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Betrayed by our Cricket Icons

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The mightiest of Australian icons has fallen.

 

There are not many institutions, let alone individuals, who are held up on seemingly unshakable pedestals.  Pop stars are not – we just wait for the next drug scandal or bad album.  Scientists are not, even though they should be.  Politicians?  Forget about it – the amount of credibility to be found in Canberra would not fill a metaphorical teaspoon.

 

So who does that leave?  Well for us Aussies it’s usually our sporting heroes.  But even those are not universally revered.  If you live in certain states then chances are you don’t give a stuff about AFL and likewise with Rugby.  Basketball still has the stigma of being an American sport and Soccer is considered too European too be a true Aussie pursuit.

 

So we have the cricket.

 

To wear the Baggy Green is a dream that even the most sporting inept of young men dream of.  Even I did.  I was on the school team in Primary School, though my lack of coordination combined with an inherent fear that a speeding ball was going to remove my head guaranteed I was perpetually the worst on the team.  But even I dreamed of playing for Australia, smacking 6’s out of the park all over the world for the glory of my team and my country.  We hold our test cricketers in esteem with a level that no other sport receives in our great brown land.  We pin on them so many of our hopes, our dreams and our national pride.

 

Yesterday that all came crashing down.

 

For those that don’t know,  our team was caught cheating.  So what, all teams cheat now and then, everyone does it etc etc etc.

No, not the Australian Cricket Team.  Not before.  Not until now.

 

The greenest member of our Test Side, a young man named Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera ball tampering.  By the application of yellow tape to make the ball pick up grit, he hoped to change the way the ball flew in order to frustrate the opposing batsmen – a well known and much despised way to cheat.

Attempting to hide the evidence in front of television cameras – not bright

But we cannot lay the blame simply at the feet of this young man, because it was the leadership members of his team that put him up to it, headed by the team skipper Steve Smith.  After being caught in this flagrant act of cheating a press conference was called and Smith admitted that it was a premeditated action, multiple members of the team conspiring to purposely cheat.  He even had the audacity to go on in his interview that he felt he should still remain captain.

 

Well he won’t be captain any longer if the public has anything to say about it.  The public are pissed off!

 

Why are we so pissed off?  Well as said before, we hold our cricketers up to a level that perhaps only the biggest of our Olympic heroes also reach.  They represent us on the world stage in a sport that we have so often ruled.  They go out into the world, armed with a green hat and a piece of willow and shine for us.  To be captain of the Australian Test Cricket Team is perhaps the highest position a player of sport could ever hope to achieve in our nation.  Beneau, Border, Lawry, Ponting – they are names that every person knows.  As for Bradman, he is a true legend in our society (and didn’t have to put on a metal helmet and rob people to become it).  Our cricketing captains are the closest we have to home-grown royalty and someone that little boys see as tangible heroes.  Oh they go may through slumps in ability or difficulty with the ACB, but for the most part they are unimpeachable.  Unlike so many other countries teams, our team and our captains have always been the squeakiest of squeaky clean and beyond reproach.

 

Smith’s actions took that away from us.  He stole that from us.  He ruined that for us!

How dare he.

HOW DARE HE!?

You bastard!

How dare you Steve Smith!  How dare you sir!  You were given the top job in Aussie sport and you sullied it, you dragged it through the mud!  Do you really believe Australians will forgive you?  You might as well forget about the massive amount of sledging that our team will have to endure from other counties on the field for years to come, you need to worry about what you will cop from the home crowds when you next play in Australia, if you ever get that chance.  The Captain of the Australian Cricket Team is a sacred position, a sacred trust.  You have betrayed that trust.  You have betrayed us.  My 5 year old son is really getting into cricket, shows no interest in other sports but is always eager for us to head down to the local nets and smack a few balls around.  I won’t be buying him a poster of you anymore, I won’t be holding you up as a figure to emulate. In fact I’ll go out of my way to make sure he never learns your name.  Because I don’t want him to feel disenfranchised with a sport in which his interest is just beginning to grow. You have gone from a source of national pride to a source of national shame.  Aussies are very fair minded and the fact that you put your youngest, most inexperienced team member up to such an act, putting him in such an awkward position that he either betrays his captain or his sport, just compounds the nature of your crime.  If you had any decency at all, you would quit right now and do your best to become a ghost because you will not be welcome in many social circles on your home turf anymore.  We can forgive losses, but we cant forgive this.

 

So can Australian cricket ever recover from this.  The answer is yes, but perhaps not entirely.  As the years progress it will become a matter of history but Australia can never get back the ‘Well, we have never cheated’ mantle – its gone forever.  It has been stolen from us and the nation mourns.

 

My love of the sport remains, but my love of our team and especially its captain, does not.

 

Got something to add?  Would love to read it in the comments section below!

 

 

 

Fan Interviews & Art, Transformatorium

Transformer Fan Interview – Chris

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Welcome to the latest in a series of interviews with Aussie Transformer Fans.  Last time we talked to Michael, an absolutely brilliant customizer!  Today we talk to someone who has also had a crack at the customization game – as well in his spare time brushing up on his Metallikato skills – today we talk to Chris.

Name or what friends call you?

Christopher Turner.

 

State you live in?

Queensland.

 

Your age?

33.

 

How did you hear about www.bigangrytrev.com?

Transformers Collectors Club Australia.

 

Transformers Allegiance, if you had one?

Decepticons.

 

Your Techspec motto if you had one?

“Do not scorn the weak cub. It may grow to become the brutal Tiger.”

 

What existing, official Transformers character best describes you?

Bludgeon. He’s a Decepticon warlord bound by a strict code of honour.

 

Which special ability of any Transformers character would you want to have for yourself?

Bludgeon’s mastery of Metallikato. His supernatural skill with the blade makes him a match for even the most powerful Transformers.

 

How would you rate yourself on a C scale, C10 being MISB Mint perfection to the lowest C1 ‘junker not worth it even for parts’?

C7 – Out of the box but in good nick.

 

Fan/Collector since (year)?

I’d like to say 1984, but that was the year I was born so my interest didn’t truly develop until about ’86-’87.

 

What drew you to Transformers, making you become a fan/collector?

I used to watch the G1 cartoon and I was always drawn to the Decepticons. I always thought characters like Soundwave and Starscream were so cool. I also had a lot of hand-me-down G1 toys that belonged to my older brother and my Uncle.

 

Do you think you will collect Transformers until you die?

Without a shadow of a doubt!

 

Were your family/parents supportive of collecting toys or did you have to hide your passion from them and friends?

No one among my family or friends really shared my passion for Transformers but I never hid it nor was I ashamed of it. I have made friends in the TCCA now so I have a lot of fellow collectors in my life. My fiancè is very supportive of my hobby. She’s bought me several Transformers as gifts and lets me display my collection in our living room. My stepmother once remarked that our house looks like a “museum for Transformers”.

 

Have you attended any fan-meets, Fairs, Conventions?

I was lucky enough to meet Peter Cullen at Supanova a few years ago. He’s a really great guy and it was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. I hope to meet Frank Welker one day so my life can be truly complete. As the current QLD Rep for the TCCA I have hosted a couple of meet-ups for local members.

 

Any creative endeavours with Transformers (drawing, writing, customising, etc)?

I recently collaborated with the very talented John Ryan to customize a G2 coloured FoC Bruticus. Our next joint project is going to be a Decepticon throne.

 

Favourite series/era/year, and why?

I will always have a soft spot for G1 but I actually like most TF series out there, including the obscure Japanese ones. And yes, I even like the Bay movies and the Machinima cartoons. Transformers Prime is probably my favourite of the most recent series.

 

Least favourite series/era/year, and why?

I could never get into Transformers Animated. The childish humour, simplistic style, and general “wackyness” didn’t appeal to me.

 

Collect any comics (which ones)?

I have a fair few of the Marvel G1 comics, and a couple of IDW releases.

 

Favourite Comic issue/story, and why?

It’s a three way tie between Dreamwave’s War Within: Dark Ages (still the best version of The Fallen to date), IDW’s All Hail Megatron (a fantastic re-telling of G1’s origins), and IDW’s Stormbringer (Bludgeon and Thunderwing… ’nuff said).

 

Favourite Cartoon episode/story, and why?

Does the G1 movie count? I love everything about that story.

 

Favourite Board/Video game?

War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron were amazing games. Best Transformers games of all time in my opinion.

 

Favourite Character, and why?

Bludgeon. He’s a skeleton samurai that turns into a tank. I don’t know what else you need to make him any more badass. Though he’s never appeared on screen, in the Marvel, Dreamwave, and IDW comics he’s an absolute beast. Has to be one of the greatest villains in Transformers history.

 

Sexiest Transformers (robot) Character?

I don’t really get how some people can find robots sexy. I guess I like Airachnid in the sense that the woman who voices her in Transformers Prime (Gina Torres) is really hot.

 

Which Transformers character would you want to exist for real?

Optimus Prime. I’d like to say a Decepticon but let’s face it, the reality is an actual ‘con would probably just kill me.

 

Approx TFs toy collection count (or give a range like 200s, 300s, etc)?

Around 200 or so.

 

Sealed collector or out-of-packaging collector?

Out of box all the way. I like to display my bots.

 

How much do you think you’ve spent on your collecting habit?

It has to be in the thousands.

 

Any rare/expensive figures in your collection?

I have quite a few but the ones that spring to mind are my TFCC Barricade, Titans Return Trypticon, Universe Unicron, most of my Unicronian figures (Galvatron, Cyclonus, Scourge etc) are Takara Henkei, CW Devastator, Jinbao OS Predaking and Bruticus, Micron Arms Galvatron… that’s the tip of the iceberg.

 

 

What interesting Licensed Merchandise items do you have?

I have the Takara Soundwave that transforms into a fully-functional Mp3 player. I also have a G1 print signed by Peter Cullen.

 

First Transformers toy?

G1 Duocon Battletrap.

 

One toy you most want?

At the moment I’m keen to get my hands on Power of the Primes Rodimus Unicronus.

 

The centrepiece/favourite toy in your collection at the moment (and why)?

It’s a tie between my MMC Kultur (3P Tarn) and my DNA Susanoo (3P Bludgeon). Both fantastic Decepticon figures that look amazing on display.

 

Favourite toy in your early years of collecting (if it was more than 10 years ago)?

Probably G1 Soundwave + tapes.

 

Worst toy(s) ever in your opinion?

Probably the little crab dude from RID. What even is that? What were you thinking Hasbro?

 

Toy(s) that were most disappointing when you got them?

I hated CW Menasor. Sold him pretty quick. His individual bots were quite nice but in Combiner form he was a dumpster fire. No amount of upgrade kits could make that eyesore look good.

 

Thoughts on gimmick and non-convertable Transformers toys?

I think certain gimmicks really detract from toys. Sometimes they go to so much trouble to get a figure to launch a projectile or do something flashy that it just ends up ruining it.

 

Thoughts on unlicensed fan-project figures/accessories?

It’s great to have those options as a collector. Especially when official avenues leave gaps in the market. The fact they exist at all is proof of a thriving hobby.

 

Thoughts on the Transformers Brand over the last five years?

I think Hasbro needs to pick a direction and stick with it. They seem to change their minds so rapidly about where they want to take the franchise. Constant cancellations and re-boots are antagonizing the fanbase. On a positive note, I think Titans Return has been the best line yet for CHUG collectors.

 

Which single TFs toy should every fan own?

Any of the CHUG Deluxe Seekers. HasTak nailed it with that mold.

 

Which Transformers toy/product would you give as a wedding present?

Maybe some Decepticon cufflinks.

 

 

Got any extra questions for Chris?  Pop them in the comments section below and I’m sure he will do his best to answer them.

 

Related Articles:

TF Fan Interview: Raymo

TF Fan Interview: Lisamaree

 

Transformatorium

Alien Robot to be Barnaby Joyce’s new assistant

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In the wake of the public scandal where former Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce lost his position due to having an extra-marital affair with a member of his staff whom fell pregnant, new rules have been introduced into parliament to prevent further indiscretions between Members of Parliament and their employees.

However it appears Mr Joyce has already found a way to circumvent these new rules with the hiring of his new primary aide.  Whilst this aide, named Alice, may appear to be a very attractive woman on the outside, she is actually an extra-terrestrial robotic assassin who starred in the 2009 Transformers film Revenge of the Fallen.

Apparently since she is not human but a Decepticon, Alice will not fall under the jurisdiction of the Code of Conduct.

“Since she is technically a robot, we are classifying her as a fax machine” said a spokesman in Barnaby’s office.

 

Nude photo’s already surfacing

 

Given Alice’s less than human nature, will this make it easier for Mr. Joyce resist temptation?

“Well it doesn’t matter if he resists or not, it doesn’t break the new Parliamentary Code of Conduct”.  said another member of Barnaby’s staff  “However I noticed a difference in his breath.  It smelt like diesel – like a diesel-y tinge to it”

 

Many on Barnaby’s staff seem to think Alice should acclimatize well to her new role.  The Decepticon in question is a type of Transformer classified as a ‘Pretender’, due to being disguised as a humanoid rather than a car or truck.  Given Mr Joyce is an accomplished pretender himself, as demonstrated from his consistent preaching about the sanctity of marriage during the gay marriage debate, it is believed they will be a good fit for each other.

However despite this effort from the former Deputy PM to avoid further scandal, rumours have begun to circulate that Barnaby and his ‘fax machine’ could already be expecting an alien-hybrid offspring.

“The protoform might not even be mine but I’ll be sticking by her.  Anyway, it’s nobody’s business, it’s a private matter and that’s an end to it” said Mr Joyce.

“I’ll be holding a press conference to discuss it in full detail tomorrow”

 

When approached for comment, Alice attempted to lick reporters from across the room before converting her arm into a plasma cannon and blowing a hole in the wall, escaping into the night.

 

More details as they develop.

 

Related Articles:

Ask Trev – Who should I vote for in the Federal Election?

Movie Review – Transformers: The Last Knight

 

Fan Interviews & Art, Transformatorium

Transformer Fan Interview – Paul

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Welcome to the next in a series of interviews with different Aussie Transformer fans.  Last time we chatted to Raymo, a country lad like me who is a big collector.  Today we will be talking to Paul, a stalwart of the Aussie TF community who has been part of the online forums for nearly 20 years!

Transformers Allegiance, if you had one? 
Autobot

Your Techspec motto if you had one? 
“Be kind, be brave and be yourself” 

What existing, official Transformers character best describes you? 
Beast Wars Rhinox, which for a while was a username I used with Ozformers. He’s big but quiet, smart and caring. Someone dependable and constant. Good with the tech. When needed he’ll take charge but he would happily just sit in the background.

Which special ability of any Transformers character would you want to have for yourself? 
Skywarp’s teleporting ability would be great. I love to travel to new places but I hate the travel part of it.

How would you rate yourself on a C scale, C10 being MISB Mint perfection to the lowest C1 ‘junker not worth it even for parts’? 
C6 – needs some repairs, some paint touch ups, but generally ok.

Fan/Collector since (year)? 
I have some confusion over the exact starting point. I definitely was a fan in 1985, and I have proof of that. I think I may have got Ravage and Rumble as a Christmas present in 1984, but I think of Powerglide as my first Transformer and that would have been a 1985 purchase.

What drew you to Transformers, making you become a fan/collector? 
Originally some combination of the cartoon and toys would have got 5 year old me interested, but the thing that cemented me as a fan/collector was the comics. I was given issues 79 and 80 of the UK comic as a Christmas present in 1986; Target 2006’s first official two parts days before I would have seen Transformers The Movie. I followed the comics as the definitive G1 story as a kid and that kept me going with TFs long past when others moved on as the cartoon finished.

When the Transformers comic ended, and I moved onto X-Men, I would plot out the new comic stories based on the toys (like the Turbomasters) that kept coming out. Nowadays there’s so many TF comics, more than I could have ever imagined there’d be. I buy Lost Light monthly but for the other series I wait for the hardcover IDW Collection series.

Alongside the comics I kept buying Transformers every year from when I started. I’d still get excited when each new year of toys would come out and buy several each year. The Movie year was a point where “toy collector” would probably have started to apply. I bought all the movie stuff because it was buy it or miss out with the rate those toys were flying off the shelf back then. It was also the year I started buying toys online and I quickly increased my TF count.

Do you think you will collect Transformers until you die? 
I have seen so many say how they had TFs as a kid and then moved on, and then came back when older. I never had that gap and at this point, I can’t see myself ever having one unless something about my life drastically changes. I was so young when I became a fan I have barely any memories of a time when Transformers were part of my life and I can’t see a reason that I wouldn’t want to keep seeing the new figures 20, 30, 40 years from now.

Were your family/parents supportive of collecting toys or did you have to hide your passion from them and friends? 
I wouldn’t say they were that supportive as I kept buying TFs into adulthood but they never gave me any grief about it either as they knew it was a hobby that made me happy.

Have you attended any fan-meets, Fairs, Conventions? 
I’ve been to a lot of fan-meets. The first one was back in 2001 when some out of town visitors came to Melbourne. We didn’t really do a lot in Melbourne though until around the time the first movie came out. Around that time we started frequent lunchtime catchups, several visits to the Sandown Fair, and the Christmas get togethers.

Outside of Melbourne, I got to BotCon twice (2009 and 2011). It was an amazing experience to be in a place with so many others who shared my passion. I went to the OTCA convention in Sydney in 2006, as well as visiting the SupaNova booth in 2003, and attending the Parramatta Fair in 2008, and a catchup in QLD in 2010.

Any creative endeavours with Transformers (drawing, writing, customising, etc)? 
My primary would be writing. All through my childhood I was coming up with Transformers stories, some written down, some as notes, and some just in my head. I only ever “published” two fan fic stories on A.T.T. just to force myself to complete them.

Back when I was at Uni in the late 90s I was mapping out a new TF comic book series, coming up with story beats and concepts but never actually completing a full story. The comic book series was going to be called More Than Meets The Eye, it was set after the Autobot/Decepticon war had finished, with a group of Autobots and some ex-Decepticons, including Megatron, aboard a space ship having space drama hijinx. Of course this now ACTUALLY EXISTS and is 1 million times better than I was planning or could ever have done!

I had one attempt at a custom figure, repainting and some stickers to make Cabcharge but it was enough to tell me it wasn’t my thing. I prefer to digibash (although it’s been a while) and some fun TF bios.

Favourite series/era/year, and why? 
In some ways I hate to say this as I support the franchise moving forward, but G1’s 1985 line set such a high standard of ideas and characters will never be beaten for me. When it comes to Transformers toys that 1985 catalogue is always my starting point. Sure some of those toys don’t compare to their MP and Classicverse reimaginings, but they are the foundation of the brand (even more so than 1984’s). That said the 2008-2010 period where we had Animated, ROTF/HFTD and Generations 2.0 lines was a pretty close second

Least favourite series/era/year, and why? 
There’s some I don’t like such as Dark of the Moon, Energon, Beast Machines*, but to pick one I’d say Armada. It’s a toy line I didn’t buy much of at the time, although I did pick up some later, but I currently have only one figure from the line in my collection (and that’s a repaint from Cybertron). The Mini-Con gimmick meant all the figures are limited in some way and they feel bulky and plastic-y after the Car Robots/RID toys the year before. The supporting fiction was also pretty poor (the cartoon did get better towards the end).
(*If you can find a fan who loved Beast Machines the best keep them MISB – they are so rare they are worth a fortune!)

Collect any comics (which ones)? 
Transformers comics are what got me in to this game. I currently buy Lost Light each month and other series digitally when they are on sale. I buy all the IDW hardcover collections and am currently enjoying the Definitive G1 Collection coming in each month. I’m also anxiously waiting the long-delayed next volume of the Classics UK series. I would love to complete my actual UK comic collection but those remaining issues are getting harder to find and I’ve pretty much accepted that won’t happen.

Favourite Comic issue/story, and why? 
Transformers 75 “On the Edge of Extinction!” – such a great climax to Simon Furman’s run on Marvel US. Funny and sad, violent but triumphant with some of Geoff Senior’s finest TF art too.

Favourite Cartoon episode/story, and why? 
Beast Wars “The Agenda” – it raised the stakes of the series by linking it to the previous series in a way we wouldn’t have expected. It respects the past while being something new and has a great cliffhanger ending.

Favourite Character, and why? 
G1 Ratchet. He was one of the most fleshed out Transformers in the comic, conflicted between wanting to save lives and also having to be a warrior. Not afraid to backchat his commanders and never getting the chance he wanted to just have a party. I find the cartoon Ratchet pretty bland and I’m a little annoyed Animated makes people think of Ratchet as old and grumpy, but James Roberts done a good job having a mix of both in MTMTE/Lost Light.

Sexiest Transformers (robot) Character? 
G1 Sideswipe. That vehicle mode and that athletic robot mode.

Which Transformers character would you want to exist for real? 
G1 Jazz. If a Transformer came to Earth I’d hope it was one that loved Earth culture and wanted to expierence it all.

Approx TFs toy collection count (or give a range like 200s, 300s, etc)? 
A little over 650 toys at the moment.

Sealed collector or out-of-packaging collector? 
Primarily out-of-packaging, but as I have a growing backlog I am kind of a sealed collector by accident. Nearly all my MP toys for instance are sealed awaiting a good glass display for them.

How much do you think you’ve spent on your collecting habit? 
Far too much to even think about, tens of thousands of dollars? It’s a scary thought.

Any rare/expensive figures in your collection? 
The most expensive figure in my collection is my original Fort Max, purchased from another Ozformer member not long before the Encore was announced* , as these things often go. I guess the most rare TF in my collection is a G1 Overlord I purchased from an European seller – who sent me the toy in wrapped shoe boxes! — which I think is still pretty rare for people to have.
(*Me too – 5 months before, wasn’t it a kick in the guts!)

What interesting Licensed Merchandise items do you have? 
I’ve got all the colouring books and story books from my childhood. I’ve got some miscellaneous stamp sets, puzzles and things like that from the heyday of G1 merchandise. Some of the more random things are some of the chocolate wrappers with temporary tattoos. I also have a Transformer balloon from the Royal Melbourne Show that’s still intact.

First Transformers toy? 
For a long time I have thought it was Powerglide, but I’m starting to think it was maybe Rumble and Ravage at Christmas 1984.

One toy you most want? 
Of existing toys the thing I’d most like to get is a G1 Swoop. It’s the only one of the Dinobots I don’t have (although three of the ones I do have are G2 versions) but with his fragile nature and the knock off versions around I am reluctant to purchase one, but if an Encore came out I’d jump on it. Same goes for the original Mirage and Wheeljack toys too the only 1984 figures I’ve not been able to get.

The centrepiece/favourite toy in your collection at the moment (and why)? 
The TakTom Devastator. Looks great and too big to put away.

Favourite toy in your early years of collecting (if it was more than 10 years ago)? 
In my early years I think Beachcomber was my favourite toy, followed closely by Prowl and Ravage.

Worst toy(s) ever in your opinion? 
Supreme Devastator from ROTF. Ugly and too big for it’s own good and no robot modes for the constructions? Totally inferior to the Legends-sized version.

Toy(s) that were most disappointing when you got them? 
First one that comes to mind is TF Prime First Edition Vehicon. The other First Edition deluxe toys were so good, but this one was clunky and disappointing – especially when the TF Prime’s regular line came out with such a perfect Vehicon toy.

Thoughts on gimmick and non-convertable Transformers toys?
I know they are not for me so I don’t even bother given them a try. I do at times think there are far too many clogging up the toy aisles. Because the gimmick toys are often the same characters also released as deluxes, voyagers, they seem less important to me, like they don’t count. I’d rather the Autobot and Decepticon ranks be boosted by new characters/subgroups built around gimmicks. The way we got toys and characters like the Throttlebots, Triggerbots, Battlechargers etc in the G1 years.

Thoughts on unlicensed fan-project figures/accessories? 
I think some of them look great (Green Giant, Quantron, Lost Exo-Realm) but the cost and perceived fragileness of them put me off. They look good on the shelf but don’t look like toys to play with. I have owned some but I much prefer to spend my money on the regular Transformers.

Thoughts on the Transformers Brand over the last five years? 
I think there’s a bit of stagnation. I think the diversification is good for the brand in theory, but it does create so many buying options that must compete with each other for parent dollars. I think Hasbro’s push for a “shared universe” has hurt the comics and I wonder if they’ll pull back from it. G1 fans are generally being treated pretty well but that also means the line isn’t progressing into new areas either, just retreading the same concepts.

Which single TFs toy should every fan own? 
I think it’s MP10 Convoy/Optimus Prime. It’s the most iconic Transformer character. The toy captures the feel of the classic figure combined with a great cartoon accurate design. (And if you don’t like red that toy comes in pretty much every colour now!)

Which Transformers toy/product would you give as a wedding present?
If I was buying someone a present today, I’d go get either the Crash Combiner PrimeStrong (for a male/female union) or Dragbreak (for a male/male union) or Skyhammer (for a female/female union).

SUBMITTED QUESTIONS
Michael from Melbourne
You’ve been part of the online fandom for a very long time – how has it changed? How is it different? What trends have you noticed? What prediction can you make about where fandom is going? Any other insights? 
The biggest shift was the movies. They increased Transformers fandom considerably both in numbers and visibility. It brought back fans from the earlier years and brought in young fans who are just becoming adults today. Some of them telling the same story about how their parents got rid of their childhood toys and they are coming back into being a fan, it’s just now they are talking about a Leader Movie Optimus Prime toy not a G1 Optimus Prime.

At the same time the rise in social media has broadened the places for fans to discuss TFs so what was once pretty centralised has become pretty splintered, but I think people find the place that best suits them: a forum, a facebook page, a twitter group, whatever it is. Of course social media has also raised the amount of “internet outrage” that also means there’s a lot more negativity around too, the nerd rage and entitlement stuff. On the positive side there’s a lot more diversity about thanks to the various channels open to people which is great.

Dallas from Sydney
Over the last couple years you’ve put in a massive effort in reducing and streamlining your collection. I’ve seen you take lot of consideration in what you keep and what you move on .
– are there any big regrets? 
No big regrets, when I make up my mind to move a Transformer on it is well considered. I think about what about the toy makes me want to keep it and if I can’t think of that reason, it’s good to go.
– are there any you’ve sold and then decided to re-purchase? 
There’s been one or two I’ve thought about briefly, Generations Blurr was one, but when I really think about it I’m happy not to have the toy.
– of all the lines you’ve cleared out which one did you keep the least toys from and which one did you keep the most. Titans return doesn’t count because it’s too recent. 
I didn’t keep any of the Armada toys (although I have two repaints from later lines – Longrack and the CHUG Unicron). In fact the Unicron Trilogy is a very small part of my collection now (1 Energon toy and 3 from Cybertron). I stripped my Alternators down to two figures as well (Smokescreen and Decepticharge).
– a large % of my collection is not on display for various reasons, is any of yours off display or are you trimming down to the point where you can keep it all on display? 
I have the most recent purchases on display while they are still my new stuff that I want to fiddle with.
Nearly everything else is sorted into various by toyline storage tubs. I don’t think I’ll ever have everything on display, but I’d like to have a good space that I could rotate series every couple of months.
– As time goes by, will you have to trim further to make room for new purchases or are you leaving some shelf space now the you can fill up later?
The lines I have most from are the CHUG ones but I sometimes think I’m not been harsh enough with those and with some of the recent lines providing new versions of characters I will need to revist. It is much easier to be critical of the older toys then the more recent ones.
– based on your long term selection of favorite toys from each line you’ve kept are you finding patterns in the types of transformers you prefer? is it a certain level of complexity, poseability or is it character or alt mode based preference? 
The ones I keep tend to have a fun or clever transformation and looks great in one or both of the alt modes, or it has some special sentimental value to me (which is why I’ve not sold any of my childhood toys (anything prior to Beast Wars). Character can play a part in it as well. Poseability not so much but is always nice to have. A transformation that’s frustrating to the point where the toy is not fun to change, is often the main reason I’ve got rid of something.

D-Dawg!
If you could go back in time to meet your 20 year old self, what would be the one thing you would tell him about Transformers in the future?* 
(*Great question! Tempted to answer it myself)
As a 20 year old I wasn’t all that keen on the current toyline, Beast Machines, and it didn’t really seem like the future of the brand was all that strong. I would tell him to cast those fears aside, that there would be so much new stuff to come, new toylines, new cartoons, comics, movies and video games, than he could ever imagine there could be so relax and enjoy all the unexpected shapes Transformers will take over the next two decades.

 

Got any other questions for Paul?  Pop them in the comments section below and I’m sure he will do his best to answer them for you!

 

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Transformer Fan Interview – Lisamaree

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One great thing about being a Transformers fan is getting to meet other members of the fandom.  Of course that was all but impossible in the pre-internet days (yes kids – some of us are old enough to remember that) unless they went to your school.  Nowdays you can meet Transfans from around the globe without ever having to leave your laptop!
Someone I have had great conversations online with over the years is fellow blogger Lisamaree.  Being a former Sociology major (one of many degree’s I have that proved to have no value in the real world) she fascinates me since she is a Kiwi who was living in Australia and now is raising a family in China.  As a Transformers fan she is a great person to chat to and debunks the theory that you have to be some sad virgin male living in his parents basement to be ‘one of us’.
Here are Lisamaree’s answers to questions about her passion for all things Autobot.

Transformers Allegiance, if you had one?
Where Optimus Prime goes I go… so I guess I have a tendency to show extreme bias to the Autobots
.What existing, official Transformers character best describes you?
Movie Optimus Prime. Honest, caring, loyal to a fault but have a tendency to rip peoples heads off and tear them in 2 when they piss me off.
How would you rate yourself on a C scale, C10 being MISB Mint perfection to the lowest C1 ‘junker not worth it even for parts’?
C7/C8 with C10 tendencies I guess. I’m not much one for the junker stuff at all.Fan/Collector since (year)
Fan since 1984. Collector since 2013. My parents wouldn’t let me have Transformers (specifically Optimus) when I was a kid and my husband believes that has lead to my “over-compensating” now.What drew you to Transformers, making you become a fan/collector?
The G1 cartoon when I was a kid. Optimus Prime. First time I saw the cartoon and saw/heard him I was hooked. It was my “must run home from school to watch TV” show.
Lost touch while I grew up/worked/uni’ed/worked, refound my passion when the first Bay movie came out and I was sitting in the cinema almost wetting myself in excitement when I heard that voice say “Before time began, there was… the cube!” Turned to my husband and said “that’s the REAL Optimus Prime!” with giddy excitement to which my husband had no clue what I was talking about. Didn’t think much about the toys though as I was still adulting my way through life. Then in 2013 we kept walking past YoTH Optimus Prime at various places like Toys’R’Us and I kept drooling all over it with my husband dragging me away… he ended up getting it for my birthday that Christmas and I’ve never looked back. Or as my husband like to say – I’m now making up for lost time.Do you think you will collect Transformers until you die?
Yes. And my kids have already planned how they will divide some of the figures in my collection between them when I drop dead. Thoughtful aren’t they?!Do people outside of the Fandom know you collect TFs (like at work/school)?
Yes.

Were your family/parents supportive of collecting toys or did you have to hide your passion from them and friends?
My husband supports my collecting. He says, and I quote, ”If all you want is one or 2 Optimus Prime figures a month I’m getting off lightly compared to my colleagues whose wives spend a fortune on handbags, jewellery and makeup.” Of course… every now and then there MAY be more than one or 2 figures in a month… but he’s cool with it most of the time.
My parents on the other hand think I’m mad and that I am wasting my time and money on “stupid kids toys” (which they wouldn’t let me have even when I WAs a kid). But they also think the same thing about my kids having Transformers toys… so whatever. *shrugs*
My friends think it is weird and cool. People who see the VERY small portion of my collection on display when they come over LOVE it, even if they think I’m nuts.

Have you attended any fan-meets, Fairs, Conventions?
Yeah. Cybertroncon in Shanghai last year (2016) to meet “Sir” Peter Cullen. That was a blast and fulfilled a childhood dream for me… and my daughter!
I’ve met up with Ozformers in Sydney a couple of times when I’ve been over and had a chance to escape the in-laws. They’re a great group of guys and it’s always fun to catch up and I learn so much.
I’ve been to several of the HK ani-con’s where Hasbro and a lot of the licensed toy designers have booths and you generally get the SDCC figures for sale, get to say hi to Bimbo-bee, etc.
I’ve also been to some exclusive Hasbro toy events for Transformers ranging from Toys’R’Us movie nights  to private toy preview events where I’ve been the only “westerner” and definitely the only chick there.
I went to the Transformers Expo in Macau in 2014.
Never been to a big US event but would really like to do that at some point.

Any creative endeavours with Transformers (drawing, writing, customising, etc)?
I’m learning to draw ballpoint & ink pen line art from a famous Hong Kong artist so my first endeavour was my favourite bot of all time.

Currently working on a Transformers 5 Megatron … because my art teacher said I needed something more challenging than my previous pieces… and good grief is it challenging all right.

Favourite series/era/year, and why?
Give me a G! Give me a 1! G-1! G-1! G1!
I love the original 2 seasons because Optimus Prime … DUH!
Seriously though, as dated as they are now, they were and still are FUN. Silly sometimes, nonsensical but great whimsical concepts, interesting characters and fun good vs evil cartooning with kick arse designs and super cool bots. It’s the show that started it all and will always have a special place in my heart.

Least favourite series/era/year, and why?
Animated. I hate it. Haven’t even collected any of the Primes from that series and don’t intend to despite several people trying to convince me I should have an Animated Optimus in my collection.
I dislike the characterisations. Sari is an annoyance and I hate how they portray Optimus and Megatron. I don’t mind that Optimus isn’t leader and I’m open to alternative versions of characters but there’s something about this series that just makes me shake my head and go NO! Having said that I have watched one episode of Energon and that looks even worse so that could jump to number 1 if I ever had the will to watch it.

Collect any comics (which ones)?
Not really. I have started collecting the Optimus Prime series, not just because of the title but because I’ve finally been able to find a comic store here that gets comics in at a reasonable price with regularity (thanks to another amazing Ozformer) and I could start collecting from part 1. Also brought a few compilations recently while in the US.

Favourite Cartoon episode/story, and why?
Oh gosh… just one?
The episode where Wheeljack builds the dinobots was funny.
So was the one where Optimus & co pretended to be Menasor…
Oh – and the one where Megatron turned Optimus into a giant alligator.
… and the one where the decepticons got drunk on energon…
Also loved the episode of Transformers Prime where Agent Fowler was trying to drive Optimus … Convoy.

Favourite Character, and why?
Optimus Prime.
Because he’s Optimus Prime!
Ok – seriously? Because he’s the same archetype as Superman (who happens to be my favourite superhero).
He’s “perfect” as a hero – strong, brave, enabled and yet you know there is something vulnerable underneath that metallic exterior and hiding behind that faceplate – he’s full of compassion, honesty and sincerity yet he’s not full of himself.
G1 Optimus in particular is quite prone to making mistakes but unlike a lot of other characters he ADMITS his faults which ironically makes him more human than a lot of the humans around him. I just love that about him.

Sexiest Transformers (robot) Character?
Uh… what? I guess I have to say Optimus but honestly I don’t think of my bots in that way.

Which Transformers character would you want to exist for real?
G1 Soundwave or Movie Prime.
G1 Soundwave because he’s so portable and lethal all in one hand carry sided package.
Movie Prime because I’m a sucker for a Peterbilt.

Approx TFs toy collection count (or give a range like 200s, 300s, etc)?
Um… 200+ (excluding my son’s collection of which he has *cough* a few *cough cough*)
I’m not sure of the exact number as I haven’t catalogued them all yet. That’s a current ongoing process right now.

Sealed collector or out-of-packaging collector?
Both. I used to like being a SMIB gal but recently thinking about the fact all these figures need to be relocated to OZ and space running out here I’ve started cracking many of my beauties open. Certain figures I haven’t opened because I enjoy knowing they’re minty new and want to display them at some point in their original state. Having said that there are also quite a few figures that I open because I just love playing with them. Sooooo… yeah… both.

How much do you think you’ve spent on your collecting habit?
Let’s not think about that, especially around my husband ok??? … too much, but given I’m in Asia and tend to only collect Optimus not as much as a lot of you folks I’m guessing.

Any rare/expensive figures in your collection?
Most expensive figure is Ultimetal Optimus Prime – my hubby gave him to me for our wedding anniversary… does he count given he can’t transform?
Rare – I have one of the limited edition black box dinobots prizes from Age of Extinction.
Priceless – My Peter Cullen autographed Optimus Prime and Ironhide.
I may have other rare/expensive pieces but I honestly wouldn’t know as I don’t collect them for that reason.

What interesting Licensed Merchandise items do you have?
I have a fair number of t-shirts and I seem to be accumulating a decent collection of movie drinking containers too.

First Transformers toy?
Year of the Horse Optimus Prime. My hubby gave him to me as a birthday present because every time we’d walk past one I’d drool over it and complain about how he was the ONE TOY I wanted as a kid. My parents didn’t believe girls should have “boy” toys which is why I was never allowed any Transformers when they first came out in the 80’s.

One toy you most want?
One thing I’d really love to get one day is one of the gold Optimus Prime prize figures.
I don’t have any one toy I specifically want as I know there are so many out there I’d like to have. I’m kind of spontaneous in my buying. If I see something I don’t have and the price is right I will probably buy it.

Worst toy(s) ever in your opinion?
One steps and the non transforming titans. My god those things are FUGLY. I got a non transforming titan Optimus Prime for AU$3… and still feel like I paid too much for that piece of plastic.

Thoughts on unlicensed fan-project figures/accessories?
Personally I don’t collect unlicensed figures normally. I’ve only gone out of my way to buy one – Positum (Croctimus Prime). I got him because of my fondness for the G1 episode and the assumption Hasbro would probably never release such an obscure Optimus representation.
I do collect licensed 3rd party figures from companies like Kidslogic, Herocross, etc as long as Hasbro or Takara officially approve/endorse them.
Insofar as unlicensed stuff in general, whilst much of it is nice I tend to be one of these people who likes to support the licensed figures in the hope of keeping the momentum of popularity in the Transformers brand alive.

Which single TFs toy should every fan own?
A Masterpiece figure. I’m obviously bias and think MP-10 or MP-27 as they are my 2 favourites. Ask my son and he’d say you should own an MP Megatron or MP Soundwave.

Do you collect other toys (which ones)?
Not anymore. I used to collect Jurassic Park toys and Buffy figurines. They’re all in storage back in Sydney. I’ll probably keep the Jurassic Park stuff but I’m seriously considering selling the Buffy figures when I move back to Oz.

What other (non-toy) interests do you have?
I bake and decorate cakes that people actually seem to enjoy eating.

Love to write (NOT fanfic) but haven’t had time or commitment for it recently.
What type of music/movies/TV/books do you enjoy
Music: Icehouse, Midnight Oil, Tears for Fears & movie soundtracks
TV: Currently enjoying the show Lucifer. It’s written to cater to my perverse sense of humour. One of the shos my hubs and I love watching together. *
Books: Anything by Michael Crichton, Anne Rice or Ken Follett.

If you died today, what would your tombstone say?
No idea, but it would probably make colourful use of the F word.

Given that a lot of Fandoms, especially ones like Transformers, can often have huge ratios of men compared to women, how do you find being a female Transformer fan?
Gender doesn’t play much of a role when engaging in online forums, which is as it should be.
Unfortunately I can’t say the same for Hong Kong. I’ve been to events where a few collectors have been taken aback and somewhat upset that not only a westerner but a GIRL westerner is at an event with them and they will go out of their way to ignore me. I’ll be treated with scepticism by some until they hear me talking and then I’m suddenly acceptable because I can talk the transformers lingo or speak Cantonese. Hasbro HK love me because I’m such a novelty to them when they see me at events… and obviously as the only female collector they always remember me.
I think the biggest issue I have is collectors in general have a hard time believing a woman or girl could have a passion for a “boys toy” so I feel like I have to prove myself before being accepted.

What stands out as some of the big differences between the AU/western fandom and the Hong Kong/China fandoms? Conversely, is there anything that you would have expected to be the different but was the same?
As I mentioned above the Oz fans are far more tolerant. I also find the Oz collectors aren’t as rabid as the Hong Kong collectors. The HK guys have to have their toys the DAY they come out. They’ll line up waiting for stores to open to be the first to get their hands on a figure (even if they’ve pre-ordered it!!) or in extreme cases fight over the last of a figure on a shelf. I’ve witnessed 2 grown men fighting over a Combiner Wars figure at a store in Wan Chai. I was in a store once and as I went to grab a Warpath Legend sized figure off its hook a guy shot his hand out in front of me grabbed it, gave me a cheeky “I got it first” smirk and bounced off to pay for it. I wasn’t that desperate and just laughed in amusement. I also find the HK guys collect everything. When I say everything I mean not only the official figures but the unofficial licensed and unlicensed figures and some pretty garish KO rubbish as well. They will pre-order and queue for ages at Action Robo just to pick up their unlicensed 3P stuff. This amuses me as the apartments here as so small I couldn’t figure out where they store it all. I’ve since learnt some pay for storage units and fill those up while others have their satisfaction of being the first to get a hold of a figure then when they grow bored of it a few weeks/months later take it to a store like Toyzone and put it on consignment to be sold off.
The mainland China (Shanghai) fandom surprised me in how different they are from the HK guys. They guys I met were more like Ozformers – easy going, truly passionate and fun-loving. They surprised me in the fact they prefer the English versions of the shows and movies and used me as an opportunity to practice their English – one guy had even learned English by watching Transformers!

How do non-TF collectors react to your Transformer hobby?
Generally with confusion. A lot of the expat woman here think I am truly the weirdest person they’ve ever met because of it. How odd am I that I have no idea about their latest designer handbags because I’m too invested in my odd plastic toys! My husbands work colleagues and friends generally think it is unusual but cool.

What are some of the things you have put your partner through with your hobby, in terms of events and toy-hunting?

My poor hubby has been through it all with me.
He’s been through the Transformers Expo in Macau (twice) when it was on.
He’s been to several of the HK Ani-cons to hold my purchases while I continue walking around.
He’s carried the box for Ultimetal Optimus Prime from Yau Ma Tei (Ins Point) to Mong Kok (about 800 metres) where we parked our car one time. Anyone who has seen or tried lifting the box (not just the toy) will know that packaged up that figure is EXTREMELY heavy.
He’s gone out of his way to venture with me to toy areas in countries including Taiwan, China, Japan, Vietnam, Philippines and most recently Bangkok in Thailand. In some cases this has meant a special trip in a taxi to areas off the beaten track. He now allocates time in our travel itinerary (especially in Japan) for us to detour to at least one of the Transformers shops he knows I will want to go to.
He’s also gone out of his way to get things for me during his free time on work trips – eg he got some Transformers mens beauty masks (yes you read that right peoples!) while away for work in South Korea one year because he noticed they had Optimus Prime on them.When I was ill and immobile last year he ventured over to Mong Kok for me a couple of time to pick up Transformers I had pre-ordered on my behalf. He will reluctantly come with me to Sino Centre and Ins Point on the odd shopping trip as long as we go and have a nice dinner afterwards.
He has come to a couple of Hasbro VIP events, including a Star Wars event I was invited to. He’s not a collector nor is he a huge fan of Transformers… but love is love… what can I say? I know what a lucky woman I am.
Oh – and the poor bastard has to deal with one corner of our bedroom towering up with boxes of Optimus Primes I don’t have room to display.
I’ve never had to sneak anything into the apartment. I HAVE asked his approval a couple of times before outlaying on figures if they’re on the pricy side. The only time I’ve hidden MY Transformers from the kids is when I’ve brought figures for my husband to give to me as presents so the kids think he’s gone out and brought them. This always impresses the kids when they help him wrap the presents; daddy is so thoughtful he’s able to get exactly the right Optimus Primes for their mum.
 As a Transformers fan, when you move back to Australia, what are you going to miss most about Hong Kong… considering that you have easy access to both Hasbro and TakaraTomy Transformers in toy stores, along with a plethora of collectable cubicles, selling old and new toys, and the occasional fan events?
What will I miss most about Hong Kong? Hobbybase and In’s Point. The convenience of walking into a store to pre-order all my Takara figures (and the odd Hasbro figure) I will miss greatly. I haven’t even thought about how I’m going to replace that luxury when we move back. I’ll also miss the ability to shop around and price check stores (all in the same mall) to find the best deals on figures. But mostly I’ll miss the easy and relatively cheap access to Takara merchandise. That and some of the local food that I’ve never had replicated correctly elsewhere.
If we look at my non-toy Transformers items it’s well up over the 300 – 400 mark. If you add in my children’s Transformers collections it would be over the 600 mark. My son probably has well over 200 of his own Transformers…
My favourites… Ultimetal Optimus Prime is my favourite non transforming figure. I absolutely love it. MP-27 is my favourite masterpiece figure to transform. My autographed 2002 New Years Encore Optimus Prime is my favourite SMIB figure.

Which item in your collection do your kids most envy and want in their own collection?
My son has his eye on my Kidslogic Grimlock. My daughter has her eye on MP-27 Ironhide and loves setting up Ultimetal Prime in interesting poses.

What started it all for you? Was it an episode, a toy or a character?
It was the G1 show that I fell in love with and the asthetic/voice/characterisation of Optimus Prime. He was the one toy I always, ALWAYS wanted as a kid (other than K.I.T.T) but was never allowed.

 

Don’t forger to check out Lisamaree’s blog:  http://www.lisamaree.com – well worth a read!

And if you have any other questions for her, pop them in the comments section below and I’m sure she will do her best to answer them!

Random Rants

The Postal Vote: be ye not afraid!

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The Plebiscite Postal Vote is almost upon us and you can’t turn on a radio or television without almost immediately being subjected to discussions of it.  Don’t even think of going on the internet, let alone social media, as everyone screams their two cents in unadulterated rage at the other side.

 

The Pony Postal Vote

Now me, I’m going to take a different tact.  I’ve got a message for two of the most vocal groups against gay marriage – those groups being Ocker Aussie Blokes and Christians.  I’m not going to try to convince you to vote for gay marriage – I know you are not going to – there is no point me yelling at you.  My message is why you shouldn’t be afraid of gay marriage.  Because guess what?  Even if it doesn’t happen this time around, eventually it will happen so you had better get comfortable with the concept.

 

To the Ocker Aussie Blokes:

Guys, if there is one group that should be in favor of gay marriage it’s you guys – think about it:

  • For every two guys that get together, that means two less guys as competition to pick up that hot chick at the end of the bar. You should want more guys to turn gay!  Imagine if you were one of the few straight guys on earth – yeah maybe TV might suck more but you’d have women literally lined up around the block waiting for a shag!
  • Women getting married – that’s pretty hot! How are these lesbians going to pay for their weddings?  Two women getting married means two wedding dresses and those things are bloody expensive!  Maybe they will make a saucy video and put it online that you can watch for a small fee as a way of raising the cash eh?  Even more hot girl love on the net – boo-yah!
  • Girl couples everywhere! To build upon the last point, lesbians being able to marry means they will feel more socially accepted for their sexuality.  This means that they are more likely to freely express affection in public.  Imagine being on your lunch break, eating a sandwich, to look over and see two girls going the pash, even engaging in a bit of light petting.  What a wonderful bloody country this will become – I’ll damn well be voting for it!

 

To the Christians

  • Everything that happens is part of the Devine Plan. No getting away from that.  So if it does happen, it means that God meant for it to happen.  So don’t get upset, just accept it’s part of the almighty’s divine will that your little human brain cant comprehend.
  • It will make gays easier to spot and subsequently judge. You won’t have to hunt them out anymore, checking closets in case there is a nest of them ensconced somewhere in your neighborhood.  They will be out in the open, holding the hands of their legal spouses.  Makes it a lot easier to target them to give them fliers about The Truth and tell them at length how they should be living their lives.
  • More room in Heaven, less in Hell. In The Book of Revelations it gives the dimensions of Heaven which is about half the size of the USA.  Given the population boom, you don’t want to go around saving everyone.  If everyone gets into Heaven it’s going to be standing room only – forever.  Not even room to swing a harp!  You don’t want those sodomites in Hell stretching out with plenty of room laughing at you do you?

 

But to both the Ocker Aussie Blokes and The Christians, let me give you this last piece of reasoning.  You know why you shouldn’t stress if Gay Marriage happens?  Because if it does happen it means we won’t have another bloody plebiscite postal vote that costs over ONE HUNDRED MILLION OF TAXPAYERS DOLLARS because our pollies are too afraid of pissing off the wrong special interest groups and getting voted out!

 

As I said before, gay marriage is going to happen one day.  Just like equal rights for women and equal rights for indigenous people, there is no stopping the march for equal rights for the LGBT’s – it’s inevitable.  So let’s just get it over with eh?  Then you Ocker Aussie Blokes can get back to getting pissed in front of the footy and ranting about how bloody foreigners are ruining this country, and you Christians can get back to telling your children that the invisible man in the sky loves them but will make them burn in unbearable pain for all eternity if they love the wrong person.   And the rest of us can just get on with it because gays getting married isn’t going to make a damn bit of difference to anybody else’s day to day lives.

 

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Ask Trev!, Hobby Farming

Ask Trev: How to deal with molting chickens

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One of my favorite readers is Madds whom I have greatly enjoyed watching grow into a fully-fledged chicken-fancier.  Once again we have an ‘Ask Trev’ question regarding chooks from her – this one regarding the molt:

 

Dear Farmer Trev,
Yep, me again seeking more chook advice please.
My girls are losing all their feathers!
At the start of winter!
They’re grumpy, sensitive and edgy, picking on each other, all off the lay.
The place is bedlam – feathers everywhere!
It has been suggested to me that they are having their first ‘molt’.
Is this a thing? Why are they so grumpy?
Why are hey molting in the cold weather?
What the hell do I do with all these feathers?
How long will it last? What can I do to help them?

Thanks Big Farmer Trev,
You noob chicken pal, Madsy.

Worry not sir – just a routine feather inspection.

Well Madds, I will answer your queries one by one:

It has been suggested to me that they are having their first ‘molt’.  Is this a thing? Why are they so grumpy? The molt is most definitely ‘a thing’.  In Australia chooks tend to molt most often in Autumn between March and May so them losing their feathers near the end of April puts them slap bang in the middle of that window.  As for being grumpy, imagine someone nicking your nice warm coat as you were about to traipse off to work on a blustery cold day – you’d be a bit pissed too!

Why are they molting in the cold weather?  So they can get rid of old feathers and start to grow thick luscious new ones to keep them warm when the really cold weather hits in 6 weeks.  They wont lay eggs during this time as all the protein in their bodies will be geared towards new feather growth rather than egg production.

What the hell do I do with all these feathers?  Sell them to a hippy tribal shop to make dream-catchers out of or perhaps stuff a pillow like my mother used to do with all the shed hair from her Shetland Sheepdog.  Otherwise throw into the compost along with the rest of their straw bedding or simply in the buggers.

How long will it last? What can I do to help them?  How long the molt lasts depends from chook to chook and breed to breed but usually goes for a few months.  What you can do to help them is feed them protein-rich foods.  It takes a helluva lot of protein to grow new feathers so they are going to need a lot right now.  Of course don’t feed them an all-protein diet – they still need variety in their tucker.

The best ways to boost protein for your chooks is by feeding them the following:

*Scrambled egg:  Eggs are a rich source of protein and they will chow down on scrambled eggs in jig time!  Don’t give them raw eggs as that will encourage them to eat their own in the future.

*Starter Feed/Shell grit: As I mentioned in this article, starter feed is great for young chooks before you move them onto laying pellets.  However starter feed/shell grit has more protein in it than laying pellets so it’s ok to move them back to it for a while.

*Some fish: Get a big can of tuna or sardines and pop that in for your chooks – they will go mad for it!  Make sure it’s fish in spring water though, not oil or brine.

*Pumpkin Seeds: I’m loathe to mention this as we all know that pumpkins are a filthy disgusting vegetable that deserve eradication from the planet.  But if you are one of those nutjobs that actually likes pumpkin and cooks it from time to time, scoop out the seeds and throw it to your chickens.  This also has the benefit of making sure those seeds don’t go on to make new pumpkins – bastards of things!

 

A combination of the above should certainly help your chickens start regrowing their feathers in time for winter.  But again, make sure it’s not all you give them.  You don’t want them to have a nothing-but-protein diet as that won’t do them any good either.  But their normal diet with some extra protein added should have them starting to get all feathery and happy again by the time winter hits. Hope this helps Madds my friend!

 

Got any other tips for Madds or other hobby farming questions?  Would love to hear them in the comments section below!

Tales of the Trev

Redback Spider killing Blind Snake – my morning surprise!

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This is the tale of an amazing natural sight I saw yesterday.

 

It’s 9am on a Friday morning.  The missus has left for work, I’ve gotten the kids up, fed and dressed and it’s time for me to start the farm chores of the day.

I grab my keys and go open the shed door, anxious to get the more onerous of the jobs over with before the temperature reaches the forecast 37 degree’s – typical for the Mallee in January. Just inside the door is my big beer fridge and close to that is a black crate I’ve been using to sort my Transformer books and DVD’s (yes, as well as being a hobby farmer I’m also a big TF nerd).  I notice immediately that there has been a big web spun between the crate and the fridge that wasn’t there the night before.  There are a few bits of twig and dry grass in it.  Also a great big Redback Spider is busy in the web, hungrily sucking on the tail of… a snake.

A snake.

A bloody snake!

I’ve got a real thing about snakes.  I didn’t used to, affording them due respect so they wouldn’t bite me but otherwise not worrying about them.  However several years ago I lost an immediate family member to a bite by a juvenile brown snake.  Combine that with the fact that I live on a farm and have two small children, I’m pretty damn paranoid about them now.  Don’t want to lose my kids or for them to lose their dad the way I lost an older sibling.

I recoil immediately but morbid curiosity quickly brings me back (that and I’ll want to be able to grab a beer that evening).  It is indeed a young snake and quite dead.  We only get three types of snake on our farm that I’ve seen; brown snakes, red-bellied black snakes and blind snakes.  While I initially think it is a brown snake, as they are the ones we seem to get most commonly, I realize upon closer inspection this is a Blind Snake, in particular a Ramphotyphlops australis.  I’ve usually encountered them when I’ve been digging up various big bull ant nests around the farm but they are known to come to the surface on warm humid nights, which is what we had experienced the night before.  It’s grey, about 20 centimeters long and as stated, very dead.

Holy Hell!

The Redback Spider, which judging from it’s size and the nearby egg sacs is a female, has cocooned the Blind Snake’s head thickly in webbing and the rest of the body to a lesser extent.  The snake at its lowest point is hanging about an inch above the floor and the spider is chowing down on the tip of its tail – maybe where the skin is thinnest and easiest to suck the undoubtedly now pureed innards out of.  It’s a pretty disturbing sight but fascinating none-the-less.

I dash back to the house to grab my phone to take a picture.  Of course with a child’s instinct to run towards danger both my kids follow me back out.  I manage to take a few photos whilst blocking my daughter (my son is old enough to know if Dad says ‘Stay back – it’s dangerous!’ to do so but my daughter just gives a frustrated yell and tries to push past to see what all the fuss is about).  I then reach for my watering can.  Whilst having a spider that can take down snakes seems to be very desirable, having one right in the doorway to the shed all the family goes in and out of 50 times a day is most certainly not.  I instruct the little ones to look away and then Daddy turns spider, snake and web all into a memory with a couple of decisive bangs.

 

And that’s the story, one of the most amazing predator-prey events I’ve seen up close!  It even led me to make this meme:

After all this I wondered how the spider managed to get the snake off the floor and into its web.  Subsequent research I’ve done says that Latrodectus hasseltii (Redbacks) attacking and killing snakes is a very rare occurrence but it does happen. I believe the incident I witnessed however may actually be the only recorded case of a Redback taking down this particular species of snake.  Apparently the process with other species usually involves the Redback turning it’s abdomen towards a snake slithering on the ground after it gets caught in a trap line and shoots web all over it.  As the snake thrashes and becomes more entangled the Redback slowly hoists it up into the main web where it can then bite, kill and feed at its leisure.  Despite the fact that Blind Snakes are not venomous I assume this happened in the same manner and it makes the above meme all the more appropriate, don’t you think?

 

Care to comment on the story you just read or have a similar story of your own?  Would love to read it in the comments section below!

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