Sarah asked ... where to stay in Port Douglas?

Not at the Sheraton Mirage!  This hotel was great in the 80's but there are a few newer and much more fabulous places to stay now, starting with Pool Port Douglas.  Pool offers a sleek, minimalist living space for those after tropical cool, not kitsch.

For a Great Barrier Reef Eco option try Thala Beach Resort situated in World Heritage Listed rainforest overlooking a stunning private beach.  Choose your own private bungalow nestled in Eucalpyt forest with beach or mountain views.

Sea Temple is perfect for spa lovers and their golfing partners.  Other great features are the large lagoon swimming pool offering swim-out rooms and superb dining options.

For the ultimate in luxury getaways Peppers Balé Resort is the place.  With it's South East Asian inspired pavilion layout it offers the perfect environment in which to relax, enjoy their sensational day spa and award winning restaurant - Sassi at Balé.

http://www.pool-portdouglas.com.au/

http://www.thalabeach.com.au/

http://www.mirvachotels.com/sea-temple-resort-port-douglas

http://www.peppers.com.au/Bale-Resort

Where to buy Chorizo in Sydney

Eumundi Smokehouse

402 New Canterbury Road, Dulwich Hill, 9569 0205 (Saturday, 7am-2pm)
Dave "Kaz" Kasmaroski is a smoker from way back. He's also the keeper of a swag of old recipes. So his definition of a chorizo can range from Russian (with caraway, dill, onions, parsley and vodka) to Portuguese (all pork and chunky) or hot Spanish (paprika, chilli and red wine). Using hand-diced meat, each is wood-smoked and cured for six weeks before sale ($32.50 a kilogram or about $5 each) - at a string of markets, including the new Cook & Phillip market (Fridays), Orange Grove (Saturdays), Good Living Growers' Markets (first Saturday each month), North Sydney (third Saturday) and Newcastle (second and fourth Sundays).

Carolyn asked ... how do you get candle wax out of a glass?

Put the candle holder in the fridge, let it get really cold. Use a hot skewer down one side. It will give you an air pocket so you can then pull out wax.

Let me know if it works!

Emma asked ... which is the best restaurant at Ivy?

I went to Uccello last week and it was quite fun because you look onto the pool and get some eye candy if you arrive early! The food was nice, simple homestyle Italian but turns out quite expensive. We had a bottle of Veuve ($180) and a bottle of wine and for three of us it was $500. The other thing is they don't do a complete dish so you have to order random sides.

Teppanyaki is the up market Japanese and the food is very nice, I had a delicious lunch there.  The banquet menu is really good value.  It's next to the Den which is the most civilised lounge type bar there. Might have some communal tables.

Ash St Cellar is nice but it's more of a wine bar, Tapas style place. Great for a snack and pre dinner drink if you're waiting for people.

Sushi Choo is a lunch place, no atmosphere at night.

The other restaurant is Mad Cow but I haven't been there.

Pia asked ... how many Americans actually vote in the Presidential election?

Using data from the last twelve elections between 49%(1996) and 63%(1960) of the Voting Age Population (VAP) actually bother to vote. In the last election in 2004 over 56% of the VAP voted and elected, quite possibly the worst President in American history. It's time for a change.


Election -------Turnout ---------% Turnout of VAP
1960---------- 68,838,204 --------------63.06%
1964 ----------70,644,592 ---------------60.92%
1968 ----------73,199,998 ---------------60.83%
1972 -----------77,718,554 ----------------55.21%
1976 -----------81,555,789 ----------------53.55%
1980 -----------86,515,221 ----------------52.56%
1984 ----------92,652,680 -----------------53.11%
1988 -----------91,594,693 ----------------50.11%
1992 ----------104,405,155 ----------------55.09%
1996 -----------96,456,345 ----------------49.08%
2000 ---------105,586,274 -----------------51.31%
2004 ---------122,295,345 -----------------56.69%

In the 2008 election it is estimated that 136.6 million people voted, 64.1% of the VAP.

Paul asked ... when colour fades in sunlight, where does it go?

I don't think it has gone anywhere, we just can't see it! Hope this explains it...

Colour is the byproduct of the spectrum of light, as it is reflected or absorbed, as received by the human eye and processed by the human brain. When light hits objects, some of the wavelengths are absorbed and some are reflected, depending on the materials in the object. The reflected wavelengths are what we perceive as the object's colour. Both dyes and pigments appear to be coloured because they absorb some wavelengths of light preferentially.

The sun shines light of various types of energies, including higher energy ultraviolet rays which are primarily responsible for causing the chemical bonds in some coloured molecules to break. This, in turn, alters the shape of these molecules, destroying the parts of the molecule that make it coloured. Some dyes or pigments are changed into another chemical when they absorb the light. If this new chemical cannot absorb any light it will be colorless and you will notice a faded effect.

For the 5th graders out there...

Sunlight looks white, but is made up of all the colours. We see this
when water drops in the air break sunlight into all the colours of a
rainbow.

When light shines on something coloured, like sunlight on a red jacket,
all colours except red are absorbed by the dye. The red coloured light
bounces off and reaches our eyes. We see red.

We know that light, except for the red, is absorbed because the jacket
gets warm. That is from other colours of light that the red jacket
absorbs.

As dyes get older, they lose their strength and they cannot absorb other
colours of light. All the colours bounce off and reach our eyes. The
colour looks whiter. We say the jacket has faded.

This article is about The Declaration of Independence.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/charters/fading.html

Dieter asked ... why ostriches stick their heads in the sand

They don't. Ostriches have three main strategies when attacked. They can run away, they can kick, or they can try to hide (eg, when nursing the eggs). When hiding, they will sometimes lay flat on the ground, with the long neck and head also on the ground. In the rippling heat haze of their native Africa, they can look just like a grassy mound.

The myth that an ostrich will stick its head in the sand, in an effort to hide, may have begun with that great Roman thinker, Pliny the Elder (23-79AD), a man of intense curiosity about the world around him.

Before his death, in the eruption of Mt Vesuvius in 79 AD, Pliny had almost completed one of the earliest comprehensive encyclopaediae. His Natural History, in 37 books, was a remarkable attempt to summarise all the knowledge known to the Romans. So what did Pliny have to say of ostriches? In Book 10, Chapter 1, he writes, “…they imagine, when they have thrust their head and neck into a bush, that the whole of their body is concealed”.

Historians assume that this single sentence is the root of the myth about ostriches burying their head in the sand.

There is one interesting ostrich behaviour that comes close to burying their head in the sand. When ostriches feed, they sometimes lay their head flat on the ground to swallow sand and pebbles. The hard grit helps them to grind their food in their crop. From a distance, the ostrich looks like it’s burying its head in the sand.

Someone “hiding their head in the sand, like an ostrich” is said to be foolishly ignoring their problem, while hoping it will magically vanish.

Carolyn asked ... if Dirty Sexy Money will return for season 2

ABC has renewed Dirty Sexy Money for a second season which will include three unaired holdover episodes from the show's first season.  It's is showing on ABC on Wednesday at 10pm or watch it at abc.go.com

Carolyn asked ... why the Melbourne Cup is also run on the first Tuesday of November

The answer is...not really sure! The first Melbourne Cup was held on a Thursday in 1861 and moved to a Tuesday in 1875. The four day carnival we enjoy today was also adopted in 1875. In 1877 the first Tuesday in November was declared a public holiday in Victoria so the public could enjoy the hugely popular race. The race was held in November because it was between the winter football season and the summer cricket season and would guarantee the sport of horse racing large crowds and media coverage.

Carolyn asked ... why the US election is on a Tuesday

For much of it's history, America was a predominantly agrarian society. Law makers therefore took into account that November was perhaps the most convenient month for farmers and rural workers to be able to travel to the polls.

The fall harvest was over, (remember that spring was planting time and summer was taken up with working the fields and tending the crops) but in the majority of the nation the weather was still mild enough to permit travel over unimproved roads.

Why Tuesday?
Since most residents of rural America had to travel a significant distance to the county seat in order to vote, Monday was not considered reasonable since many people would need to begin travel on Sunday. This would, of course, have conflicted with Church services and Sunday worship.

Why the first Tuesday after the first Monday? Lawmakers wanted to prevent election day from falling on the first of November for two reasons. First, November 1st is All Saints Day, a Holy Day of Obligation for Roman Catholics. Second, most merchants were in the habit of doing their books from the preceding month on the 1st. Apparently, Congress was worried that the economic success or failure of the previous month might prove an undue influence on the vote!

The next question is why is this still relevant?

Sarah asked ... when the Green Card lottery closes

The DV-2010 Lottery online entry begins at Noon EDT on October 2, 2008, and ends at Noon EST on December 1, 2008.

The Congressionally mandated Diversity Immigrant Visa Program makes available 50,000 diversity t visas (DV) annually, drawn from random selection among all entries to persons who meet strict eligibility requirements from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States.

Qualifying Occupations

The law and regulations require that every diversity visa entrant must have at least a high school education or its equivalent or have, within the past five years, two years of work experience in an occupation requiring at least two years' training or experience

Sarah asked ... where to get a spray tan

Ciao Bella
32a Oxford Street
Level 1, Suite 2
Darlinghurst, NSW 2010
Australia
Telephone: (02) 9361 0612
Fax: (02) 9361 6046
E-mail: info@ciaobellaonline.com.au

ciao bella has gained a reputation as one of Sydney's leading skin care salons. By specialising in waxing and skin care, and taking time to educate clients about how Australia's harsh environment affects their skin, ciao bella's clientele has grown to include women and men from all over Australia, including many well-known personalities from the media and entertainment industries.

Spray Tanning is an important part of our salon operation. We recognise that most Australians are well aware of the dangers of sun exposure, but who can deny that a beautiful tan can make you look, and feel, a whole lot healthier? We've selected a variety of spray tan systems to meet the differing needs of our clients; each requires salon application, however we do have a small range of home-application products available in our Self Tanning products area.

Rachel asked ... for CSIRO Avocado, Orange and Beetroot Salad

AVOCADO, ORANGE AND BEETROOT SALAD

1 Avocado, thickly sliced
2 Oranges, segmented
700g tinned baby beetroots, drained and halved (or fresh, roasted and peeled)
100g Rocket
1/4 cup Mint, roughly chopped
1/2 Spanish Onion, finely sliced
1 tbs Olive Oil
2 tsps Lemon Juice

Mix all ingredients and toss gently.

Phil asked ... for Roast Red Duck Curry Recipe

RED ROAST DUCK CURRY

Jill Dupleix, New Food



1 Lemongrass stalk
1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon Maesri brand red curry paste
1 Chinese Roast Duck
½ cup water
2 kaffir lime leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
1 red capsicum, deseeded and chopped into squares
2 green zucchini, chopped into small cubes
2 yellow zucchini or 8 yellow squash, chopped into cubes
Few sprigs of coriander


Peel lemongrass and slice tender white part of stem into fine rings.

Scoop the thick cream from the top of the coconut milk and heat it in a wok or frypan with curry paste, chilli and lemongrass.

Simmer for 10 minutes until it starts to smell wonderful.

Remove breasts from duck and chop into four rectangles. Remove Legs and chop into two pieces. If already chopped just add with bones.

Add duck, remaining coconut milk, water, kaffir lime leaves, sugar, capsicum and zucchini/squash to sauce and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until vegies are cooked.

Add coriander and serve with jasmine rice.

Recycling Rechargeable Batteries

When my electric toothbrush died I noticed it had a recycle symbol on the back so I decided to be environmentally responsible and recycle the battery. When a rechargeable battery comes to the end of it's life it is classed as hazardous waste. It turns out, if you live in central Sydney it's almost impossible to get rid of the thing!

Your council may be able to help but they will likely pass you on to someone else in a faraway suburb. Victoria and the ACT have programs in place to collect and recycle these types of batteries free of charge, usually labelled NH, NC or Li-Ion and are commonly found in electric toothbrushes, cordless phones, cameras and power tools.

If you are going for a drive to the burbs take your battery with you and drop it off at a Battery World shop for free, they are located in Brookvale, Ryde and other far away places you've probably never heard of. batteryworld.com.au

A company called Cleanaway will send you a box ($55) to post it back to them. cleanaway.com.au

recyclingnearyou.com.au is a Planet Ark website might be useful.

Mobile Muster will recycle your mobile phones and batteries, visit mobilemuster.com.au

Another option is to call the manufacturer and ask if they will recycle it for you. Oral B/Braun will give you a Reply Paid address to send it to. Other companies such as Sharp can't be bothered.