Valium for the Soul

8 Random Facts About Me

2007-07-16T19:36:00.000+09:30

Polly tagged me via Bird... I thank her for her faith that I would respond....

I have 2 brothers and they both have an acquired brain injury. The first accident was my youngest brother just before his 12th birthday. He was showing off and fell 75 feet out of a tree.. and only broke his head. That was 20 years ago this year, he now lives with his girlfriend and does volunteer work at the local football club. Oh - and he still qualifies for mensa, despite being quite socially dysfunctional :-) The second was the brother below me, who was a moron (and still is IMHO) who got involved in a drunken, drug fueled brawl and was cleaned up by a drunk driver... somehow this is my fault - I haven't seen him for 12 years and am quite pleased about it.
When I was 13 I played the bagpipes. There is nothing more haunting than the sound of bagpipes played well, which is why I no longer play ROFL
I started reading at 18months old. My earliest memory is sitting on the toilet lid reading my dad a story while he had his shower. I was reading a massive red book. I was completely chuffed when my grandma showed me the book in later years and it was a little red (golden) book... gosh I was little
My 2nd & 3rd toes on each foot are on the same knuckle.. so I only have 4 knuckles on each foot... Never caused me any problems until I spent hours each week en pointe... was a contributing factor to me NOT being a ballerina. Well, that and the size of my arse and thighs and the kindness I have for male ballet dancers in not forcing them to have to lift such acreage.
I have never been overseas (not counting Kangaroo Island). I have great plans however, now that I have a 'real' job... ie one with paid holidays.
I was the first girl in my group of friends to kiss a boy; and the last to lose my virginity.. nuff said
My daughter was born in a bath, and the midwife was so excited she took a photo because it was her first waterbirth too.... It was the most amazing experience, and I did it ALL BY MYSELF!!!!!
My nickname (blue) came about for 3 reasons: I am a redhead; I loved blues clues (with the original steve, who didn't die despite all rumours to the contrary) & I have a dirty mouth & it has been suggested that I need a ladder to get back in the gutter :-)

Aren't you glad I shared....

I don't know who to tag, cause I've been MIA for a while now - so if you are inspired (and who wouldn't be frankly) then I challenge you to take up this worthwhile meme and propagate for all eternity..

Not a pity ponder

2007-05-12T11:24:00.000+09:30

I was warned prior to coming to Canberra that it can be a lonely place. I suspect that relocating state holds this same fear regardless of where the move is from or to. Don’t get me wrong, I have made friends since I have been here, however the losing of history is one of the biggest difficulties I have found. Loss of history can be both a blessing and a curse; a blessing because everyone has things that they would rather not dwell on and would be happy to forget (alas often forgiveness is easier). Conversely, these same negative experiences and occurrences are fundamental to shaping the person we are at any point in time subsequent to the event/experience. So in seeking to leave these behind (even if the ultimate goal was moving towards something in the future rather than running from something in the past) the tendency becomes to dwell on those events…. What to share with new people? What to avoid?

It can be hard work meeting new people, guarding your tongue until hidden prejudices, opinions and fears are revealed, for fear of unknowing sabotage of potential human contact at a personal level. Not hiding who you are, but guarding against unintentional hurt and potential loneliness. The difficulty stems from having been with (in the home state) those who need no explanation for seemingly tangential or erroneous comments or perspectives, from having people who know and love you well enough to laugh both at, near and with you. I miss knowing people well enough to hug them. I miss hugs!

These feelings are not a constant, there can be joy in finding another human with whom connection is made on a mental level (usually I find through humour) and the adventure of newness can be exciting and fun! But every so often these feelings hit and for one prone to over analysis, are periodically difficult to shake.

So having done a brain dump on the greater world I will shake my melancholy and find a new adventure.

Show us your politics Kirby!

2007-02-22T20:44:00.000+10:30

Chief Justice Michael Kirby is presiding over a case being held in the high court regarding the intricacies of the defence power in the Australian Constitution. Brief precis of the case is that Joseph Thomas was convicted under anti-terrorism laws imposed by the government after september 11 (hands up those who kept the fridge magnet - yes both of you). His conviction was overturned after it was found that key prosecution evidence was inadmissable; the federal police then slapped a control order on him which force him to comply with the following:

Curfew between midnight & 5am
Only allowed to have mobile & land line approved by AFP
Must apply in writing to make phone calls
Must not communicate with known terrorists
Must agree to be fingerprinted
Must not leave Australia

Now I personally can't see a problem with the first point or the last 3 (fingerprinting would have already been done whether he agreed or not), but the rest I think are a little excessive.

It would appear at this point as if Justice Kirby agrees. He makes the very clear point that more people die from AIDS every day than were killed in September 11 and in response to Commonwealth Solicitor-General Mr Bennett QC's comment that

"one cannot say" September 11 was something that was only affecting the US, since al-Qaeda materials were "replete" with specific threats to Australia."

Justice Kirby responded asking whether those references were made:

"after Australia participated in the war in Iraq?"

It will be very interesting to see what the outcome is of this test case challenge against the constitution.

More info here, here & here.

Blue Chameleon

2007-02-01T17:18:00.000+10:30

The Harlequin

You scored 42% Cardinal, 43% Monk, 44% Lady, and 37% Knight!

You are a mystery, a jack-of-all-trades. You have the king's ear, but also listen to murmurings of the common folk. You believe in the value of force and also literature. Truly you are the puzzlement of the age.

Link: The Who Would You Be in 1400 AD Test written by KnightlyKnave on OkCupid, home of the The Dating Persona Test

The Ship Has Landed....

2007-01-28T16:58:00.000+10:30

Well after a somewhat eventful journey, we have arrived and are somewhat settled!

So much to tell.....

We arrived to blazing temperatures, fortunately the apartments we were staying in had a pool which was great until the second day when the sky opened and presented us with this:

Oddly enough, the kids were back in the pool at 10 the next morning. Must have been freezing with all that hail! Some of the rocks were really big - almost ping pong ball size - twas a little bizarre. Since then of course it has been quite warm.

Moving right along, we found somewhere to live & have an excellent landlord - I knew rental prices were exorbitant - the worst bit is what you get for the excessive amount of money - which is not very much. We do have a large yard, which is very much appreciated by the four footed family members, however the possums are a bit of a pain with their eerie sounds and the challenges they offer to said small dogs at 2am - dogs are now in night detention :-)

Of less fun has been the removalist saga - henceforth they shall be known as the 'R' word - to be removed from my vocabulary with much less drama than the forced [sic] removal of the 'M' word. They managed to lose some very esoteric items (shelves from my pantry, pedestal from the pedestal fan etc) as well as a box of beloved hardcover books - this is in addition to some wanton damage of furniture I have managed to move many times previously without so much as a scratch - so much for using professionals!

I haven't started work yet - very much looking forward to it though, especially as my brain is beginning to atrophy! Now I'm back on the net I shall begin playing catch up on my blog reading, so apologies for any belated commenting I may partake of.

I hope you all had a merry christmas & a fantastic new year!

Packing Sux!!!!

2006-12-17T19:45:00.000+10:30

I've been in this house for 5 years - I was so pleased not to be doing the annual rental move. 5 years enables a lot of crap to accumulate, so when I was told that the removalists would pack everything except clothes and personal items I cheered; Until I realised that this meant that everything had to be sorted out. No throwing stuff in a box thinking I would sort it at the other end - it must be sorted before the removalists arrive - I have 2 days. Am I scared? Hell yeah.

I'm looking forward to the move being over. I'm overjoyed I won't have to pack my books again. Last time I moved I had friends help me pack the books and by the end of the night the labels included: 'more fucking books' & 'I'm never packing these fucking books again' - so some prophecies have been fulfilled.

It feels surreal to have finished work - I had a little cry when I handed my keys and security pass back - I love (most of) the people I worked with and enjoyed the work I did, but the prospect of more of the same with few challenges was not enthralling. I have new horizons and challenges before me - a new set of office politics, new hierarchies and new ways of doing things. New shops, streets, schools and (hopefully) friends. I tell the kids about the adventures we will have, hiding my fears that I will be isolated and alone. When I'm rested I don't think this will be the case, but at times when the logistics seem overwhelming and I'm tired of being both mum & dad to 2 very excited small people then the pessimism sets in.

Work gave me an iPAQ as a going away present - its a mini PDA with MP3 capability - twas the perfect present given my love of gadgets and toys, so I will have fun learning all its ins and outs and inputting information which previously resided in my diary (due to expire).

I will be without internet *gasp* probably until I start work as I won't be able to afford anything else [sob]. I suspect that I will have reams to read by the time I get back, so apologies in advance for any belated commenting.

So until I return:

Zoe, good luck with the new bubs
&Duck, I hope you are feeling better & have a great Christmas
DoZ, have a great trip
Everyone else - I hope you have a wonderful Christmas & New Year & try really hard not to miss me LOL

Countdown.....

2006-12-07T09:24:00.000+10:30

20 days to go!

The house is clean
Exams are over (grades pending)
House is clean
Work is hectic
I've re-read my entire Georgette Heyer collection & I'm nearly through Terry Pratchett....

So in 1 week I finish work to have my first real holiday (ie don't have to work at all) for ever! wooohooo

Its quite a bizarre feeling to face the unknown - knowing that I will have to learn new streets and broader geography, new people, new numbers (aarrrgghhh numbers).

Kiddies are very excited. Small boy decided that he will only be nervous on the first day, but as it turns out they won't be the only new kids on the first day of school. There are 39 schools slated for closure in Canberra, and the government in their usual efficient fashion aren't advising until the 13th (2 days before school finishes for the year). So there will be other new kids, unsure of a new school and looking for new friends.

I hope everyone has a good christmas & gets what they want in a realistic fashion (would like to send world peace your way Jack & Peaches but I can't promise)....

Be well.

Signs, Omens & Portents

2006-11-22T20:20:00.000+10:30

While pursuing the obligatory exam study procrastination I came across the following today which had me in fits:

This:

This very sound warning of a man to steer clear of

And these very funny commentaries.

Broadband plus Australia does not equal fast

2006-11-16T22:26:00.000+10:30

I have been mini posting for the past while for a number of reasons (exams, final papers, illness), despite a number of things I wanted to blog. But this one really got my goat, so here is the abridged version.....

Rupert Murdoch has slammed the slow broadband we have in Australia saying that we will be left behind unless our speeds are increased.

Helen Coonan has condemned his speech saying he is misinformed. She then states:

80 per cent of households able to access speeds of up to eight megabits from 19 different providers.
Another 14 providers were offering speeds of up to 24 megabits to around four million households, the minister said, and Telstra's roll out of its 3G network would provide speeds of up to 40 megabits.

All of which makes a lot of assumptions and imho is very incorrect. Assumptions like the lack of availability for rural and remote areas who cannot get broadband. They can. A large number of remote customers use satellite - which will not get the high speeds due to latency issues. On the other hand I can't get anything other than satellite (which is significantly better than dialup) due being on a RIM (remote integrated multiplexer) which has not been fitted with a mini-mux (cmux is a customer multiplexer which is required for DSL. A mini-mux is a miniature version designed for RIM's which are in essence miniature exchanges).

So while Murdoch is right - we do have crappy broadband in Australia - he is also operating on an agenda precipitated by the failure of US Congress to pass the net neutrality laws. In effect allowing telco's and other large ISP's to create an 'information superhighway' leaving the rest of us povs (ie anyone who can't afford a gazillion dollars) with a windy dirt track - which is the equivalent to what Australia currently has. Unless broadband speeds are increased and made more reliable then his ability to increase revenue through streaming media etc is grossly impeded.

The arguments about regulations from Murdoch's side are equally valid. Telstra has been told to run like a business, but has been hamstrung by a majority shareholder who won't let them make sensible business decisions if there is a chance said decisions may harm electoral outcomes. Rock & a hard place indeed. I don't think Telstra is a shining star in the firmament; I think the situation arises from the lack of foresight from parliamentarians who want to privatise every avenue they have for making money (besides taxation but thats another post), while failing to recognise the reality of market forces in an industry where the infrastructure is almost wholly owned by one organisation.

As more ISP's and Telco's implement their own infrastructure this will become less of an issue. But regulation is a massive issue that I don't see going away anytime soon, regardless of who owns Telstra.

Realms of possibility?

2006-11-16T22:11:00.000+10:30

"One day I'm going to be voted sexiest man alive" says small boy after watching some crappy daytime news brief which informed that this man has won AGAIN.

Its not beyond the realms of possibility, they both flirt with their eyes and have a cheeky sense of humour....

Procrastinatory copy cat

2006-11-14T22:11:00.000+10:30

I'm not achieving very much else at the moment - so this seemed appropriate. I copied it from 2 of my favourite bloggers - who copied it from another......

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?
I need sleep

2. Favorite planet?
Neptune - I think its an ocean thing - but I always loved it & Saturn best

3. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone?
No caller id.... probably my mum calling from work

4. What is your favorite ring tone on your phone?
On my old phone that only played polyphonics it was the Harry Potter theme - now I have a phone which plays mp3's - so it changes. At the moment it is that song by Eagles of Death Metal.

5. Do you “label” yourself?

Optimistically pessimistic control freak

6. What does your watch look like?
I can't wear watches - I'm too magnetic :-) Basically I kill them so I just use my phone or the big clock I spend most of my day in front of....

7. What were you doing at midnight last night?
Trying to stay awake waiting for the boy to finish his neb.

8. What did your last text message you received on your cell say?
Hows things?

9. What's a word that you say a lot?
FFS - way to much

10. Last furry thing you touched?
Inch - then washed my hands cause its raining & I hate the feel of wet fur

11. Favorite age you have been so far?
I really liked 30 - but I kind of like every age

12. Your worst enemy?

Procrastination

13. What is your current desktop picture?

This

14. What was the last thing you said to someone?

"Goodnight sweety I'll see you at midnight" - to small boy who is on 4hrly nebs - honestly its worse than breastfeeding - at least I could go to sleep then & he would just turn himself off!

15. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly what would it be?
At the moment, probably the million - then i could afford a jetpack.

16. Do you like someone?
nope - well thats not true I like most of my friends & my kids are ok & I quite like the dogs.

17. The last song you listened to?
Pierre by the Dresden Dolls

18. What time of day were you born?
I think it was early in the morning - to be honest I don't remember much about the day at all.

19. What's your favorite number?
Anything with a 7 or 8

20. Where did you live in 1987?
Ayre Street Morphett Vale SA - sharing with a girlfriend - we were both putting ourselves through school, so we had the party house as there were no 'adults' - gosh that was fun!

21. Are you jealous of anyone?
nope - no point

22. Is anyone jealous of you?
doubt it - not unless they are in need of some serious medication

24. Do you consider yourself kind?
I do kind, but I don't do nice - it maybe a semantic difference, but the distinction is important.

25. If you had to get a tattoo, where would it be?
I want to get the chinese symbol for change on the ring finger of my right hand. The symbol is made of 2 other symbols (danger & opportunity). I like the idea of being able to cover it with a ring when necessary. I probably won't get it though because I don't like pain.

26. If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be?
French & Latin. French because it sounds beautiful, latin because I would like to understand the asterix & obelix jokes (other than the really obvious word play ones).

27. Would you move for the person you loved?
thats a tricky one - would depend on context and reason.

28. What's your life motto?
Pav & Kate had one of mine already, 'This too shall pass'. The other is more of a recognition than a motto 'the world is full of idiots, and they are breeding'.

29. What's your favorite town/city?
Somewhere I haven't been yet.

30. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?
I don't remember. I'm not very good at writing, so I tend to lose touch unless people are on email. Otherwise I talk on the phone, I'm good at talking.

31. Can you change the oil on a car?
Yes. I can do most car maintenance on the condition that the car is old enough to not have an onboard computer that I can break by playing with spark plugs or other hoses....

32. Your first love: what is the last thing you heard about him/her?
I have no idea - last time I saw him was the end of primary school.

33. How far back do you know about your ancestry?
On my fathers side back to the arrival of my convict 5-greats grandfather, and on mothers - back to the Harper who was the first anglican minister in WA and then his son who founded Guildford Grammer School. The family home is a national trust home now.

34. The last time you dressed fancy, what did you wear and why did you dress fancy?
A couple of years ago I was a bridesmaid for a friend. She wanted us to have something we could wear again, which come to think of it I did - so the last time I dressed up was for another friends wedding where I wasn't a bridesmaid but wore the same dress - it is a deep red cocktail dress with beading across the bodice and an asymmetrical hem; very flattering. It has a matching embroidered bag with a silver chain. The chain matches the silver slip on heels that go with it.

35. Have you been burned by love?
Not burned per se. I have learned a lot about myself and expectations of relationships. I'm glad for each one, but gladder that they are over.

feel free to pinch meme - let me know if you do.

Vindicated... i think

2006-11-02T21:44:00.000+10:30

Was quite delighted to read today that Australia's Army Chief agrees with me that sleep deprivation = torture.

It could be lack of sleep that is promoting a self satisfied ner ner, despite the fact that it doesn't make an ounce of difference cause I knew I was right in the first place...

On Mufti's and illness

2006-10-31T06:30:00.000+10:30

I calculate that there are 3 possibilities:

Its not real and convenient
It is real and convenient
His God struck him down

While 2 & 3 are not mutually exclusive, I find my highly sceptical, heathen heart hoping its the third (despite the lack of dramatic lightning).

Why the education department concerns me

2006-10-25T10:18:00.000+09:30

I have discussed previously my issues with the new reporting system for students, however it now appears that an additional component of the federal govt requirements is for parents to be surveyed regarding their particular school. Hence 'you have been randomly chosen' to participate, followed by the following statement:

You have been issued with a unique username.... this will ensure that your response is anonymous.

What the? It was sent to me, with a unique username (which means it is linked to me in a database otherwise how can they be sure that its 'unique') so that anonymity is assured.

I give up.

Confused cows and faded curtains

2006-10-24T19:46:00.000+09:30

Premier Beattie has outdone himself with this one....

Not only will the extra hour of daylight fade the curtains, it will cause more skin cancer.....

So the confused cows are more at risk obviously.

Words to gladden a mothers heart

2006-10-24T18:26:00.000+09:30

Children ring mobile.....

"Mum guess what we've done? We've been so good!"

"Really?" say I (not in the least sceptically, instead indulging in dreams of folded washing & clean bedrooms). "What did you do?"

"We taught the dogs to go down the slide!"

Todays post is brought to you by...

2006-10-20T21:21:00.000+09:30

The word 'asshored'

Yes I thought so too - very rude. Until it is put in context by the illiterate geek who wrote:

'I asshored the customer....'

b-i-a-s

2006-10-17T20:04:00.000+09:30

I'm a little astounded that the notion of media bias is getting so much attention. All media is biased - its just the direction of bias that differs.

New policies introduced with the goal of stamping out bias is naive to say the least - a waste of taxpayer money on the alter of bureaucracy sounds more like it!

For the interested - some completely unbiased opinions here, here & here.

T is for....

2006-10-13T14:00:00.000+09:30

Jibba Jabba?

Me? I pity the fool.

Literacy is over-rated (unless you are paying cash)

2006-10-12T19:34:00.000+09:30

For some time now I have been planning on blogging some of the more memorable examples of illiteracy presented by students at my university. Now that the botoxed wonder has spoken - I take her point - literacy is over-rated except by communists and paying for your education (because you aren't smart enough or didn't work hard enough) is a valid mechanism for devaluing education!! **

A number of these are full fee paying students - can you guess which ones?

For ease of reference I have categorised them as follows:

Coherence or Not:

Good explanation of some of the security treats in e-commerce environments

Question 1 has nearly a proper definition of every threats.

They have provided references for every definition,though more use of textbook is done which I guess is okay , but they should give more information from the net as well

The paper however is inhibited by issues

The web reference should contain a date viewed and the use of uncommon words.

The report is easy to read and follow. It is a good report. However, some of questions are not answered in a complete way.

Yet the traditional way does allowed consumers to purchase products and services online at their own convenience and prepare the budget according to their income without any additional charges such as surcharge, credit card charges and others. Consumers not able to control the times while browsing on the Internet since a large list of products and services that may providing an additional advantage and less advantage by purchasing certain product or services. Therefore, the airtime of browsing online may increase the bills in other hands.

what one person may offensive

While the laws theoretically strict, in reality they are not enforced to the full extent of the law.

This is a cost effective way of monitor the countries security of it's online environment.

I didn't like the idea of the introduction; it started by putting the thought of an attempt being made in my head and not a factual, academic paper.

the group have given started of well

What is a bogey email address, is this a golfing term?

Apart from answering the second part first and the first part second, i felt this was the strongest part of the report.

Sentence/Paragraph Confused? I am.

In relation to the second part of the question there was no mention of the word tiger teams which lead me to conclude that the last paragraph was to answer the second part of the question, however I felt the question did not lead me to the conclusion of the groups thoughts where on how secure hiring tiger teams to test security vulnerability was, the answer may have been there but it was not made clear to me.

This quote was put in to give evidence to why the US government wants/needs to restrict the exportation of encryption systems, but understandable that it is dismissing the US policy on the restriction but it still gives evidence at why they have the policy in the first place. BUT the explanation of the quote is very vague and should have a better explanation for using it in the first place.

Mixed Messages:

Overall the groups report read well although I have a few comments regarding some parts, well done.

This question is answered well, maybe a little too well.

Wiki:

References do not need to come from the university database, although that is a convenient source for journals as it requires little research on your part.

Forgive me if I'm naive but what do you mean by in-text references? References within the text book?

All the sources cited are basically from peer reviewed journal articles which normally are very reliable and form a wealth of information to go by

The internet has grown from a small university network, constructed by the United States' National Science Foundation in 1983

Critique: There seems to be an over use Wikipedia information. This is not as a professional source of information because of its freely-available nature and its motto "the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit". It is also not sanctioned for referencing by any reputable education or research organization. Whole paragraphs have been copied (although referenced) straight from its articles.

Response: We do not agree. We believe the freedom to change produces good information, with little bias to the educational institution.

Literacy:

In the statement "methods to win customer' fidelity and ease" a more appropriate word would have been loyalty, as I had to look up fidelity in a dictionary to find the meaning in terms of you wording. Fidelity is correct in the meaning you wanted but it is more common as a music meaning. The reader may get confused.

Can the group supply some clarification on "waffly", what is waffly?

Also you only gave one disadvantage to e-marketing what about unscrupulas vendors and the such

But like I said at the beginning a good paper overall that is well writen even if question 2 didnt realyy answer the question.

But there are a few points that can be rebuttled.

Some of the sentence structures lacked some joining words, however an understanding could still be made

I would say that China has alot of control over it's people in the way that they use fear and propergander.

there where a number of speling and grammer mistakes

I hate to say it but unfortunately this paper did not read well for me, there were quiet a few questioning remarks

This case, although was very informative on the topic and has shown good referencing, I found it to be slapped together in non-adhesive parts. Especially the first section.

the flow was interrupted consistantly by referenced material,

Arrogance:

A very good and well written case. The best I have read this semester (besides my own groups of course)! All answers were relevant and covered the questions being asked, even if somewhat lacking in depth.

Mills & Boon***:

However, the thing that struck me here is something that I see quite often (and what I say here, I say with the best of intentions; I'm not knocking you, just trying to make you see the picture as I see it). I think that we as students, for example writing this paper about Tiger Teams with the knowledge that it will probably only ever be read by students and staff of our "E-Biz" course, tend to 'pitch' the level of the paper to our supposed readers.

This is of course natural, and we see it in all circles of life, but I don’t think it's necessarily a good thing. I think we need to try to make the target audience of our papers a little more widespread. What I am saying here is that your discussion of the pros and cons of hiring Tiger Teams would have been not just adequate (as yours definitely was, and there’s nothing wrong with that) but really "sparking" if you had pitched it a little lower, added a little more, forgotten the pre-requisite knowledge that you assume we all have, and really gotten in there and done a summary in words of one syllable.

To summarize what I am saying here - when I read a paper, I want it to take me to the heights, but I'm not the typical student. I'm a middle aged lady (almost old, in fact, *sigh*), and I'm tired. Don't make me climb a cliff to get there – show me the stars, and then give me the steps. Our readers here in E-Biz are all advanced students and/or academics, and we all do have the knowledge that we credit each other with. We are able to understand whatever the others of us are trying to say, but let's make it really easy and readable and "fun". I always feel that papers that make the reader rack their brains to see what they're saying, rather than just slide into it easily and then strive to reach the summit of the presentation, make it more difficult than is necessary. Do you agree? And if not, then why not?

** These examples are all taken from a 2nd year course where as a group we had to write a paper which was then loaded to a repository; individually we were then required to critique another groups paper - all in all an excruciating task!

***This was all from one paper - but it would be cruel (albeit amusing) to post the whole thing

So, which is your favourite?

Best Spam™ Subject Ever....

2006-10-01T21:19:00.000+09:30

In animal studies when given very large doses Codeine did decimal.

Which is a nice change from the usual rolex watches and erectile dysfunction.

Torture is NOT an Australian Value.....

2006-10-01T20:58:00.000+09:30

According to this nutjob, sleep deprivation is not torture.

The man has obviously never had to stay up for many nights at a time with a sleepless child (or 2). Lack of sleep is mind numbing and thoughts of sleep becomes all consuming. Studies show that 17hrs without sleep is the equivalent of blowing .05 on an alcohol breathalyser.

Additional Protocol I, Article 75 of the Geneva Convention states:

'murder; torture of all kinds, whether physical or mental; corporal punishment; and mutilation…are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever, whether committed by civilian or by military agents.'

Furthermore, using force to obtain information is specifically prohibited in Article 31 of the Fourth Geneva Convention which states that:

'No physical or moral coercion shall be exercised against protected persons, in particular to obtain information from them or from third parties.'

I'm not sure precisely how Ruddock & his mate GWB determined that sleep deprivation is outside the bounds of the Geneva Convention – but my personal opinion is that damaging people to get answers means that at some point the lack of sleep or the large amount of pain will ensure that they tell you ANYTHING just to make the inhumane actions stop.

On a positive note however the following statement was made by Bob Brown (Greens Senator):

'The use of sleep deprivation is torture. Using ghetto blasters and extreme cold and light to keep prisoners awake for days on end is part of new torture techniques aimed to scar the mind but not the body,'

'Philip Ruddock is dumping long-held Australian values.'

Which means of course we've had an Australian Value articulated:

Torture is anti-australian

Which is not subjective by any means is it?

More here, here, here and here.

Startlingly Wrong

2006-09-26T07:04:00.000+09:30

This is Channel Seven's take on the new migration test......

I think its quite possibly the worst attempt - besides the fact that i would fail it in an instance - due in part to my complete lack of ability to remember sports trivia.

Colonialistic Education

2006-09-22T22:08:00.000+09:30

I want to write about this but don't know where to start.... Will get back to it later, would appreciate the thoughts of others.

Edit:

Ok, I've thought about it and come to the realisation that this is again the debate/discussion between capitalism and the rule of market forces vs John Stuart Mills notion of utilitarianism - greatest good for the greatest number.

The current political regime in Australia is very focussed on the great God of Capitalism, without recognising that the rule of market forces must be underpinned by support for those unable (for whatever reason) of supporting themselves.

The 'Poverty Line' is the determination of income below which an individual or family are deemed to live in poverty. Absolute and Relative poverty are also taken into account; these address how many households have low income relative to other households. This is determined by estimating the number of families who cannot provide basic necessities such as food, clothing and housing on a regular basis.

The Poverty Gap is the estimated amount of money required to bring those below the poverty line above it.

Public education is provided to ensure that all children have access to a given standard of education. The standards are determined to facilitate particular levels of numeracy and literacy; however education within the school system is supplemented by familial and parental expectations. Funding is provided on the basis of geographical economics and student numbers.

The federal governments push towards turning education into a self funding business began with the universities and is working its way down to primary and secondary schools. They continue to fund (out of proportion) the private schools by waving the 'choice' banner; the public education system is being eroded of the broader range of students with their concomitant parental expectations. In short, those who can afford the 'better' education supposedly provided by the private system, tend to be those with higher expectations of their children. Leaving the public schools poorly funded and populated by students who may not have the same expectations of excellence and parental support provided beyond school borders.

While this may seem a gross generalisation, we are seeing it clearly in South Australian primary schools. It costs the same amount to educate a child through primary school regardless of whether the school is public or private – the difference is the amount paid by the parent/s and the amount of federal funding. The 3 local private primary schools receive more government funding than the public primaries; and in conjunction with parental expectations that 'you get what you pay for' the private schools are expanding while the public schools are shrinking.

I don't have an answer, but the rise of capitalism (regardless of cost) is joining a loss of community – and so begins the downfall of civilisation – thoughts of self above all else. I would like to see more support for public education (I’m publically edumacated myself and I reckon I'm doin' alrite) but lacking any federal leadership in this area I shall watch the situation with increasing cynicism.

This made me laugh....

2006-09-22T22:06:00.000+09:30

Sulphur and the Devil indeed.

Dresden Dolls - Adelaide Show

2006-09-21T19:57:00.000+09:30

One word: 'kenAwesome!

The first ever Adelaide show by the Dresden Dolls had 2 support acts: Jason Webley and The Red Painters

I have seen Jason before at the fringe festival in 2000. He was a street performer then, and the skills he gained in working a crowd have more than paid off - funny, clever and incredibly musical, both on the piano accordian and guitar.

The Red Painters had suffered their personal adelaide curse, each time they visit their van gets broken into and stuff stolen. On this occasion the lead singers guitar, costume and all their painting gear was nicked. It was recommended that they invest in better locks, a rottweiler or security guards over their initial suggestion that they give Adelaide a miss from now on. They are incredible artists (musically and paintings) - their strings were amazing - of particular note is their version of Mad World (sung in the encore as a duet between Trash (lead singer TRP) and Amanda (DD). I also liked their tune which I'd heard on TripleJ 'The Revolution's never coming'.

Dresden Dolls played a mix of tunes from both the self titled album and Yes Virginia. A couple of my favourites were included: Missed Me and Coin Operated Boy. The encore was particularly memorable though. The first song was the Mad World duet mentioned above, the second was done by Brian & Amanda (DD) and Jason; a cover of Bon Jovi's Living on a Prayer interspersed with philosophical debate regarding the contradictions within the lyrics. The evening concluded with Girl Anachronism.

I don't often get out to see bands anymore - but this was more than worth the effort, a true combination of performance art and amazing music. I've been pretty useless today, but I can't wait until they come back.

A valued discussion*

2006-09-18T18:48:00.000+09:30

*Caution - post is possibly incoherent & tangential

There has been a bit of discussion in the media regarding the new requirements to become a citizen of Australia and for the life of me it doesn't seem to make sense. Investigation of the Dept of Immigration website reveals significant differences between the Australian ideologies spouted and the realities of everyday politics as dispersed in the mass media.

The gap in the current potential stoush is that the current debate regarding citizenship fails to highlight the fact that in order to be considered for Australian Citizenship you must first have a Permanent Residence Visa (PRV). So the debate skirts the more important (to my mind) issue regarding how people get permanent residence visa's and the requirements for both PRV, TPV (Temporary Protection Visa) and THV (Temporary Offshore Humanitarian Visa).

The TPV and THV are the governments way of ensuring that refugees who have potentially been through hell to get to ~~the land of the free~~ Australia are going to damn well know their place and stay insecure (until they are returned to their now safe as determined by these stupid politicians who don't want to piss off the neighbours who are engaged in state based terrorism (but thats another post).

The current madness stems around the semantically broad term 'values'.

n : beliefs of a person or social group in which they have an emotional investment (either for or against something); "he has very conservatives values"

Everyone has values. However to state that we have national values is crap. Yes, we have some collective values some of which are enshrined in legislation; within social & religous groupings there are shared values - but whether those values are necessarily 'Strine' is another matter. In fact I'm reasonably confident that some of my values are contrary to those of the current ~~dictatorship~~ ruling power in Australia - but I'm safe chaps - I'm already a citizen.

Which brings me to the notion of values in a representational democracy [cough]; and a question:

If a politician is the elected representative of their electorate - should the values they purvey be those of the collective who voted them in? Their personal values? Those of their political party? Or merely some collected garble determined by some plummy mouthed politicians with their heads up the proverbial bum?

One more word:

naivety

n : lack of sophistication or worldliness

OR

Thinking that terrorists won't be able to fulfill the requirements, but ordinary folks (mates in the making) will. Unless...... this is a possibly racist/religioust [sic] issue mmmmm

I think there's something in that for all of us.

Photo essay of an annual chore

2006-09-09T21:05:00.000+09:30

Firstly - a big thankyou to Kerryn for reminding me to take my camera :-)

We began the afternoon by being introduced to the finer points of competitive shearing (it is afterall an agricultural show)

This is the chappy who won. He presented with the fine soubriquet 'Mullet'. His daughter was born 12hrs previous; accordingly I think he did very well for a man with no sleep & possibly under the influence....

This is wool post shearing, cleaning, spinning etc

Onto the handicrafts & some fine hats

Possibly the best wedding cake I've ever seen (down the slippery slope)

The Holden Precision Driving Team (complete with black armbands)

The part the kiddies are interested in*

Going quackers**

These people think they're part of the precision driving team (above) leading me to conclude that the majority of the population is heavily deluded and/or driving under the influence of excessive sugar.

And now a word from our sponsor

View towards the ocean, from the ferris wheel***

Awwww purdy

* In a couple of years they'll go with their friends & skip the first part.
** Sorry, couldn't resist
*** I love this photo

Did you hear the scream?

2006-08-23T18:19:00.000+09:30

I GOT MY JOB!!! Woo hoo*

So we're off to the nation's capital next year - not sure if they're ready, but I'm giving notice :-)

When my brain returns to earth, I will then start the fun logistics stuff:

Spring clean house
Finish this semester
Have a big goodbye party (or 3)
Find somewhere to live

*Did I mention that I actually wanted this job?
**Or that I received 15 text messages saying 'I told you so'?

I hate that this is not surprising.....

2006-08-13T21:37:00.000+09:30

A woman with a partner and children does on average 4hrs per week more housework than a sole mother with children.

What I learned today

2006-08-02T13:16:00.000+09:30

It takes 3 kettles worth of hot water to fill the kitchen sink
When it is 10deg outside - it is not possible to have a cold shower without becoming a human icicle
Hair that is not washed by 11am adopts its own persona - visually approximating a birds nest after chicks have hatched
Not being able to shower makes me very grumpy >:-|
Possibly the sweetest words are - the plumber is running early - can he come now instead of later this afternoon?

I should have named him Brian

2006-07-27T19:32:00.000+09:30

Conversation had with small boy over dinner about taxes:

SB: Well, why do we have to pay taxes?
Me: Someone has to pay for the roads.
SB: Roads?? (incredulously)
Me: Well who do you think pays for the roads?
SB: The Romans?
Me: collapses in laughter

Nuclear Wedding Present

2006-07-23T19:39:00.000+09:30

Apparently Kim Jong-il, Korean ~~dictator~~ leader has married his secretary.

Its a little disturbing that she is only 'cute' rather than beautiful like his former wife (deceased), however when you are this powerful I guess the choices are limited - and at least she can type.

Very little more here.

I wonder where the storm is coming from.....

2006-07-23T14:05:00.000+09:30

View from the East....

View from the West.....

Classic quotes from Aussie socceroos

2006-07-05T17:19:00.000+09:30

Ok so they may be purloined from elsewhere and reallocated but they're still funny:

"My parents have been there for me, ever since I was about 7." - Tim
Cahill

"I would not be bothered if we lost every game as long as we won the
league." - Mark Viduka.

"Guus Hiddink is the best manager I've ever had at this level. Well,
he’s the only manager I've actually had at this level. But he's
the best manager I’ve ever had." - Lucas Neill.

"If you don't believe you can win, there is no point in getting out of
bed at the end of the day." - John Aloisi.

"I've had 14 bookings this season - 8 of which were my fault, but 7 of
which were disputable." - Ned Zelic.

"I've never wanted to leave. I'm here for the rest of my life, and
hopefully after that as well." - Mark Schwarzer.

"I'd like to play for an Italian club, like Barcelona." - Vince
Grella.

"You've got to believe that you're going to win, and I believe we'll
win the World Cup until the final whistle blows and we're knocked
out." -
Harry Kewell.

"I'm as happy as I can be - but I have been happier." - Mile
Sterjovski.

"Leeds is a great club and it's been my home for years, even though I
live in Middlesborough." - Mark Viduka.

"I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel." - Craig Moore.

"I took a whack on my left ankle, but something told me it was my
right." - Harry Kewell.

"I couldn't settle in Italy- it was like living in a foreign country."
- Vince Grella.

"Germany is a very difficult team to play . . . they have 11
internationals out there." - Zeljko Kalac.

"I always used to put my right boot on first, and then obviously my
right sock." - Jason Culina.

"The Brazilians were South American, and the Ukrainians will be more
European." - Scott Chipperfield.

"All that remains is for a few dots and commas to be crossed." - Marco
Bresciano.

"One accusation you can't throw at me is that I've always done my
best." - Craig Moore.

"I'd rather play in front of a full house than an empty crowd." - Mark
Viduka.

"Sometimes in football you have to score goals." - Harry Kewell.

Update on the School Reports

2006-07-05T17:10:00.000+09:30

Well I was right (to my deep chagrin) - the new reports are Crap! They tell me a lot of shit that I already know - for example:

Small girl can kick with either foot & can throw overarm
Small boy has difficulty getting started (procrastination) but when he does he is great
Both children are articulate and are quick mental processors

Excellent.

I already know that. As I suspected, the reports provide no information regarding progress made or information regarding the children's perceptions of how they are doing.

Not happy (can you tell lol). So I have passed along my feedback, and will wait for the next incarnation, hoping (probably in vain) that the school will return to the previous method of reporting, which to my mind is significantly superior.

Happy Birthday to me

2006-06-30T17:12:00.000+09:30

I look like a monkey & I live in a tree......

Just one of the delightful versions sung to me this morning.

School Reporting

2006-06-21T16:24:00.002+09:30

I'm somewhat concerned about the new reporting methods being proposed by the Federal Govt & enraged that they are tying funding to the implementation of it.

In the school my kiddies attend we don't have reports per se. The kids bring home a learning folder twice a year. This enables the parent to see how the child has improved from term to term - it also includes information about how the child is doing against year level averages & expectations of learning.

A component of the learning folder is an assessment that is done each term for each section of learning & social development as well. The child says how they think they have done against criteria and the teacher says how they think the child has done against the same criteria. This provides room for discussion on goal setting and social dissonance. Also provides a very clear picture of where the child thinks they are at (for example small boy always thinks he has done worse than the teacher does because he has unrealistic expectations)

Hence the current method (as applied at my kids school) achieves communication of child progress in 2 critical areas:

1. Against themselves
2. Against year level expectations including state and federal standards.

The proposed system in South Australia would grade the children as follows:

A Excellent achievement beyond what is expected at this year level
B Good achievement of what is expected at this year level
C Satisfactory achievement of what is expected at this year level
D Partial achievement of what is expected at this year level
E Minimal achievement of what is expected at this year level

So it is expected that a 'C' rating means your child is working satisfactorily and his or her learning is on track against federal/state measures.

There is no room in the new assessment methodology to assess the child's progress - only standard at a static moment in time.

I also have a problem with C being acceptable and A virtually unachievable for the majority - the grades encourage competition with other students rather than demonstrating and encouraging individual development and achievement. A child with a B average could do significantly better and never see this demonstrated on the report. In addition, without standardised curriculum (there is a base level required, but delivery and mechanisms for teaching are not standardised) reporting this way is very subjective. There appears to be a determination that curriculum is defined ie students will study maths, english, science, art, pe; but shows no understanding of literacy in maths or science or numeracy in art or pe. This lack of clear definition has confused parents and teachers.

The other significant issue is that the A-E grades have different meanings across each of the states - so for example in Victoria a student could only get an A if they have consistently achieved B's for the subject over an extended period of time, whereas in Western Australia a student would get an A if their work was excellent - while these 2 criteria's may appear similar in application they aren't. This is contrary to the supposition that a grade will carry the same meaning across state borders.

I know grading at the best of times is subjective - but kiddies in primary school do not have the context or perspective to assess the grading objectively and it may well be detrimental to their learning.

It will be interesting to see the approach taken by schools and the outcomes for teachers, students and families as these are introduced.

More info here, here, here and here.

Darth Vader would be proud

2006-06-21T12:41:00.000+09:30

Bonsai's latest misuse of power is to change the structure of the Federal Senate, cutting the number of committees and ensuring those remaining are chaired exclusively by coalition members.

Greens leader Bob Brown said the changes would mean all committees would be "controlled from the Prime Minister's office". "If they don't like witnesses, they won't appear," he said. "The parliament is being sidelined by executive power."

Coming soon: Howard reveals plans for 'new' deathstar

Universal Truth

2006-06-17T20:36:00.000+09:30

I have been pondering the nature of Universal or Absolute Truth, trying to determine if such a thing exists. Its kinda fun to twist your brain around, because for every proposed absolute truth there is an opposing view which instantly renders the proposal false.

Some non-controversial examples:

Some believe that it is a universal truth that there is a god - Others disagree - instant non-universal truth (NUT)

Short time living : long time dead - Reincarnation - NUT

Boys are better - Girls are better - NUT

etc

I have come to the conclusion that there is only 1 universal truth.

And that is.....

That everyone thinks that there are a lot of crackpots* out there.

*insert synonym of your choice

Are you a Carrot, Egg or Coffee Bean?

2006-06-17T20:29:00.000+09:30

This appeals to me in my current state of pre-exam paranoia :-)

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how
things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make
it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It
seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and
placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first
she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she
placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without saying a
word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the
carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and
placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a
bowl.

Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see."

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did
and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to
take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the
hard boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the
coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.

The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same
adversity -- boiling water. Each reacted differently.

The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being
subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.
The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid
interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became
hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the
boiling water, they had changed the water.

Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your
door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?"

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with
pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the
heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial
hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell
look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and
hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water,
the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it
releases the fragrance and flavour. If you are like the bean, when things
are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.

When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you
elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity?

Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Normal service will resume shortly

2006-05-27T11:39:00.000+09:30

It is with much regret that I must take a leave of absence. The necessities of completing uni work in amongst numerous kiddie like activities mean that I will be away for the next couple of weeks.

I have a number of items queued that I want to blog about - some of which will be out of date by the time I get back but so be it.

take care of you all until I return. (oh and wish me luck with assignments & exams).

Au Revoir

For the pussy lovers

2006-05-21T12:33:00.000+09:30

During my research on 'internet control'* came across this:

Live Nude Cats

Featuring the following articles:

Pimp your kitty into a cash cat

How she lost 2lbs in 2hrs on all-box diet - boost your metabolism with cardboard

*Not as tenuous a link as you might suppose. The author of this site wrote a paper on 'national borders in cyberspace'

More procrastination...

2006-05-18T10:43:00.001+09:30

via Pavlov's Cat

My japanese name is Yamashita (under the mountain) Emi (blessed with beauty).

I think this maybe suggesting 'attractive dirt'?

Created with Rum and Monkey's Name Generator Generator.

Procrastination pterry* style

2006-05-14T18:29:00.000+09:30

"When you hit your thumb with an 8 pound hammer, its nice to be able to blaspheme. It takes a very strong, special minded atheist to jump up and down, With their their hand clasped under their other armpit and shout "Oh random fluctuations in the space time continuum."
(Men At Arms)

"The problem with being a god is that you've no one to pray to."

"He says gods like to see an atheist around. Gives them something to aim at."

"Its a popular fact that 90% of the brain is not used and, like most popular facts, it is wrong. Not even the most stupid Creator would go to the trouble of making the human head carry around several pounds of unnecessary grey goo if its only real purpose was, for example, to serve as a delicacy for certain remote tribesmen in unexplored valleys. One of its functions is to make the miraculous seem ordinary, and turn the unusual into the usual. Otherwise, human beings, forced with the daily wondrousness of everything, would go around wearing a stupid grin, saying "WOW" a lot. Part of the brain exists to stop this happening. It is very efficient, and can make people experience boredom in the middle of marvels."
(Small Gods)

"Let's just say that if complete and utter chaos was lightning, he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armour and shouting 'All gods are bastards'"
(The Colour of Magic)

"Natural selection saw to it that professional heroes who at a crucial moment tended to ask themselves questions like "What is my purpose in life?" very quickly lacked both."

"According to the philosopher, Ly Tin Wheedle, chaos is found in greatest abundance wherever order is being sought. It always defeats order, because it is better organised."

"The Quantum Weather Butterfly ( Papilio Tempestae ) is an undistinguished yellow colour, its outstanding feature is its ability to create weather. This presumably began as a survival trait, since even an extremely hungry bird would find itself inconvenienced by a nasty localized tornado ( usually about 6 inches across ). From there it possibly became a secondary sexual characteristic, like the plumage of birds. Look at *me*, the male says, flapping his wings lazily in the canopy of the rain forest. I may be an undistinguished yellow colour but in a fortnight's time, a thousand miles away, Freak Gales Cause Road Chaos. This is the butterfly of the storm."
(Interesting Times)

"Splatters are a bit like bouncers really, except that they use more force."

"The truth is that even big collections of ordinary books distort space, as can readily be proved by anyone who has been around a really old-fashioned secondhand bookshop, one of those that look as though they were designed by M. Escher on a bad day and has more staircases than storeys and those rows of shelves which end in little doors that are surely too small for a full-sized human to enter. The relevant equation is: Knowledge = power = energy = matter = mass; a good bookshop is just a genteel Black Hole that knows how to read."

"People who are rather more than six feet tall and nearly as broad across the shoulders often have uneventful journeys. People jump out at them from behind rocks then say things like, "Oh. Sorry. I thought you were someone else."

"The three rules of the Librarians of Time and Space are: 1) Silence; 2) Books must be returned no later than the date last shown; and 3) Do not interfere with the nature of causality."
(Guards Guards)

"The only things known to go faster than ordinary light is monarchy, according to the philosopher Ly Tin Weedle. He reasoned like this: you can't have more than one king, and tradition demands that there is no gap between kings, so when a king dies the succession must therefore pass to the heir *instantaneously*. Presumably, he said, there must be some elementary particles -- kingons, or possibly queons -- that do this job, but of course succession sometimes fails if, in mid-flight, they strike an anti-particle, or republicon. His ambitious plans to use his discovery to send messages, involving the careful torturing of a small king in order to modulate the signal, were never fully expanded because, at that point, the bar closed."

"Sodomy non sapiens"
(Mort)

"The Monks of Cool, whose tiny and exclusive monastery is hidden in a really cool and laid-back valley in the lower Ramtops, have a passing-out test for a novice. He is taken into a room full of all types of clothing and asked: 'Yo, my son, which of these is the most stylish thing to wear? ' And the correct answer is: 'Hey, whatever I select.'"

"The shortest unit of time in the multiverse is the New York Second, defined as the period of time between the traffic lights turning green and the cab behind you honking."
(Lords & Ladies)

"It is said that whosoever the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad. In fact, whosoever the gods wish to destroy, they first hand the equivalent of a stick with a fizzing fuse and Acme Dynamite Company written on the side. It's more interesting, and doesn't take so long."
(Soul Music)

"It used to be so simple, once upon a time. Because the universe was full of ignorance all around and the scientist panned through it like a prospector crouched over a mountain stream, looking for the gold of knowledge among the gravel of unreason, the sand of uncertainty and the little whiskery eight-legged swimming things of superstition."

"Occasionally he would straighten up and say things like "Hurrah, I've discovered Boyle's Third Law." And everyone knew where they stood. But the trouble was that ignorance became more interesting, especially big fascinating ignorance about huge and important things like matter and creation, and people stopped patiently building their little houses of rational sticks in the chaos of the universe and started getting interested in the chaos itself : partly because it was a lot easier to be an expert on chaos, but mostly because it made really good patterns that you could put on a t-shirt."

"Bad spelling can be lethal. For example, the greedy Seriph of Al-Ybi was once cursed by a badly-educated deity and for some days everything he touched turned to Glod, which happened to be the name of a small dwarf from a mountain community hundreds of miles away who found himself magically dragged to the kingdom and relentlessly duplicated."

"The Yen Buddhists are the richest religious sect in the universe. They hold that the accumulation of money is a great evil and a burden to the soul. They therefore, regardless of personal hazard, see it as their unpleasant duty to acquire as much as possible in order to reduce the risk to innocent people."

Asking someone to repeat a phrase you'd not only heard very clearly but were also exceedingly angry about was around Defcon II in the lexicon of squabble."
(Witches Abroad)

Okay enough for now - back to work. :-(

*Terry Pratchett

Happy Mothers Day

2006-05-13T21:19:00.000+09:30

On this 2nd most commercial of days (behind the big V), happy mother's day to you all, regardless of your gender or procreational status.

Evolution of Dance

2006-05-13T19:19:00.000+09:30

Celestial Sleepytime

2006-05-10T16:57:00.000+09:30

The other night I had a dream - no not in the Martin Luther King Jr style - more Salvador Dali.

I dreamt that i had bought my dream house, but after moving in I couldn't get the garden to grow. Then I noticed that no-one else around me had a garden. So I did some research & discovered that 175yrs ago, there had been a toxic waste dump where my house was (apparently it hadn't bothered anyone else or they hadn't noticed). I somehow 'knew' that there was a titanium sheet between the ground and the house so no toxins could affect me & the kids (wtf?)

Anyhow I wanted to take all the dirt from my yard and dump it - but I wasn't allowed because the soil was toxic. So I ended up having to get it taken into space - it went in those barge things that you see on TV taking rubbish over the ocean in America - there were 2 of those being towed behind a rocket that looked a bit like this.

Then I put new dirt in the backyard and planted a beautiful garden, and then plants started to grow all over the neighbourhood gradually moving outwards from my place.

So....

I'm not sure if I have a hero complex or if I just need to lay off chocolate before bed.
Amateur psychoanalyst's apply within....

Call me Screech

2006-05-09T20:01:00.000+09:30

It appears that Dolphins get more intelligent the more money is spent on researching them - or the more research is done, the more we find out about how intelligent they have always been but we didn't know about it before. - I don't think i can make that anymore convoluted.

Anyway.....

Scientists have discovered that Dolphins have names and recognise each other by these labels (like humans) rather than by 'voice' or the pitch of the sound.

I think this is kinda kewl, but still think there are a lot of things that research dollars could be better spent on; but then that may just be because I don't know what they are hoping to achieve from the study.

More here.

disclaim this.....

2006-05-09T19:56:00.000+09:30

Director Ron Howard (who will always be Richie to me) has declined the Vatican's offer to place a disclaimer at the beginning of The DaVinci Code movie. The Vatican wants to make sure that everyone (other than catholics) knows that the movie is 'fiction'.

I wish Mel could have seen his way clear to putting a disclaimer on The Passion of Christ.....

Bizarre

2006-05-07T11:58:00.000+09:30

While doing some research on link spamming (using spam to raise a page's ranking in a search engine) I came across information on google bombing (in essence the same thing, but without the involvement of spam) .

So being a curious bunny, I decided to google my blog name.

And found this rather bizarre site which I had no idea about. The site compiles fantasy blog shares eg - if my blog were a company what would the trading price be.

Rather amusing I thought.

Just cause I like it

2006-05-04T09:48:00.000+09:30

Supposedly attributable to George Carlin - but I haven't confirmed this.

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions.

"How old are you?" "I'm four and a half!" You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key.

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.

"How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!" You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life . . . You become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony . . YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you're Just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50

And your dreams are gone.

But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.

You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80's and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there. Into the 90's, you start going backwards; "I Was JUST 92."

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. "I'm 100 and a half!"

May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!

HOW TO STAY YOUNG

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay "them!"

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9 Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Show the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Free marketing?

2006-05-04T00:12:00.000+09:30

When will the church realise that everytime they bitch about the DaVinci code more people will go to see it or read it or pay attention to it?

The anglican church has decided that they will show a movie at the cinemas which will show the 'real' story of jesus. How do they know? They weren't there. Their bible consists of translated excerpts of some bits that were copied from the Catholic church (when Henry wanted to divorce Catherine) which are only the bits that the Catholics wanted people to be subjugated to anyway.

The anglican church claims the movie will 'mislead people about the truth' - well i guess they are the experts.

At this rate cynics will start believing that the church is either getting kickbacks, or are major shareholders in the studio. Sheesh.

For Posterity

2006-04-28T23:22:00.000+09:30

I am doing group work. I have an ongoing hate relationship with uni groups. For one of my classes we have to write a paper as a 'group' and then individually critique the same paper written by a different group. We have some stellar talent in the class, so for your general enlightenment I have provided a quote from the person who critiqued ~~my paper~~ my groups paper:

My option was that all of the basic points where made but that the over use of quotes and references meant that there wasnt a solid response from clear understanding.

If anyone can tell me what it means, I would much appreciate it.

In the words of the infamous red head 'Pulleeze Exploin'

**just a small note - this person thinks wikipedia is an academic reference

This is the story of my life............

2006-04-23T11:39:00.000+09:30

Out, Out you demons of stupidity!

What I did on my holidays....

2006-04-20T17:58:00.000+09:30

Take 2 not-as-small-as-they-used-to-be children, add 1 friend each, a refrigerated truck full of food, one full tank of petrol and drive.

Today we did a road trip, I try to do one of these per week of the holidays. We travelled 240km.
We went to Ingalalla Falls, they were pretty, but not climbable so we looked then got back in the car. We headed to the Starfish Hill windfarm. The 2 visiting kiddies had never seen it - I love the view - it is a surreal art landscape of modern windmills. I don't understand the claims about noise - it is almost impossible to hear the low thrum thrum over the fierce winds. Watching the rain come in over the ocean from Kangaroo Island was magnificent.

From there we discovered Talisker Conservation Park - containing the remnents of Talisker Mine. Having tramped all around the historical area we then jumped back in the now exceedingly muddy car & headed for Selwyn's Glacier Rock.

That was pretty awesome - just the history and the size of the rock - plus its really pretty :-)

Determining that the kiddies were not suitably exhausted, we then headed for Victor Harbour & Granite Island. Made them walk the entire perimeter of the island (including causeway there & back); we were rewarded by the sight of fairy penguins in their nests and the awesome power of the ocean. Plus some beautiful interference patterns caused by waves going around the island.

Overall a good day - all are tired, but that good, well earned exhaustion, which will hopefully lead them all to dreamlessly sleep for a long time.

Apologies for lack of photos - discovered too late the camera battery was dead :-(

Shake... who?

2006-04-19T21:28:00.000+09:30

The immortal bard would be turning in his grave....

Sir Elton & Disney are planning a version of Romeo & Juliet portrayed by animated gnomes.

Gnomeo & Juliet

I don't think it gets anymore tragic than this.

New Light Source

2006-04-15T19:45:00.000+09:30

Researchers from Princeton, USC and University of Michigan have found a way to significantly reduce the energy currently used in electric light bulbs.

The organic light-emitting diode (OLED) emits a brilliant white light when attached to an electricity supply. The material can be printed in wafer thin sheets that allow furniture and walls to be used as a light source.

This is a wonderful achievement for the ongoing sustainability of the planet, as electricity plants are a high source of pollution, and the OLED requires significantly less electricity. In addition, producing a natural light (which I appreciate more as I get older).

More here.

UnPC for the disabled

2006-04-14T11:45:00.000+09:30

Mother is blind, Father is deaf.

The degeneration (eyes & ears) has been gradual. More obvious for mother than father.

She talks and he points. He walks around the farm at night without torch - it drives her nuts cause she can't see where he is. So she yells at him......

But this morning while talking to her on the phone, I realised the silliness has reached new depths.

Father stores the cooking oil spray next to the PeaBeau (insect spray). Mother decides to cook.......

No flies on their food.

The Price of Pride

2006-04-12T19:55:00.000+09:30

Once upon a time there was a woman who left a bad marriage. She left with the clothes on her back & little else. Being somewhat poor at this time, she accepted all offers of furniture.

She was grateful for the items that others considered junk, because it was all she had. She learnt to make a home from the debris of her own & others lives. The couch was stained and cat scratched. The cupboard was dented and scratched. A sheet to cover the couch & a coat of paint covered the worst of the asthetic ills.

Over time this woman worked her (not so little) butt off, to create a better life for herself. She was gradually able to 'upgrade' and buy herself some nice furniture. Thinking it would be a good thing to 'pass it forward' she decided to donate the furniture instead of dumping it.

The salvation army & st vincent de paul both rejected her furniture. 'Oh we couldn't give that to someone' 'Doesn't matter if you don't have much, you still have the right to pride'

Well this woman begged to differ and so do I.

People become poverty struck for various reasons, some through circumstance, some through the choices they make.

But something has to be better than nothing. If I have the choice between the cold ground and a crappy couch - I'll take the crappy couch. Maybe it will give me the incentive to pull my socks up and get something better.

If I have nothing, then the only way is up. I can be proud of my efforts to get myself out of my quagmire - but why should I be proud of belongings given not earnt? As if I had a right to the best?

I believe the culture we have, where people just expect to be given is WRONG. What happened to elbow grease, work ethics and 'old fashioned' get up and go?

I think the words 'delayed gratification' have disappeared as concepts from the collective consciousness of society & it peeves me greatly.

I work hard and put up with daily frustrations to make my kids work for what they want. It may not be the easiest road, but I'll be damned before I'll let them learn that they can just expect and get. I like them too much to set them up for the depths of failure that reality will provide for them as they get older.

I wish others would do the same.

Well, now that you mention it......

2006-04-11T11:28:00.000+09:30

It appears that this movie typifies me..... To quote a friend:
doubt it

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

Just for laughs

2006-04-10T19:35:00.000+09:30

Well, boredom set in & my email is slowly taking over space that I require for music, so I have set up another site for posting the amusements that fill my email on a daily basis.

I figured that if I find them amusing, someone else is bound to...... (or not as the case maybe)

There is a broad range.

How Now Blue Cow is where you'll find it.

Have a look if you want. I'm not putting a site meter or anything on it - cause its main purpose is to free space on my hard drive 1kb at a time.

**EDIT: Jack has suggested I create members for Blue Cow to enable others to post their funnies also. If you want to do this, let me know - either in comments or send me an email :-)

Oldie but......

2006-04-07T14:20:00.000+09:30

One for my dad

2006-04-05T23:09:00.000+09:30

Singer Gene Pitney died today in Wales aged 65.

One of my childhood memories is my dad singing 'The man who shot Liberty Valance' - sounded good with the radio volume up :-)

Gene was inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of Fame in 2002.

I don't think he was very rock n roll, but until they build the 'Easy Listening Hall of Fame' I suppose it will have to do.

RIP Gene.

Justice is done

2006-04-05T22:59:00.000+09:30

2 pakastani men (MSK & MAK) have today been sentenced to 19 & 28 years in Gaol for the gang rape of women in Sydney.

Much to the disgust of many, these two 'men' claimed that their strict moral and cultural upbringing meant that they did not know that their actions were wrong.

This is the scary & truly horrific part - that in their culture, it is 'ok' to abuse women who venture out without the protection of male relatives.

Fortunately Justice Peter Hidden denied their claim and has put them behind bars for a significant period of time.

Perhaps Australia needs to follow the Dutch model of providing a video to potential immigrants showing our culture & way of life, with the option to go elsewhere if they cannot live within our society.

I tried to ignore

2006-04-04T22:44:00.000+09:30

this article I found at Feministing.

But I couldn't. My skin crawls at the views expressed by pathetic men with little penis's. Even worse is the opinions of the pathetic women who support them.

These 'men' claim that it is emasculating for women to be career orientated and independent. BUT its ok for them.

Get a grip boys - appreciate the woman for who she is & she will give you the same respect in return.

The article on Feministing & the comments say it far more articulately than I have the energy for.

Genocide by any other name......

2006-04-04T18:48:00.000+09:30

South African Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang has once again stretched out her claws, this time denying TAC (South African HIV campaign group - Treatment Action Campaign) access to the UN Discussion on HIV/AIDS.

It is estimated that between 5 & 6 million people are infected with HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Her problem?

TAC advocate & compaign for the provision of free retro-viral drugs to combat the pandemic.

The health minister (strongly supported by President Thabo_Mbeki) believes that vitamins are more beneficial and suggests that those with AIDS should eat more lemons, beetroot & garlic.

There are a number of reasons for the pandemic, amongst them resistance to the use of condoms. The Catholic church has had a significant role in this (no surprises there) - as they promote abstinence rather than being realistic about disease control.

Australian Health Minister Tony Abbott & Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang should form a health ministers alliance 'Drachonian Catholic Dumbass's'.

Prayer might make things worse.

2006-04-01T22:40:00.000+10:30

The US$2.5m (£1.4m) study was done over a decade at six major US medical centres and involved 1,800 patients who had heart bypass surgery.

The patients - 65 per cent of whom said they believed in the power of prayer - were split into three groups. Two were prayed for, the third was not. Of those who were prayed for, one group was told so, and the others were told merely that they may or may not be prayed for.

After 30 days, however, the death rates and incidence of major complications was about the same across all three groups, said a report published in the American Heart Journal.

"Intercessory prayer itself had no effect on whether complications occurred (and) patients who were certain that intercessors would pray for them had a higher rate of complications than patients who were uncertain but did receive intercessory prayer," it said.

The study was not intending to prove/disprove the existence of God, but it has raised intriguing questions about whether people should be told others are praying for them. A slightly higher proportion of whose who knew they were the subject of prayers suffered complications than those who did not.

The difference was very small - 59 per cent compared to 51 per cent - but researchers wonder if the problems among those who knew they were being prayed for reflected in part a "performance anxiety," said Charles Bethea, an Oklahoma cardiologist and an author of the study. "It may have made them uncertain, wondering, 'Am I so sick they had to call in a prayer team?'"

Ultimately, the study is not terribly scientific. There is no empirical method of determining either the 'quality' or quantity of prayer involved. Perhaps a less than benevolent God has weightings on prayer enabling greater results for the recipients???

More information here.

Benevolent Leader

2006-04-01T20:53:00.000+10:30

Unlike other online personality tests, this one is fairly comprehensive and reasonably accurate.

if you mouse over the colours it will show what each proportion stands for.

Benevolent Leader

Test can be taken here.

It could only be....

2006-04-01T12:57:00.000+10:30

I found this on Pavlov's Cat.

You're Waiting for Godot!

by Samuel Beckett

Many people think you're extremely dull, but you're just trying to
patient. Really patient. Patient to the point of absurdity, quite frankly. Whatever
you're waiting for isn't going to just come along, so you can stop waiting. I promise.
Move on with your life. Change of scenery might do you good. Heck, any scenery might
do you good. In the meantime, you do make for very interesting conversation.

Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

This relates to one of my favourite pieces of graffiti:

Godot was here

Damn missed him again :-)

I've had my shots

2006-03-29T17:33:00.000+10:30

I've been infected with the Indie Virus by DayDreamer. But little does she know, I've been innoculated :-)

This is an experiment:

To bring exposure to lesser known blogs (especially those outside of Technorati's top 100)
To explore the metrics behind a viral linking campaign launched by the "little guys" (less popular blogs)

So - anyone who wants time off work, go get a medical certificate from your Doctor and tell him you have The Indie Virus. Who knows it could be good for a weeks holiday if he/she is not real bright.

Women lead the way....

2006-03-26T18:12:00.000+10:30

Sydney women have marched in Cronulla to promote etnic harmony.

Those attending hope it will help replace images of violence in Cronulla with images of racial harmony.

Why women? Perhaps its because feminist struggles are more recent and still have a way to go. Maybe its because women are used to promoting peace in the workplace, community and home (not necessarily in that order).

Given the major issues Australia is facing which include racism, IR Reform, civil liberties perhaps its time that the PEOPLE of Oz began to fight back against our conservative, capitalist, authoritarian govt.

If men AND women fight the good fight - we'll triumph once more.

Judge offended by cleavage.....

2006-03-25T23:04:00.000+10:30

Chief Judge in Equity Peter Young says "unwelcome" displays of flesh can be unsettling - especially when the offenders are well built. His comments are in an article for the Australian Law Journel entitled "Politeness".

He goes on to say:

"There is no problem with the bar, as there is a standard form of dress. There has been virtually no problem with male solicitors, who invariably wear jacket, tie and long trousers.

"However, it is clear that some female solicitors have no idea of appropriate court dress. The worst offenders are usually well-built women who expose at least the upper halves of their breasts, and as they lean forward to make a point to a judge sitting at a high level they present a most unwelcome display of bare flesh."

Justice Young, who is the editor of the journal, railed against the presence of water bottles in a previous issue.

nuff said.

Were you a whingy kid?

2006-03-25T21:48:00.000+10:30

In the 1960's Professors Jack & Jeanne Block, a husband and wife team, began a research program looking at the personalities of 100 kindergarten children aged 3-4yrs. The kids' personalities were rated at the time by teachers and assistants who had known them for months.

A few decades later, Block followed up with more surveys, looking again at personality, and this time at politics, too. The whiny kids tended to grow up conservative, and turned into rigid young adults who hewed closely to traditional gender roles and were uncomfortable with ambiguity.

The confident kids turned out liberal and were still hanging loose, turning into bright, non-conforming adults with wide interests. The girls were still outgoing, but the young men tended to turn a little introspective.

This study is not going to win the professor any conservative friends.

Critics branded it the "conservatives are crazy" study and accused the authors of a political bias. Of course 3-4yr olds tend to have a fairly well considered political stance, so the bias call is obviously correct. :-)

The full article is here.

I knew they were good for something.....

2006-03-25T21:33:00.000+10:30

It appears that stem cells can be obtained from mice testicles. Researchers have found that the cells, when cultivated a particular way will develop into one of 3 different types of cell.

Researchers have not investigated whether the same will hold true for cells from human testes; however as the UK govt has just promised £100m over the next 2 years, this research is a definite.

Hopefully the cells will be able to be propagated from humans

Then we'll be able to set up farms - I already know of some candidates lol

Succumbed to peer pressure.....

2006-03-21T23:01:00.000+10:30

I have given in and loaded my photo to heritage for comparison with celebrities.

I'm pretty pleased - although sceptical about what they determined....

I am 73% like Kate:

61% like Geena:

And 59% like Antoine de Saint-Exupery

mmmm not sure about this one :-)

Detrius download....

2006-03-20T21:39:00.000+10:30

I hate groupwork! No, possibly the word Hate is too mild:

Loathe
Despise
Detest
Abhor
Bleecchhhh!!!

Just for a little clarification - I'm referring to the stuff you have to do at Uni, which in no way resembles teamwork in the workplace.

I have 4 assignments due in the next 7 days. 3 of them are group assignments. Do you think I can find my groups in the ether?

Gonna go have a major spack attack & do all the work myself >:-(

Despicable Business Model

2006-03-20T19:21:00.000+10:30

Forgent Networks Inc. is a company with (what I consider to be) an appalling business model. Yes, the capitalistic portion of my soul says 'cool - thats great - I'm impressed someone thought of it' but the rest of me wants to puke.

Their model operates on purchasing up companies who own little known patents, then suing companies for royalties. A practice known as 'patent trolling'.

A fine example of this is U.S. Patent No. 4,698,672 - this is for the JPEG compression technique used in PC's & Digital Cameras. Forgent purchased Compression Labs, then proceeded to sue a number of companies for failing to pay royalties. Forgent has collected around $105 million in royalties from different electronics and software companies..

Requests have been made to the Patent office to have the patent reviewed it will be interesting to see the outcome.

Minor Victory for Google

2006-03-20T19:03:00.000+10:30

Google has been under fire recently.

Firstly there was the company decision to provide censored search results (complying with censorship laws) to China. Some argue that this is contrary to the company motto 'do no evil'. However as Google have explained they are merely providing a service. In addition, they are not shipping users to the govt the way other search engines (Yahoo) have done.

The US Govt has had demands made to prevent Google from operating under authoritarian regimes, however this is the same govt who are trying to get access to user information from Google's databases. Fortunately a US Judge has seen reason:

In his 21-page ruling today, US District Judge James Ware told Google to provide the US Justice Department with the addresses of 50,000 randomly selected web sites indexed by its search engine by April 3.

Ware, though, decided Google won't have to disclose what people have been looking for on its widely used search engine, handing a significant victory to the company and privacy rights advocates.

This is a significant victory given the original request from the Govt was for an entire week's worth of Google search requests - a list that would encompass queries posed by millions of people.

Yay 1 for the people.

Cyclone Larry

2006-03-20T09:44:00.000+10:30

Cyclone Larry was upgraded to a category 5 this morning as gusts of up at 290km per hour ripped through innisfail. (Katrina was a cat4)

In the lead up to the cyclone hitting this morning warnings included evacuation.

For those who decided to sit out the storm, local pubs were offering 2 for 1 beer during the eye of the storm and local bottle shops were having 'cyclone' sales.

I love Australia

Recruitment

2006-03-19T14:32:00.000+10:30

Going through applications for Graduate Recruitment, I'm hating some of the questions.

Example:

Why do you want to work for XXXX company/Govt Dept?

I feel sure the honest answer wouldn't suit: Ie cause I need a job & if I don't get one I really want at least I'll be able to pay the mortgage.

*sigh*

No Surprises here...... Barely a hint of angel :-)

2006-03-18T20:43:00.000+10:30

You scored as Dragon. Dragon: Now talk about a legend. These magnificent creatures are of many species. Some can be as large as the Earth itself, while others are as small as a mouse. One image that comes to everyone's mind is the large, fire breathing Dragons that loathed humans and loved to sleep on massive piles of gold. Not all dragons have a bad reputation. Most dragons are very wise, caring, and protective. It would make a person very lucky indeed to meet a dragon. Especially if they walked away untouched. I admire your wisdom, for you are the Ancient Dragon.

Dragon

100%

Mermaid

75%

WereWolf

75%

Faerie

58%

Demon

50%

Angel

25%

What Mythological Creature are you? (Cool Pics!)
created with QuizFarm.com

Rundown of a drunken evening at an Irish Pub

2006-03-18T15:39:00.000+10:30

I love watching people & judging them on such things as the level of drunken behaviour, appropriateness of dress (or lack thereof) and the general social behaviour that takes place when groups of humans congregate.

This takes me to Mick O'Shea's on St Patricks Day.

The first thing I noticed was the queue leading well down into the carpark. So being somewhat savvy, we headed into the beer garden where there are no security guards to prevent entrance.

You can tell the regulars - they are the ones wearing T-shirts reading:

Whale Oil
Beef Hooked
@ Mick O'Sheas

Then there are the girls. Many funky hats (didn't take my camera - sorry). Lots of green & shamrocks - some strategically placed for emphasis :-)

The age ranges were vast - from elderly couples sharing a (not so quiet) pint, to families (they were leaving by the time we got there) to various aged singles looking to score, to couples. Everyone was out for a good time, which always creates the best atmosphere - everyone chatting to everyone else. Good music - Dj in beer garden - live band inside.

There was the usual group of young girls having a great time till one is drunkenly sobbing to her friends 'but I love him', while her friends reassuringly share disdaining glances at each other while hugging the stricken fool.

I stood near numorous groups of guys rating the women using various scoring methods (mostly transparent) and always amusing, if occasionally offensive.

Met an inebriated person I shall call Michelle, who was sweet & funny. Hugged & danced with everyone. I questioned her about a boy who was obviously infatuated with her, she told me that at 19 she doesn't know enough about the world to fall in love, so she is just meeting people & having fun, while enjoying that he buys her drinks.......

Few middle-aged, newly separated/divorced men looking a bit lost, until they are spoken to by a person of the opposite sex - then they just look scared.

Had a drunken man swear his undying love for me - and then get offended when I didn't take him seriously, so we had an amusing (for me) discussion about beliefs of 'love at first sight' (he believes - I don't) I told him he was mistaking love for lust..... He left to pass out in his car lol

All in all a great night out. Roll on another 4 weeks till I get out again :-)

Hope you all had a great St Pat's day.

**Edit - Forgot to mention Billy who spent a lot of time shaking peoples hands and sayng 'love ya guts'

So from me to you: Love ya Guts.

I'm sorry....

2006-03-17T17:04:00.000+10:30

George Bush has announced a War On Bird Flu.....

He's invading Turkey & the Canary Islands

We're Sorry...

2006-03-17T16:49:00.000+10:30

Gratuitously stolen from Helen:

Apologies from the Australian Govt.

Happy St Patricks Day

2006-03-16T23:02:00.000+10:30

May those who love us, love us,
And those who don't love us,
May God turn their hearts
And if he doesn't turn their hearts,
May he turn their ankles
So we will know them by their limping.

**Guinness is on Bogs :-)

Blonde failing to lead the mentally incompetent:

2006-03-16T15:04:00.000+10:30

Jessica Simpson has turned down the opportunity to appear at a Republican fundraiser with GWB!

She was concerned about politicising her favourite charity.

NRCC spokesman was 'surprised' by Simpson's response saying:

Its never been a problem for Bono. (The man who will go to the opening of a political envelope if he thinks there might be soapbox opportunity.)

Maybe there is just more visibility in Pizza ads.

Who's a Joke?

2006-03-16T14:50:00.000+10:30

Saddam Hussein has denounced his trial as a comedy. So who is laughing? The judge who has shut down the court (read adjourned until April) ?

Saddam has been told numerous times to stop playing politics and focus on the issue of the massacre of shi'te muslims.

His response:

"Oh mighty people, I am still your faithful son, oh Iraqi people ... I am still your sword, and despite what has happened to my people, to me, to my comrades because of the criminal occupants, I shall be patient, it's only a question of time until the sun rises and you will be victorious."

I guess that depends on the definition of victory.

Phew I feel better now.

2006-03-16T13:57:00.000+10:30

This meme is from Graf''s blog.

List ten things you want to say to people you know but you never will, for whatever reason, don't say who they are, use each person only once.

1. I would love to meet you - I love your sense of humour.

2. Did you ever consider exercise in your weight loss plan?

3. Yes you have lost your mind!

4. Get the fuck out of there.

5. No I won't be your referee - you are lazy & stupid.

6. Yes your bum does look big in that (or any outfit) get over it.

7. I think that your child is exceptionally rude & I don't want them in my home.

8. I'm sick of telling you how wonderful you are. Develop your own standards for self esteem.

9. Your politics suck.

10. I really like you!

I didn't realise all the negative things I'm holding in. Oh well - better to be anonymous about it & not hurt feelings.

How America sees the world.....

2006-03-15T19:21:00.000+10:30

hehehehe

Wanton Destruction???

2006-03-15T16:41:00.000+10:30

We are in the lead up to our State Elections in South Australia some of the highlights for me:

Labour advertisments for the Liberals where they play a voice clip of Rob Kerin(who is being asked why he wants to be Premier of SA) saying a lot of 'ummm why do I want to be leader, ummm errrr' quite amusing
Moustaches drawn on the faces of (would be) politicians on every stobey pole in SA
Strong [sic] statements like 'Rann gets Results'
The Liberal party thinking that getting rid of 1000 public servants in this state (pop 1.5mill) will advance their cause
The Family First 'protect your home' idea. I want to know - do I have to provide a uniform & workers comp payments? Tea? Coffee? - Will they protect me from christian doorknockers? (DOH!)

I'm sure there will be more - but there are advantages to being too busy to watch TV or listen to local radio :-)

Adios Chef

2006-03-14T18:50:00.000+10:30

Isaac Hayes who played the role of Chef in Trey Parker & Matt Stone's South Park is leaving the show citing "inappropriate ridicule of religious communities."

However as the creators pointed out in their statement:

"In 10 years and over 150 episodes of 'South Park,' Isaac never had a problem with the show making fun of Christians, Muslims, Mormons and Jews, he got a sudden case of religious sensitivity when it was his religion featured on the show.'

Hayes is a scientologist. In a recent episode 'Trapped in the Closet' Stan takes a scientology test, which shows that his thetan levels are OT9. Believing him to be the reincarnation of L. Ron Hubbard, scientologist's begin to gather at his home (inc John Travolta). Stan's father sends him to his room where he finds Tom Cruise, who, having been told by Stan what he thinks of his acting abilities, goes into the closet & refuses to come out.

The episode originally aired in Nov 2005, but as we are behind with the episodes in Oz, it only recently viewed here. (unlike the one paying out the virgin mary which we don't get to see :-(

It is funny as are all South Park episodes. Matt & Trey have never shirked from controversy and are remarkably equalitarian in poking fun at EVERYTHING.

However, my personal belief is that Isaac got a bit shirty because he hasn't been in many episodes recently and has jumped the religion bandwagon as a 'valid' excuse rather than picking up his toys and going home because they wouldn't let him play so much anymore.....

I'm exhausted:

2006-03-12T19:50:00.000+10:30

Well performances are over - 10 shows in 3 days - various audiences, school kids, random people from the street, family & friends.

The story of the play is the birth & death of a mid 18th Century village told through the Yarns they tell. Yarn's were the entertainment media of the day, so each actor had not only their own character, but also acted out the Yarns as well. So my character was Jenny, but I also was the woman who cursed the cow, Nathaniels wife, narrator etc

We had mixed reviews - one reviewer deciding that 'the plot was lost in its own sophistication' allowing however 'there was great humour'.

Overall our audiences enjoyed the show - it is (was?) very fast paced and fun to perform.

It was a very intense experience for me. Three days without responsibility for anyone other than myself, I stayed in town with some of the other actors. Naturally in such an environment away from reality, intense friendships were formed. However I think there are probably only 4 people (of 11) that I will keep in touch with (despite the numerous statements 'we'll have to keep in touch' in reality this never happens). They were the ones who weren't offended by my filthy sense of humour and complete disregard for [some] social norms - and in some cases shared these.

But now I'm knackered. I didn't sleep enough - but had a great time.

I have decided as a result of this experience to make a conscious effort to take time for myself. To arrange sitters & have a break - I didn't realise how much I needed it until it was almost over......

So have organised sleepovers for small boy & girl on the 17th March & I'm going out to drink green beer :-)

hiatus

2006-03-07T22:33:00.000+10:30

Well folks its SHOWTIME.

We open tomorrow at 1pm for a theatre full of high school kiddies - who better to test our mettle?

So I'll not be here (unless I have a complete OCD fit & claw my way screaming towards a computer) for a couple of days.

Enjoy yourselves - don't forget me - & wish me all sorts of good thoughts.

Back soon.

The LongPen

2006-03-07T22:14:00.000+10:30

Margaret Attwood is one of my all time favourite authors. No book she writes is the same or in any way similiar to any other. Each story is original and told in the most amazing, encompassing way.

Margaret has long held a fascination for technology (see Oryx & Crake) and has now put her creativity to good use to be involved in the invention of the LongPen.

This piece of technology enables her to do book signings all over the world - regardless of her location. I'm guessing some pretty good backbone infrastructure helps though.

For more info - see this article.

Don't give away all our secrets Amanda....

2006-03-06T22:06:00.000+10:30

I'm in a conundrum over this woman. Generally I don't like her. But then she comes out with something sensible, like her comments over the RU486 debate:

I note, incidentally, that some of the churches who are opposed to any form of abortion can somehow come to the concept of what is referred to as a 'just war'. I am at a loss to marry the two. If you can come to a view that there can be a just war, why can there never be a just abortion? I cannot see it, and I have never had it answered.

Now though she is publically using the 'yes dear' patronisation against the historic perpetrators:

First, do not call male ministers stupid......Men don't like being criticised generally in front of other people … if a woman does it, it is even worse. The best thing was not to tell the male minister that his idea was stupid but rather to call it interesting then suggest an alternative.

Now my Gran gave me this advice years ago, but I thought it was secret womans business - now the bits of the world who read this paper know too.

Now if we could just stop her from deporting the wrong people to the wrong country and somehow prevent her from putting refugees in gaol, she might just turn into a decent human.

Naaahhhhh.

I love a sunlit country..........

2006-03-04T19:41:00.000+10:30

I'm disturbed by the lack of qualifications required to become a politician. Two politicians - one Labour, One Liberal have been polling in a neighbouring electorate in the lead up to the State Election. The results of their polls were published in our local rag.

One of the questions they were both polling was:

Whether or not Judges should be elected.

It would be nice if these people had read the constitution, particularly section 61 which deals with separation of powers. This would help these people to understand that regardless of whether individuals 'think' that judges should or shouldn't be elected - it ain't gonna happen without a referendum - and historically the chances of getting this to happen is not good (of the past 44 attempts to change the constitution, only 7 have been passed at referendum. info here)

High Court justices are appointed by vote of the existing High Court Justices. Lower level court Magistrates at both State & Federal level are appointed by the Courts with final say by existing Magistrates.

Historically magistrates in the lower courts were public servants. However this was challenged due to the separation of powers (legislature from judiciary) and they are now required to be barristers who apply and are appointed by the Justices. For more information see this article by High Court Justice Murray Gleeson.

I think there are far better things that politicians can poll on: education, aged care, taxes, roads, the high cost of petrol, the environment........etc all of which *they* could do something about. But to poll on something this ridiculous drives me insane (it was a short trip).

So, I rang my local member and asked her about 'election of judges' to which her response was 'you can't elect judges because of the constitution and separation of powers' and offered to send me some information.

*sigh* some small measure of hope has been restored.

Who is he kidding?

2006-03-01T17:33:00.000+10:30

In 2001 the HMAS Adelaide began tailing a boatload of refugees (223 people including 56 children). Under orders from Canberra they shot across the bows of the Olong, boarded it several times and forced it to turn back. The orders from Canberra were to prevent the Olong from landing on Christmas Island. The navy believed it was time to rescue these people. Canberra said under no circumstances. Events escalated to the point where as the boat began to sink, the refugees and their children started diving overboard.

The Australian Govt from Canberra published reports and 'video evidence' that these people had 'thrown their children overboard' in order to be rescued. A media frenzy began. Five years later and despite conclusive evidence provided by the Australian Navy, the prime minister denies he lied. He still claims (despite evidence to the contrary) that the refugees deliberately sank their boat. That they did throw their children overboard. That they were not really refugees.

None of which explains why nearly every person on board the boat is now living in Australia and in the words of the PM 'a member of the australian community'

Pompous little liar.

Educational geek time

2006-03-01T17:18:00.000+10:30

I love this.....

It's my favourite

2006-02-24T19:10:00.000+10:30

Well one of them anyway. I love friday nights - its the only night I'm free to turn on the tv & watch The Chaser's War on Everything. Drive hasn't been the same on Triple J since Chris & Craig (Today Today) left. For those not of our shores - there are video links on the site - just to tease you with what you are missing.

Also for my foreign readers - click here - for a preview of our latest OS advertising campaign

"Where the bloody hell are you"

It works in the context of the ad.