On Thu, 12 Dec 2002 11:19:16 -0500, Brad <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Hi everyone,
>
>I've been short on time, but thought I'd pass this on. I haven't read it
myself, but will copy, and read at w$$K. It sounds interesting.
>
>http://www.aims.gov.au/pages/research/coral-bleaching/scr2002/scr-00.html>

That reminds me of the Taka II trip report that I have tens of thousands
of words (in pictures) but not know how/where to put them, so I'll probably
not ever write it, except a sentence HERE, and a few there.  :-)

The description of the coral reef bleaching in 2002 in the Great Barrier
Reef and the Coral Sea in Oz explains why the Temple of Doom (the mini-
seamount or bommie that was supposed to be one of the highlights of the
trip) turned out to be a big pile of DEAD corals (almost ;-)>, pretty
obviously the effect of coral bleaching -- estimated at 95% (in the webpage
above) in some parts of the GBR and elsewhere in Oz.

The local phone call rate of 71 cents per minute gave me a rest from my
PC/laptop, which stayed unopen during my entire 7 days in Amsterdam to
see and do interesting stuff other than getting wet!  :-)

I learned from the Van Gogh museum that (a) Gogh is pronouned as 'Gog',
and not 'Go', contrary to what I (and others) thought Walter Cronkite
misprounounced it when he said 'Van Gog';  (b) the meaning of 'Frog' :-)
explained in relation to Van Gogh's stay in Paris.

The paintings of Rambrandt, Van Gogh, Gauguin, et al was no match for
the live arts in the Red Light District.  :-)

On our return from the Amsterdam airport to the Newark airport, (a) I
was targeted as a bomb-carrying, money-laundering Al Qaeda terrorist,
by the Amsterdam security guards;  while (b) Sue was targeted by a
beagle (dog) at the Newark Airport luggage-claim area as a dope-smuggler
suspect (?), when that beagle, after sniffing around passengers and
luggage, sat down next to Sue's carry-on, triggering a series of
questions (and search) by the beagle-trainer/inspector.  :-)

Alas, there was no bomb, no hi-tec explosives, bricks of cash, or pot,
hash, or anything exciting found by any of the inspectors, for me to
have any Tall Tale to report back.  Sorry.

Congratulations to Brooxie of Nurse-Shark-Tail-Puller fame for having
officially attained her retarred status on or about December 4.  On
our impending trip, we'll be having Breakfast at the Bellagio with
this newly-retarred couple, on our way to dive with some REAL sharks.

This LIST is all too quiet ever since Strike was mugged by publication
crooks and robbers, and presumably busy tending to the cops & robbers
business.  Hope to see him back soon.

-- Bob.