Tjilpi

Detective Work

I know Pablo and I share an interest in Sherlock Holmes. I devoured the short stories when I was in 8th Grade. 

Later, when studying logic, I realized that Sherlock never used deduction - it was inference which he relied upon - to solve his cases.

Hal and I have been wondering if it might be possible to find RoundRock using the clues which Pablo tantalizingly leaves behind.

I thought it would take me a whole weekend of sleuthing work to find Round Rock. It took 3 hours.

Fortunately, Pablo has a search engine built into RoundRockJournal and I was able to use that to go over clues he has left in the past - in fact I went right back to the beginning when he mentioned the meteorite impact of some 340 million years ago; one result of which, it is thought, was the creation of Pablo's Round Rocks.

There is more information on the meteorite impact site here

http://geosciences.missouristate.edu/geonews/MSUgeosciencefactsheet01.pdf

and here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weaubleau-Osceola_structure

Pablo had mentioned that Round Rock was within the shock wave area formed by the meteorite impact. 

Using that information [which is illustrated in the links above] my detective work was simply a matter of looking for Lake Marguerite within that area. Pablo had already published a Google shot of it on RRJ. I realized that most Lakes in the area show up in brown so I surfed for brown objects within forested areas inside the Weaubleau-Osceola impact site. It took some perseverence but I finally found what I was looking for.

One can see Lake Marguerite, at Round Rock, centered in the image above. 

To the west of Round Rock one can see a light green open meadow. There is a barely visible track which runs across it from west to east leading to Round Rock.  It was on that track that Pablo was recently spattered with mud.

I have removed the Latitude and Longitude information from the Google Image above, as I am sure that Pablo would prefer it that way.  If you want to find Round Rock you'll have to find it yourself. I've given you enough clues.

But, don't you think that seeing that green meadow puts us all in the picture a little better? I can see, standing in the middle of the meadowed area, Pablo, grinning at the chicanery of life.

Ulike Sherlock, who would have taken a snort of cocaine upon solving such a case, I think I'll make a cup of tea.

Places of Interest

Now that Kim has moved to Las Vegas for the climate we have more than a few things in common! 

Desert conditions, waste disposal etc. 

I've put in a high view of Alice Springs, from Google Earth, on the left.

It seems that in Las Vegas they call the square dark collection centres at the bottom left of my image "Wetlands".  Here in The Alice they are called Sewerage Ponds.  Either way they attract birdlife.

I am also including a shot of what we locals call The Space Base but which is officially known as The Joint Defence Facility - Pine Gap.  I'm surprised to find it on Google Earth, but if you take a close look there is some kind of mask over the image.  Pine Gap, as it is known to most Australians, has been a cause celebre on many occasions.  Demonstrations outside the gates. Christians for Peace jumping the perimeter. Stories of Nuclear Weapons stored in Underground Silos.  The list goes on.

However, the Australian and US Citizens who work out there have some really good connections to excellent listening and watching satellite devices in the sky. 

For example it is possible to listen in to Cell Phone calls in other countries.

I thought I should let Pablo know about this.

Somewhere in Kansas City

I know I said I wouldn't publish a map; but a satellite image is a different thing.

Isn't Google Earth wonderful? 

I was messing around with it this morning.

I take Wednesday mornings off for a little R&R and to tidy up my life. 

This morning I have to get the Land Rover Re-registered out at the Motor Vehicle Registry [MVR].  Seeing it is over 10 years old; it is now regarded as an old car and has to have a vehicle inspection done every year.  I don't mind that and always take it to the MVR, rather than to a private concern to have it checked.  I want to know if something is wrong.  I've got to get that done before 2pm when I start work. Having looked at the patient list yesterday afternoon, I know todays session is going to be a doozy.

I was trying to distract myself from thinking about this afternoon by playing around with one of my favourite projects: The Pursuit of the Elusive Pablo.

On Google Earth I found an image of somewhere in Kansas City which has wiggly streets.

It is nothing like the straight line layout of the Old East Side although it is a design used in some of the newer developments in Alice Springs. 

There is something very skeletal about the image which appeals to the anatomist in me. However, I couldn't dissect it much beyond the resolution you see above; except I did get to a point where I could see that the north side of one of the streets had recently been resurfaced.

I guess they are going to do the south side and then the middle. Or maybe that has already been completed.

The Google Earth image of my place is at least a year old.  A playground was built in the park behind my house about a year ago and yet it does not appear on the image when you fly in to have a look at 5 Burke Street.

Suburban Names

I've been polishing up my Spycraft Skills.  I've been searching for the real Pablo for about two years now. He likes his privacy but  I reckon I have finally found him.  I know all about not having privacy - especially when junkies drive or walk up to my front door every now and then.  My distinctive town car with its BEDO licence plate is easily found, especially as its rear end is visible from the street when it is parked under my car port.  I live at the circle in the middle of the map above.  You can see I live on a T-junction and cars often stop there to give way.  Each time I hear a car stop I think: Oh, no, it's another junkie.  So I can easily understand why Pablo likes to remain behind a veil of anonynimity.  But I can't resist letting you know that I have found a similar map which shows where Pablo lives!! Pablo gave the game away by mentioning the suburb in which he lives in Kansas City and I was able to put two and two together.  I've sent him a hint that the chase is over!

Alice Springs does not have suburbs.  Even though we are a town of around 28,000 there is only one Post Code for the whole place - 0870; or 0871 if one happens to have a Post Office Box.

Real Estate Agents uses local names for various pretty distinct areas in Alice Springs.  For example I live in "The Old East Side".  I used to live in "Gillen".  Nearby to me is "The New East Side". "The Old Race Course Area" is to the north.

There was a move recently to divide Alice Springs up into suburbs, each with their own Post Code.  The Mayor pointed out that if that happened people would no longer have Alice Springs included in their address.  Should we have suburbs, my new address would turn out to be: Greg Winterflood, 5 Burke St, Old East Side, NT 087x.

Many people who live in Alice Springs find that there is a certain glamour [not quite the right word; but it will do for the moment] about living in Alice Springs.  Where is the glamour in saying that you live in Gillen or in The Old East Side? Well "The Old East Side" does sound a little interesting - and it is - but it could be in New York, or anywhere else.

So, for Alice Springs, the suburb idea has been dropped.  It is not for those of us who like to be known as living in The Alice.

As If...

As if [EXIF] I would continue using a camera that can be interrogated by anybody in the world.

I've resorted to using the camera I took my first photograph with, when I was all of 8 years of age.

Break into that Hal!

By the way, does anybody know of a source of 127 B&W Film. I've searched; but could not find?

Retired Cold War Spy.

A Little Gamble...

  I'm not sure if regular readers will know the name Kerry Packer.  Kerry was a competitor of "our" Rupert Murdoch who was originally Australian, but is now a US Citizen. Rupert owns Fox News and lots of other stuff.  We're not sure how we feel about him.

Anyway, Kerry was worth around $5 billion when he died and was regarded as the richest Australian; but that is probably because Rupert emigrated for business reasons.

There is a story about Kerry.  Kerry liked to gamble.  He was a bit rambunctious.

One night he attracted the attention of the Owner of a Casino somewhere in the US because he was lashing out lots of money and winning.

The Owner approached Kerry and asked if his money was genuine.

Of course it is, said Kerry.

How much have you got? asked the Owner.

Enough, said Kerry. How much is this Casino worth?

Around $79 million, said the Owner.

I'll toss you for it, said Kerry.

Inside Pablo's Camera

It is Hal I've got to thank for teaching me about EXIF data.

With a little bit of Googling I was able to find out just what Hal had done to find out when Pablo took his photo of his Roundish Rocks. Hal didn't do it by judging the angle of the sun at all. He did it by electrickery.

And now I can do the same.

The photo above is the first one taken on my new mobile phone.  Scrappy shot; but it was random and happened almost by accident.  We'll have to see if Hal can crack into that one!  I haven't tried it myself yet - didn't have time before I had to come back to work a the Walk In Clinic I work at sometimes on the weekends.

Anyway, here is the data, which Hal has led me to be able to extract from Pablo's photo.

File name    : roundish.jpg
File size    : 107089 bytes
File date    : 2007:03:04 15:58:36
Camera make  : SONY
Camera model : DSC-P32
Date/Time    : 2006:03:12 09:21:57
Resolution   : 400 x 300
Flash used   : No
Focal length :  5.0mm
Exposure time: 0.0020 s  (1/500)
Aperture     : f/5.6
ISO equiv.   : 100
Whitebalance : Auto
Metering Mode: matrix
Exposure     : program (auto)
Comment      : AppleMark

I hope you don't get paranoid Pablo...especially as you know that I know your real name...and now I know the brand of camera you carry around and the exact time and date you have taken your photographs!! 

I almost feel like a Cold War Spy and I wouldn't be dead for quids!!

I'm Alive...and Not Living on Credit...

Pablo recently mentioned that when he dropped by other peoples Blog Sites and found they had not posted anything for a while...that he feared the worst.

I've had similar concerns myself; but I'm sure I'll never be able to post daily as well as make regular visits to a special piece of country over 100 miles away from where I live.

Where does that man get the energy?

Anyway, with nothing particular to post I thought I should post something...just to let people know I am alive.

Why not post a photo of my new MasterCard? I thought.

And, so, like the Little Red Hen, I did.

I guess I thought of doing that because it was with some trepiditation that I sent the security number, found on the back of my new card, off to the TypePad people who host my blog.  They recently sent me an email saying that my card was about to expire [unlike me] and that they needed the new expiry date and security number.

I guess I'll just have to trust them.

Anyway, if I get ripped off for the 20 Grand credit limit on the card, what will it matter.  Afterall, I am a rich doctor.  You can tell that because I have a Gold MasterCard.  The Bank did offer me a Platinum one a while back, but I knocked back their offer.  I long ago learned that using Credit on a Credit Card is analogous to being sucked into a Black Hole.

My total Credit Card debt at present is $7AU - and that is to the TypePad people.  I use Credit Cards for convenience when there seems to be no other way of transferring money - but I pay the money back ASAP - to avoid the huge interest rates the Credit Card companies charge.  It's a pity I can't do the same thing to pay for Natalie's Book which she has already put in the post, and for which I haven't paid. 

If you haven't seen her site, part of it is here  Natalie/Augistine

Check it out.  I think I like the idea of her book because we Doctors like the Idea of being able to talk/act like God. 

Anyway, tomorrow I'm off to the Post Office to send her some real Aussie Dollars.

Configure This...

Regular visitors will recall that a while back I mentioned STRESS occasioned by the unwelcome appearance in my front driveway of an unwelcome patient.  Under threats of my calling the Police that behaviour stopped, but it was replaced by unwanted phone calls to my mobile phone.

You see, one can find out my old mobile phone number by using Google and my name.  He found it.

So I went into my telco and not only had my number changed but was upgraded to new phone which will allow me to blog while flying a glider as Natalie requested I do some time ago.  In a real life situation Simon would have to fly while I did the blogging, as flying a glider is full time work and doesn't allow one to use ones hands for other business.  I reckon I can guarantee that a child has never been conceived in a glider.

The phone upgrade didn't involve my having to part with cash - I only had to contract to stay with the same telco for another two years.  I've been with them all my life, so what diff does that make?

I've placed a photo of the new Samsung phone at the top of the post.  It actually has two cameras built in, making it possible to have a two way live photo conversation with someone who possesses the same technology.

Apart from that there is a cable which is meant to allow me to talk to my PC or Laptop and so download photos, or fiddle with the address book in the phone.

But the cable doesn't work!  Well, something doesn't work.  I've spent hours this week installing and uninstalling software...[Pablo, should that be deinstalling?]  I've even gone, tentatively, into "regedit" in Windows XP.

But I have narrowed the problem down.  I've gone into the System area of Control Panel and after many hours of mouse clicking and radio button selecting I have finally found a spot which gives a message saying that the phone is not configured correctly.

I'll have to wait until I get a spare 7 to 8 hours to go to the telco shop and demonstrate that to them before their very eyes. 

They are not going to believe me if I ring them up on "their" phone!

On the plus side - when my phone does ring - I know it is most likely son Hugh wanting me to transfer "funds", as he words it, to him  - as there are very few other people who know my new secret phone number.

You call that Football???

I'm having a day off work today.  It's a mental health day for me. By chance I got to watch the Superbowl Football Game live.

Seeing it made me wonder why they call it Football.

I think I saw a foot touch that ball about 5 times in all. 

[I guess we'll need to watch the video replay to see if I am right.]

Critics of our National Football Code "Australian Rules" - refer to it as 'aerial ping-pong' - but at least the ball touches a foot more often than in the game they played in Florida!

When the ball is kicked in Aussie Rules, and that happens often, it will often fly 75 to 100 yards.  See here for evidence: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Thurgood

Maybe the NFL should rename its game from Football to:

"Watch the Quarterback Throw The Ball and see the Fat Guys in the Middle Run into Each Other" ??