Celebrating Positives (offset of the Gripes Thread)

[onetrack]

Here's a good news article, about a family of German tourists, who came across a big pod of dolphins (about 40 of them) "surfing" at a beach off Albany, W.A.

The family managed to catch the light and water clarity at the right time, and the photos and videos show the pod playing like regular human surfers, travelling along in the wave ahead of the break, and leaping out of the water above the breaking wave.

 

https://au.news.yahoo.com/travelling-family-captures-extraordinary-aussie-scene-nothing-like-it-back-home-201231692.html

[willedoo]

The mutually beneficial situation between me and the house flippers is still working out. I did them a favour today by busting up and removing some waste concrete which will go straight in some holes in my driveway tomorrow when I muster the energy to unload it. Also on the load was a heap of new cyclone rods and some timber. He's ripping up the hotmix driveway in a couple of weeks and said he could get the contractor to dump it at my place. It's about two truckloads so that should fill a few more holes.

[spacesailor]

Two truck loads .

You must have big holes in your driveway.  LoL

spacesailor

[onetrack]

Willies driveway is probably a fair bit longer than yours, Spacey!

[willedoo]

17 minutes ago, spacesailor said:

Two truck loads .

You must have big holes in your driveway.  LoL

spacesailor

It's long (about 500 metres) and steep. Over the years a lot of the depth has washed away so I could take ten or twelve truckloads easily if I wanted to get it back to the original levels. I remember when I first bought the block and put a driveway entrance in. I tried getting some road base in but a few feet in from the gate it turned to mush as I worked it. It was the wet season and a spring had broken out just where I'd put the entrance. I had a tractor and rolled in four truckloads of road base just in 15' of driveway before the mush was plugged and firmed up.

 

The next forty metres from there had cap rock underneath so I couldn't side cut into the hill. The only option was to build it up so four truckloads of shot rock boulders from the quarry went into that. I also put in fourteen truckloads of good fill on the rest of the drive that cost me nothing as a friend was digging a dam and wanted to get rid of it. I don't remember how many loads of road base went over the top of it but it was quite a few. Back when I first did the driveway was when I should have concreted it. What would have cost about $25,000 then is probably closer to $200,000 now.

[spacesailor]

A pity you couldn't straighten it then a bit longer .

It could have been a " runway " . 

spacesailor

 

[willedoo]

11 minutes ago, spacesailor said:

A pity you couldn't straighten it then a bit longer .

It could have been a " runway " . 

spacesailor

 

At least I get a bit of good plane spotting here. Since they built the new runway, the changed flight path sometimes takes them straight over the top of my place.

[spacesailor]

That's my worry with the " badger's creek " flight path being lower than " mascots " plus 24 hrs  noise pollution. 

spacesailor

[willedoo]

Here's a positive bloke that builds tank chairs.

 

 

[nomadpete]

Great idea for ageing incapacitated farmers that still work our farms.

The all terrain mobility scooter!

 

But probably not so popular with other shoppers in a supermarket.

[facthunter]

Far too wide to be any use inside.   Nev

[willedoo]

As is obvious in the video, it's designed for outdoor work.

[willedoo]

I don't think anybody would seriously think of using a skid steer tracked vehicle inside on their polished floors. But then again, it's America we're talking about here.

[Marty_d]

Is that a rifle case attached to it?

 

[onetrack]

It's a TANK chair! Of course, it has to carry armament!! This is an all-American product, right? 😄

[willedoo]

Sounds like a Texan accent. I wonder if the rifle case is an add on extra or compulsory standard equipment.

[willedoo]

I'd feel a lot safer in one if it had better protection for the feet, like a solid fairing in that lower area.

[facthunter]

They will sell. . Nev

[Marty_d]

Don't get me wrong, I think they are fantastic and the guy is really to be congratulated for his work.

[spacesailor]

Do they ' climb stairs ' ( office steps ) .

That would be a life saver for some people. 

spacesailor

 

[willedoo]

In the future life is sure to get a bit easier for some disabled people due to technology evolving. This exoskeleton thing has a lot of potential. They will probably operate a lot smoother and more nimble as time goes by. Then there's the issue of affordability. This clip was previously posted in the Paris Olympics thread.

 

 

[willedoo]

An exoskeleton for a paraplegic as the technology is now would only be usable for short periods. The biggest problem I see is chafing from the attachment points. The weight has to be taken on whatever straps hold the person in. They'll figure out something better eventually.

[spacesailor]

Our friends son , tried the " exoskeleton " but he hadn't 

enough mobility to make it work .

( drove his motorbike,  into an unlit skip bin ) .

spacesailor

[willedoo]

This is the part I hadn't thought of. By the time exoskeletons have evolved into something more practical, medical advancements might be able to repair spinal cord injuries.

 

https://www.9news.com.au/national/spinal-cord-research-trials-using-nerve-cells-from-nose-to-treat-paralysis-queensland-griffith-university/a90c494b-1042-4ab3-b631-67e9d565ceb2

[spacesailor]

Now the scientists are testing on people  , the nose nerve cells , to bind with the damaged spinal cord nerves & gain more mobility. 

" I have my fingers & legs crossed while writing this ".

spacesailor