In exactly 2 days I'll be walking through the door of my apartment in Japan, and for quite a while I am NOT looking forward to going home. I've had such a great time here in Adelaide for the past 10 weeks, but sadly all good things come to an end...
2008 looks like it will be a year of many changes and many new things to do. It could be good.
Time to look back at some predictions from the year gone by - at least for technology. Also time to look forward with one of the best sets of predictions I've read for a while.
Also this was a good read about the state of music production at the moment, and more specifically about how mp3s are killing good sounding music. I have nothing against mp3s myself, but buying the CD has often opened up the mix so much compared to anything obtained online. All I need now is a lot of storage for all the CDs I want to get!!
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
More stuff n nonsense
Four words: Home-made French Onion Dip. Oh yeah.
Traversing the airwaves last night I came across a couple of good docos that summed up a lot of the recent geopolitical situation (even though they were made in 2005). One, called "Crude Impact", summed up the effect of the recent oil/war shenanigans quite well. The other, "Energy War" (can't find any links online...), was, at times, a mouthpiece for Thomas Friedman (who tended to say the same thing three times in each segment - a bit in love with himself too...), but there were enough other voices to make it more balanced. It added more politics and climate issues to the mix, as well as a small call to action. Pretty thought provoking.
More food for thought...
First off, a very interesting article bringing to attention the terrifying fact that because so much DU (Depleted Uranium) ammunition has been used since 1991, the amount of radiation released has totalled more than 10 times the amount released by all previous nuclear testing. It's really scary reading - and important too.
With Kosovo likely to declare independence in the near future, powerful European nations and the USA and Russia are jostling for position. Fasten your seatbelts, it could be a bumpy ride.
There are some ideas for Christmas presents for dictators, and other twits.
Oh yeah, and "As of year-end 2006, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) reported that American jails and prisons held a record-breaking 2,258,983 men and women, and that one in 31 adults are now under some form of correctional supervision." Not a police state at all... yet... developing...
Happy Happy Joy Joy, Lalalala Hmmm Hmmm...
Traversing the airwaves last night I came across a couple of good docos that summed up a lot of the recent geopolitical situation (even though they were made in 2005). One, called "Crude Impact", summed up the effect of the recent oil/war shenanigans quite well. The other, "Energy War" (can't find any links online...), was, at times, a mouthpiece for Thomas Friedman (who tended to say the same thing three times in each segment - a bit in love with himself too...), but there were enough other voices to make it more balanced. It added more politics and climate issues to the mix, as well as a small call to action. Pretty thought provoking.
More food for thought...
First off, a very interesting article bringing to attention the terrifying fact that because so much DU (Depleted Uranium) ammunition has been used since 1991, the amount of radiation released has totalled more than 10 times the amount released by all previous nuclear testing. It's really scary reading - and important too.
With Kosovo likely to declare independence in the near future, powerful European nations and the USA and Russia are jostling for position. Fasten your seatbelts, it could be a bumpy ride.
There are some ideas for Christmas presents for dictators, and other twits.
Oh yeah, and "As of year-end 2006, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) reported that American jails and prisons held a record-breaking 2,258,983 men and women, and that one in 31 adults are now under some form of correctional supervision." Not a police state at all... yet... developing...
Happy Happy Joy Joy, Lalalala Hmmm Hmmm...
Friday, December 14, 2007
veisalgia
Plenty of it around, I hear...
So, today I'm off to the cricket. Should be a fun exercise in Australiana.
The worst thing about the cricket is the beer. I used to work at the cricket when I was a uni student. At that time West End was the sponsor, so at least the beer was locally made. Unfortunately most real South Aussies will only drink West End is there's nothing else to drink. To make matters worse, since booze-related problems have always been an issue at the cricket, they made a brew with only half the alcohol content of standard lager exclusively for the cricket. Half the taste too, so the punters reckoned.
Nowadays XXXX is the main sponsor of the cricket, so we have to deal with the Queensland version of the beer most people wouldn't touch. I can tell you, it's awful. Truly.
At least they sell the local nectar of ambrosia at the oval.
On this track, there was a good article about hangovers.
There was another one about how some 'healthy' foods are not so healthy - some pretty obvious, some not so.
Lastly, with desalinisation plants all the rage in Australia, a timely article about how industry and the utilities companies could save oceans of water just by switching to using sea or waste water, instead of plugging into the mains.
So, today I'm off to the cricket. Should be a fun exercise in Australiana.
The worst thing about the cricket is the beer. I used to work at the cricket when I was a uni student. At that time West End was the sponsor, so at least the beer was locally made. Unfortunately most real South Aussies will only drink West End is there's nothing else to drink. To make matters worse, since booze-related problems have always been an issue at the cricket, they made a brew with only half the alcohol content of standard lager exclusively for the cricket. Half the taste too, so the punters reckoned.
Nowadays XXXX is the main sponsor of the cricket, so we have to deal with the Queensland version of the beer most people wouldn't touch. I can tell you, it's awful. Truly.
At least they sell the local nectar of ambrosia at the oval.
On this track, there was a good article about hangovers.
There was another one about how some 'healthy' foods are not so healthy - some pretty obvious, some not so.
Lastly, with desalinisation plants all the rage in Australia, a timely article about how industry and the utilities companies could save oceans of water just by switching to using sea or waste water, instead of plugging into the mains.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
More Zep.
Quite a few online bits and pieces about the Lep Zeppelin reunion gig from yesterday including set lists. (Oh, and to show that Zep fans have extraordinary good taste, it looks like Naomi Campbell had her bag stolen from the gig! Sucker!) Looks like they had heaps of TV cameras there so hopefully a DVD will be released soon.
In other news, another piece about how carbon dioxide may not necessarily be the only influence on global warming. It pulls up short of advocating burning all your garbage and buying nothing but Hummers, but it looks like people are doing that anyway...
In other news, another piece about how carbon dioxide may not necessarily be the only influence on global warming. It pulls up short of advocating burning all your garbage and buying nothing but Hummers, but it looks like people are doing that anyway...
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
The other side
I guess I shouldn't be exclusively a bad news bear. Some good and interesting stuff is happening around the place.
Take in England for example, where they're looking at massively expanding their use of wind power. We should be doing the same thing here in Australia - we've got the space! (as well as expanding our use of solar and geo-thermal power generation...)
And today's 'interesting scientific thingy' goes to Noctilucent Clouds - or clouds that glow in the dark. Sounds a bit spooky, and there's speculation that they're somehow related to climate change, but the pix are awesome.
Share and enjoy
Take in England for example, where they're looking at massively expanding their use of wind power. We should be doing the same thing here in Australia - we've got the space! (as well as expanding our use of solar and geo-thermal power generation...)
And today's 'interesting scientific thingy' goes to Noctilucent Clouds - or clouds that glow in the dark. Sounds a bit spooky, and there's speculation that they're somehow related to climate change, but the pix are awesome.
Share and enjoy
Best comment ever.
From The Age:
A writer for a column called The Religious Write asked, "Religion remains an important influence in Australia's region. Can we use it to build ties? How? Are there better ways?"
To which one witty commentator replied,
"I don't think religion can be used to build ties. Ties need to be built from some kind [of] fibre, which is then woven into a fabric and cut and sewn into the classic tie shape.
Hear hear, my humour-infused keeper of all things mirthy.
Oh, and Led Zeppelin have played their first concert in quite a long time. That's LED ZEPPELIN. Gonna get that one...
A writer for a column called The Religious Write asked, "Religion remains an important influence in Australia's region. Can we use it to build ties? How? Are there better ways?"
To which one witty commentator replied,
"I don't think religion can be used to build ties. Ties need to be built from some kind [of] fibre, which is then woven into a fabric and cut and sewn into the classic tie shape.
You could use religious motifs to decorate ties, I suppose, but this may well end up offending people who feel their religious motifs need more respect.
All in all, probably best to keep religion completely separate from ties and corporate menswear in general."Hear hear, my humour-infused keeper of all things mirthy.
Oh, and Led Zeppelin have played their first concert in quite a long time. That's LED ZEPPELIN. Gonna get that one...
Sorry, but...
... can anyone please tell me why a church needs to have armed security guards?
I mean, apart from the obvious answer of, "So they can kill the armed psychotics who try to break in and kill every one," (which begs another question of how psychos seem to find it so easy to lay their mentally-impaired hands on guns... but anyway)
Another interesting point is how many of these psychos seem to come from 'deeply religious' family backgrounds as well...
Something isn't working, people!
I mean, apart from the obvious answer of, "So they can kill the armed psychotics who try to break in and kill every one," (which begs another question of how psychos seem to find it so easy to lay their mentally-impaired hands on guns... but anyway)
Another interesting point is how many of these psychos seem to come from 'deeply religious' family backgrounds as well...
Something isn't working, people!
Sunday, December 09, 2007
To summarize...
With so much going on at the moment, it's good that there are journalists out there who can take such a voluminous amount of information and sum it up for us in a way that's comprehensible.
Today's offer takes in the current state of the US presidential elections, which, unfortunately, affect us all, as well as the furor over the Rape of Nanking.
Tonight, I am going for a walk, reading and strumming the guitar. Summer TV is now in full effect; there is absolutely nothing I'm interested in watching tonight!
Today's offer takes in the current state of the US presidential elections, which, unfortunately, affect us all, as well as the furor over the Rape of Nanking.
Tonight, I am going for a walk, reading and strumming the guitar. Summer TV is now in full effect; there is absolutely nothing I'm interested in watching tonight!
Friday, December 07, 2007
Bad news... and a little good.
Gotta love the USA - at least those that dwell behind its white-housed walls.
Firstly, they think they can destroy e-mails without impunity, except since Watergate that's illegal (and an impeachable offense...)
Secondly, they think they can now kidnap anyone, anywhere, anytime, for any reason.
From the article: "Until now it was commonly assumed that US law permitted kidnapping only in the “extraordinary rendition” of terrorist suspects. The American government has for the first time made it clear in a British court that the law applies to anyone, British or otherwise, suspected of a crime by Washington."
Thirdly, they really have no idea what's happening in Iraq, or they really know what's going on and are hoping it just goes away...
Makes fiction look like a documentary...
This looks like a fun movie.
At last it looks like China has begun to see the benefits of going organic - not to mention the dollar signs whizzing past its eyes... A small glimmer of hope, but a long way to go.
And I'm growing a beard.
Firstly, they think they can destroy e-mails without impunity, except since Watergate that's illegal (and an impeachable offense...)
Secondly, they think they can now kidnap anyone, anywhere, anytime, for any reason.
From the article: "Until now it was commonly assumed that US law permitted kidnapping only in the “extraordinary rendition” of terrorist suspects. The American government has for the first time made it clear in a British court that the law applies to anyone, British or otherwise, suspected of a crime by Washington."
Thirdly, they really have no idea what's happening in Iraq, or they really know what's going on and are hoping it just goes away...
Makes fiction look like a documentary...
This looks like a fun movie.
At last it looks like China has begun to see the benefits of going organic - not to mention the dollar signs whizzing past its eyes... A small glimmer of hope, but a long way to go.
And I'm growing a beard.
Aaaah yes.
Another day in paradise... more or less. Yesterday was pretty mucky, with hot (37) temperatures followed by strong winds, thunder and a brief rainstorm. Today's looking better though. The only place in Australia getting any decent rain at the moment is around Sydney - and that's been hardly enough to raise the level of water in storage. The drought lingers on...
So, another day, another massacre in the USA. Another massacre in the USA, another swag of reports avoiding the elephant in the room; that people can still buy assault weapons more easily than a decent meal. Seriously, I could only find one report (from an Aussie newspaper) that said anything about gun control. Yay - journalism!
In other news, America's "teenage birth rate rose for the first time in 15 years, surprising government health officials who had no immediate explanation." I'll give you guys one guess.
Actually, two.
Also, the US Coast Guard has reeled in about US$4.7 billion worth of cocaine so far this year. Interestingly "the street value of the drugs seized or removed last year by the Coast Guard equals roughly half the agency's total annual budget," which leads to some interestingly speculations about what happens to the drugs, once seized...
Also, Pizza Hut (in America, unfortunately) has instant cardiac arrests on sale - for a limited time! Also, The Whopper is 50 years old - much like the special sauce, and beer isn't just for drinking - or spraying across the white t-shirted chests of buxom college girls.
So, another day, another massacre in the USA. Another massacre in the USA, another swag of reports avoiding the elephant in the room; that people can still buy assault weapons more easily than a decent meal. Seriously, I could only find one report (from an Aussie newspaper) that said anything about gun control. Yay - journalism!
In other news, America's "teenage birth rate rose for the first time in 15 years, surprising government health officials who had no immediate explanation." I'll give you guys one guess.
Actually, two.
Also, the US Coast Guard has reeled in about US$4.7 billion worth of cocaine so far this year. Interestingly "the street value of the drugs seized or removed last year by the Coast Guard equals roughly half the agency's total annual budget," which leads to some interestingly speculations about what happens to the drugs, once seized...
Also, Pizza Hut (in America, unfortunately) has instant cardiac arrests on sale - for a limited time! Also, The Whopper is 50 years old - much like the special sauce, and beer isn't just for drinking - or spraying across the white t-shirted chests of buxom college girls.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)