The Duke in Sydney

On August 7, Dana at Honolulu Daily Photo posted a wonderful picture of Hawaiian surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku.

Here's The Duke in Sydney! He is credited with popularising surfboard riding in Australia when he demonstrated his skills at Freshwater Beach (see photo below) in December 1914.

The statue was unveiled by his widow Mrs Duke Paoa Kahanamoku (Nadine) on Australia Day, Wednesday January 26, 1994.

There's a walk around the headland with mosaic tributes to the many Australian men and women who have since been world surfing champions. The plaque at the site adds "It is hoped that this Park and the men and women it honours, will help to fulfil Duke's dream of surfboard riding becoming an Olympic sport."

I've posted a whole heap more photos at Sydney Daily Photo Extra. It was so hard to choose one,so here's another:

Freshwater Beach (and Manly Beach in the background)

Thanks to PB for telling me how to find the statue; I only got lost a few times!

Private schools, public purse

Australia, unlike most western countries, heavily funds private schools, including the most elite. This is Cranbrook, alma mater of some of Australia's best known corporate crooks. The federal government spends 72% of its education dollars on the private schools which 32% of students attend (yes, you read that right!)

Last year Cranbrook recorded a net surplus of $4.1 million and received $3.3 million in government funding. To attend Cranbrook as a day boy in Years 11 and 12 costs $ 19 738 a year, plus a $ 600 IT levy. Materials for Art and design and technology cost extra. They charge a non-refundable enrolment fee of $ 4 615. And don't forget tax-deductible donations. Private schools qualify as "charities" and don't pay any tax or council charges.

Meanwhile, Catholic schools, which receive the largest amounts of government funding of all private schools, are offering a handful of scholarships to handpicked Aboriginal students currently in Catholic promary schools, "to ensure they are not lost to the public education system." Selection criteria are not yet known, but "will probably be based on academic performance and leadership skills."

I suppose the private Catholic schools don't mind about losing the rest to the desperately under-funded public system as long as they can pick the students they want?

Sydney Morning Herald - Private Schools Are Awash With Cash
Sydney Morning Herald - Schools aid to ensure Aborigines go Catholic

Do private schools attract government funding where you are? Are public school resourced to the level where all kids' needs are met before private choice is funded?

Fruit shop

I'm alittle disappointed there are no spare apostrophes floating around. .. sometimes known as Greengrocers' apostrophes - eg orange's, lemon's . . . anywhere there is a plural! But there's a good line in abbreviation: anyone guess what a Leb Cue is?

Overhead power

'twas a grey old day in Sydney on Friday. Unfortunately, no rain, just dull and grey. Still it made a nice canvas for this shot of overhead power lines and the telco cable.

New developments in Sydney are supposed to have them all underground, but the government recently caved into developers and are still letting them get away with this nonsense. This is one of the most annoying things about life in Sydney - developers rule the roost. But it's no wonder. Political parties just love the big fat donations from developers.

The thick cable across the middle belongs to telco Optus (majority owner Singtel of Singapore). Telstra, the former monopoly provider placed their cables underground, but Optus weren't allowed access, so their cables are slung along below the power lines. Ugly, ugly and ugly.

Does your city have power and telco cables underground or overhead?

Back in the pool

After a few days of sloth and cream cakes on holidays, it was back in the pool today. The good thing about being off work is I can sleep right through 5:40 when the alarm usually goes off, and turn up at the pool at 1.30pm to find I'm seemingly the only one not at work!

This evening we went to see the new Robert Altman film A Prarie Home Companion. Loved it. especially Meryl Streep - the woman is a genius (I reckon!)

Parking problems?

Seems it's been taking some time to find the reverse gear.

The "Cave House" at Sylvania

This place has been giving passers-by a giggle for at least 25, maybe 30 years. For decades, the house behind the "cave" was unfinished - the second storey was just a concrete slab (of the kind you might see in a Greek or Turkish village) with metal reinforcement sticking out of it.

Reputedly the result of a property dispute, neither the "cave house" in front could be demolished, nor the new house behind finished.

Now that the dispute is seemingly resolved after all these years, the "cave house" is still used as a sort of front yard storage shed.

After decades of meaning to, I stopped to take a photo today as we drove back from our short South Coast break. At least it hadn't been demolished entirely in the 5 days we have been away. . . that would have been a real blow after 30-odd years! !

Tai chi in the morning

Early morning tai chi in my local park.

Felix The Cat

One from the vault today. This is from the walk between Luna Park and Lavender Bay. I recommend it.


On the sculpture walk between Luna Park and Lavender Bay. Some claim that Felix was first by New Jersey cartoonist Otto Messmer. Others say that Felix was the brainchild of Australian cartoonist and film entrepreneur, Pat Sullivan.

Wikipedia says:

evidence seems to back up both claims. However, many historians, such as John Canemaker argue that Messmer ghosted for Sullivan. Other historians disagree. What is certain is that the cat emerged from Sullivan's studio.

Water taxi, Darling Harbour

The first of the month brings Daily Photo Theme Day - this month Taxis. Here's a Sydney water taxi.

I am having a few days break with my family on the NSW South Coast. Not sure whether I can post from there - mobile phones don't often work, so what chance wireless internet??? I have posted some photos below so you can feast your eyes on the place that most nourishes my soul, until we return later in the week.

Follow these links to see taxis around the world (PS posted early as I leave on holiday, so come back later to see the other taxis if they're not up already):

Porto -Albuquerque -London -Seattle -Edinburgh -Willamette Valley, -Greenville -Budapest -Antigua -Alexandria, VA -Manila -Szentes -Paris -Portsmouth -Ryde -Sydney (Sally) -Oulu -Singapore -Santiago -Melbourne -Dubai UAE -Bandung -Copenhagen -Sequim -Singapore -Tenerife -Newcastle upon Tyne -Hong Kong - Shanghai -Brussels -San Diego, -Sydney (Nathalie) -