Shoppingworld: Clarence Valley Council approved Shoppingworld extensions. The
Council could have set consent conditions requiring energy efficiency, better pedestrian
links with Prince Street, dedicated community space and a better outcome for Duke St
carpark traders, but they didn’t. With so many shops vacant in Prince Street, we wonder
who will be buying goods from all these new stores. Will our community really benefit?
Bridge: The NSW Government has decided to put plans for a new Grafton Bridge on hold.
The CEC’s view has always been that the existing bridge would work better if we all had
more sustainable transport patterns. Sustainable transport patterns involve walking, cycling,
sharing lifts, using smaller cars, taking buses and not running backwards and forwards so
much.
Plantations: The plantation company responsible for the plantation at Kangaroo Creek is
talking about setting up a sawmill in the Clarence Valley.
Coastal development: The Council is looking at a proposal to rezone floodplain land at
West Yamba so it can be filled and developed to house 2000 people. Watch the Council’s
website for details. When the rezoning proposal goes on public exhibition, you might like
to have a close look at it and write a submission.
Did the earth move for you too, darling? It’s estimated that each year, humans move about 40 to 45 gigatons of soil and rock. The
natural process of mountain building moves about 34 gigatons per year; rivers transport
about 14 gigatons of sediment; sedimentation in the deep oceans moves about 7 gigatons;
glaciers about 4.3 gigatons, wave action about 1.25 gigatons, and wind about 1 gigaton per
year.
Silky Oak (Grevillia robusta)
Donald Rumsfeld is giving the President his daily briefing. He concludes by saying:
"Yesterday, three Brazilian soldiers were killed."
"OH NO!" the President exclaims. "That's terrible!"
His staff sits stunned at this display of emotion, nervously watching as the President sits,
head in hands.
Finally, the President looks up and asks, "How many is a brazillion?"
