Malcolm Needs ☆ Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 My goodness, TimOz, you certainly do know your spiders!! (In addition to lot of other things!) Interesting. Thanks for sharing!I couldn't agree more. Tim's depth and breadth of knowledge is astoundingly - almost frightening!:):) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adiescast Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 I always knew the Daddy Long Legs were harmless, but I did not know they ate the venomous spiders! Thanks for adding to my knowledge base! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcdayaz Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 Suffice it to say that most politicians (of any party) are about as popular in the UK (and, I suspect in other countries) as bubonic plague (and about as useful).:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D|(Sorry, probably too many smiles but I wanted you to get the picture) I have in about the last 5 years refused to listen, watch, learn, whatever, anything dealing with politics. I like your "bubonic plague" statement:D:D:D:D How sad is it that it is SO true!!!!!:cries: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcdayaz Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Tim's depth and breadth of knowledge is astoundingly - almost frightening!:):)I VOTE FOR FRIGHTENING!!!! Perhaps in his "Previous Life" he was an arachnoid-ologist(yes, I know, not a real word).Seriously Tim, how on earth do you know so much about spiders???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimOz Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 (edited) Off topic alert!jcdayaz, I work in the venom area (as a sideline). My day job is in the development and training area of a large Biopharma company that makes Immunohaematology reagents and plasma fractionated products but we also are the only people who make the antivenoms for Australian snakes, spiders, fish and jellyfish. I often work with the Australian Venom Research Unit that is part of Melbourne University and have publsihed a few papers on snake venoms. The AVRU guys are right into the spiders and snakes, so I have a bit to do with it. I also do some consulting work for the World Health Organisation giving advice in Asian countries with problems treating envenomation like Thailand and Vietnam. It is largely unrelated to blod banking but a fascinating and esoteric area. Especially in Australia where we really do have the most dangerous creatures. Our snakes and spiders are far worse than anywhere else in the world.I have a authored a short book on Australian snakes that is simple and full of facts, photos and advice and also a very useful first aid guide for bites and stings. The first aid guide is Australian focussed but the CPR and other first aid procedures are applicable world-wide. PM me if anyone would like a copy and I can post it to you in the snail mail. I like to tell people that when you are in Australia, humans are not at the top of the food chain. Edited January 31, 2010 by TimOz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcdayaz Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Off topic alert!jcdayaz, I work in the venom area (as a sideline). My day job is in the development and training area of a large Biopharma company that makes Immunohaematology reagents and plasma fractionated products but we also are the only people who make the antivenoms for Australian snakes, spiders, fish and jellyfish. I often work with the Australian Venom Research Unit that is part of Melbourne University and have publsihed a few papers on snake venoms. The AVRU guys are right into the spiders and snakes, so I have a bit to do with it. I also do some consulting work for the World Health Organisation giving advice in Asian countries with problems treating envenomation like Thailand and Vietnam. It is largely unrelated to blod banking but a fascinating and esoteric area. Especially in Australia where we really do have the most dangerous creatures. Our snakes and spiders are far worse than anywhere else in the world.I have a authored a short book on Australian snakes that is simple and full of facts, photos and advice and also a very useful first aid guide for bites and stings. The first aid guide is Australian focussed but the CPR and other first aid procedures are applicable world-wide. PM me if anyone would like a copy and I can post it to you in the snail mail. I like to tell people that when you are in Australia, humans are not at the top of the food chain.WOW!!!! Your job sounds fascinating!! No wonder you know so much about snakes and etc. I would LOVE a copy of your book. I will PM you in a moment with my address. We moved to Tucson, Arizona (US) not too long ago and it is desert terrain. We have scorpions, snakes, spiders, frogs, even lizards that can cause some impressive damage with a bite/sting.I'm sure you can imagine my frustration with trying to teach my young boys not to play with "those cute little bugs":mad: I think I have finally managed to impress upon them the "cute little bugs" (their words) are different here than where we used to live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimOz Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Hi again jcdayaz,Got your PM and the books are in the mail. They might help your young boys do some research before touching bugs.Here is a story you may like from when I was a boy and hurt by a creature - indirectly.I grew up on a sub-tropical Island off the Queensland coast (North East Australiafor those unsure of the geography). I was about 8 and what we call a jetty-rat. I spend all my spare time on, in or under the water. I was wandering over sand flats near to my father's surgery (he was the one and only Doctor on the Island) and I found a "thing" in a rockpool that looked like a beautiful orchid. It was curled up and had neon, electric blue rinng shaped lights that glowed and pulsed. I picked it up and took it to my father's surgery to ask him what it was. I just carried it in the palm of my hand. It turned out to be a deadly Blue-Ringed octopus and my kind, normally gentle saint of a father saw it and knocked it flying out of my hand and then gave me a hiding (the only one he ever gave me). It must of scared him. A BRO bite introduces the same Tetradotoxin found in Blowfish that Japanese like to eat (and occasionally be killed by) and there is no cure. Respirator until the toxin wears off - or not!Either I didn't annoy the octopus or it simply could not bite into the flat skin, but I survived. Like I said. Even the calamari can get you down here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcdayaz Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Hi again jcdayaz,Either I didn't annoy the octopus or it simply could not bite into the flat skin, but I survived. Like I said. Even the calamari can get you down here.SCARY STORY for a mother of two rambuctious "know -it-all, have no fear" boys!!It sounds like you were obviously VERY lucky!! THANKS A MILLION for mailing your book. I can't wait to get it. You still need to let me know how much to reimburse you for the book and shipping cost. Thanks again!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimOz Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 You are welcome jcdayaz,No cost for the books. I PMed you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now