep breathing, driving, forgive, horn, lock doors, merging traffic, patience, phone, police, public transport, reaction, road rage, rude gesture, running late, slow down, stress, tailgating, threatening, traffic, train, verbal abuse

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone)

Road rage is where a driver displays inappropriately aggressive or confronting behavior on the roads. It can include cutting another driver off, tailgating, or deliberately crashing into a vehicle or threatening to do so. Road rage also covers such actions as overuse of the horn, making a rude gesture, verbally abusing other road users, and getting out of a car and threatening others as well as causing them actual physical harm.

Most of us have been subject to road rage and have perhaps engaged in it ourselves at some point. Getting involved in road rage can be a very dangerous thing. Plenty of incidents have been recorded where someone has been seriously injured or killed as a result of yelling abuse at a driver for some minor infringement. There are a number of ways to avoid rage altercations.

If you’re the victim of aggressive driving and someone has cut in front of you or is following too closely, it is very tempting to want to respond by sounding your horn, braking, or pursuing the other driver. These actions will often make things worse. The driver might already be angry or upset at something, or they may not even think they have done anything wrong, and might retaliate in some way. This could result in a collision or the driver getting out of their vehicle to confront you. He or she might be drunk or in a stolen car and couldn’t care less. You never know. Think of the dangers of crashing or an angry person approaching you with a weapon in their hand.

The best course of action in these sorts of situations is to avoid a confrontation as much as possible. Do your best to ignore the person. A road rager often wants to teach the other party a lesson and looks for a reaction. Realize that they have the problem, not you. Or consider the possibility that the person is running late or is lost and didn’t mean to cut you off and is usually a nice person. Be forgiving. Try and stay calm. This may seem easier said than done. But try deep breathing or counting to ten. Perhaps play calming music whenever you drive.

Move out of the driver’s way if you can. It’s probably best to slow down and let the aggressive driver get well ahead of you. They are usually in a hurry so this shouldn’t be too difficult. If the person is behind you and won’t or can’t move ahead, consider turning off the road and rejoining it in a minute or two. However, if the driver seems to be pursuing you, it might be advisable to drive to the nearest police station, or ring them on your cell phone if possible. If traffic is slow or stationary, make sure your doors are locked and windows are up, in case the driver jumps out of the other car and approaches you.

In a merger situation in slow traffic, if a car in the other lane decides not to take it in turns to merge and pushes in front of you, let them do so. Some drivers will keep pushing until a collision occurs. Besides, it’s better to have an aggressive driver in front of you than behind you.

If you have inadvertently cut someone off, and the other driver sounds their horn or makes a gesture, try not to respond in kind. Instead, put your hand up as a sign of being sorry. This may have an instant calming effect on the driver and the problem is resolved before it starts.

Where the driver in front is very slow, you might be tempted to travel too close or use your hand to try and usher the driver along a bit faster. Have patience and hold back. Consider that the driver might be in an unfamiliar area or simply isn’t willing to drive at the speed limit. What will help here is to try and start your journey on time or, better still, a little earlier to allow for unforeseen delays. If you are running late for an appointment, you will probably feel stressed and will be more likely to engage in road rage, whether initiating it or reacting to the actions of others.

One of the best ways to avoid road rage is to take the bus or train whenever you can. An additional advantage is that you will arrive at work or for your appointment feeling more relaxed. Public transport probably works out cheaper too. If there are no trains or buses, you might be able to avoid peak hour. Many employers have flexible work hours these days. Or you may be able to take a different route with less traffic or fewer tricky merger situations. Eating well and getting eight hours sleep will also make you less stressed and less likely to want to be involved in road rage. Most importantly, be responsible for your actions, whether you are provoked or not.

Top online privacy concerns

Tags

anti-spam folder, anti-spyware software, computer database, confidential information, cookies, cross-site scripting, hackers, hard drive, identity theft, internet, internet searches, internet security, internet service provider, ISP, keylogging, online privacy, packet sniffer, passwords, personal information, phishing, privacy, privacy settings, scam emails, spam, spam filter, spoofing attack, spyware, tracking cookie, Trojan horse, viruses

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone; written in 2009 but probably still quite relevant)

The internet provides an amazing array of opportunities for wrongdoers to take advantage of innocent and vulnerable people. Some of the most common of these methods involve ways of obtaining personal information and using it for various gains, causing people to lose their privacy.

One of the major privacy concerns on the internet is identity theft. Unscrupulous people will seek out your information such as full name, address, phone number, email address and date of birth, and will use these details for various purposes. This might include obtaining credit, buying goods and services, and getting medical care and drugs. Sometimes a person might use your details instead of their own if they are caught committing a crime. Or the person might assume your entire identity in all their activities.

There are a number of ways people can steal your identity from information you have stored somewhere on the internet. One of the easiest ways is through internet searches, perhaps using a name and address and phone number from a telephone directory as a starting point.

A more sophisticated way is to steal personal information from a computer database. For example, a Trojan horse can enter a computer via an electronic game or some other program and allow a hacker to access information. Hackers have various other ways of obtaining data from your computer, for example, by means of a spoofing attack which can trick you into giving out confidential information, or a packet sniffer that can obtain passwords, or keylogging which allows the hacker to record your every keystroke.

Another common way criminals try and obtain your personal details is by emailing you with what appears to be a genuine job offer, or telling you that you’ve won a lottery, or that you are the beneficiary of a will, or offering you a loan. These scam emails will usually ask you to provide your name, address, phone number, occupation, age, and so on. Sometimes they ask for a curriculum vitae and banking details.

Crooks even scan MySpace and Facebook looking for personal information. Make sure you use the privacy settings. But these people don’t stop there. Some of them might visit public dumps looking for old computers. Information is never erased from your hard drive so make sure you smash your old computer to smithereens before throwing it out. My wife is good at this and has obliterated a couple of our old computers.

Phishing is yet another method used by people to steal personal information. This is where a person will set up an email and a website that look like they are from a well known institution such as a bank or an online payments processor. The email tells you that you have to click on a link and update your account details, sometimes saying things like your account will be suspended if you fail to act. The unsuspecting recipient might do as the email says, but if you hold the cursor over the link, a totally different website name will usually show up in a little window if it’s a scam. Never try and update usernames, passwords, credit card numbers and other details this way. A spam filter will reduce the number of unwanted emails. You could also direct any email where the sender isn’t in your address book to the anti-spam folder.

Make sure you trust your internet service provider (ISP) too. A provider is able to find out everything a user does on the internet, although such actions are usually illegal. It is also possible for an ISP to build a profile of your web habits and sell the information to marketers.

Cookies can sometimes be used to track usage. Information that identifies you can be placed in a browser and used for profiling or tracking, thus the name tracking cookie. Personal information can be stolen from a cookie by techniques such as cross-site scripting. This is where code is injected into the web pages you view, which may result in unauthorized access, theft of information and financial loss. Most web browsers are set up to prevent script from being used in this manner.

Spyware installs itself on a computer without the user knowing. The perpetrator tricks the user into installing these programs by piggybacking onto some other piece of software being downloaded or via a Trojan horse. Spyware can collect data on sites visited as well as installing extra software, redirecting browser activity (where you suddenly find yourself at a totally different site from the one you thought you were opening), and can change your computer settings. Anti-spyware software is readily available to deal with these problems.

The solution to these issues is twofold. First, install an internet security system that includes protection against viruses, spyware, spam, phishing and other intrusions. Second, be careful and responsible. Don’t splash your name, address, phone number and email address all over the web. Make sure you feel you can trust a site before using it. Never give out your passwords to anyone. Don’t reply to emails from people you don’t know. Never try and remove yourself from a program or database you didn’t subscribe to in the first place.

Why Charlotte is known as ‘The City of Churches’

Tags

Baptists, Beulah Baptist Church of Christ, Billy Graham, Charlotte, Christian Science, Episcopals, First Presbyterian Church, Greek Orthodox, Harrison Methodist, Hindus, Jews, Lutherans, Methodists, Moravian, Mormons, mosques, Muslims, non-denominational churches, North Carolina, Presbyterians, religious tolerance, Roman Catholics, Seventh Day Adventist, St Mark’s, St Peter’s, synagogues, The City of Churches, Unitarian

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone)

Charlotte, North Carolina, became known as ‘The City of Churches’ due to its high concentration of churches. In earlier times, people of many denominations were attracted to the area to escape the religious persecution they suffered elsewhere. This tolerance has continued to the present day.

Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, seeking religious and political freedom, were settling in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County by the mid 18^th century. Around 1750, a Presbyterian congregation settled at Rocky River. Another group of Presbyterians arrived at Sugaw Creek. These were quickly followed by churches at Steele Creek, Hopewell, Poplar Tent, Center, Providence, and Philadelphia in the 1760s.

Charlotte was first settled in 1755 and became a town in 1768, but no church was established there until the following century. In 1815, land was set aside at Trade and Church Streets for religious purposes. A church building was commenced in 1818 and finally completed in 1823. Various denominations used it. The debt on it was taken over by the Presbyterians in 1832 and they built a larger church in 1833. It still stands and is now known as the First Presbyterian Church.

Other denominations were attracted by the region’s religious tolerance. The Methodists built a log church, the Harrison Methodist, in about 1810. Their first church in Charlotte was erected in 1833, being replaced in 1859 by the current building. The Baptists also constructed their first church in the town in 1833. It disappeared before a more permanent structure, the Beulah Baptist Church of Christ, was built in 1855. The Episcopals set up a church, St Peter’s, on West Trade Street in Charlotte in 1834. The town’s first Roman Catholic Church was established in 1852 on South Tryon Street. A Lutheran church, St Mark’s, was constructed in 1859.

These denominations continued to build new churches and by 1903 Charlotte boasted 64 churches in a city of about 20,000 people. More religious groups continued to be attracted to the city. A Jewish presence was established by 1875 with the Hebrew Benevolent Society, before a synagogue was built in 1918. A Seventh Day Adventist Church started in 1914. A Christian Science Church was set up in Charlotte in 1920. A Moravian Church, the Little Church on the Lane, was built in 1924. The Greek Orthodox congregation bought premises on South Boulevard from Westminster Presbyterian in 1929.

By 1940, Charlotte had 146 churches for a population of 100,000. The city had always attracted church-going people. For many years, its church attendance was reputed to be higher than any other city in the world, except Edinburgh in Scotland. It is thought that over 80 per cent of the city’s population went to their place of worship each week.

It is uncertain when Charlotte became known as ‘The City of Churches’. No official date is likely to have existed. Local people probably started to call their city by this nickname sometime in the late 19^th or early 20^th century. It doesn’t seem as though the name is used widely outside the region. The city is also known as the Queen City, being named after German princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg who had married British king James III in 1761. Another nickname is the Hornet’s Nest after British commander General Cornwallis called it ‘a hornet’s nest of rebellion’ following his ejection from the city by residents during the American War of Independence. Yet another name is ‘Tree City USA’ as it is one of the greenest cities in the country.

Charlotte has maintained its reputation as ‘The City of Churches’ over the years with continued growth in the number of churches and denominations present in the city. The first Unitarian church service was held at the Broadway Theater in 1947. The Mormons established the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1959. The Catholic presence increased when IBM and Gold Bond transferred thousands of workers from New York to Charlotte in the 1980s. Latino immigration to the area has meant further expansion of the many Catholic congregations.

The city has become a center for various religious groups. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, first set up in Minneapolis, later moved its headquarters to Charlotte. Wycliffe Bible Translators, SIM (Serving in Mission), the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America, and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church also have their headquarters in Charlotte. Campuses of the Reformed and Gordon-Conwell theological seminaries can be found in the city, while Queens University of Charlotte and the University of North Carolina both have thriving religious studies departments.

Religious tolerance has resulted in many non-Christian religions establishing a strong presence in Charlotte. A dozen synagogues have been built in or near the city, such as Temple Beth El, Conservative, and Temple Israel, at Shalom Park. The area has five mosques, including the Islamic Society of Greater Charlotte and the Islamic Center of Charlotte. The Hindu Center of Charlotte is located on City View Drive.

Non-denominational churches are growing rapidly in number and cater to a wide range of people. Many of the new churches start off meeting in hotel banquet halls, shopping malls, and theaters. Interfaith activities are coordinated by Mecklenburg Ministries. Religious organizations form the center of community life for many Charlotte residents, offering various activities and opportunities.

Today, the metropolitan area of Charlotte has about 1,500 places of worship, including 1,246 churches, catering for a population of 1.9 million. Baptist Churches have the greatest representation with 453 sites, followed by 186 Methodist Churches, 146 Presbyterian Churches, and 108 Churches of God. Charlotte City, with a population of about 670,000 people, has more than 700 houses of worship, including 555 churches. Of these, 204 are Baptist, 102 are Presbyterian, and 66 are Methodist. Charlotte has certainly earned its nickname as ‘The City of Churches’.