Dorks who think it’s a hoot to shine laser pointers at aircraft might like to reconsider their brainless pastime after events in Geelong last week.
Apparently one of their mouth-breathing brethren took aim at a helicopter – except it wasn’t just any helicopter.
It was in fact a Victoria Police Air Wing helicopter armed with a “forward-looking infrared surveillance system”, which, as Double Take readers would know, is ideal for pinpointing terrestrial laser losers.
According to police, the pilot “was able to direct police members on the ground to the address where the laser was coming from and the exact location in the rear yard where the offender hid the laser”.
“The male was arrested and charged with interfering with an aircraft and possessing a prohibited weapon.”
And hopefully someone told him where to ‘hide’ his laser in future!
While on technology, punters might have wondered about a humming sound over Corio’s Beckley Park on Wednesday night.
Well, it wasn’t coming from a Victoria Police Air Wing helicopter with forward-looking infrared doo-dah.
It would have been the sound of a drone – operated by the integrity department of Harness Racing Victoria (HRV).
Yes, the use of those increasingly ubiquitous mechanical mozzies has now extended to keeping tabs on trainers at the trots.
HRV foreshadowed the high-tech crackdown on Monday, warning ahead of Wednesday’s meet that it had secured Civil Aviation Safety Authority approval to deploy drones for monitoring “race-day administration and treatment” of gallopers.
“These measures are paramount to the integrity of harness racing and ensuring a level playing field,” HRV explained.
The playing field won’t be the concern of dodgy trainers now – it’s the sky they’ll worry about!
Twitter may have its trolls and twits but users also provide interesting personal insights at times.
So it was this week with consecutive posts from two leading local ladies somewhat further apart than their tweets in so many ways.
First was Elaine Carbines, a former teacher and state MP who now leads local councils alliance lobby G21, lamenting the passing of a great Australian.
“Very sad to learn of John Clarke’s death”, Elaine tweeted, “his incisive satire is peerless and will be much missed. Vale John Clarke.”
Next on the Indy feed was 20-something Geelong model Sarah Czarnuch with her own version of the sads, millennial style.
“Saddens me to live in a world where a gal cant tweet about her love of RayBans + Tom Cruise without the assumption shes been hacked,” she lamented, sans commas.
Cheer up, Sarah – at least you’re not John Clarke!
Professional surfing appears a dream lifestyle but it was certainly hard work for one contingent at Bells Beach this week.
As the region recovered from a devastating overnight south-westerly blast with gusts of 60-plus knots, organisers sent surfers into the maelstrom at first light Monday to compete for a one of two wildcards to Easter’s Rip Curl Pro.
In conditions accurately described as a “washing machine”, young Australian and overseas competitors battled it out with each other – and not least Mother Nature at her most furious.
Eventually and mercifully the competition was over and the wildcard won by Brazilian Samuel Pupo.
Must have seemed a million miles from the soft sands of Rio!
