I would wish that more experienced programmers and developers could offer to help us in helping others.
I run a proffessional outreach in which we use our programming skills to a) try and fund ourselves and b) show by the quality of our work that the PEOPLE we SERVE are WORTH SOMETHING!
This makes running a "charity" costly indeed, and for us it has meant living oon the bread line. BUT its worth it. I get saddened when I see stuff produced to help folk, that is the equivalent of a black and white photocopy - when a "business" would have done a colour brochure!
Our tuff is aimed at suicide prevention amongst youth (of all ages), a shocking and heartbreaking statistic that is on the increase.
And since self-esteem and a sense of failure or rejection is often the cause, its very, very sad when in outreaching to these NORMAL people, they are given "second best" web sites, programs, etc etc. We realy realy MUST show people they ARE important!
ANd what better way of doing that than by us programmers (and a race driver in my case cos our outreach has a race-theme) using our skills to the same level that we would for a commercial project. Probably more to the point is we can't afford the best or dedicated programmers, but gosh we need you!
Please guys and girls, DO offer your great skills to help others. I know our outreach could really do with your thoughts, and we are but one small Aussie group amongst many others world wide.
Thankyou to the person who suggested this thread. And if you get a moment, and if it isnt against FAQ's for slashdot (who were great when our Little Penguins suffered in an oil spill this year), please check out how we are tyring to do things at www.ozgurus.com
On behalf of the Little Penguins here with us on Phillip Island (writing from there after another night cleaning up), please *do* clean them up!
It does work. The idea is to simply remove the oil. However this also removes the Penguins natural water proof coating.
But the oil must go or our little ones would ingest the oil/gunk spewed into the ocean from the filthy bilge of the passing ship. Penguins constantly preen themselves to stay waterproof. If they do this when covered in oil, they simply make themselves worse off. Hence we pop the sweaters on them to ensure they can't do this.
Once cleaned of oil, we rehabilitate them and check out their progress in an outdoor above ground pool, just like any pool you might find in a backyard here in Australia. When the penguins are secreting enough of their own oil to preen into their feathers (via the gland under their tail), and they are water proof again, we set them free.
Penguins are wild, and that's how we like them to stay:)
Our problem right now is that it is chick raising season. Penguin parents very much share the role of raising the chick. If dad or mum are killed or taken away, the remaining partner actually frets, staying by the nest and *not* going out to sea to get food for the chick. The chick starves, and eventually the sole parent leaves and swims out.
But with the Hospital right now we are cleaning and getting the Little folk back home as soon as possible, without sparing expense or our own time to ensure it is safe to do so.
The vast majority of released penguins will survive. we just hope we can help enough before their chicks die, or their partners leave.
Fair question! My name is Kieran Davies, and besides being the er, burrow master for Phillip Island and the Little penguins, I am also a trained Wildlife Ranger from back when I was at uni.
The Penguin Parade is a totally non-profit organisation. Though it comes under the Victorian Govt., it has to raise its own funds. We exist SOLELY to protect the Little Penguins, Koalas, Seals and the natural environment of Phillip Island.
We do this by running the "public" Penguin Parade where you can see up to 2000 penguins return to their burrows, and thus helping prevent habitat destruction for the remaining 28,000 Little Penguins we also care for that live on our Summerland Peninsula as well.
Our staff are all real rangers, our researchers are dedicated guys and girls who don't do it for the money, but to find ways to improve our understanding of the cutest birds on earth:)) We seek to protect them in their natural and wild lifestyle/habitat; if you check out our web site at www.penguins.org.au you can read up on our management plans in the "Nature Notes" section off our Education page.
I hope that helps - as you and so many others from Slashdot have helped our (meaning the worlds) Little Penguins.
With the warmest reg'ds KD (Phillip Island Nature Park) and a bit lost on how to reply to so many fantastic threads in here!)
You have hit the nail on the head mate! The problem that has caused this is also courtesy some very dangerous Australian Government legislation that we all here at Phillip Island Nature Park really are trying so hard to have changed. The law actually allows ships to clear their bilge at 7 kilometers off the coast. It is only illegal *if* the oil and waste drifts towards shore. This IGNORES that so many other marine animals are effected. Please see our Seal Tracking page at our research section of http://www.penguins.org.au and you will see what we mean. There are many unspoilt by man (except courtesy this sort of environmental tragedy) beyond the 7 km limit. And 7 kilometers is nothing as it is! Thankyou again for all your help and interest - and to Slashdot.org for caring enough to run this story. Thankyou for not just using a Penguin as a logo, but as a mascot that everyone actually cares for! It is making our work here tonight a cheery affair despite more deaths of the Little birds we love; knowing others share our love from around the world is fair dinkum beaut! Forgive my spelling, I have dirty hands and perhaps shouldn't be allowed to "oil" up this keyboard:) (ps the penguin Parade which we run is actually not just a visitor attraction, it is a genuine research centre and hospital facility. Visitors to the Parade help fun this via their ticket purchases).
Thanks everyone, from all of us here at the Phillip Island Penguin Parade! We have tried to get a secure form online. You will probably get an error message about it, as we don't own our own certificate yet, and are relying on the generosity of a local ISP (Labyrinth Connections) to help us out so that things are as secure as can be. Maybe I should stick to being a ranger and not try and compete with all you programmers:) Thanks yet again!
Slashdot Mirror
I would wish that more experienced programmers and developers could offer to help us in helping others.
I run a proffessional outreach in which we use our programming skills to a) try and fund ourselves and b) show by the quality of our work that the PEOPLE we SERVE are WORTH SOMETHING!
This makes running a "charity" costly indeed, and for us it has meant living oon the bread line. BUT its worth it. I get saddened when I see stuff produced to help folk, that is the equivalent of a black and white photocopy - when a "business" would have done a colour brochure!
Our tuff is aimed at suicide prevention amongst youth (of all ages), a shocking and heartbreaking statistic that is on the increase.
And since self-esteem and a sense of failure or rejection is often the cause, its very, very sad when in outreaching to these NORMAL people, they are given "second best" web sites, programs, etc etc. We realy realy MUST show people they ARE important!
ANd what better way of doing that than by us programmers (and a race driver in my case cos our outreach has a race-theme) using our skills to the same level that we would for a commercial project. Probably more to the point is we can't afford the best or dedicated programmers, but gosh we need you!
Please guys and girls, DO offer your great skills to help others. I know our outreach could really do with your thoughts, and we are but one small Aussie group amongst many others world wide.
Thankyou to the person who suggested this thread. And if you get a moment, and if it isnt against FAQ's for slashdot (who were great when our Little Penguins suffered in an oil spill this year), please check out how we are tyring to do things at www.ozgurus.com
Warm reg'ds to all!
Kieran Davies
OzGurus Outreach Racing
JMJ
On behalf of the Little Penguins here with us on Phillip Island (writing from there after another night cleaning up), please *do* clean them up!
:)
It does work. The idea is to simply remove the oil. However this also removes the Penguins natural water proof coating.
But the oil must go or our little ones would ingest the oil/gunk spewed into the ocean from the filthy bilge of the passing ship. Penguins constantly preen themselves to stay waterproof. If they do this when covered in oil, they simply make themselves worse off. Hence we pop the sweaters on them to ensure they can't do this.
Once cleaned of oil, we rehabilitate them and check out their progress in an outdoor above ground pool, just like any pool you might find in a backyard here in Australia. When the penguins are secreting enough of their own oil to preen into their feathers (via the gland under their tail), and they are water proof again, we set them free.
Penguins are wild, and that's how we like them to stay
Our problem right now is that it is chick raising season. Penguin parents very much share the role of raising the chick. If dad or mum are killed or taken away, the remaining partner actually frets, staying by the nest and *not* going out to sea to get food for the chick. The chick starves, and eventually the sole parent leaves and swims out.
But with the Hospital right now we are cleaning and getting the Little folk back home as soon as possible, without sparing expense or our own time to ensure it is safe to do so.
The vast majority of released penguins will survive. we just hope we can help enough before their chicks die, or their partners leave.
Thanks everyone for the interest!
reg'ds
kd (Phillip Island Nature Park)
The better/correct term for a bunch of Little Penguins is actually a "raft" :))
:)
Least thats what they are called when they come home each night, and leave each morning in the waters of Bass Straight
kd (Phillip Island Nature Park)
Fair question! My name is Kieran Davies, and besides being the er, burrow master for Phillip Island and the Little penguins, I am also a trained Wildlife Ranger from back when I was at uni.
:)) We seek to protect them in their natural and wild lifestyle/habitat; if you check out our web site at www.penguins.org.au you can read up on our management plans in the "Nature Notes" section off our Education page.
The Penguin Parade is a totally non-profit organisation. Though it comes under the Victorian Govt., it has to raise its own funds. We exist SOLELY to protect the Little Penguins, Koalas, Seals and the natural environment of Phillip Island.
We do this by running the "public" Penguin Parade where you can see up to 2000 penguins return to their burrows, and thus helping prevent habitat destruction for the remaining 28,000 Little Penguins we also care for that live on our Summerland Peninsula as well.
Our staff are all real rangers, our researchers are dedicated guys and girls who don't do it for the money, but to find ways to improve our understanding of the cutest birds on earth
I hope that helps - as you and so many others from Slashdot have helped our (meaning the worlds) Little Penguins.
With the warmest reg'ds
KD (Phillip Island Nature Park) and a bit lost on how to reply to so many fantastic threads in here!)
You have hit the nail on the head mate! The problem that has caused this is also courtesy some very dangerous Australian Government legislation that we all here at Phillip Island Nature Park really are trying so hard to have changed. The law actually allows ships to clear their bilge at 7 kilometers off the coast. It is only illegal *if* the oil and waste drifts towards shore. This IGNORES that so many other marine animals are effected. Please see our Seal Tracking page at our research section of http://www.penguins.org.au and you will see what we mean. There are many unspoilt by man (except courtesy this sort of environmental tragedy) beyond the 7 km limit. And 7 kilometers is nothing as it is! Thankyou again for all your help and interest - and to Slashdot.org for caring enough to run this story. Thankyou for not just using a Penguin as a logo, but as a mascot that everyone actually cares for! It is making our work here tonight a cheery affair despite more deaths of the Little birds we love; knowing others share our love from around the world is fair dinkum beaut! Forgive my spelling, I have dirty hands and perhaps shouldn't be allowed to "oil" up this keyboard :) (ps the penguin Parade which we run is actually not just a visitor attraction, it is a genuine research centre and hospital facility. Visitors to the Parade help fun this via their ticket purchases).
Thanks everyone, from all of us here at the Phillip Island Penguin Parade! We have tried to get a secure form online. You will probably get an error message about it, as we don't own our own certificate yet, and are relying on the generosity of a local ISP (Labyrinth Connections) to help us out so that things are as secure as can be. Maybe I should stick to being a ranger and not try and compete with all you programmers :) Thanks yet again!