The spiritual heart of Australia!

Garden Colourful Flowers

Flowers of spring start to blossom
All creatures start breeding even possums

Spring waters have been poisoned
Spring has been without much passion

Even the leaves of our trees
Have been baked in harsh fires


My garden needs more water
They ignored it, 'does it matter'?

My thirsty garden has near died
Too much drought, soon it dried

My own country horrified
Full of reason to be afraid

Water lost everywhere
Does not take us anywhere

The nozzle of my tap has broken
The heart knowing is sad

I have nothing to hide
My story is long and wide

The colourful flowers of our land
Have always gone through such regrowth

Lovely garden in the front yard
Full of sweet colours yet so dry

Drought came, garden went thirsty
Leaves of flowers seem burnt dry

Cars and trains are up side down
Everything today seems broken in our land

Sometime one face has two faces
Even human beings don’t find a basis to pray

One face shows sadness, the second happiness
For their benefit you need to care

Our generation has forgotten the past
You know very well it is part of 'lost things'

Never, I have told my generation
This is a good life, like a nation called to God!

Our Creator is at the heart of all life!

I see the spiritual water of life flowing deep

It is only hidden from those who forgot

The heart of God!

Taking time to listen

This is rather 'simple' - but is my poetry themed view of today!

On the field of life, a war was being fought

With a restless spirit, peace is what I sought

At first light, I rose to take a stroll alone

Caged by my human thoughts, though free amidst trees and solid stone.

I spoke my questions aloud and I knew God would hear...

Not a human voice was heard but His answers were heard clear

He spoke through the brook, which trickled peacefully

His message arrived with a lark, flying free

His light broke through the trees – true sunbeams of life

A hawk’s shriek and dive were the Lord’s wise replies

Crickets sang His song, which resonated deep in my soul

All sweet sounds to ease the turmoil that had taken its toll

The gentle breeze was God's own hand stroking my face

Feeling His love is something I hunger much for

It was the ideal moment for me to pray

All of my little selfish problems given away

Since then, I have not felt so alone anymore

I have new spiritual thoughts to explore

Now I see God in all things, just beneath the rough skin

Most importantly, I found God where he had always been

within me, near me, and in all of life.

Love - Peter

Tutorial: Using your computer to record your LP and Tape collection to Audio CD at low cost

Convert your music and sound to CD

It is quiet easy to use your computer to record those old tapes and vinyl LP's in your collection to a better CD format. Additionally you can record direct from the radio. This guide will show you how to get it done.

Checklist of what you need to have:

• Computer Soundcard with a line-in socket (blue colour). 99% of computers already have a this requirement. If not can purchase a internal soundcard for about $55.00


• A cassette player or record turntable. As long as they have a line-out socket or a headphone jack, that is fine.


• A stereo connector cable to connect from the line-in (computer sound card) to the cassette player or turntable output. For most turntables, this will typically be 2 x RCA stereo to 2.5mm lead.


• Software to record the audio to the hard drive. I highly recommend Audacity, it is free and works for both Mac and PC's (Windows 98 to Windows Vista). You can download the latest Audacity software here.

Notes: Some older stand-alone turntables may produce a lower level output signal that may require you to connect the audio lead to a small pre-amp.

Where to buy a new turntable:

At the time of writing (2008), new turntable units are available from Deals Direct - Australia. They feature a Lenoxx Turntable (33, 45, and 78) with Built-In Amplifier and AM/FM Radio for $60.00 (inc GST Aus).

Get recording with Audacity

Once you have setup and connected your equipment, you can install and setup the Audacity software. If you not download this software yet then get the latest free Audacity software here (for Windows 98, 2000, XP and Vista). There are version for Macs, as well as Linux / Unix. After the download, install Audacity by running the installer program. This will install Audacity with all that is necessary for our guide.

The Audacity program allows you to either; 1) record live audio through a microphone or mixer, or 2) digitize recordings from cassette tapes, vinyl records, or mini-discs. You can use Audacity to record via the computers sound card microphone input or line input.

Testing all is ready with a simple sound test

Now set the turntable or stereo to produce some audio sound, and see if you can hear the sound coming out of the computer speakers. If you can, then you are ready to go!

NOTE: if you have no sound in the computer speakers, then bring up the Windows volume control (Start - Programs - Accessories - Entertainment - Volume Control) and make sure that the line-in control is not set to 'mute'.

If the 'line-in' control does not show on the Volume Control, go to Options > Properties, and check that 'line-in' is selected as one of the items.

Setting the Audio record level (input level meter)

You need to set the sound level correctly to prevent audio clipping (too loud) . To adjust the input level, connect your sound source to your soundcard and run the Audacity sound editor program. Set the input selector on the Audacity toolbar to 'line in', and the volume about mid-point.

With audio coming from the your sound or music source, click the Audacity 'record' button on the toolbar. You should now hear sound coming from your computer speakers and now the Audacity input level meter at the top right will show activity with the sound level (see below).

Check that sound is registered in both the left and right inputs (if you're recording in stereo). Note that you may need to change the Audacity settings to stereo if you're recording from a stereo source. Using the Microphone socket of your computer sound card will result in a mono recording, so using the sound card 'line-in' is preferable.

Problem = No Sound? Check that the Audacity input selector is on 'line in' and that the Windows volume levels and select control are correct for the 'line-in'.

Adjust the volume levels such that the loudest parts of the music (or sound) cause the input level to remain just below (left) of the 0 mark. Adjust the level to be about -2 to -5 as per the 'input level normal' picture on the above right.

Click the 'stop' button on the Audacity toolbar and close the test audio track by using the Audacity menu File > Close option.

Creating your Audacity Audio Recording

Start your chosen audio source playing (LP, Radio or Tape), and click the red 'record' button on the Audacity toolbar. You will see the Audio Track display moving on the time line display as the sound is recorded.

You can either record the entire side of tape or LP record as a single file, or record individual tracks as separate files. It is often easier to record the entire side, clean it up using further Audacity options, and then save the individual tracks. You can see where the audio tracks start and end by the visual evidence of silence between your recorded audio tracks.

When the recording is complete (or where you would like it to end), click the 'stop' button on the Audacity toolbar. Now you can save your audio recording project by choosing the Audacity menu option File > Save Project As and give your audio project a file name.

Clean up your recorded Audio tracks

Now you have the opportunity to clean up your recorded audio project - if you so desire. For LP records (or noisy tapes) that have aged, this is worthwhile, as it will improve the resulting sound quality. After this event you will then be ready to burn the result to a CD disk:

• Select the entire file (Audacity menu option Edit > Select > All) and then choose the Audacity menu option Effect > Normalize (see below).

• Using your mouse, drag to select, with a small amount of 'silence', from the beginning or end of the recording over the audio parts you want to keep, and choose the Audacity menu option Effect > Noise Removal. Then click the 'Get Noise Profile' button (see below).

• Now use the Audacity file menu Edit > Select > All, then choose the menu option Effect > Noise Removal again. Click the 'Remove Noise' button. This option will remove any tape hiss or LP noise that was recorded with the audio track. This noise removal process can take several minutes, so give it time.

The best setting for the 'Less' and 'More' settings is normally the default middle option. For a really 'noisy' audio source, you may want to try moving this slide bar to about 3/4 to the right = 'More'.

• Choose the Audacity menu option File > Save to save your clean recording.

Saving your individual tracks as WAV files

Now you separate the tracks into individual files. This is quite easy to do.

Open the recording that you have just made (it may already be open) and use the Audacity View > Zoom In and View > Zoom Out menu options to see two or three of the recorded tracks at a time. Drag your mouse over any audio track to select it, and choose the Audacity menu option Edit > Copy.

Now choose the Audacity menu option File > New to open a new Audacity window, and choose the menu option Edit > Paste. This creates a new audio track with the audio selection you just copied.

If you find you have a small amount of another track (or too much silence) at the beginning or end of the track you copied, you can drag the mouse over the part you want removed and then press the Delete key to remove just that part.

When your audio track is ready, choose the Audacity menu option File > Export As WAV to save this track as a WAV file. This WAV format is commonly used for creating an audio CD.

You may now close the new Audacity window (the single track we just saved), and repeat this process for any other tracks you recorded in the project.

Do you want to save your recording as an MP3 rather than a standard WAV?

To do create MP3 recordings, Audacity requires an extra LAME MP3 encoder - this allows Audacity to export MP3 files. Please download the required Windows Audacity MP3 Encoder here. After you have downloaded the MP3 Encoder, follow these steps:

• When you have finished downloading the ZIP folder, unzip it and save the file lame_enc.dll that it contains to anywhere on your computer


• When you use Audacity the first time with the 'Export as MP3' command, Audacity will ask you where lame_enc.dll is saved. Point to the location that saved the lame_enc.dll file

Write your final Audio Project to a CD disk

Finally you may create your new audio CD. Using your supplied CD-burning software program (Nero, Roxio, iTunes etc) to select those previous individual tracks you recorded with Audacity and record the tracks to a CD.

After you play your audio CD disk, you may wish to experiment to change the equalization for a better sound. Audacity offers a an equalizer (menu option Effect > Equalization), do not spend too much time with this as the default recording you made should be an improvement over the original anyway. Audacity will also allow you to change the final speed or pitch of your project. In Audacity use the menu Effects 'Change Speed', 'Change Pitch', and 'Change Tempo'.

Peter Bowey - May 2008

A time to honour God

It is so good to have ONE day to be set aside for time to worship in song and prayer! How like all God's creation I yearn the moment to fulfil our father's destiny. I see and know that God dwells in all of us (ALL).

I see his amazing creative will and majesty in rocks, earth, birds, planets, weather, every sunset and sunrise, each awareness of birth and death. It is, for me, a totally awesome creative energy that is truly intended to be a true definite part of us all!

Hence, the REAL pain of our HUMAN original SIN, it created the most dreadful and painful separation from our truly divine creator. Hence God originated, the short but amazing - of Jesus Christ.

There was no other way for God to unite fully with his dear children and his own heart felt creation. It is true that we will NOT likely understand much of this in this short earth journey. Hence, the need for our present tears, love, , forgiveness, redemption and prayers for self growth and God's call to his beloved call!

There is so much that each one of us can do, no handicap or self-doubt need hold us back from the most beautiful relationship restored in full - by Jesus bearing us all through his own physical death.

It is better to not try to understand it all, for we do not (yet) have the clear vision of God. Better for now to live by the heart - compelled and called to love by faith. This is clearly how so many have been called to know God's own heart - and partake it into ourselves. To be more like Jesus, and heal the 'sickness' in others, and calm the storm that makes us ALL AFRAID - and therefore cast new doubts.

Sometimes He Calms the Storm

All who sail the sea of faith
Find out before too long
How quickly blue skies can grow dark
And gentle winds grow strong
Suddenly fear is like white water
Pounding on the soul
Still we sail on knowing
That our Lord is in control

Sometimes He calms the storm
With a whispered peace be still
He can settle any sea
But it doesn’t mean He will
Sometimes He holds us close
And lets the wind and waves go wild
Sometimes He calms the storm
And other times He calms His child

He has a reason for each trial
That we pass through in life
And though we’re shaken
We cannot be pulled apart from Christ
No matter how the driving rain beats down
On those who hold to faith
A heart of trust will always
Be a quiet peaceful place

It takes pain to purify, sacrifice to justify, suffering to sanctify, forgiveness to nullify, What chance have I, except in Christ? The world pacifies, Jesus satisfies.

I am a child who wants to know. Teach me, Lord, that I might grow. Just like a child, I cling to thee, lift me up, that I might see. I am a child, so very small. With your help, I will grow tall. A little child, not very smart-help me learn to do my part. When night is dark, I will not fear; for I know you're always near.

My heart overflows with the wonder of Love and the thought of all it can do... How it mends the broken, patches the worn, relieves the weary, and repairs the torn. Love remembers the loneliness, renews the old, moves the timid, restrains the bold. Love strengthens the weak, forgives the bad, sweetens the bitter and gladdens the sad. Love lightens the burden, calms the storm, seeks the forgotten, and lifts the forlorn. Love comforts the bereaved, helps the oppressed, feeds the hungry, and aids the distressed. Love refreshes the famished, soothes the sore, consoles the troubled, and more, so much more!

Peter Bowey - 7th April 2008

Current Vista Annoyances

Windows Vista is not yet ready for some users.

Some observed recent Vista annoyances that come up most often in discussion with both new and long-time users, as well as what we can do about some of them.

• The top complaint: I here is: "Lack of driver support from Windows, virtually everything prior to Vista made by HP is possibly not yet supported. Not just Microsoft's problem of course as much HP's." Although my Office jet printer/copier/fax/scanner does in fact work fine with Vista, I've heard this one from enough other people to know it's a real problem. Far too many folks are finding that their printers, whatever the brand, either don't work at all or lose some of their functionality when they upgrade to Vista.

• The second complaint is: The annoying and useless UAC. I will often turn this option OFF. One would say, 'not so wise', but then, it does question so much, one gets into the habit of just allowing everything, so what's the difference." I hear this complaint a lot, but I have to disagree that the UAC is useless (annoying is another matter). By limiting applications' ability to run with elevated privileges unless specifically authorized, the UAC addresses one of the biggest security problems in XP: people who routinely log on with administrative accounts for everyday computing.
  
  Sure, if you just automatically click to "allow" without paying attention, that defeats the purpose of UAC. But I know when I'm deliberately doing something that requires elevation (such as installing a program) and when I'm not, and if the UAC prompt pops up in the latter case, I'm not going to just click "allow" out of habit. What would be nice is a way to quickly and easily disable UAC temporarily - such as when you're building a new system and installing many programs in a row - and have it turn back on automatically after a certain period of idleness.
  
  

• The third complaint is: The new file and directory structure in Vista. Because some files are in different locations from where they were in XP, it makes it difficult to find things at first and some old tools such as Tweak UI don't work properly because they're looking in the wrong path. It's true that there have been many changes (for example, files that were stored in Documents and Settings in XP are now in the Users folder in Vista). Vista does use reparse points to point the legacy folder locations to the new locations. These are objects that appear to be folders but are really symbolic links to a real folder in a different location.
  
  So why were these locations changed in the first place? It really wasn't just change for the sake of change. According to what I've read and heard from the Vista team, the reorganization of the directories was inspired by Unix and makes for a cleaner, simpler and more command-line friendly structure. Thus, instead of storing music files in C:\Documents and Settings\Deb\My Documents\My Music as was the case in XP, now they're in C:\Users\Deb\Music.
  

In fact, if you look closely, you'll find a "method to the madness" behind all the changes in Windows Vista. In some cases, the implementation may not live up to the intent, but overall I
still believe Vista is a better, more secure and more user friendly operating system than its predecessors. Like any OS, it has its bugs and I hope they're fixed sooner rather than later (especially the IE 7 "work stoppage" problem).

Peter

Blogged with Flock

Three words come to my heart here (to share):

Peace, Patience, and Promise:

• Peace for the anxiousness that has entered our minds
• Patience to wait for God’s plan to unfold (by our trials an open prayers)
• God's promise that he will take care of us - regardless of what we may encounter

I too need to realize that I am here for a reason and though we do (need) tough times God's has placed such events in our lives to help us truly grow in his love and to become as of his nature. We really need God's strength and to find our own true faith! Such love is given through Jesus! All trials will bring us one step closer to realizing that we were never alone - just selfishly 'afraid'. That must be why we need each other, through family, social networking, and Christian fellowships!

I understand that we are eventually asked step out in love, to the call of God, to honour such faith.

In the quiet, love is reaching.
Its yours to take hold,
Be still and know that now
Even when were lost and lonely,
And hope is gone, you were not alone.

Far beyond our understanding,
There's a hand that leads,
If you believe.

Through the darkness, see the light of God's power.
Remember God loves you - more.

The road ahead is long and winding.
With eyes of faith, he does show the way, yeah.
And when the journey leaves you weary,
You can rest in the comfort of sweet heavens arms -
Sweet loving arms.

And peace will follow.
Peace be with you always,
As you go.
For now you know that...

Through the darkness, there's a light.
Just remember God loves you.

When we open up our hearts,
His love will find you where you are.
He will always be a part of everything you do.
He is here to set you free,
And give you all the strength and love you need
To carry on, to carry on.

Through the darkness, we see the God's light.
Remember God loves you. (again - remember)
Remember - God loves you.

Peter

Creation

The Wisdom and Spirit of God's Universe!
Such love that is the Eternity of all Thought!
One who creates all life and images in a breath
And such everlasting motion! Never in poor vain,
By day or star-light known from my first birth dawn
Of such Childhood paths - God intertwines me
His passions that builds up our human Souls,
Not with the mean and vulgar works of Man
















But with higher love, about enduring things,
With life and nature, purifying us (ouch that hurts)
This created element of feeling and of thought,
And sanctifying by such singular discipline of Love,
Both thru fear and pain, until we finally do recognize
A music grandeur in the beatings of the one great heart!

Written 3rd Dec 2007 - by Peter