blogging experiments

Bureaucracy

2009-03-22T22:16:00.001+11:00

In Douglas Adam's book 'The Hitch-hikers guide to the galaxy' the Earth was in fact a vast supercomputer designed to answer the 'ultimate question' (you know, of life, the universe and everything) but 5 minutes before it was to complete it's program it was demolished to make way for a hyperspace bypass. 'Ah well' sighs Slartibartfast, the planet engineer, 'That's bureaucracy for you..'

I mention this because we now have in Australia a real-life example of bureaucratic stupidity in action.

The ACMA has established a list of so-called blacklisted web-sites, and if your web page links to one you're up for heavy fines and possibly imprisonment. Now neglecting the facts concerning internet censorship and stifling of freedom of speech and so-on, the really stupid thing about it is that the list itself is secret. So you're not allowed to link to a blacklisted site even if you don't know that site has been blacklisted. That's bureaucracy for you.

I appreciate some sites may be deplorable and it can be argued we're better off without them. But how far will it go ? Will dissenting political comment be banned ? Criticism of our 'leaders'? Dr Kevorkians page ? The fact the list is kept secret means we'll never know. The whole thing smells like big brother to me. This sort of thing may be common in China (as in their 'Great Firewall') but in a country like Australia where freedom of speech is held paramount it just goes against the grain.

The great liberator is knowledge. There are too many secrets. No single state can control the entirety of the internet, but they sure as hell seem to be trying. If they succeed it will be a step backwards. Oh well, that's bureaucracy for you.

Fallout 3

2009-01-12T22:57:00.000+11:00

Set in the year 2277, 200 years after nuclear armeggedon

I've been playing this game for a few weeks now, and I must say that it's probably the best game I've ever played. For it's depth, scope, references, and execution it gets 10 out of 10 from me.

Now considering what's been happening in the middle east recently, and as recorded history has demonstrated, warfare appears sadly to be a recurrent aspect of the human condition, and when coupled with advanced nuclear weapons technology, and those with a will to unleash them .. well, extinction becomes a real possibility. One thing I came across in this game I find bitingly poignant, (and apparently a nod to Ray Bradbury's sci-fi novel 'There will come soft rains') -

In a house in the ruins of washington DC, there is a still functioning 'servant robot'. This robot may be activated from a computer terminal nearby, and when the option to 'Read junior a bed-time story' is selected, the robot activates, goes upstairs to a child's bedroom, where a small skeleton lies on the bed, and recites this poem -

There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground,
And swallows circling with their shimmering sound;
And frogs in the pool singing at night,
And wild plum trees in tremulous white;
Robins will wear their feathery fire,
Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire;
And not one will know of the war, not one
Will care at last when it is done.
Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree,
If mankind perished utterly;
And Spring herself when she woke at dawn
Would scarcely know that we were gone.

Boobah

2008-07-19T22:21:00.003+10:00

One of the most bizarre and mind boggling TV shows I've ever seen is a childrens program called 'Boobah' .. I can't decide if it's been made by extra-terrestrial aliens or someone who has had one too many bad acid trips.

The five main porcine furry characters arrive from the sky in a ball of light with a rainbow contrail, awaken with a 'pfft' noise, and after pocking their large dome heads out of what looks suspicially like a foreskin, scan their eyes left and right with a ratchety clacking sound. they then proceed to run around in circles, bumping chaotically off each other untill a childs voice shouts their names, at which point one by one they stop and stand at attention.

And their names, unpronounceable .. something like 'gumbah' and 'zumbah' and 'zimzimzimbah' to name a few.

Then they perform a most poorly choreographed and executed dance routine, to the 'tune' of a clonking repetitous rhythm accompanied by what can only be described as farting noises. During the dance they take turns running up to the camera, scan their eyes left and right (accompanied by the ratcheting sound), and then flash the lights in their eyebrows a few times (yes you read right), run back and continue with the dancing.

The rythm increases in tempo and the dancing becomes more hectic untill they are again bumping chaotically of each other, at which point they rise into the air, make a lot of 'Weee!' noises, form a parachute style formation in the air, excrete a stream of white material from their heads (??) which mixes together and spins in the center, while acompanied by a 'Doo..Doo..Dooodoodoodoodoodoodoodoo' sound.

Next we have a small child in a room that looks like a cross between the inside of a lava lamp and a Jackson Pollock painting, who retrieves a gift wrapped box floating in midair as the narrator proclaims 'A present for the story people'

Next a segment with characters such as 'Mr Man', 'Mrs Lady', 'Granpapa' and so on, who try to undertake some mundane activity such as posting a letter, while the narrators dead-pan delivery gives us such gems as 'Oh, it's a letterbox' or 'It's Mr Man' or even 'It doesn't fit' Finally the narrator announces 'Goodbye', the story people wave, and we move on.

After some more bizarre and inexplicable shenanigans from the crew of the spaceship 'boobah', they climb back into their 'flight seats' Have one last ratchet-eye scan of their surroundings, one last flash of the eyebrow-lights (signalling all is well no doubt), give a final farewell fart as their heads retract back into their foreskins, rotate faster and faster until a blur, then lift off and fly over the horizen with their characteristic rainbow contrail following behind. As they fly off a child stands in the foreground watching, jumping up and down, waving and saying 'boobah' over and over again. Roll credits.

Don't try to see who produces the show or the country of origin in the credits, it doesn't say, but could very well be along the lines of 'copyright (c) Zeta reticulii c/o- the horsehead nebula, galactic co-ordinates +110, -12.'

if you haven't seen 'Boobah' I would strongly recommend you do at least once, but I warn you, your life may never be the same again.

Boobah currently screens on ABC 2 at 7:30am on saturday mornings.

Gladiators

2008-03-28T18:22:00.003+11:00

Returning to the 7 network (yawn). The bios of the new gladiators was given in the latest episode of 'TV week' - I've decided to include a little more info for each one ...

BIONICA
Named after an obscure B-grade sci-fi flick, Bionica's motto is 'harder, faster, Stronger' as this phrase is often heard eminating from her bedroom at night. Bionica excels at the game of Powerball, but has yet to win any money.

THUNDER
Thunder was named by the elders (ie the show's producers). the name 'Thunder' may be steeped in fable and mythology, but clues where given early in his life when he was given the name 'You little fart'

TANK
Tank has arms like cannons and is prone to sporadic verbal outbursts of 'Sir Yes Sir'. Tank apparently personifies the fact that body and brain mass are usually in inverse proportion.

NOMAD
Named after the non-descript toyota people-mover, Nomad claims to be 'The king of the rings'. If by 'Ring' he means 'Anal sphincter', then who am I to argue ?

SCAR
Scar is known for the scars across his chest, and is often seen to slap his hand across it while shouting 'Scar'. Why he does this remains a mystery, but it has been speculated he does this to indicate the scar is causing him some discomfort. Shockingly it appears the scars are self-inflicted.

OLYMPIA
Olympia in a previous life was an olympic pole-vaulter, and has been included in the gladiator ranks in the hope of pole-vaulting the show into higher ratings.

ANGEL
Arguably the most attractive of the gladiators, Angel is best known for the feathers in hair. Where the feathers originate remain a mystery, but the fact that several nearby chicken coups show evidence of disturbance at night offers a possible clue.

OUTLAW
Outlaw professes to be somewhat of a maverick. He also claims his long hair is made from the hair of wolves he has hunted down and fought. His designer stubble then must be made from the hair of rabbits and small rodents he hunted down when he was feeling slightly peckish.

VIPER
Misnamed 'Viper', Viper is in fact an eastern european with a lisp who previously stood at traffic lights and wiped car windows for money with her electric blue hair-mop. When spotted by a talent scout she proclaimed 'I am ze viper'. when asked if she would like to be a gladiator, Viper replied 'Vot iz Zat?'

NITRO
Some debate centers on the origin of Nitro's name. Some say she is named for 'Nitroglycerine', a highly volatile and unstable chemical. Others suggest Nitro was named for 'Nitrous Oxide', a colourless gas that dulls the senses and induces sporadic fits of hysterical laughter.

KOUTA
Kouta is an ex AFL football player who excels at the game of aerial ping-pong. Unfortunately aerial ping-pong is not one of the games played in the gladiator arena, and coupled with the fact Kouta praises fair play and sportsmanship, the reason for his unlikely inclusion in the gladiator ranks remains a mystery.

AMAZON
Much as it could be said that the Amazon jungle is 'the land that time forgot' Amazon could be described as possesing'The hair that time forgot', firmly rooted as it is in the punk fashion of the early 1980's. Judging by the obvious amount of hair spray Amazons hair may in fact be an as yet unrevealed secret weapon.

HUNTER
One of Hunters signature moves is said to be the 'spider-man', a tactical move that comprises a complex sideways shuffling motion, followed by retreating under the nearest refridgerator at the slightest sign of any provocation.

DESTINY
Some suggest Destiny is distantly related to Ellie-Mae Clampett, but the voracity of this claim remains disputed. Destiny claims to believe 'all things happen for a reason' and while the true destiny of Destiny remains to be revealed, it will no doubt come about as the result of a good reason.

Ignorance is bliss

2008-03-17T16:50:00.002+11:00

OK, some brainless vandal smashed my car window .. why ? To rifle through the glove box and then take NOTHING ... not the stereo, not the e-tag, they even left my sunnies. I suspect they were looking for a GPS unit, they seem all the rage for thieves these days .. from now on I'm gonna park my car with the glove and console boxes OPEN .. so they can see I don't have one.

I keep hearing from Malcolm Turnbull about how labor shouldn't say that interests rates will probably continue to rise - beacuse he thinks it's like a self-fulfilling prophecy. Don't mention the elephant Malcolm !! Just keep us all in the dark and feed us B.S. - yeah the libs had that down to a fine art. God save us from people who withold information for our own sake ! As they say the road to hell is paved with the best of intentions. It's all rather orwellian. But I'd rather be warned if I'm about to step into a hole before I fall into it, thanks very much. It's a bit like Jack Nicholson's character - 'You can't handle the truth' !! I say, Yes we can. To be forewarned is to be fore-armed

One other thing about interest rates .. In the economy (as well as many other things) there is a phenomenon called 'hysterisis'. I heard someone say 'See ? I told you interest rates would rise under labor!' When I mentioned hysterisis their eyes glazed over and they faded out (Or rather I should say their ONE eye faded out). Hysterisis is defined as 'The lagging of an effect behind it's cause..' Put your foot on the brake and there is a definite delay between pressure on the pedal on the car slowing down - same thing in the economy but the delay is months or even years rather than the milliseconds with the brake pedal example. My point is the current interest rates are an effect of the Liberal coalition policies, not Labor's ! Give them a chance, they've only just got into power! I don't want to go into lengthy explanations of how interest rates are a blunt tool used to control inflation and growth (not my field anyway) but I do want to say let's gave Labor a year or two before judgeing their handling of the economy.

Lastly, Shaun Macellef (sp??) made the very good point .. if no currency is based on the gold standard anymore but only judge their value in relation to other currencies, doesn't that mean that all currencies are ultimately worthless ? - absolutely true. The whole world of economics seems to me to be a house of straw built on shifting sand, and that's a worrying thought.

But .. Let's not tell the people that one eh Malcolm ? As George Orwell once said, Ignorance is bliss.

Scientific Limericks

2008-02-24T19:36:00.002+11:00

Time to lighten the mood.

Many years ago 'Omni' magazine ran a competition for 'scientific limericks'. There were many entries, but these ones managed to permanently lodge themselves in my brain for some reason.

A voice from the UFO cried
'To the smartest we'll give a free ride!'
Several men voulanteered
but the ship disappeared
with a whale and two dolphins inside

'The universe is curved!' noted Fred,
an astronomer learned and read.
'This scope has such power
I've just spent an hour
examining the back of my head!'.

'Don't you know where all this is leading ?
This nightmare of selective breeding ?'
He spat on the ground
and then turned around
and continued on with his weeding.

Sorry

2008-02-14T01:25:00.002+11:00

Hmmm, Pissing in the wind. No, more like whistling in the dark. Something to do with the 'theory of mind' ? No man is an island, yet each is the center of their own universe. Who was it that said 'We perceive reality in much the same way as a man in a cave perceives the world outside by watching the shadows on the wall' no wonder there are as many viewpoints as those who experience them !!

Pos on, no negatron. Oh well, we cannot know light if we don't know dark, but light is better than darkness, can't deny that. Bang your head against the wall or be persistant. Which breaks first, the wall or your head ? The pain is an attempt to tell you, 'stop doing that !'

So I stop - but then am left behind ! Don't want that either !
Don't leave me! Don't abandon me! Ahh, but such is life, friends come and friends go, and you can't be friends with everyone.

It's no accident I took the handle 'evangelion' - Shinji Ikari, me in my darkest moments.

I slap myself across my face, 'Wake up! Snap out of it! you can't have what you want until you want what you have!'

Pos on, no negatron. Sounds like good advice to me.

Now that I've finally convinced you I'm a space cadet, I'll come back to Earth for a minute.

How brilliant is it we finally have some reconciliation with the indigenous peoples of this country! John Howard didn't dare show his face, the creep. I'm being more impressed with Kevin Rudd's performance as each day passes. Saying sorry wasn't so hard was it ? And look at the outpuring of emotion from those 2 little words. Let the healing begin.

Heidi Murkoff

2008-02-03T03:28:00.001+11:00

If you know me, and do a little digging, it wouldn't be hard to figure who I'm talking about. But out of respect for her, and her privacy, She shall remain nameless.

Now if someone tells you they're currently reading Heidi Murkoff, it can only really mean one thing. And if I'm not adding 2+2 and getting 5, then it's really big news and I'm really happy for her.

Now when I first discovered this, I wanted to plaster it everywhere, I'm so happy for her ! but something prevented me, I don't know, It's just something about the way it was obliquely mentioned, not straight out, sort of reserved. Almost like 'Well here it is, if you figure it out then good for you.' I'm sure others have made the connection, but I've heard nothing. Am I the first ? I sort of doubt it. And if I'm not, and they're keeping it quiet, why would I want to be the one to reveal it to all and sundry ??

First I thought of an obscure post on her page, but no, that was too obvious. Then I thought of something similar on NC, but no, I don't want to do that either. I thought of a private message to her, but I'm reluctant to do that because she's never responded to me in the past and the last private message I sent went unread untill it expired. So you know I got the impression she doesn't want me to message her privately at all. The only place I have is here. So I wanted to make mention of it here, this is sort of like my private retreat, I feel safe here, if anyone ever comes here I never know, maybe they do, maybe they don't.

but anyway as pathetic as that sounds this post isn't really about me, it's about her, and the possible very good news of hers, I'm absolutely foocking stoked if it's true, There's nothing really I can do or say to assure her it's all gonna be ok, she may be feeling a little apprehensive about it (who wouldn't) but I don't really feel in the position to do that, not while it's still in this ambigous unrevealed state.

Aww gawd I'm waffling.
All I want to say is CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!!!

RIP Heath Ledger

2008-01-25T00:50:00.000+11:00

I wanna say goodbye to Heath Ledger. I didn't know him personally, but he seemed like a genuine nice guy, one of natures gentleman. It's a sad loss.

I also want to comment on two peripheral issues surrounding Heaths untimely death.

Drug Companies -
There'e some speculation that a particular type of sleeping drug contributed in some way. I won't comment on that as the jury is still out but the problem with drug companies is that they are run entirely on the profit motive. The humanitarian cause has gone out the window. I don't begrudge them (or any company) making profits but the commercialization of the health industry has had such consequences as the refusal to produce life saving drugs when they are considered 'not commercially viable' (as in when only a small number of people have that particular ailment). They are not above a little manipulation of the media and of even straight out denial if one of their drugs has been found to have severe side-effects. There is also the practice of pricing many drugs beyond the reach of many of those in thirld world countries (and those in the US without health insurance) who desperately need them. They often actively persecute smaller companies for making the same drugs available at lower cost. They claim they need to recoup their Research and Development costs but it is a fact that most research on new drugs is carried out in academic institutions, the US taxpayer is effectively funding the majority of drug research, and yet the multinationals claim as much profit as the market can bear. We are talking about peoples health and well being here and leaving medicine solely to the whim of market forces seems totally inhumane to me.

Papparazi -
The Papparazi hounded Heath in Australia and due to their actions Heath chose to leave Australia permanently. I won't forget the scene I saw where a few paparazzi squirted him with water pistols as a form a 'payback' for Heath allegedly spitting at them at some previous point in time. What a stupid, childish and ridiculous thing to do. Onya guys! The paperazzi can sometimes behave so badly it amounts to nothing less than harassment, chasing people around, sticking a camera in their face at every opportunity, is it any wonder some celebs get so pissed off ? Wouldn't you ? It's just a game to them of course, and they justify themselves by saying 'Well if people didn't buy the magazines we wouldn't do it...' Sorry guys that argument doesn't wash. That same argument's been used by everyone from drug traffickers to kiddie porn peddlers, there's a market for lots of things and although gossip mags aren't illegal, harrasment and invasion of privacy is. some of them do the right thing of course, but those that don't who are money hungry and will resort to the lowest of tactics to get the 'money shot' are worthy of nothing more than contempt.

Randoms 2

2008-01-15T01:15:00.000+11:00

I hate it when you're walking on wet concrete at night and you accidentally stand on a snail and it squishes up between your toes.

Some people think I'm a 'space cadet'. I disagree, and so does my invisible friend, the one with the propellor cap.

I seem to be ignored a lot on forums, if not I'm being shot down. That can be depressing. I'm not into comment wars.

I go all shy sometimes.

I find myself standing on a hill waving a flag, it can get lonely up there by myself, but idealism, principles and stubborness keep me there - the fool on the hill.

My favourite poem -

Yesterday upon the stair
I met a man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
I wish that man would go away

The shortest poem in the english language -

(concerning the ancient relationship between human beings and parasitic blood-sucking insects, specifically fleas)

Adam had'em

What the hell use are mosquitoes in the grand scheme of things anyway ?

That's all. I'm in a strange mood.

Merry Christmas.

2007-12-10T21:51:00.000+11:00

Yes, it's that time of year again. Time to bring out and dust off the tinsel and baubles and hang them up where appropriate. Here's a few I like to bring out avery year ...

Celebrities Lament (Away in a manger)
Away with that stranger
what's there in his head ?
I think that he likes me
just wants me in bed

I don't know his name
but I do know that face
I don't think I like this
I'll carry some mace!

Cats Lament (Silent night)
Holy light, holy sound.
What's that smell?
crackers around.
Watch those kids they'll stick one up your arse
and that big tall one can run really fast
It's hard being a cat on cracker ni-ight!
It's hard being a cat on cracker night.

Area 51 Lament (Hark! the herald angels)
Hark! the herald eggheads sing
"Bring that strange confounded thing!
We don't know what it was made for
strange with it's lights and a bell that rings!
Some say it was made by aliens
Falalah lalalah lah-lah-lah
We say it's made by Australians
Falalalalah lah-lah lah lah."

Santas Lament (Jingle bells)
Jingle bells, Santa smells
kids have come all day
Oh what fun a shopping mall
ten days 'till christmas day eh?

What was that? Barbie bratz?
What the hell are those?
what's that odour rising up?
And leave the beard alone!

Peace and goodwill to all.

It was time...

2007-11-27T22:40:00.000+11:00

Congratulations and Thank You to the people of Australia for rejecting the coalition and voting in the Rudd/Labor government!

No rabbits out of hats this time for Mr Howard and people seem to have rejected workchoices, ignored the 'Unionist' boogeyman fear campaign, and no, Australia is not going to suffer an economic collapse either. the sky did fall in though, right on the heads of the coalition!

In a way I do feel sorry for them, they seem to be completely shell-shocked. Well it might not have come as such a surprise if they weren't blinded by Mr Howards idealogically driven agenda. Some weren't I suspect, but their acquiescence made them complicit so they have no-one to blame but themselves.

A lot of right wing commentators labelled anyone who criticized the coalition as being 'Howard Haters', well I can assure anyone that there of plenty of those who hate Labor! I listened to the right-wing radio station 2GB for a few days after the election (just to hear what was being said) and the amount of vitriol and fury expressed by a lot of callers toward Labor left any 'Howard-Hating' commentary I read or heard in the dust! And this wasn't backed up by anything rational either, just full-on hate verging on noise pollution. it was disgraceful and hypocritical. I don't mind sensible debate but if they're just gonna rant and rave about nothing then they're not going to influence anybody. But if that's the outlet for their rage then so be it. Get it out, get over it, and let's start making this country the best that it can be. But as for me, I don't think I'll be tuning to 2GB again anytime soon.

Forgiveness

2007-11-21T00:31:00.000+11:00

Sorry if I come across a bit preachy here, but I do believe it's a valid and worthwhile thing to consider ...

Lets say you're in a loving relationship and the sun is shining and the birds are singing and everything is indeed hunky dory. Then something happens, your lover transgresses in some way, some unforgiveable way. what they did was so bad, it is unforgiveable. What happens then ? The love you had for them quickly diminishes, and can easily turn to hate. The more you think about it, the more angry and hurt you become. It can literally eat you up inside.

It is generally agreed the forgiveness in this situation is the best thing you can do. but you might ask yourself why? why should I ? They are in the wrong, why do I have to be noble about it ?

Now before I answer that question, I'm not saying you should forgive and forget. If the transgression was so bad for you that it has ruined the relationship, then so be it. I am not in any way saying you should pretend like that thing never happened. That is NOT forgiveness. That is denial. A denial of a very real and valid interpretation. It may be the transgression was only slight. Not enough to destroy the relationship, but certainly damage it, and it remains there, in the back of your mind.

So why forgive ? because the pain and hurt and hatred can LITERALLY eat you up. you can LITERALLY damage your own health. Harbouring a festering load of negative emotion can make you physically sick. and you certainly won't be as happy as you could be in your life by carrying all that baggage around. Remember, forgiveness is not forgive and forget. You can forgive someone for stealing money from you, but that doesn't mean you not going to be careful with your money around them. I you're current partner betrays your trust, that doesn't mean you can't end the relationship !

Forgiveness is not some grand act of self sacrifice in the name of some noble cause, that is not forgiveness, that is indulgence. The act of forgiveness simply allows you to free yourself of all the negativity people tend to collect. Forgiveness has direct and very real benefits for yourself. When you can truly forgive people their transgressions you will be happier, healthier, life and love will flow joyously, don't we all want that ?

Now if the transgression was only slight, enough to upset you but not enough to end the relationship, make clear to them how it affected you, without being judgemental, and ask them to commit to you that they will not do that thing again, and then forgive them. If they agree but still do it again, well I guess you might realize it's time to move on, and forgive them for breaking their commitment. It's just the person they are. And we are all different.

And this not only applies to failed romantic relationships, but to ALL relationships, including the relationship you have with yourself. If you've done something wrong, make the commitment never to do that thing again, and give yourself the freedom that forgiveness can provide.

Practice forgiveness - It's like a muscle, it gets easier the more you exercise it, and it can be as easy as saying "You're an asshole, but I forgive you" any negativity you have will dissapate. They can still be assholes, the world is full of them, but to paraphrase a very wise person " forgive the assholes, for they not what they do ... "

Or to put it another way, holding a grudge is like poisoning yourself and hoping the other person gets sick.

..and here endeth the lesson...

Little lost alien

2007-11-09T19:26:00.000+11:00

A woman in the states has reported a close encounter with an alien grey. She reported that it appeared in a manhole, with the manhole cover balanced on it's head. Now I keep an open mind about such things, but really, someone's taking the piss. What i want to know is,

Why was it in the sewers ? Maybe it had lost it's anal probe, and was hoping to find it down there somewhere. Or perhaps the teleportation equipment was in need of calibration, and so depositing it in the sewer instead of the street.

What's with the manhole cover ? Those things are heavy! and the alien greys are all reportedly pretty scrawny. Pretty good trick. Perhaps it wasn't actually a manhole cover, for all I know flat metallic hats might be the height of alien fashion this summer.

Poor little bugger! maybe it was on it's way to the alien equivalent of the melbourne cup, resplendant in new metallic flat-hat, but due to a transportation error found itself in a mid-western US sewer instead, oh dear.

Windfarms, computers and conservatism

2007-11-05T22:48:00.000+11:00

Meh, I'm over all that stuff below now, life's too short to hold a grudge, and it may be I got the wrong end of the sticj anyway ...

I read in the paper the federal government has knocked on the head a windfarm project for victoria, the reason ? It posed a threat to and endangered parrot that has never been seen in the area. So the Tamar river pulp mill gets the go ahead despite significant ecological damage but the windfarm is rejected because of a parrot ? It's rubbish of course, the nuclear / clean coal alternative is the governments agenda, windfarms don't seem to fit in with that. What a shame.

Melbourne University once made the most efficient solar cells available in the world, but now apparently Germany has the lead in the technology. there was just no government support for solar technology research, again, what a shame.

They must think solar and wind are 'airy fairy' or something, not worthwhile of serious consideration. well it is, 'cos it's the future. The trouble with conservatives, they can't look forward beyond the next budget, or if they do, can only consider what exists now, they seem incapable of any imagination at all.

Case in point - in the 1940's, the chief of IBM infamously declared ".. the world wide market for computers will only be a handfull .." (or words to that effect). We laugh now because computers are everywhere, billions of them exist today. but I dare say he was a conservative!

Myspace thought police ??

2007-11-01T01:10:00.000+11:00

I link to this site from my myspace profile. The next day after posting the 'God of the Gaps' post below, the link to here from myspace has been blocked !!

I tried emailing Tom to find out what's going on - but he's away, so no possibility to clear things up there. I'm wondering though, why has it been blocked ?

It may be an error, but I somehow doubt it. More likely, someone objected,
and so it was blocked, pretty damn quick too. maybe the site I referenced below, maybe someone else, who knows ?

How weak and pitiful that there was no communication to me, no attempt to dispute or discuss my opinion, This is typical of the mindset of the fundamentalist, any dissenting view is simply ignored at best, censored at worst. What a disgrace.

Whoever it was, if they're reading this, I will only say there are none so blind as those that won't see, none so deaf as those who won't hear. And none that are so weak that they are not willing to defend their beliefs, but merely seek to silence those who have different viewpoints.

How disgusting.

God of the Gaps

2007-10-30T02:50:00.000+11:00

I found this website trying to prove the existance of God using scientific methods, I sent this email to them, and yeah I'm probably asking for trouble haha.

here's the link -
www.annointed-one.net/atheism.html

Here we go, the 'God of the Gaps' argument again. When current scientific theory fails to explain something, God is invoked to fill the gap. What a petty and narrow minded view of God. As scientific knowledge increases, God gets squeezed out and pushed into a corner, no wonder those who hold this view seem to think science is somehow 'Anti-God'.

My argument is this - God wants us to have faith, and if you have proof, you don't need faith. ergo, this 'god of the gaps' idea is contrary to Gods desire !

In reality, science is simply a methodology by which we can predict the outcomes of physical processes, incomplete as it is. Hoewever it has nothing whatsoever to say about the existance of God. By making it do so you are merely highlighting your own doubt and lack of faith !

Science works, unfortunately this doesn't sit well with the God of the gaps philosophy. So we have creationism, intelligent design, and other faith related matters masked with pseudo-science and obfuscation, in an attempt to redress this mis-interpreted imbalance.

There is no conflict, if I want my car fixed, I take it to a mechanic. If I want to know about physical processes in the universe, I will turn to science. If I want to know about spiritual matters, I will consult a holy man. Different domains, different aspects of life.

Using science in an attempt to prove/disprove the existance of God went out with the 'Counting the angels on the head of a pin' and similar ideas. Get real. Stop using the chevrolet workshop manual to try to explain why someone has a headache. What you are promoting makes about as much sense.

Meaning of Life Part 1

2007-09-18T15:24:00.000+10:00

hmmm.. been a while.
Existentialist crisis? mid-life crisis? who knows?
Nah, not really.

I was given a catholic school education. My motto in my youth may as well have been 'question authority'

Catholic school taught me about God and Jesus and so-on and so-forth. When I was old to enough to understand such things I had on the one hand church religion and the great philosophers on the other, philosophy telling me of the great mystery of existance and the church with the far too glib and simplistic answers to life's mysteries. Not only that but other religions with different but similarly glib answers, each confident in their own 'Truth' being the 'only truth'. Well I was not so confident.

It slowly dawned on me most established religions used myth and poorly interpreted historical events to establish a religious dogma, the primary purpose of which is societal control. Historically straddling the transition between monarchistic fiefdoms and the modern representational democratic method of societal control and regulation during the middle ages. The 'religions' I thought that came closest to quantifying the nature of existance were the eastern religions, particularly buddhism.

So religion was largely a disappointment for me as far as answering the fundamental questions of existance, and the 'truth' (if such a thing exists) of it may be unknowable within existance - In Douglas Adams' book "hithhikers guide to the galaxy" the ultimate answer to the ultimate question was not the enigmatic '42' as first declared but rather that-

"...if the ultimate question and the ultimate answer were to exist in the same universe at the same time, they will cancel each other out and that universe will then cease to exist... "

Who to turn to then other than the greatest philosophical minds of a generation? Monty Python! In the movie "The meaning of life" their answer was

"..Not much, just have fun and try to be good to each other..."

What I'm left with though is that there is something within us, within all people, and as far as I know all creation, that searches for such things, a search perhaps for what has been lost, motivating the founders of religion, of those who seek the answers, like the philosphers who speculate on existance, and for me as I try to follow and make sense of all, there is some larger dimension to us, something bigger than we know. There is something .. 'extra' involved in all this, the root and basis of all religious and spriritual thought.

As in Jethro Tull's album 'Aqualung'

" ...and in the beginning man created God, but the spirit that caused men to create his God lived on in all men, even within Aqualung, but he saw it not. But for christ's sake he'd better start looking. "

Paris Hilton

2007-07-03T16:56:00.000+10:00

Haha poor Paris Hilton! oh man, some were saying she was really a clever person in disguise and going to jail had re-arranged her priorities and so on - but I didn't see any of that on the Larry King interview -

LK - And you did read the bible when you where in jail ?
PH - (solemnly) Yes I did.
LK - Which passage did you like ?
PH - umm .. well .. it was all pretty good ...

I'm sorry Paris just be the bubbleheaded heiress we all know you to be, It's been working for you so far, the serious Paris just doesn't cut it I'm afraid. Hahaha I Laugh My Head Off.

But a big but, If Paris IS genuine and does want to straighten up and make a positive contribution, and it's not some publicists idea of a good angle to play for spin, Then I'm all for it and say Hooray for Paris! And keep it up! Listen to your heart, every human being has one. Oh and it wouldn't hurt to use that brain occassionally either ...

Complacency is not an option.

2007-06-23T01:34:00.000+10:00

Shirley Maclean, a very interesting lady with very unorthodox beliefs. Fascinating in many ways. I remember she was being interviewed one time about re-incarnation, and why so many 'spirits' are walking around on the earth as human beings at this particular time in history - to which she replied 'These are very interesting times, we all want to see and experience what's going to happen' what exactly she was referring to she didn't elaborate on, but from various things I've read and heard about the year 2015 is going to be very interesting ....

I can't understand the nay-sayers attitude to global warming, sure the predicitons may be wrong, but if there is even the smallest chance they could be right then there MUST be some action taken, to argue about economics when confronted by global climate change sounds a little too much like re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic to me.

And despite reassurances I believe global oil production has peaked, and yes science may find a viable alternative but if not, consider there is practically no aspect of modern society that doesn't rely on it. Not just petrol or diesel, but plastics, pharmaceuticals, fertilizer, industrial chemicals, and many other things are derived directly or indirectly from crude oil. It's interesting to note that like the bronze age and the Iron age, and the steam age immediatly preceeding this, we are now in what can only be called the 'Oil Age' and one day it will run out, not if, but when. Then what?

Sorry if this sounds a bit bleak, and I admit I'm playing devil's advocate, but we gotta start thinking about these things. We can overcome the problems, if we recognize and plan for them. Complacency is not an option!

Randoms

2007-06-07T02:00:00.000+10:00

Ahhh .. Random Stuff -

PS3 .. to buy or not to buy ?? Love the idea of linux - like playing games - but so much money! Tossed a coin to decide - came up 'no' 5 times in a row hehe - the universe is telling me no.
I'll wait a little longer, they'll get cheaper, linux distros will become more stable .. cheaper games ...

hmm... Myspace messaging... 'repost this or so-and-so will come around in the middle of the night and kill you .. Well I say, 'Bring it on!!' It's like the internet equivalent of 'The Ring'

Oh Yeah, 'The Nation' now that had it's moments and God I hope it continues for Nikki's sake if nothing else. Funny but why does Molloy come across so apathetic? Does he really care or is he just going through the motions? C'mon guy .. And you know as far as Nikki goes it's great she's moving into primetime and even if the nation falls over I'm sure she'll be picked up somewhere else but QM was a really great forum for her star to shine with all the ad-libbing and what-not .. I'm afraid to say Nikki will never be on TV in a similar role again (I hope I'm wrong) and for that reason my myspace profile pic shall wear the sad-cat-hat for a little longer (yeah I know it's actually a dog but sad-dog-hat doesn't have the same ring to it)

Finally - a political blog. Someone from labour (I think) wanted a UN agancy to investigate the human rights implications of the 'Work Choices' legislation - Saw Joe Hockey on TV say 'Disgraceful! they're belittling Australias reputation in the global community!' What a really dumb thing to say because

Australia's treatment of Aboriginals has already been condemned by the UN human Rights Watchdog, and
If Workchoices were the fair and equitable regime the Libs claim than they should welcome any enquiry to validate their claims! The fact they object to it is almost an admission that there are negative implications to the legislation!

Why oh Why do people keep re-electing the Libs ??? Riding on the back of a commodities boom with ever expanding resource exports to china and asia even a drover's dog could claim to be 'great economic managers' Never mind the fact the Hawke-Keating government set in place the fiscal reforms that enhanced the nations prosperity oh man it just makes me sick with frustration. How many lies ?? How many broken promises does it take ?? and don't get me started on freedom of speech, terrorist paranoia, Iraq, Tampa, the so-called 'Pacific solution' the racism, meddling with the ABC and CSIRO boards, education, health, the list goes on and on and on and on !!!!! WAKE UP PEOPLE !! YOU ARE BEING DECEIVED !!!

anyway enough from me for now.

First post

2007-04-16T23:15:00.000+10:00

This is the first ever post I put on this blog, or rather an earlier blog I deleted, cos it got just, well a bit too revealing about me ...
I dedicate this to all the male Nikki fans .. a message from the 'Hunky Dory man' ...

Hi, this is my first blog.

Love is a great feeling when reciprocated, otherwise it just hurts. Someone said being in love is a little like being insane, it can drive you to do crazy things if you let yourself become a victim! I guess a lesson to be learned when you find yourself with unrequited love is to become the master of your emotions rather than be the victim of them.

I'd say we all have certain ideals and expectations about a potential partner, both unconcious and concious. So if we come across someone who goes a long way to meeting those ideals - we may find ourselves gettin a crush on them - sort of like the unconcious motivation to go and meet them. But for whatever reason, shyness, etc., or by virtue of circumstance, if we don't approach them the aspiration is frustrated, which makes the crush stronger, a feedback loop occurs that can literally drive you mad ! So the lesson there is - don't sit on it, declare your love and hang the consequences !

So let's say you've declared your love and your potential partner has accepted the possibility of you as a potential partner, and everything's hunky dory - as the relationship develops It may be that the ideals and expectations you had are'nt matched by the reality and what happens ? bonk-bonnngg - disappointment. The crush wears off and you start looking elsewhere, how sad.

The lesson from that could be - give up expectations ! They only lead to disappointment. The secret of 'true' love is in my opinion unconditional acceptance - accepting the other for all their perceived faults as well as their virtues.

I like the idea, somewhere from the eastern philosophies I believe, that you can
only truly achieve happiness when you accept other people unconditionally - warts and all, for in truth they aren't warts at all, merely interpretations and judgements you have decreed as 'this is how it is' and these judgements are highly personal and have in reality nothing to do with the person who is being judged.

But sometimes, for whatever reason, it just doesn't work. and that can be sad and heartbreaking, but that which does not kill you makes you stronger. Take heart in the fact, that as shakespeare said "It is better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all "

Or maybe I just need to get out more ...

Easter Festival

2007-04-07T02:16:00.000+10:00

Happy Easter to all!

So Easter is supposed to commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, right? And the tradition is - 'Here comes the big magical bunny rabbit hiding chocolate eggs! Go find 'em kids!' - When you think about it it's a bit bizarre ... I don't see the connection. It comes about because most religous festivals are in fact hijacked festivals from earlier days - Easter is actually the spring equinox where the earlier celebration concerned the renewal of life, hence the eggs, the rabbits come from them being the symbol of fecundity, well they are 'at it' most of the time ...

Speaking of rabbits - In Germany a rabbit breeder managed to breed huge rabbits, and he struck a deal with North Korea to breed the animals there for food production - so a whole bunch of these rabbits was sent over, along with the largest prize winning rabbit, to begin a breeding program - but what happened to them? They ended up on Kim Il Jong's dinner plate at a state banquet! Sounds comical until you realize this is the mentality of the current leadership - 'Geez those rabbits look good! Stuff the people, I wanna eat'em now!' - I should qualify this by saying the North Korean spokesman has denied that this happened, But the question remains, where are the rabbits??

Emo kid

2007-03-30T22:02:00.000+10:00

Ranting and raving about apparent injustice in the world is no great stretch for me, what is a stretch is sharing honest stuff about myself, so here goes.

I hated school, I left as soon as I had the school certificate (leaving certificate). I loved science, was average at maths (I told myself I couldn't do it, I found out later that I could), Commerce was like just so much BS, an elective I did was music - I enjoyed that. the reason I left was not because of academic ability but because being a quiet sensitive boy I was the target of every psychological abuse my classmates could think of, I don't believe in violence but could defend myself physically, so physical bullying wasn't a problem ... being an emo kid being ostracized was a continual nightmare - The teachers said 'Just ignore them and they'll get bored' - tried that and it didn't work! I wasn't able to hide the hurt I felt ... wanting so much to be popular but not being so .. Anyway although I was scarred I'm largely over it - although to this day I'm very reserved and cautious about making new friends - you know it's a behaviour pattern that gets learned and it's hard to unlearn it.

So anyway I left school and fell into a job in a place that made yoghurt, rose up through the ranks and did a food technology degree, ended up being head of quality control at Kellogs before resigning to do electronics. So I did that and worked for a few different companies before going out on my own as a sub-contractor which I've been doing for about 10 years now...

I can't help but think though that although I'm much older and wiser than that school boy I still have within that emo kid who cries at the fact that no-one seems to like him or talk to him .. even though I have a few very good friends ..

I'm not really trying to make a point here I'm just sharing stuff about myself, no real reason other than .. maybe someone might get something from it, and for myself, I've said many times this is an experiment in my self expression .. putting stuff out here even though in all probability no-one is listening.

QM vs Sport

2007-03-30T01:10:00.000+10:00

Current score, Sport = 2, QM = 0. Sorry to say that like the situation that if God ever appeared on a quiz show it would be God the winner and all other contestants with a score of zero. What I'm saying is that sport will always bump off QM on TV where they conflict. Although many of us will suffer Nikki/Amy withdrawels, look at it in the sense that we can get some more sleep when it does happen, and the hosts and crew get a bit of a break as well. I would imagine they're mostly on contracts so it shouldn't result in less pay, I hope so anyway. But ah I do so much enjoy seeing Nikki and Amy doing their thing, and I rue the day when they move on, but I don't think about that too much cause while it's in the here and now I shall watch and enjoy - to paraphrase Shakespeare it is is better to have watched and enjoyed than never to have watched at all.
I'll stop now, I'm tired and waffling and probably not making much sense.

What else is new?

2007-03-30T00:37:00.000+10:00

I dunno about Nuclear energy, what about solar ? If every home in Australia had a solar cell setup on the roof each house could be totally self-sufficient ... As it is now for $20,000 or so you can equip your house with enough solar cells that you can pump energy back into the grid, ie the meter runs backwards, and the energy authorities pay you for the energy you provide !!

How ridiculous is it that in an arid country like Australia we waste our precious water supplies growing cotton and rice - Cotton uses the majority of pesticides in agriculture and requires huge amounts of water - there is a better alternative, non-THC hemp requires no chemicals, very little water, has no psycho-active content (no THC, tetrahydrocannibinol) and produces a better fabric than cotton, and can be used to make paper and ethanol, CHEAPLY, why the pollies can seperate this from the drug issue I do not understand.

I read in the paper John Howards latest response to the greenhouse gas emissions debate, ask South-East-Asia to stop chopping down rainforests! What a pathetic response haha. What about all the ILLEGAL landclearing in Australia ? What about all the old-growth forest in Tasmania ? Typical petty-minded beaurocratic response from seomeone who can't see beyond the balance sheet - throw money at the problem and hope it goes away. Oh dear. I don't think he gets it.

Big Brother

2007-03-26T19:47:00.001+10:00

No, not the TV show. Big Brother comes from George Orwells book '1984', about one mans struggle and eventual surrender to a repressive regime.

Political dissent is being squashed in this country. Several Sydney University students were arrested recently - their crime ? They were planning a protest at the upcoming G8 meeting to be held in Sydney later this year. Planning to protest is now apparently a crime - how disgusting.

The federal government has long accused the ABC of bias. What rot. Their 'crime' was to broadcast unfavourable reports about the incumbent government. Having largely achieved their goal of suppressing unfavourable reporting the ABC, the Federal government is now going after SBS, accusing it too of 'Left Wing Bias'

Any criticism of current policies are largely branded as 'Un-Australian'.

It should be remembered that during this time of right wing domination of politics that the Nazi Fascists were also right wing - and it seems many of the tactics used by the Nazis are being resurrected not only here but in the US as well. It should also be remembered that John Howards father was a member of the 'New Order' right wing group who threatened Jack Lang, the NSW premier during the depression, with kidnap and god knows what else.

The great hero of the Liberal party, Robert Menzies, declared that 'Every Australian should rather starve to death than for australia to renig on debts owed to Mother England' Yeah right Bob, you'd be on the first boat home wouldn't you ? Jack Lang rightly said 'Fuck you brother' and emptied the NSW government bank accounts before the federal authorities arrived to confiscate the cash to send to england.

The right is concerned with selfishness, sink or swim, no handouts, etc, etc, etc. The left is concerned with the group, sharing, support, etc,etc,etc. Who you gonna vote for ?

Peniz Pills

2007-03-18T01:22:00.000+11:00

Goddam Spam Peniz Pills BS is popping up all over the place ! Does anybody actually believe those things work ? What a load of crap. The only way it can be done is by a special suction tube thing - Any part of the body that is stretched for a long period of time will eventually adapt.
I read in the paper, a judge in the states was using one of those suction things while presiding over his court cases, totally inappropriate - the reporter claimed the pump was very audible. He was eventually dismissed as a judge -The reason given for his dismissal was 'Public Indecency - Masturbating in Court'. Well, no he wasn't, but I guess 'using a penis enlargement pump in Court' is not technically an offence!

Kenny

2007-03-17T17:04:00.000+11:00

Wanna see a funny movie ? Go and see 'Kenny' it's not exactly hysterical, but the one-liners the guy comes out with are just brilliant - 2 quotes I can think of - 'There's a smell in here that will outlast religion' and 'Busier than a one armed bricklayer in Baghdad'. His old man calling him a 'Glorified turd burgler' is pretty funny 'Nah Dad, I'm a plumber!' It's just full of classic 'Austrlianisms'
And it's also got a little bit of heart, so that's good too.

Anchorman

2007-03-09T19:10:00.000+11:00

Yeah I watched 'Anchorman' today - What surprised me is that Christina Applegate can actually act! well I'm no critic. The funniest bit I thought was at the end when the mentally retarded weatherman, with his IQ of 48, is said to have ended up being a senior political advisor for the Bush administration - sounds about right!!
But really, were men that really mysoginistic in the 70's? Maybe they were. if so, then women have certainly come a long way - A good thing too In my opinion I might add.

Goldfish Bowl

2007-03-09T17:31:00.000+11:00

I might like to ask .. What's it like living in a goldfish bowl ? I don't think I would like it very much, I've always been fairly private, but then who doesn't want popularity ? but when popularity turns to scrutiny ... and for me, just for me, I don't want to intrude that much, and I get that .. well the understanding I've reached .. let's just say I'm putting away the binoculars and the microscope .. I see what I see and so I don't want to add to it. Also I'm not surprised some questions remain un-answered, when I first saw them I thought 'Whoa'. Yes they are very personal, I would only recommend a 'no comment' where appropriate.

I only want to say that personally I'm glad that there is a direct channel of communication available, but human nature is I guess that .. well what's that saying, give 'em an inch and they'll take a mile ? Please understand I'm not criticizing the fans, no-one wants to be submerged in a sea of anonymity, but scrambling and demanding attention, geez, I dunno. I guess I'm trying to say give the girl a break, give her some room, and appreciate what you get, 'cos she gives a whole lot, that's for damn sure. It's becoming like the old cliche' where the star gets caught up in the throng and emerges with tattered clothes .. everyone wants a piece.

If I can figure out a way of saying this without offending people, but actually getting them to think about it, then I'll post it publically. until then these thoughts will remain here.

But then, that's just me. maybe I'm totally wrong.

Photoshop contest

2007-03-03T19:49:00.000+11:00

That photoshop contest was fun! (although I used 'Paint Shop Pro', a lot cheaper than Adobe's 'Photoshop') The entries were all very good. But what was good about it for me was that Nikki got a kick out of it, it's just great to be able to be a part of repaying her in a small way for all the times Nikki's cracked me up!

Nikki for a logie

2007-02-25T01:52:00.000+11:00

Logie nominations are to be revealed April 2. Is it possible to hold your breath for that long ?? I've got everything crossed that it's possible to cross, figuratively speaking, I don't think I could function being cross-eyed all the time.

Have we done enough ? 11 times I voted. Drew hasn't released how many responses he got about how many people voted. From what I can tell there's somewhere around 300 - 400 reported on myspace. Add on those who aren't on myspace - well it maybe enough to get a nomination at least.

Oh man, QM is really entertaining, they deserve the nom, and in my mind the award as well, the hosts and crew obviously have fun, and that comes across for the viewers. People watch it and most of them become hooked.

But you know when Nikki comes on the whole thing is just elevated to another level, Nikki really is the star of QM, and yeah QM deserves a gong, but Nikki really, really is the 'Best New Talent' on TV. There's something seriously wrong with the whole process if she doesn't get the guernsey.

Oh, and the other thing, sorry if it was too much.

Britney's hair

2007-02-20T23:28:00.000+11:00

1,000,000 dollars for Britneys hair on ebay ?
What would you do with it ?
Make a merkin out of it.

Skin Ads

2007-02-18T19:00:00.000+11:00

Those late night skin ads are just ridiculous. Do some guys really go for that ? I guess they must, they wouldn't be there if they weren't making returns, but really ...

'Call me and I'll jiggle my breasts for you, if you're really lucky I might do a handstand leg split for you' Aw gee, I feel privelidged. 'We squirt each other with hoses, teehee' They must have special dispensation from the water authority for that. 'If you call now, you could be in my bed tonight like this dufus here ...' yeah he's got gun, but notice he doesn't actually say anything, just lays there with a leacherous grin. If I was a female I think I'd start running.

Now I have as much appreciation for the female form as any other red-blooded male, but geez, those ads would be an insult if they weren't just laughable.

I was once saw a comedy sketch mocking skin ads, had a really thin weedy looking guy wearing grandpa's too big cotton underpants, posing with a silly grin, slowly nodding his head, haha it looked so ridiculous it was just hysterical, and I wonder if that's how they're perceived by a lot of women, as just being ridiculous. Well this male for one agrees with them.

Where it stops

2007-02-13T01:08:00.000+11:00

Doing those things for the photo contest reminds of a quote from a famous artist -

A painting is never finished, it simply stops in an interesting place.

The Secret

2007-02-10T16:30:00.000+11:00

The universe provides, we create with our thoughts - I reckon all that stuff is pretty right. Here's an interesting thing I was told once, I reckon it's pretty right too ...

Before the universe existed, outside of space and time, we existed as thinking sentience. However, in the timeless void, we became bored. And with a single thought, we created the material universe. Creating vessels to contain our essence, we entered into the world, simply for play. And to make the game seem important, so that we wouldn't be bored here as well, we deliberately chose to forget what we really are. But to make the game more interesting, we maintained the power of creation through thought. And even though we made the choice to forget, our souls do remember who we are, even if our thinking identities do not.

Or to put it another way, God made the cake, but could not taste the cake. We are agents of God, come here to taste and experience all the various flavours of the cake.

Interesting stuff eh ?

Pan's Labyrinth

2007-02-08T20:51:00.000+11:00

That movie was supposed to be good, was it ? Can't see it myself. I just thought it was sad, as in teary sad. little girl lost, living in a fantasy world, dies in the end. Right, just the thing to pep me up.

Was given a very nice present, the best kind, something someone made for me. I was blown away. Another person emailed me happy birthday. I appreciate the thoughts.

Birthday Boy

2007-02-06T20:46:00.000+11:00

My birthday tomorrow, Shit, where does the time go ? The older you get the more quickly time seems to pass. Should be the other way round, dammit!

Tomorrow I'm gonna spend a few hours working, setting up a camera and audio for recording some witness testimony, which will be happening Thursday-Friday. Meaning I'll be sitting in a Court on those days doing very little, but the money's excellent so I'm not complaining!

Tomorrow night I'm seeing Anne again, gonna see a movie. I can't wait !

Nikki in FHM

2007-02-05T21:59:00.000+11:00

Oh man, if I'd known that FHM thing was in Sydney today I would've gone and checked it out. Maybe Nikki got tanned up specifically for the photo shoot. 46th is damn disappointing, but I like to think that the exposure and publicity of being in the top 50 is the sort of thing that money can't buy, and it is a tribute to Nikki, and her fans for doing their best to support her. I hope that when Nikki is the big star she has the potential to be, she won't forget us little people who loved her from the very beginning of QM, did everything we could to pump up her tyres for the road ahead, and .. yeah .. just fell in love with her basically. But somehow, I get the feeling she never will forget us, and that makes me happy.

I hope she keeps her myspace, I hope she keeps contributing to her fansite, even if as it maybe Nikki wants to move onto somewhere that may lead to more exposure, and more reasonable working hours I guess. Speaking for myself, and no doubt many other fans, I want her in my life, even if in such a .. distant way. Sorry, I'm rambling, I guess I'm in a little bit of shock at some of the things I've read today ...

but you know, it's all good .. It's all good. Nikki's star is on the rise, that's the most important thing. it's all good.

***UPDATE*** I wanted to add something here (feb 6), this last post sounds a bit ... meloncholy. What I want to add is that it is amazing to me, that when I watch Nikki on TV, I think .. That woman there, read my questions on her fansite and answered them. That is really great. It doesn't sound much, but it is really appreciated. Thank you Nikki.

Secret Squirrel

2007-02-03T17:54:00.000+11:00

That was an old TV show wasn't it? I wonder if poor old Shinji stuffed up again, maybe he should have left it alone. but what's done is done, if it comes back, I'll leave it.

RSVP3

2007-02-03T02:20:00.000+11:00

yeah, that was tonight - went out for a meal, talked a lot, laughed a lot, went back to her place, fixed her TV, talked some more, asked her out again, she laughed at me, eventually said yes, gave me a peck on the cheek, I left. Don't ask me what any of that means, I think too much.

RSVP 2

2007-01-30T00:18:00.001+11:00

Whoohoo! I'm going on a date! man, it's been a long time. I'm thrilled and apprehensive at the same time. She's a screenwriter, and wants to use something I put in my RSVP profile in a movie! Wow... And she seems really keen on me! man oh man, I don't wanna get my expectations up, but I'm pretty excited!

Funny thing is though, Anne looks a little like the woman in that lucid dream I had a while back .. Nah, I'm not gonna go there.

Stranger than fiction

2007-01-29T01:49:00.000+11:00

haha I've got to see the new Will Farrel movie 'Stranger than fiction' looks like an absolute crack up! He's standing at a bus queue and hears a voice in his head that says 'And this leads to his imminent death' he looks around and says 'What ? WHY?'
next clip shows him smashing a chair saying 'SHUT-UP!!!' ah..funny. Judging from the title there's probably some rational explanation, other than psychosis, I'm curious to know what it is ... maybe new dental fillings acting as a radio receiver or something ... Lucille Ball reckons that happened to her once.

I fainted once...

2007-01-26T13:21:00.000+11:00

A long time ago, on a really hot day, after running around on the beach all day, we went to a mate's place to watch a video, I started to feel weird, I was standing at the sink with a glass of water in my hand, and things started to go .. like when you rub your eyes really hard you see patterns, well like that .. and then all I know is the glass I had in my hand suddenly seemed to explode .. I'd fallen flat on my back without knowing and the glass had shattered .. Then I hear the sound of running feet as the people I was with came over to pick me up. And yeah, I was ok, no damage done, But it was a very strange feeling.

And I don't wanna make a big deal out of it, but I admit I was holding my breath for about 20 minutes the other night !

logie link

2007-01-23T15:19:00.000+11:00

Add the following code to your blog, myspace page, website, whatever.

Help for night-shift workers

2007-01-23T13:54:00.000+11:00

The link is to the best site I could find. it has lots of links to other sites that may be helpful for night-shift workers.

http://www.pbs.or
g/livelyhood/nightshift/webresources.html

I really hope this info gets through. I've also emailed it to the studio.

Reducing allergies

2007-01-23T01:51:00.000+11:00

Some tips for handling allergies to pets -

We spend from one third to one half of our time in our bedrooms. By keeping the animals out of the bedrooms at all times, we can greatly reduce the symptoms of pet allergies.
Install a good "HEPA" air cleaner.
Close the ducts to the bedrooms and use electric heaters.
Clean and vacuum regularly.
Bathe your pet weekly.
Do not allow your pet on the furniture.
Do not allow your pet in your car. (Or use car seat covers when your pet is in the car.)
Brush your pet daily and use an allergy-reducing spray such as Allerpet.
Keep your pet's skin healthy by feeding a good multivitamin and a fatty acid supplement. Encourage the pet to spend more time outdoors.
Wash your hands after handling the pet, his toys, bed, etc.
See your physician and discuss possible immunotherapy or medications.

happy face

2007-01-22T00:56:00.000+11:00

Nikki on Myspace 2

2007-01-21T15:08:00.000+11:00

Actually, I should probably add a little on subsequent events. I'll post it here because I tend to ramble on a bit ...
I missed most of what happened but I've got a fair idea now after reading around. What those young kids did was totally unwarranted, it seemed to be a payback but way over the top, and why they felt thay had to take it out on poor Nikki I don't understand. She was just there, doing her job, and also trying to be accessable to her fans, making the effort even though she was being overwhelmed with the sheer volume of stuff coming in. Those comments were nasty and hurtful, I hope one day they realize that.
I don't really want to say anything more about it - other than perhaps I'm guilty also of being a little too intense - I'd hate to think I was creeping her out as well - I promise, that stops now. Sorry.

Stihl chainsaw ad

2007-01-21T13:50:00.000+11:00

I don't get the new 'Stihl' chainsaw add. a guy seems to have a crush on the counter-chick, and keeps bringing back his chainsaw .. Ah actually I just got it ..
'Our staff are so friendly you'll fall in love with them'. maybe they pump pheromones into the air-conditioning to help that along ... 'Stihl, your lonely hearts and chainsaw center!' haha, that just sounds bizarre.

Stopping puppies from biting

2007-01-18T12:47:00.000+11:00

.
www.pets.ca/articles/articles-dogmouthy.htm
.

Nikki on MySpace

2007-01-17T01:19:00.000+11:00

I think Nikki's in a difficult situation on myspace. Can she respond in a meaningful way to over 1300 people ? There's also the question of not showing favouritism, ones that don't get a reply are going to think 'Why not me?'. Corinne Grant makes a good point about this on her myspace page.

And some people are just so demanding ! Sometimes I read some of the comments there and think 'God! what is it with these people?' Georgina, a good friend of mine, told me if it was her she would just go 'whoa' and step away from it all. So you've got to hand it to Nikki for making the effort, and for her sincerity.

And sometimes I wonder, how would I respond to an offer of 'marry me' or 'I love you so much' from a complete stranger ? No thanks !? I think Nikki's got a big heart and doesn't want to hurt anybody's feelings, no matter how irrational they may be.

I declared that I had a big crush on her (still do!) on her fansite because I just had to get it out, I don't regret doing so, but I also didn't expect any serious consideration of it on her part! And yes, I would like to hear from her someday, but I'm considerate enough not to make any demands of her. I do live in hope though haha!

I wish I had a simple answer for her .. how to deal with it .. but I don't. I think it's something all celebrities have to come to terms with, part of the price of fame I guess, and some handle it better than others. Maybe she could ask others in the same situation how they deal with it.

Odd little Dog

2007-01-11T11:18:00.000+11:00

There is this little dog that lives somewhere up the road from me, who seems to get let out on garbage night. And this little dog is just weird ! funny, but weird.

The first time I'm dragging the wheelie bins down and I see this little white shape rushing at me at top speed out of the dark of the night, I'm shocked, I don't know what it is at first ! "What the F... is that ?" I think. When it's about five feet away I realize - It's a little dog ! Next thing it's squirming on it's back at my feet, wanting a pat. I couldn't resist - just so cute! after a little bit of that she jumps up and runs back into the gloom at top speed, I couldn't help but smile.

A week later I'm taking the bins down again, and I'm wondering " Where's that little dog ? Sure enough when I look up the road I see this little white shape tearing down the street towards me. Again she heads straight for me but at the very last moment zooms off and past me at an angle, rushes to the nature strip across the road and starts tearing around in circles. How very odd ! I encourage her to come, she looks at me, zooms towards me, but at the last moment veers off again and rushes up the street from whence she came. I couldn't help but laugh.

So me and this little dog seem to have this weekly rendeazvous thing going, sometimes she wants a pat, other times she just runs around in circles. Sometimes she just stands looking up the street and barking at nothing I can see !

What an odd little dog ! Garbage night doesn't seem to be chore anymore. Not when there's an odd little dog that comes rushing out of the gloom doing odd things and making me laugh !

RSVP

2007-01-09T15:04:00.000+11:00

Yeah I joined RSVP, having a crush on someone made of 'unobtainium' certainly makes me feel lonely ! and the best way to combat that is .. go looking !

I'm getting lots of hits there, so that's very nice. The only thing I don't like is getting messages from woman I'm not really interested in .. well I feel bad when I reject them - I don't like having to do that, but I feel it's better to be straight from the start.

I can handle the rejections myself, that's the easy part. a momentary .. Awww ! but then just get over it.

and it's also hard 'cos there's a few I do like, and eventually I'm going to have to choose ...

Maybe I'm just thinking too much. I'll just go with the flow, and see what eventuates. It's all good.

Lucid Dreaming

2007-01-01T02:25:00.000+11:00

Lucid Dreaming is where you are in a dream, and you know that you are in a dream.
Apparently it's quite rare. And even though I know it's a dream, everything in it seems absolutely real, to the smallest detail. when I have them, I usually write them down, they seem profound in some way, I want to remember them. Here is one I've chosen to share.

This dream is rated M15+
it contains sexual references.

A Lucid dream 26/12/06

I'm at a school, returning to college to finish a course, there are lots of people and lots of confusion, I'm trying to figure out where I'm supposed to go, I see a lot of people who apparently I know, we are all busy trying to re-enroll.

I'm sitting in room, a class room. There is a woman sitting next to me, I don't know her but I start talking to her, she smiles and starts talking back. Soon she is talking to me, animatedly and happily, telling me about something, because I feel shy my fear is trying to make me look away, I feel my eyes blinking as I'm fighting the fear telling me to look away. I'm concentrating to keep looking at her while she is talking to me, but the words she is saying are not registering.
meanwhile, smiling, she keeps on telling me about something.

I'm outside trying to find my car - I find it but everything is very hectic, lots of people everywhere, I'm trying to figure out how use my car and how to get back home.

I'm walking around the corner at the top of the street where I live, there is a man there in a jogging suit, running back and forward. There is also a car there, up against the fence, revving it's engine - it's a racing car, it's moving back and forwards.

I'm walking around the corner at the top of my street, there is a different man there, he looks like Frazier from the TV show, wearing a jogging suit. He says something about 'I'm going jogging' but I ignore him. There is also a car, a racing car, a different one from before. it is moving backwards and forwards. as I walk around the corner, I see the car has moved so the front bumper is against the fence, it's engine is running, there's something slightly menacing about it, but I don't feel any fear.

At that point in this dream, I realize I have seen the same thing twice, I realize that I am in fact dreaming. I think to myself 'This is a dream'. I look down my street, it is night, and I see the illumination on the road from the street lamps.
I want a woman, I'm thinking how can i make a woman appear in this dream.

I walk halfway down the street, I see a kid on a skateboard. I turn around and look back up the street, there are some cars parked and people talking. I turn and look the other way, the kid on the skateboard has gone, and the cars that were there are also gone. I do this a few times, looking up the street, then turning and looking down the street, everytime I do, what I see on the street changes.
I think to myself if I do this enough times maybe a woman would appear.

I look down the street again, and see that there is a dog running straight at me, it looks like a labrador. I have a case in my hand so I put in front of me to deflect the dog if it attacks me, However when the dog reaches me it runs straight past me. I see another dog running at me, a different one. This time when it reaches me it is at my feet being friendly and wanting a pat. I bend over and say 'hello dog' and give him a good pat. I stand up and look down the street, I feel the dog nuzzling my hand wanting more pats, I brush him off and say 'Go away now'

There is now a woman there talking to me with a big smile - it is the woman from before. we are arm in arm as we're skipping and dancing around on the street and singing silly songs we're making up on the spot. I sing - "And my home has a welcome mat on the floor, A welcome mat so come in the door ... "

I look up and see my house. I say 'This is where I live'. We walk up the drive arm in arm, I look at her and put my arm around her waist. I feel the contour of her figure, her waist, I say 'Oh Lordy Lordy!' She smiles to herself but says nothing.

At the top of the driveway we stop. I turn her around to face me, and whisper to her 'Dance with me'. I put my other arm around her, move it lower and feel the contour of the small of her back, the top of her hips. I am holding her tightly, pulling her against me, She is smiling, has her head turned to one side and tilted back, I look at her neck as I feel myself growing and pressing against her ..

... I feel my bed under me, and I realize I have just woken up. but strangely, I wasn't disappointed the dream ended at that point at all.

I'd also like to mention the person is this dream was no-one I know or recognized.

Dog attack

2007-01-01T02:13:00.000+11:00

This is a true story.

When I was born, in the year of the dog, my mother bought a puppy. That dog was my constant companion. You could say I have a certain empathy with them.

When I was eight years old I was walking home from school, past a car wrecking yard. there was a big Dog sitting on the inside of the wire fence, I didn't see him until I was right on top of him, and when I did, i jumped back in shock. I saw the dog jump up and start running for the open gate further on. I thought "Oh Ohh, here we go .."

I saw it run through the gate, turn, and run straight at me - it looked very mean, like it wanted to kill me. I braced myself and raised my school case up in front of my chest.

The dog came at me, jumped, and went for my face. It's front paws landing on my school case. At the same instant, I pushed my case away, pushing the dog backwards, away from me. His teeth cut above my eyebrow, and into my lip, but nowhere as bad as it could have been. The dog landed on the ground and looked at me. I gave it a quizzical look, like to say - "Why did you do that ?". The dog looked at me for a another moment, then turned away and walked back into the wrecking yard.

That might sound impressive, of how I stared down a vicous guard dog when I was eight. But there's a simple thing, That dog saw fear when I jumped back in shock, that triggered the attack. After it jumped me, it saw not fear, just curiosity on my face, and that cancelled the aggression. Simple. Remember that if you're ever attacked. It may possibly work for you.

Goofy the dog

2006-12-26T17:02:00.000+11:00

Thank god these days it's law to have a dog harnessed when it's on the back of a truck.

This is a true story I was once told. I'm thankful the dog wasn't hurt at all.

Someone I once worked for had a big, dumb, doberman cross. He had the very appropiate name 'Goofy'. One time it was in the back of the his table-top truck as he was driving down the spit hill in sydney. It wasn't a bare tray, it did have sides on the truck. He knew the dog wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, so he slowed right down and kept a close eye on it in the mirror as he was rounding the sharp corners at the top of the spit hill.

He saw the dog sitting in a bolt upright position in the middle of the tray. As he rounded the corner, he saw the dog starting to lean to one side. he started to slow down further, but the corner was sharpening, and to his horror, he saw the dog lean further and further over, until it finally rolled over completely and fell out of the back of the truck.

He looked in the side mirror, and saw sliding down the road, poor Goofy still sitting in the exact same bolt upright position it had assumed in the back of the truck. Sliding down the road, on it's ass, sitting up, looking around in a nonchalent manner, as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening at all.

Goofy suffered only minor abrasions to his arse and his paws. and the owner swore he was never going to put Goofy on the back tray again.

Pets are great

2006-12-23T20:03:00.000+11:00

Pets are great, they return the love you give them ... in spades !!
totally unconditionally .. It's a beautiful thing.

hiya

2006-12-19T23:33:00.000+11:00

hiya, whoever !

I stopped the last blog, man, what a trip
'cog in the wheel' sounds clunky anyway
And I felt tlike a lone wolf in the wilderness !

I've started a new blog on MySpace here -
http://www.myspace.com/139896179