ajft

On a much happier note, GPS tags in EXIF headers of images, flickr tags and googlemaps appear to be all coming together. Geobloggers can display images on maps based on either the tags added to a Flickr image, or (supposedly) pulled straight out of the EXIF headers. I say supposedly, because after tagging five images manually I can find them all ¹, but attempting to use the EXIF data failed ². As a further test ³, I dredged up and tagged an old photo from August 2003 that I'd taken in the UK, since googlemaps can only display maps of the USA and UK.

1. In Australia, works, but no map: tags are "geo:lat=-37.900", "geo:lon=145.106" and "geotagged". [37.900°S 145.1106°E]

2. In Australia, doesn't work: tags are "geocoded", the latitude and longitude are in the EXIF headers. [38.749°S 143.670°W]

3. In the UK, works: tags are "geo:lat=51.337", "geo:lon=-0.904" and "geotagged". [51.537°N -0.904°W]

OK, time for stage one. What do you do with all your favourite old t-shirts? Are they destined to be completely ephemeral, worn for a few years while fashionable (or unfashionable), then to be lobbed into the void or the rag-bag for all eternity? Or do we seek to preserve them in some unnatural way, a practical garment rendered impractical by being treated as something more than mere clothing?

So what prompted it? Comments a few weeks ago that my shirt of the day was past its prime, but was probably an old favourite, and what would I do when it finally became unwearable. Attempts to cram the washing away showed just how many t-shirts there are in my life... bands, a myriad of bike-ride shirts, artistic and just plain utilitarian.

So here we go, stage one. Five at almost random, photographed to see how it works. The T-Shirt Preservation Society convenes its' inaugural meeting. The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Daleks, more Daleks, the Ramones and Sid.

Two court results of the week:

  WA: man vandalises a speed camera — $109,000 fine
  SA: man kills cyclist in hit and run — $3,100 fine

Sheesh!

At least the South Australian government has just announced a Royal Commission will be enquiring into the handling of the hit and run.

There's a rally being held to protest against a recent decision in an Adelaide court, which saw lawyer Eugene McGee handed down a $3100 fine and 12 months loss of licence for hitting and killing cyclist Ian Humphreys whilst drink driving in his four wheel drive.

Afraid that he might "damage his career" he didn't stick around at the scene of the accident. When he was later apprehended by police, McGee was not breath tested or blood tested, even though he admitted to having had 4 or 5 glasses of wine and police admitted to having smelt alcohol on his breath.

Two brothers who stopped to see if they could help at the accident scene claim that their statements to police have been changed, and are baffled as to why they were not called to give evidence in court despite claiming to have witnessed McGee driving erratically at speeds of up to 160kph, then speeding off after hitting the cyclist.

A group called "Wheels of Justice" has formed in SA — they think it's pretty lousy that it only costs $3000 to kill a cyclist and are holding a rally in Adelaide on the weekend; there is a concurrent action being held at Fed Square from 9:30am on Saturday 7th May. People who cycle and feel that their lives should be protected by the law are encouraged to bring their bikes and join the rally, which will travel to the steps of Parliament House — pedestrians also welcome.