Drakojan Skies 3 - Cool Game
My son and I have been playing Drakojan Skies 3 lately. It's a cool, arcade-style game. Quite addictive, as it should be, and great fun. Maybe for those of us who miss the late night computer game sessions of yesteryear, anyway. I managed to get right through the game yesterday. You have three levels, each with an end of level boss (baddie) to beat and Yu-Jin can get to the 2nd level boss himself. He's not bad at the game, I must say. I'll have to keep on my toes to keep him in line. Give it a go if you miss your youth.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Mad Mel
Or is it Stupid Mel? Or Idiot Mel?
By now you've probably all heard that Mel Gibson was caught speeding whilst drunk. He has issued an apology, outlined here, but apparently made a crass, racist remark about the police officer being Jewish. There would have been less anger from Hollywood if he had asked the officer if he was a Hizbollah terrorist, methinks.
Great article outlining what happened.
Mel's publicity spin came around quite quickly in playing the sympathy card by having him admit that he was an alcoholic. Until just now I didn't know that he had made an anti-Semitic remark and when I heard the call for him to be ostracised by Hollywood I was a bit taken aback. He's an alcoholic so why would they throw him out? Is it because he hasn't reached the peak of being a drug abuser yet after so many years in the industry? Well, his comments have changed the situation a bit.
Perhaps he will be able to save his career by saying that he was doing some method acting and his next Lethal Weapon movie requires him to drive at twice the speed limit with a blood alcohol level at one and a half times the limit. Maybe.
I think less of him for his drink-driving than for his racist comments however. It's not as if he can't afford a chauffeur. I see lots of public service coming up. But will it be the same sort of public service that MicroSoft achieves by making itself more widespread? Time will tell. It's a good thing that he didn't have a mobile phone in his hand. Just think if Russell Crowe was in the car with him. I think the call for Aussies to disown him, as he was born in the US, will peak in a few weeks, all will be forgiven, and we'll welcome him as an Aussie again soon. Maybe.
Or is it Stupid Mel? Or Idiot Mel?
By now you've probably all heard that Mel Gibson was caught speeding whilst drunk. He has issued an apology, outlined here, but apparently made a crass, racist remark about the police officer being Jewish. There would have been less anger from Hollywood if he had asked the officer if he was a Hizbollah terrorist, methinks.
Great article outlining what happened.
Mel's publicity spin came around quite quickly in playing the sympathy card by having him admit that he was an alcoholic. Until just now I didn't know that he had made an anti-Semitic remark and when I heard the call for him to be ostracised by Hollywood I was a bit taken aback. He's an alcoholic so why would they throw him out? Is it because he hasn't reached the peak of being a drug abuser yet after so many years in the industry? Well, his comments have changed the situation a bit.
Perhaps he will be able to save his career by saying that he was doing some method acting and his next Lethal Weapon movie requires him to drive at twice the speed limit with a blood alcohol level at one and a half times the limit. Maybe.
I think less of him for his drink-driving than for his racist comments however. It's not as if he can't afford a chauffeur. I see lots of public service coming up. But will it be the same sort of public service that MicroSoft achieves by making itself more widespread? Time will tell. It's a good thing that he didn't have a mobile phone in his hand. Just think if Russell Crowe was in the car with him. I think the call for Aussies to disown him, as he was born in the US, will peak in a few weeks, all will be forgiven, and we'll welcome him as an Aussie again soon. Maybe.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Pride & Prejudice – Movie Review
Miky wanted to watch Pride & Prejudice yesterday and so we dropped into the video shop on the way home following taekwondo. The only version available starred Keira Knightley, who may otherwise be known as that girl with an awful, impish smile and horrid giggle.
Oh, what tedious tittering. What most unbecoming juvenile behaviour of the younger sisters. What painful expressions we had to endure from Miss Knightley.
I quite enjoy timepieces and found this movie to be mildly entertaining, apart from the main actress, particularly with the manner in which conversation was conducted. The proud and prejudiced people of the era were too pretentious for my liking.
Due to the hideously overacted rapid speech undertaken in the movie, Miky wanted to have the subtitles, which were poorly done in my opinion, turned on. This ruined the first 20 minutes of the movie for me as I find that I have to read subtitles. If my gaze was averted from the subtitles I found that I was unable to concentrate on that which was actually said. Miky decided to turn the subtitles off and it made a difference to the watch ability of the movie.
Not having read the book I did enjoy the movie, but it could most certainly have been much better. That’s probably enough for me. Miky said that it was quite different from Jane Austen’s novel. But, she did read it in Korean after it had been translated and you really on the translator’s skills in this situation to convey the same meaning. You are bound to lose something in this case. Perhaps it had more to do with the acting and the directing than meaning lost in translation.
NYM was correct with her surmising of the movie. Of that I am in agreeance.
Miky wanted to watch Pride & Prejudice yesterday and so we dropped into the video shop on the way home following taekwondo. The only version available starred Keira Knightley, who may otherwise be known as that girl with an awful, impish smile and horrid giggle.
Oh, what tedious tittering. What most unbecoming juvenile behaviour of the younger sisters. What painful expressions we had to endure from Miss Knightley.
I quite enjoy timepieces and found this movie to be mildly entertaining, apart from the main actress, particularly with the manner in which conversation was conducted. The proud and prejudiced people of the era were too pretentious for my liking.
Due to the hideously overacted rapid speech undertaken in the movie, Miky wanted to have the subtitles, which were poorly done in my opinion, turned on. This ruined the first 20 minutes of the movie for me as I find that I have to read subtitles. If my gaze was averted from the subtitles I found that I was unable to concentrate on that which was actually said. Miky decided to turn the subtitles off and it made a difference to the watch ability of the movie.
Not having read the book I did enjoy the movie, but it could most certainly have been much better. That’s probably enough for me. Miky said that it was quite different from Jane Austen’s novel. But, she did read it in Korean after it had been translated and you really on the translator’s skills in this situation to convey the same meaning. You are bound to lose something in this case. Perhaps it had more to do with the acting and the directing than meaning lost in translation.
NYM was correct with her surmising of the movie. Of that I am in agreeance.
I Had An Odd Dream Last Night
I dreamt that my grandma died. But, Dawn Fraser was there and she was 88 years old. Seeing as Dawn is only going to be 70 next year my grandma has another 18 years left in her. Thankfully. That means that she'll make the hundred mark.
I dreamt that my grandma died. But, Dawn Fraser was there and she was 88 years old. Seeing as Dawn is only going to be 70 next year my grandma has another 18 years left in her. Thankfully. That means that she'll make the hundred mark.
Yay For Petrol Price Rises
In June the usage of public transport in Perth doubled. This was on the radio. I have not noticed any significant change in the amount of traffic on my way to work in the mornings but the trip home has been easier, if only slightly. Perhaps I have gained a five minute advantage on the run home. It has been noticeable though. Maybe the petrol price increase will result in marginally better fuel economy for those drivers that can afford to do so.
In June the usage of public transport in Perth doubled. This was on the radio. I have not noticed any significant change in the amount of traffic on my way to work in the mornings but the trip home has been easier, if only slightly. Perhaps I have gained a five minute advantage on the run home. It has been noticeable though. Maybe the petrol price increase will result in marginally better fuel economy for those drivers that can afford to do so.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Watch Out For This Bus Driver
Be on the lookout for TransPerth Bus No. 1604. Yesterday at 7:54AM on the freeway this bus, on route 882, pulled off the freeway sharply into the emergency stopping lane. Traffic was very heavy and it kept going at normal speed and overtook many vehicles. About 500m later the male driver indicated that he wished to return to the traffic.
I was gobsmacked. The traffic hadn't come to a standstill and there was very little to be gained by driving in the emergency lane. Don't understand it myself. TransPerth should be made aware of the dangerous, and illegal, tactics employed by one of its drivers.
Be on the lookout for TransPerth Bus No. 1604. Yesterday at 7:54AM on the freeway this bus, on route 882, pulled off the freeway sharply into the emergency stopping lane. Traffic was very heavy and it kept going at normal speed and overtook many vehicles. About 500m later the male driver indicated that he wished to return to the traffic.
I was gobsmacked. The traffic hadn't come to a standstill and there was very little to be gained by driving in the emergency lane. Don't understand it myself. TransPerth should be made aware of the dangerous, and illegal, tactics employed by one of its drivers.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
There Is A Cure For Road Rage
I got talking to Paul, one of the taekwondo parents, last night and the conversation drifted into rage rage. Perhaps it came about when I mentioned, "I'm a firm believer in road rage but the person that needs to get bashed is not usually the person who does."
Paul told me that he has a friend that used to partake in road rage. If another driver did something that he didn't like he would chase them down, drag them out of their vehicle and hit them. Then he discovered a cure for his road rage. One day he picked on a young bloke who got out of his car with an iron bar and broke his arm. Ever since then Paul's friend has not lost his temper whilst driving his car.
It can be cured people. So, carry an iron bar to cure drivers affected by road rage. Sold at all good hardware stores.
I got talking to Paul, one of the taekwondo parents, last night and the conversation drifted into rage rage. Perhaps it came about when I mentioned, "I'm a firm believer in road rage but the person that needs to get bashed is not usually the person who does."
Paul told me that he has a friend that used to partake in road rage. If another driver did something that he didn't like he would chase them down, drag them out of their vehicle and hit them. Then he discovered a cure for his road rage. One day he picked on a young bloke who got out of his car with an iron bar and broke his arm. Ever since then Paul's friend has not lost his temper whilst driving his car.
It can be cured people. So, carry an iron bar to cure drivers affected by road rage. Sold at all good hardware stores.
I'm A Creature Of Habit
I believe that there are certain ways to do things and things should be done in a certain way. A place for everything and everything in its place. You know, the type of bloke who is called anal quite a bit. Mostly behind his back though.
I eat the same breakfast during the week and a different one on the weekends. Mind you, I know mix my weekday breakfast cereal after having had straight Weetbix from about the age of six until a couple of years ago.
I like to drive the same roads to work and back again each day and stick to the same lanes. There is a road in Subiaco where the lefthand lane appears to be much bumpier than the righthand lane. I get a warm fuzzy feeling when I see the same vehicles quite regularly, unless they happen to be a blue Z3 BWM belonging to a middle-aged bloke who drops his cigarette on the road. But, you get the picture.
I do my fruit and veggie shopping at the same time each week and the grocery shopping is carried out in a similar fashion. Golf must take place on Sunday mornings or else I get a bit grumpy.
Change comes slowly to me. My poor wife must realise this after trying to change me for years. He he. But then again I love the spontaneity of going somewhere overseas and getting busy doing things you didn't expect to. Gotta blow the cobwebs away sometimes I guess.
Post Script
Some of the other anally retentive habits I have include:
The electric toothbrush must be left plugged in
Cutlery has to go in the correct spot - no mixing of sizes
Cars must be parked within parking spaces
Dirty clothes go in the basket
The list goes on. I'm not bordering on OCD - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. But I did work with a guy who was like that. Every morning when he parked his car in the employee car park he used to check that all the doors on his car were locked. Not once but twice. He was the sort of bloke who had to check if an entrance door was locked several times. It was painful to watch.
I'm not like that. Really.
I believe that there are certain ways to do things and things should be done in a certain way. A place for everything and everything in its place. You know, the type of bloke who is called anal quite a bit. Mostly behind his back though.
I eat the same breakfast during the week and a different one on the weekends. Mind you, I know mix my weekday breakfast cereal after having had straight Weetbix from about the age of six until a couple of years ago.
I like to drive the same roads to work and back again each day and stick to the same lanes. There is a road in Subiaco where the lefthand lane appears to be much bumpier than the righthand lane. I get a warm fuzzy feeling when I see the same vehicles quite regularly, unless they happen to be a blue Z3 BWM belonging to a middle-aged bloke who drops his cigarette on the road. But, you get the picture.
I do my fruit and veggie shopping at the same time each week and the grocery shopping is carried out in a similar fashion. Golf must take place on Sunday mornings or else I get a bit grumpy.
Change comes slowly to me. My poor wife must realise this after trying to change me for years. He he. But then again I love the spontaneity of going somewhere overseas and getting busy doing things you didn't expect to. Gotta blow the cobwebs away sometimes I guess.
Post Script
Some of the other anally retentive habits I have include:
The electric toothbrush must be left plugged in
Cutlery has to go in the correct spot - no mixing of sizes
Cars must be parked within parking spaces
Dirty clothes go in the basket
The list goes on. I'm not bordering on OCD - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. But I did work with a guy who was like that. Every morning when he parked his car in the employee car park he used to check that all the doors on his car were locked. Not once but twice. He was the sort of bloke who had to check if an entrance door was locked several times. It was painful to watch.
I'm not like that. Really.
Monday, July 24, 2006
I Have To Start Doing More During The Week
... Coz my weekends are too busy. Let's go back to last Thursday. Second round of the new volleyball season and the Purple Cobras, whom my missus thinks should be renamed as Lost, were up against Herb Ack Fan Club. We won the first set and narrowly lost the 2nd and 3rd sets. My serve was pretty much on song and was unplayable at times. Except for the two serves that went into the net and the one that went out of court. Heartbreaking loss.
I want to know what happened to the owner of these boots. Were they the victim of terrorists, a prank or did they just vanish?
TAZDEVIL. Typical, egotistical in-your-face Subaru driver.
Miky spent the last few nights of the week and all the weekend making dresses. That meant that it was my duty to do the cooking for much of the weekend. On Friday she went to the city with Yu-Jin and wanted to see A Barrel of Monkeys but all of the tickets were gone. So I had to take him early on Saturday morning.
The show was very exciting and the queue to get it was large. We had arrived in plenty of time to get a ticket though so there was no problem. I was wondering how they would get monkeys to perform with their little uniforms and little red hats but I needn't have. It was a production with acrobatic performers, jokes and some juggling. Great fun.
The queue for a Barrel of Monkeys.
A Barrel of Monkeys Big Top.
A Barrel of Monkeys performing in Perth.
We had time to go to the Perth Mint to watch a gold pour. That was a little exciting and quite informative. The guy giving the demonstration, sorry no photos allowed, showed us that a gold bullion bar at 800 degrees C, having cooled down from 1300 degrees in the kiln, was still hot enough to set your glove on fire. His six kilo bar was worth about A$147k at today's prices. Yu-Jin and I weigh together the equivalent of A$2.015m of gold. That'd be nice. There was a 12 kilo gold bullion bar that you could lift. That's quite a heavy $300000-odd paperweight.
Here's a gold digger at the Perth Mint.
Early gold prospecting living quarters at The Perth Mint.
All the comforts of home, not.
This guy looks gobsmacked at the size of the gold nugget they have discovered - Statue is called "The Strike".
The Perth Mint. A majestic building dating back to 1899.
"The Strike" Statue at the entrance to the Perth Mint.
The kilns at the side of the Perth Mint.
Either somebody had a big night or has a grudge against this establishment.
Had to shoot home to cook lunch before zipping off for taekwondo. Miky and I did the shopping together whilst Yu-Jin did his sport. He had to spar with the instructor, a 7th dan black belt, and managed to score six points!! Too bad that the instructor was up to 89 points.
HOOKMEUP- does he mean with a woman or is it something to do with golf? It was in the golf course car park, afterall.
Sunday morning. Golf morning. A 1.6 degrees morning. Nevermind, it's a golf day. My mates Joe and Shayne organised for eight players to meet at Collier Park for a game. The others included Terry, James, Mike, Pete and Gabe. It is probably the first time that I've ever been called early to the tee. Not your ordinarily hectic Sunday morning at the golf course. Terry suggested that we each put $5 in and the winner on the day based on handicap would win the lot. It was soon after that that I discovered Terry plays off 12 and my 18 handicap would realistically be closer to 22 or 23.
Getting off the tee has been my biggest problem of late. Can't seem to keep the ball on the fairway and end up in the trees off to the right. I only hit two drives into the trees to the right out of twelve drives, two bad but not terrible slices and one shank to the left, which, is understandable if you are trying to get rid of a terrible slice. I was very happy with my driving. Much better to be 30% in the rough than 80-90% off the tee. It was a pity that the rest of my game went to pieces and apart from a couple of really nice 4-irons I couldn't hit an iron to save myself and the putter, normally my best club, didn't behave either.
Joe brought out his 300m + driver. Shayne and Joe had me a little bit worried with the trash talking that took place prior to us getting to the course. But, the driver was off yesterday. Mine, like I said, behaved quite well and I was outdriving the others. It was a pretty tight tussle all day with nobody really playing well pars were few and far between. There were a few birdie chances but nobody took them. Joe almost holed a chip on the 17th for birdie but that was as close as it got.
I guess that none of us were really pleased about our games, especially as I three putted for bogey on the par-3 17th and then triple bogeyed the last, and weren't expecting to win the prizemoney. Talk about horror when Joe and I discovered that with nett 77s we were only one shot behind Gabe in collecting. Aaaggh!!
Miky made five kimbap (sushi for those not au fait with Korean cuisine) rolls for lunch and they were devoured pretty damn quickly. Then she suggested that we go for a walk. I'd just walked for about seven kilometres but that didn't make any difference. So we headed down to South Perth and Yu-Jin and I played kick to kick for a good minutes or so before Miky rejoined us. Following that he mucked around on the playground. Then we went for a long walk where Miky told stories.
Playground in South Perth.
Boys will be boys.
You wouldn't think that this is the middle of Winter in Perth, would you?
Some rich bastards will be moving in next to Fraser Park in South Perth soon.
Back home and I made tacos for tea. Yum. There was a documentary on the ABC about fresh water on Earth narrated by Sir David Attenborough so we all watched that before heading to bed. Like I say, I need to do more during the week so I can take it a bit easier on the weekend. We didn't even get time to clean the house properly.
Does Yu-Jin think that he's Michael Jordan or something?
... Coz my weekends are too busy. Let's go back to last Thursday. Second round of the new volleyball season and the Purple Cobras, whom my missus thinks should be renamed as Lost, were up against Herb Ack Fan Club. We won the first set and narrowly lost the 2nd and 3rd sets. My serve was pretty much on song and was unplayable at times. Except for the two serves that went into the net and the one that went out of court. Heartbreaking loss.
I want to know what happened to the owner of these boots. Were they the victim of terrorists, a prank or did they just vanish?
TAZDEVIL. Typical, egotistical in-your-face Subaru driver.Miky spent the last few nights of the week and all the weekend making dresses. That meant that it was my duty to do the cooking for much of the weekend. On Friday she went to the city with Yu-Jin and wanted to see A Barrel of Monkeys but all of the tickets were gone. So I had to take him early on Saturday morning.
The show was very exciting and the queue to get it was large. We had arrived in plenty of time to get a ticket though so there was no problem. I was wondering how they would get monkeys to perform with their little uniforms and little red hats but I needn't have. It was a production with acrobatic performers, jokes and some juggling. Great fun.
The queue for a Barrel of Monkeys.
A Barrel of Monkeys Big Top.
A Barrel of Monkeys performing in Perth.We had time to go to the Perth Mint to watch a gold pour. That was a little exciting and quite informative. The guy giving the demonstration, sorry no photos allowed, showed us that a gold bullion bar at 800 degrees C, having cooled down from 1300 degrees in the kiln, was still hot enough to set your glove on fire. His six kilo bar was worth about A$147k at today's prices. Yu-Jin and I weigh together the equivalent of A$2.015m of gold. That'd be nice. There was a 12 kilo gold bullion bar that you could lift. That's quite a heavy $300000-odd paperweight.
Here's a gold digger at the Perth Mint.
Early gold prospecting living quarters at The Perth Mint.
All the comforts of home, not.
This guy looks gobsmacked at the size of the gold nugget they have discovered - Statue is called "The Strike".
The Perth Mint. A majestic building dating back to 1899.
"The Strike" Statue at the entrance to the Perth Mint.
The kilns at the side of the Perth Mint.
Either somebody had a big night or has a grudge against this establishment.Had to shoot home to cook lunch before zipping off for taekwondo. Miky and I did the shopping together whilst Yu-Jin did his sport. He had to spar with the instructor, a 7th dan black belt, and managed to score six points!! Too bad that the instructor was up to 89 points.
HOOKMEUP- does he mean with a woman or is it something to do with golf? It was in the golf course car park, afterall.Sunday morning. Golf morning. A 1.6 degrees morning. Nevermind, it's a golf day. My mates Joe and Shayne organised for eight players to meet at Collier Park for a game. The others included Terry, James, Mike, Pete and Gabe. It is probably the first time that I've ever been called early to the tee. Not your ordinarily hectic Sunday morning at the golf course. Terry suggested that we each put $5 in and the winner on the day based on handicap would win the lot. It was soon after that that I discovered Terry plays off 12 and my 18 handicap would realistically be closer to 22 or 23.
Getting off the tee has been my biggest problem of late. Can't seem to keep the ball on the fairway and end up in the trees off to the right. I only hit two drives into the trees to the right out of twelve drives, two bad but not terrible slices and one shank to the left, which, is understandable if you are trying to get rid of a terrible slice. I was very happy with my driving. Much better to be 30% in the rough than 80-90% off the tee. It was a pity that the rest of my game went to pieces and apart from a couple of really nice 4-irons I couldn't hit an iron to save myself and the putter, normally my best club, didn't behave either.
Joe brought out his 300m + driver. Shayne and Joe had me a little bit worried with the trash talking that took place prior to us getting to the course. But, the driver was off yesterday. Mine, like I said, behaved quite well and I was outdriving the others. It was a pretty tight tussle all day with nobody really playing well pars were few and far between. There were a few birdie chances but nobody took them. Joe almost holed a chip on the 17th for birdie but that was as close as it got.
I guess that none of us were really pleased about our games, especially as I three putted for bogey on the par-3 17th and then triple bogeyed the last, and weren't expecting to win the prizemoney. Talk about horror when Joe and I discovered that with nett 77s we were only one shot behind Gabe in collecting. Aaaggh!!
Miky made five kimbap (sushi for those not au fait with Korean cuisine) rolls for lunch and they were devoured pretty damn quickly. Then she suggested that we go for a walk. I'd just walked for about seven kilometres but that didn't make any difference. So we headed down to South Perth and Yu-Jin and I played kick to kick for a good minutes or so before Miky rejoined us. Following that he mucked around on the playground. Then we went for a long walk where Miky told stories.
Playground in South Perth.
Boys will be boys.
You wouldn't think that this is the middle of Winter in Perth, would you?
Some rich bastards will be moving in next to Fraser Park in South Perth soon.Back home and I made tacos for tea. Yum. There was a documentary on the ABC about fresh water on Earth narrated by Sir David Attenborough so we all watched that before heading to bed. Like I say, I need to do more during the week so I can take it a bit easier on the weekend. We didn't even get time to clean the house properly.
Does Yu-Jin think that he's Michael Jordan or something?
Friday, July 21, 2006
Anecdotes For The Today, So Far
"I'll have to ring you back because my thing's all frozen up." - comment on the phone from one of our suppliers. It was cool this morning but I didn't think it to be that cold. To avoid any sexual harrassment lawsuit I kept my mouth shut. It was a lady on the other end of the phone.
I imagine that selling suntan to Arabs would be as difficult as selling a fridge to an eskimo or coal to Newcastle.
"I'm Busy. You're an Idiot. Have a Nice Day." - t-shirt slogan I spotted at lunchtime.
The teller's name at the bank today was Sa. I bet she gets all kinds of army jokes made about it. "Yes, Sa". "No, Sa". "Right you are, Sa". Sa addressed me by my first name, which is unusual for a bank, and asked me if there was anything else she could help with. The only thing reasonable that I could think of was where the usual teller was - having a day off (lucky thing).
"I'll have to ring you back because my thing's all frozen up." - comment on the phone from one of our suppliers. It was cool this morning but I didn't think it to be that cold. To avoid any sexual harrassment lawsuit I kept my mouth shut. It was a lady on the other end of the phone.
I imagine that selling suntan to Arabs would be as difficult as selling a fridge to an eskimo or coal to Newcastle.
"I'm Busy. You're an Idiot. Have a Nice Day." - t-shirt slogan I spotted at lunchtime.
The teller's name at the bank today was Sa. I bet she gets all kinds of army jokes made about it. "Yes, Sa". "No, Sa". "Right you are, Sa". Sa addressed me by my first name, which is unusual for a bank, and asked me if there was anything else she could help with. The only thing reasonable that I could think of was where the usual teller was - having a day off (lucky thing).
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
This Is My 1000th Post
Who would have believed that so much rubbish and venom could emanate from one individual in a mere 28 months? That's nearly 36 posts per month. That's 1.17 posts per day. I can't work out how many posts it is per sidereal day, but, you get the picture. Basically I'm just a very opinonated bastard who doesn't enjoy spending money. Unless it is somebody else's money.
For my 1000th post, on my Frugal Bastard blog, I thought that I might go to great lengths for some create writing, inner meaning, something highly philosophical and something inspiring to all that that the time to read. But then I thought that that would go against everything that I've ever done on this blog and be completely out of character. So, I've decided against it.
What a day I've had. I got the missus to visit an auto electrician yesterday to get the choke fixed on her car. They replaced an electrical part, I believe that it was a bi-metallic spring. The car appeared to have the choke stuck on and the car was dangerous to drive. It's not every day that you have a car that drives by itself at 50km/h. I decided to take it to the mechanic next door went meant junior had to be dropped off at child care, the missus had to be dropped off at work and I would be late for work. Lucky the boss is away, eh?
Rang my workmate who has a pre-paid Optus mobile so that it wouldn't cost me anything. After the third call I realised that perhaps he'd forgotten his mobile and that turned out to be the case. Got to the mechanic's workshop and he soon found that the butterfly valve in the carby was stuck open. No wonder the car was revving too much. He wasn't able to see the car until next week as he was that busy but recommended me to his carby specialist in Osborne Park. As soon as I walked into the office there was already a phone call waiting for me to take. A sign of things to come.
I had to get one of our sales reps to follow me to give me a lift back to the office. The carby specialist said that it may have to stay overnight, which didn't please the missus when I told her, but he managed to fix the car. As he only took cash I had to trundle down to the bank at lunch time. In the meantime my phone at work ran white hot. No rest for the wicked. The car was ready before 3pm, who says there is no service these days, and the same sales rep gave me a lift. I went to Miky's work and she gave me a lift back to my office.
Busy busy at work until knock off time. On the walk back to the train station I thought that I'd call my mum and have a chat. Afterall, I had lots of free minutes left on my mobile. After a while the phone cut out. I redialed and was informed that I had no credit left. Here was me making lots of supposedly free calls lately to other pre-paid Optus users when that wasn't the case. I've been paying for all my calls over the last few days and eaten through $20 worth of credit. Whoops. Lucky I didn't have $100 credit, eh? Miky was surprised when I rang her on the home phone to collect me from the train station instead of the mobile. Yeah, me too.
There was one guy on the train who was leering at three girls sitting on the floor. One of them had a fairly open top showing her cleavage but she wasn't the one he was saying, "You're so beautiful," too. The cleavage girl told him to stop talking because he was acting like a creep. Then he stood up and parked himself right in front of the girls. The older lady he had been sitting next to beckoned the girl copping all the attention to sit next to her, which she did. This jerk abused other passengers after the girls left. There was a slightly overweight lady in her 50s and he started asking her if she was pregnant. He was calling out to anyone in the carriage if they had an issue with him. At one stop he stood next to the open door and threw the pie that he had been eating out onto the platform. Then when he finally wanted to get off he tried to pick a fight with somebody on the train. Society should find a way to get rid of people like him who waste space and air.
On the drive home from the station the car seemed to be getting hot. Miky got in a bit of a tizz as it has been nothing but spending money recently. I called the RAC and he investigated and said that it was a normal temperature. After his explanation things have calmed down a little bit.
What a day. Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. Probably lots of material to start the next 1000 posts.
Post Script
This site gets 20-30 visitors a day. My mum probably accounts for half of those. I guess she gets the most out of this site being available. I don't know what the rest of you have to gain from it.
Back a while, December '05, some guy by the name of Buzzchap, a proud gay man who likes crewcuts, flattops and buzzcuts, linked a photo I put of a flattop that I had. I had a total of 650 visitors in one day because of this.
Through Blogger I've made a few friends online and it's great to keep in touch via each others blogs and even emails. I have spoken to only one other Blogger, Staypuff, and that was on the phone and not face-to-face. Freaky Chick spotted me at a shopping centre once but was too scared to say hello in case of mistaken identity. It's almost a case of what's starts online stays online.
In my time using Blogger it has really matured as a medium for being your own soapbox. When I started you could upload your own pictures via FTP but you had to have your own server space available and create a hyperlink to the picture. What a hassle. Now uploading pictures to Blogger's server and the inclusion of videos that can be added within minutes makes this a fabulous tool. Oh, and there were no comments available back in March 2004. Hasn't that facilitated communication with other bloggers?
Go back to your lives people.
Who would have believed that so much rubbish and venom could emanate from one individual in a mere 28 months? That's nearly 36 posts per month. That's 1.17 posts per day. I can't work out how many posts it is per sidereal day, but, you get the picture. Basically I'm just a very opinonated bastard who doesn't enjoy spending money. Unless it is somebody else's money.
For my 1000th post, on my Frugal Bastard blog, I thought that I might go to great lengths for some create writing, inner meaning, something highly philosophical and something inspiring to all that that the time to read. But then I thought that that would go against everything that I've ever done on this blog and be completely out of character. So, I've decided against it.
What a day I've had. I got the missus to visit an auto electrician yesterday to get the choke fixed on her car. They replaced an electrical part, I believe that it was a bi-metallic spring. The car appeared to have the choke stuck on and the car was dangerous to drive. It's not every day that you have a car that drives by itself at 50km/h. I decided to take it to the mechanic next door went meant junior had to be dropped off at child care, the missus had to be dropped off at work and I would be late for work. Lucky the boss is away, eh?
Rang my workmate who has a pre-paid Optus mobile so that it wouldn't cost me anything. After the third call I realised that perhaps he'd forgotten his mobile and that turned out to be the case. Got to the mechanic's workshop and he soon found that the butterfly valve in the carby was stuck open. No wonder the car was revving too much. He wasn't able to see the car until next week as he was that busy but recommended me to his carby specialist in Osborne Park. As soon as I walked into the office there was already a phone call waiting for me to take. A sign of things to come.
I had to get one of our sales reps to follow me to give me a lift back to the office. The carby specialist said that it may have to stay overnight, which didn't please the missus when I told her, but he managed to fix the car. As he only took cash I had to trundle down to the bank at lunch time. In the meantime my phone at work ran white hot. No rest for the wicked. The car was ready before 3pm, who says there is no service these days, and the same sales rep gave me a lift. I went to Miky's work and she gave me a lift back to my office.
Busy busy at work until knock off time. On the walk back to the train station I thought that I'd call my mum and have a chat. Afterall, I had lots of free minutes left on my mobile. After a while the phone cut out. I redialed and was informed that I had no credit left. Here was me making lots of supposedly free calls lately to other pre-paid Optus users when that wasn't the case. I've been paying for all my calls over the last few days and eaten through $20 worth of credit. Whoops. Lucky I didn't have $100 credit, eh? Miky was surprised when I rang her on the home phone to collect me from the train station instead of the mobile. Yeah, me too.
There was one guy on the train who was leering at three girls sitting on the floor. One of them had a fairly open top showing her cleavage but she wasn't the one he was saying, "You're so beautiful," too. The cleavage girl told him to stop talking because he was acting like a creep. Then he stood up and parked himself right in front of the girls. The older lady he had been sitting next to beckoned the girl copping all the attention to sit next to her, which she did. This jerk abused other passengers after the girls left. There was a slightly overweight lady in her 50s and he started asking her if she was pregnant. He was calling out to anyone in the carriage if they had an issue with him. At one stop he stood next to the open door and threw the pie that he had been eating out onto the platform. Then when he finally wanted to get off he tried to pick a fight with somebody on the train. Society should find a way to get rid of people like him who waste space and air.
On the drive home from the station the car seemed to be getting hot. Miky got in a bit of a tizz as it has been nothing but spending money recently. I called the RAC and he investigated and said that it was a normal temperature. After his explanation things have calmed down a little bit.
What a day. Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. Probably lots of material to start the next 1000 posts.
Post Script
This site gets 20-30 visitors a day. My mum probably accounts for half of those. I guess she gets the most out of this site being available. I don't know what the rest of you have to gain from it.
Back a while, December '05, some guy by the name of Buzzchap, a proud gay man who likes crewcuts, flattops and buzzcuts, linked a photo I put of a flattop that I had. I had a total of 650 visitors in one day because of this.
Through Blogger I've made a few friends online and it's great to keep in touch via each others blogs and even emails. I have spoken to only one other Blogger, Staypuff, and that was on the phone and not face-to-face. Freaky Chick spotted me at a shopping centre once but was too scared to say hello in case of mistaken identity. It's almost a case of what's starts online stays online.
In my time using Blogger it has really matured as a medium for being your own soapbox. When I started you could upload your own pictures via FTP but you had to have your own server space available and create a hyperlink to the picture. What a hassle. Now uploading pictures to Blogger's server and the inclusion of videos that can be added within minutes makes this a fabulous tool. Oh, and there were no comments available back in March 2004. Hasn't that facilitated communication with other bloggers?
Go back to your lives people.
Frugal Bastard Presents - Castledare Miniature Railway with Yu-Jin aboard
| Frugal Bastard Presents - Castledare Miniature Railway with Yu-Jin aboard. Sunday the 16th of July at Castledare Miniature Railway in Wilson. Diesel engine. Ah, 10 minutes of peace. He he. | |
Frugal Bastard Presents - Castledare Miniature Railway
| Sunday the 16th of July at Castledare Miniature Railway in Wilson. Diesel engine going by. | |
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Jam-Packed Weekend
The weekends are always busy. So much happens in a short period of time. And sometimes more than you expect. I had even started to write a list of things to do over the weekend so that I wasn't my normal, boring husband self.
Early Saturday morning Miky realised that Yu-Jin had a birthday party to go to. Yes, we had already bought the present and RSVP'd but just forgotten when it was to be held. The party was at Hungry Jacks (Burger King in Yankee Land) and it wasn't large at all. The birthday boy's mum didn't greet us or even want to talk to us. Strange behaviour.
Miky and I went for coffee and cake. And hot chocolate as I consider coffee to be poison. Then we did a little bit of shopping together. Back to the party to collect No. 1 son and it ran a little over time. We felt like unwanted guests until it finished. No need for it to be so awkward.
Managed a hurried stopover at the library on the way home and picked up some books, strangely enough. Quick lunch at home for me and Miky finished watching a video. Yu-Jin had taekwondo and has improved quite a bit recently. He was the only yellow belt in the class, there was one red belt and the rest of the class consisted of black belts. It was a good exercise for him to spar with black belts.
After taekwondo Yu-Jin and I headed to a furniture shop to buy him a chest of drawers. Miky had a set in mind, that we saw a couple of weeks ago, and I wanted her to be clear about the one she wanted as there was a larger, more useful looking one on display also. Well, I copped a mouthful. I guess that is part of being a husband and not being particularly interested in what was to be purchased. Once I had been informed what to buy we set off. Miky spent the afternoon making dresses.
Arrived at furniture shop with tape measure at my hip. The chosen chest of drawers looked a bit small so I rang Miky to confirm. Another bloody lecture. Purchased said chest of drawers and returned home. Played soccer out the front. Yu-Jin has heaps of energy so it is good for me too.
Sunday morning was for cleaning up. Yu-Jin wanted to play computer games so I made him clean up all of his mess around the house. He did a good job and very quickly too. Hmmm, there's something in this, methinks. I vacuumed the house and then we stained the chest of drawers with oil. Yu-Jin helped and did quite a careful job. My boy is changing little by little.
Well disguised moth just hanging around the shed. Lucky my shed wasn't painted orange.
Time for a treat for the boy. I promised to take him to the trains at Castledare Miniature Railway if he passed his grading last weekend. There are a couple of signs warning drivers that turtles cross the road in these parts. What bulldust. I've driven along that road almost daily for four years and have never seen a turtle, dead or alive. And why does each sign show a different breed of turtle?
Turtle crossing sign.
Another turtle crossing sign.
The Castledare Miniature Railway was open especially for the school holidays and they decided to use a different station than the usual one. It was a busy day in the adjacent park and there were kids everywhere. Yu-Jin had a couple of rides and was satisfied with that. Trains were followed by a playground time.
Castledare Miniature Railway engine.
The second Castledare Miniature Railway Station.
Yu-Jin waiting for the train to leave.
Miky waiting for the train to leave.
The chest of drawers was pretty much dry by the time we arrived home. When Miky put the clothes in she realised that it was no bigger than the previous chest of drawers and that a bigger unit could have been purchased. And who got blamed for that? Why wasn't she told? Well, excuse me but I did a) suggest buying a larger chest of drawers, b) phone to give the measurements, and c) bought what I was told to. And she wants me to try and take it back? After I've stained it with oil? Honestly.
It was two o'clock and we really didn't feel like cooking lunch and there was very little food in the house anyway coz Miky wanted to do the shopping on Monday, without me. Went to the Dumpling King Chinese Restaurant, where half of the menu is in Korean, and had fried mandoo and noodles in black bean sauce. Lovely.
Miky spent most of Sunday making dresses too. She was making up time so that she could look after Yu-Jin during the school holidays and not have to go to work so much. As it is, Yu-Jin is only going to child care for three days during the two weeks holidays. Let's face it, he does some more interesting things than at home and gets to play with other kids. Granted, at our expense. He can't stay at home all the time though.
Sunday night and a lady came around for an English lesson. She brought her two kids and we played games whilst Miky and the lady studied. Yu-Jin just about cleaned up at everything - Trouble, fish, not at dominos, and at memory. Ok, Trouble has a mixture of luck and skill, same as fish and dominos (for four people) but you make your own luck at memory. The little bugger came equal first with me in the first game and then won the remainder. Heck, he almost beat me at Battleships on Friday night when he'd sunk four of my ships and I'd only sunk two of his. Still managed to save face however. There's something about this boy and his competitiveness. By the time the games were over it was 9:30. I'm so glad it wasn't a school night.
The weekends are always busy. So much happens in a short period of time. And sometimes more than you expect. I had even started to write a list of things to do over the weekend so that I wasn't my normal, boring husband self.
Early Saturday morning Miky realised that Yu-Jin had a birthday party to go to. Yes, we had already bought the present and RSVP'd but just forgotten when it was to be held. The party was at Hungry Jacks (Burger King in Yankee Land) and it wasn't large at all. The birthday boy's mum didn't greet us or even want to talk to us. Strange behaviour.
Miky and I went for coffee and cake. And hot chocolate as I consider coffee to be poison. Then we did a little bit of shopping together. Back to the party to collect No. 1 son and it ran a little over time. We felt like unwanted guests until it finished. No need for it to be so awkward.
Managed a hurried stopover at the library on the way home and picked up some books, strangely enough. Quick lunch at home for me and Miky finished watching a video. Yu-Jin had taekwondo and has improved quite a bit recently. He was the only yellow belt in the class, there was one red belt and the rest of the class consisted of black belts. It was a good exercise for him to spar with black belts.
After taekwondo Yu-Jin and I headed to a furniture shop to buy him a chest of drawers. Miky had a set in mind, that we saw a couple of weeks ago, and I wanted her to be clear about the one she wanted as there was a larger, more useful looking one on display also. Well, I copped a mouthful. I guess that is part of being a husband and not being particularly interested in what was to be purchased. Once I had been informed what to buy we set off. Miky spent the afternoon making dresses.
Arrived at furniture shop with tape measure at my hip. The chosen chest of drawers looked a bit small so I rang Miky to confirm. Another bloody lecture. Purchased said chest of drawers and returned home. Played soccer out the front. Yu-Jin has heaps of energy so it is good for me too.
Sunday morning was for cleaning up. Yu-Jin wanted to play computer games so I made him clean up all of his mess around the house. He did a good job and very quickly too. Hmmm, there's something in this, methinks. I vacuumed the house and then we stained the chest of drawers with oil. Yu-Jin helped and did quite a careful job. My boy is changing little by little.
Well disguised moth just hanging around the shed. Lucky my shed wasn't painted orange.Time for a treat for the boy. I promised to take him to the trains at Castledare Miniature Railway if he passed his grading last weekend. There are a couple of signs warning drivers that turtles cross the road in these parts. What bulldust. I've driven along that road almost daily for four years and have never seen a turtle, dead or alive. And why does each sign show a different breed of turtle?
Turtle crossing sign.
Another turtle crossing sign.The Castledare Miniature Railway was open especially for the school holidays and they decided to use a different station than the usual one. It was a busy day in the adjacent park and there were kids everywhere. Yu-Jin had a couple of rides and was satisfied with that. Trains were followed by a playground time.
Castledare Miniature Railway engine.
The second Castledare Miniature Railway Station.
Yu-Jin waiting for the train to leave.
Miky waiting for the train to leave.The chest of drawers was pretty much dry by the time we arrived home. When Miky put the clothes in she realised that it was no bigger than the previous chest of drawers and that a bigger unit could have been purchased. And who got blamed for that? Why wasn't she told? Well, excuse me but I did a) suggest buying a larger chest of drawers, b) phone to give the measurements, and c) bought what I was told to. And she wants me to try and take it back? After I've stained it with oil? Honestly.
It was two o'clock and we really didn't feel like cooking lunch and there was very little food in the house anyway coz Miky wanted to do the shopping on Monday, without me. Went to the Dumpling King Chinese Restaurant, where half of the menu is in Korean, and had fried mandoo and noodles in black bean sauce. Lovely.
Miky spent most of Sunday making dresses too. She was making up time so that she could look after Yu-Jin during the school holidays and not have to go to work so much. As it is, Yu-Jin is only going to child care for three days during the two weeks holidays. Let's face it, he does some more interesting things than at home and gets to play with other kids. Granted, at our expense. He can't stay at home all the time though.
Sunday night and a lady came around for an English lesson. She brought her two kids and we played games whilst Miky and the lady studied. Yu-Jin just about cleaned up at everything - Trouble, fish, not at dominos, and at memory. Ok, Trouble has a mixture of luck and skill, same as fish and dominos (for four people) but you make your own luck at memory. The little bugger came equal first with me in the first game and then won the remainder. Heck, he almost beat me at Battleships on Friday night when he'd sunk four of my ships and I'd only sunk two of his. Still managed to save face however. There's something about this boy and his competitiveness. By the time the games were over it was 9:30. I'm so glad it wasn't a school night.
Friday, July 14, 2006
Mid-Season Volleyball Break Is Over
We started volleyball again last night. Personally, I think that the mid-season break was too long. We were rusty and although we won the first set and there were two great, long rallies, we never quite did enough to win the match. Few things we need to work on. Namely, our digging, our setting and our spiking. Oh, and our serving. It was good fun however.
Actually, we played last week and didn't have any time off. Who am I trying to kid?
Couple of interesting number plates spotted last night.
BLU BEAST - On a blue Datsun 120Y
TUFFENUFF - On a urine yellow Holden ute (Ok, so I don't like Holdens)
We started volleyball again last night. Personally, I think that the mid-season break was too long. We were rusty and although we won the first set and there were two great, long rallies, we never quite did enough to win the match. Few things we need to work on. Namely, our digging, our setting and our spiking. Oh, and our serving. It was good fun however.
Actually, we played last week and didn't have any time off. Who am I trying to kid?
Couple of interesting number plates spotted last night.
BLU BEAST - On a blue Datsun 120Y
TUFFENUFF - On a urine yellow Holden ute (Ok, so I don't like Holdens)
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Yes, it is a Renault.
Where do you get caution from? Is it in the same supermarket aisle as common sense?
The lake in Subi. It's been a very dry winter.
I'm standing here - so book me.
Frugal Bastard Presents - Yu-Jin's Taekwondo Grading - Free sparring and contro
| Frugal Bastard Presents - Yu-Jin's 7th Gup taekwondo grading - free sparring and control. | |
Frugal Bastard Presents - Yu-Jin's Taekwondo Grading - Ho Shin Seul
| Frugal Bastard Presents - Yu-Jin's 7th Gup Taekwondo Grading - Ho Shin Seul (wrist grabs). | |
Frugal Bastard Presents - Hammy's Golf Swing On The Driving Range
| Another vid of me practicising on the driving range. Videoed by the boy. | |
Frugal Bastard Presents - Hammy's Golf Swing
| Frugal Bastard out on the driving range. Videoed by the boy. | |
Frugal Bastard Presents - Yu-Jin with a nice golf swing
| Yu-Jin with a nice swing at the driving range. | |
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
The Aussie Cricketers Have Nothing On The Azzurri When It Comes To Sledging
The Aussie Cricket team has been criticised in the past for their sledging of opposition players. Marco Materazzi of the Azzurri takes the cake. His apparent comments that Zinedine Zidane's mother was a "terrorist whore" are far worse than anything the Aussies are known to have come up with. Read the Independent Online Edition article.
I knew he had said something about Zidane's mother. If the guy said that in the street no-one would condemn Zidane for punching him out. Perhaps we shouldn't string him up afterall.
The Aussie Cricket team has been criticised in the past for their sledging of opposition players. Marco Materazzi of the Azzurri takes the cake. His apparent comments that Zinedine Zidane's mother was a "terrorist whore" are far worse than anything the Aussies are known to have come up with. Read the Independent Online Edition article.
I knew he had said something about Zidane's mother. If the guy said that in the street no-one would condemn Zidane for punching him out. Perhaps we shouldn't string him up afterall.
Did You Catch “It Takes Two” On Sunday?
I’ve been rather critical of Kate Richie on this show, It Takes Two, where they put a trained singer together with a Channel 7 celebrity and let them sing a duet. I don’t know how she has survived for four or five weeks. Kate’s problems include trying to be too cute, looking frumpy in her dresses, not being able to dance and, most importantly, having a distinct lack of vocal talent.
Did you see her performance on Sunday night? She sang an AC/DC song – “It’s a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll”. Her outfit looked great, her dancing didn’t resemble something like a penguin and her singing was fabulous. Maybe it had something to do with the band and two bagpipes backing her and Troy Casser-Daley but it was an excellent performance. Quite unexpected, to say the least. It was so good that I had to get my AC/DC twin CDs out and play some Acka Dacka. Coincidental that it would have been the 60th birthday of lead singer Bon Scott.
Well done Kate. Problem is, you have to keep it up. Oh, and another thing. Whilst looking for articles to link I discovered that she's been in the competition for six weeks now.
I’ve been rather critical of Kate Richie on this show, It Takes Two, where they put a trained singer together with a Channel 7 celebrity and let them sing a duet. I don’t know how she has survived for four or five weeks. Kate’s problems include trying to be too cute, looking frumpy in her dresses, not being able to dance and, most importantly, having a distinct lack of vocal talent.
Did you see her performance on Sunday night? She sang an AC/DC song – “It’s a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll”. Her outfit looked great, her dancing didn’t resemble something like a penguin and her singing was fabulous. Maybe it had something to do with the band and two bagpipes backing her and Troy Casser-Daley but it was an excellent performance. Quite unexpected, to say the least. It was so good that I had to get my AC/DC twin CDs out and play some Acka Dacka. Coincidental that it would have been the 60th birthday of lead singer Bon Scott.
Well done Kate. Problem is, you have to keep it up. Oh, and another thing. Whilst looking for articles to link I discovered that she's been in the competition for six weeks now.
Monday, July 10, 2006
The Weekend In Brief
Myer was having a once in a lifetime sale as the company had recently changed hands. Lots of things on sale. Lots of money spent. Couldn't pass up the opportunity. The city store had lots more to offer than the suburban stores.
I cut my finger on a door over the weekend. Don't I feel silly? The sliding door at the back wouldn't open and so I went to close it slighty to free it up and then change direction. Stupid bugger - I left my finger in the way. Split it open. Only a drop of blood - nothing too serious.
Miky, one of those people who's never happy with her haircuts, asked me to cut her hair. Zounds, that had me worried. Just a fringe trim and about an inch and a half off the back. And, she's happy with it.
At 3:30 Saturday morning I had to ring next door as the boy was singing some sort of death metal song as loudly as he could. Thankfully he must have had headphones on and we didn't have to put up with the accompanying "music". Not that he answered the phone but he stopped singing as soon as I had hung up.
Yu-Jin passed his taekwondo grading and is now a 7th Gup - Yellow Belt with three stripes. He was very enthusiastic although was a bit rusty on two aspects that he was judged on and subsequently looked a bit lost. The head instructor, also Australia's Taekwondo Head Coach at the Sydney Olympics, spoke to him about calling out, "Yes Sir" to his wife when she called Yu-Jin's name. It was nice to introduce a bit of humour into a demanding situation. The fact that Yu-Jin's never had a female instructor led to him just saying what he always said.
As a reward I took Yu-Jin to the driving range. A reward for whom I hear you ask? Hey, the boy enjoys it as well as I do.
Myer was having a once in a lifetime sale as the company had recently changed hands. Lots of things on sale. Lots of money spent. Couldn't pass up the opportunity. The city store had lots more to offer than the suburban stores.
I cut my finger on a door over the weekend. Don't I feel silly? The sliding door at the back wouldn't open and so I went to close it slighty to free it up and then change direction. Stupid bugger - I left my finger in the way. Split it open. Only a drop of blood - nothing too serious.
Miky, one of those people who's never happy with her haircuts, asked me to cut her hair. Zounds, that had me worried. Just a fringe trim and about an inch and a half off the back. And, she's happy with it.
At 3:30 Saturday morning I had to ring next door as the boy was singing some sort of death metal song as loudly as he could. Thankfully he must have had headphones on and we didn't have to put up with the accompanying "music". Not that he answered the phone but he stopped singing as soon as I had hung up.
Yu-Jin passed his taekwondo grading and is now a 7th Gup - Yellow Belt with three stripes. He was very enthusiastic although was a bit rusty on two aspects that he was judged on and subsequently looked a bit lost. The head instructor, also Australia's Taekwondo Head Coach at the Sydney Olympics, spoke to him about calling out, "Yes Sir" to his wife when she called Yu-Jin's name. It was nice to introduce a bit of humour into a demanding situation. The fact that Yu-Jin's never had a female instructor led to him just saying what he always said.
As a reward I took Yu-Jin to the driving range. A reward for whom I hear you ask? Hey, the boy enjoys it as well as I do.
When Does Glory Based Upon Cheating Mean That An Amnesty Is Appropriate?
I heard this morning a call to offer an amnesty to the four teams in Italy's Serie A that were allegedly involved in match-fixing over recent years if Italy won the World Cup. I'm quite incredulous that anyone has called for an amnesty.
My review of the situation. Four Italian clubs influence the selection of referees and assistants to make games they are most interested in go more smoothly. The big clubs do well and are happy with the situation. Trophies, medallions, fame, money etc for all involved. That's cheating.
Somebody notices and brings it to the attention of those who wish to clean up the game. The clubs are charged. Thirteen of the Italian World Cup squad play for the four clubs in question. The suggestion is made that if the Italians win the Cup then it should all be forgotten.
Utter disbelief follows. From me at least. What on earth does the result of the World Cup have to do with cheating in the highest Italian League? If an amnesty was granted wouldn't that further institutionalise cheating in Italy and in football in general? Doesn't that say to all involved and watching that it's ok to cheat as long as you win? That sort of attitude needs to be stamped out of sport for good.
Well, Italy now hold the World Cup. It should be an interesting couple of days following the verdict, whatever it may be. Will the tribunal legalise and institutionalise cheating in Italy, or not?
Having sat through the Australia vs Italy match my mind is already made up. The Italians would gratefully accept an amnesty as eagerly as they accept a penalty they don't deserve. Cheating bastards.
I heard this morning a call to offer an amnesty to the four teams in Italy's Serie A that were allegedly involved in match-fixing over recent years if Italy won the World Cup. I'm quite incredulous that anyone has called for an amnesty.
My review of the situation. Four Italian clubs influence the selection of referees and assistants to make games they are most interested in go more smoothly. The big clubs do well and are happy with the situation. Trophies, medallions, fame, money etc for all involved. That's cheating.
Somebody notices and brings it to the attention of those who wish to clean up the game. The clubs are charged. Thirteen of the Italian World Cup squad play for the four clubs in question. The suggestion is made that if the Italians win the Cup then it should all be forgotten.
Utter disbelief follows. From me at least. What on earth does the result of the World Cup have to do with cheating in the highest Italian League? If an amnesty was granted wouldn't that further institutionalise cheating in Italy and in football in general? Doesn't that say to all involved and watching that it's ok to cheat as long as you win? That sort of attitude needs to be stamped out of sport for good.
Well, Italy now hold the World Cup. It should be an interesting couple of days following the verdict, whatever it may be. Will the tribunal legalise and institutionalise cheating in Italy, or not?
Having sat through the Australia vs Italy match my mind is already made up. The Italians would gratefully accept an amnesty as eagerly as they accept a penalty they don't deserve. Cheating bastards.
World Cup Final - Wogs Versus Frogs
Italians vs French. Much as I don't like the French I wanted to see them win. Can't stand the Italians. They dive more often than kamikaze pilots. The French are somewhat arrogant themselves.
I'd love to know what Marco Materazzi said to Zinedine Zidane to upset him. He was being very chatty. It was probably along the lines of "Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries." But, that is more along the lines of taunting of a Frenchman than a French taunting. It must have been in Italian considering Zizu used to play in Italy. Headbutts at any time are not acceptable behaviour however and the red card he received was justified.
Who wrote the script for Italy to win on penalties? How odd. How extraordinary. How much rotten bad luck for me to record the final on video, set it up for extra time, and have the recording finish just before the penalty shoot-out occurred. Mind you, as soon as I stopped the video I was able to view the highlights of the penalty shoot-out on the news.
That's it for the next four years. Sleep deprivation is over for a while. Except the next World Cup will be held in South Africa and the same time zone as Germany. Something to look forward to.
Italians vs French. Much as I don't like the French I wanted to see them win. Can't stand the Italians. They dive more often than kamikaze pilots. The French are somewhat arrogant themselves.
I'd love to know what Marco Materazzi said to Zinedine Zidane to upset him. He was being very chatty. It was probably along the lines of "Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries." But, that is more along the lines of taunting of a Frenchman than a French taunting. It must have been in Italian considering Zizu used to play in Italy. Headbutts at any time are not acceptable behaviour however and the red card he received was justified.
Who wrote the script for Italy to win on penalties? How odd. How extraordinary. How much rotten bad luck for me to record the final on video, set it up for extra time, and have the recording finish just before the penalty shoot-out occurred. Mind you, as soon as I stopped the video I was able to view the highlights of the penalty shoot-out on the news.
That's it for the next four years. Sleep deprivation is over for a while. Except the next World Cup will be held in South Africa and the same time zone as Germany. Something to look forward to.
Friday, July 07, 2006
Friday In Subi
Yes, once again I've been running around with camera by my side causing mischief.
Due to a recent spate of signposts being stolen in the City of Subiaco a number of guard dogs have been assigned particular signposts to guard. Warning: do not approach these animals as they are highly trained and attack-minded creatures. No matter how fluffy they may appear.
The Public Transport Authority has launched an investigation into the structural design of the Subiaco Station roof as the phenomenon of global warming appears to have led to intensely hot summers leading to the roof warping. An engineers report is due in the coming month.
Police in Subiaco have made numerous arrests of people after purchasing zucchinis from the Subiaco Station Markets. People have been charged with carrying a concealed weapon after purchasing the oversize zucchinis then hiding them in their shopping bags. Police would like to remind people that carrying a concealed weapon is an offence that carries up to a three month jail term.
Yes, once again I've been running around with camera by my side causing mischief.
Due to a recent spate of signposts being stolen in the City of Subiaco a number of guard dogs have been assigned particular signposts to guard. Warning: do not approach these animals as they are highly trained and attack-minded creatures. No matter how fluffy they may appear.
The Public Transport Authority has launched an investigation into the structural design of the Subiaco Station roof as the phenomenon of global warming appears to have led to intensely hot summers leading to the roof warping. An engineers report is due in the coming month.
Police in Subiaco have made numerous arrests of people after purchasing zucchinis from the Subiaco Station Markets. People have been charged with carrying a concealed weapon after purchasing the oversize zucchinis then hiding them in their shopping bags. Police would like to remind people that carrying a concealed weapon is an offence that carries up to a three month jail term.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Thursday Lunchtime Stroll Around Jolimont
Have camera. Will take silly photos.
Apparently it is quite difficult to find a painter these days.
Or a gardener, for that matter.
Quite unimaginative garden decoration. These landscape gardeners must be difficult to get hold of too.
Watch out for the attack cat. On sale now at Myer.
Whomever learnt to plant trees for the Government to collect their dole payment needs a TAFE refresher course.
The Banana Splits are not dead. It looks like Drooper lives on.
Council workers who have run out of shovels to lean on.
Council workers appearing to be moving and caught on film. A rare beast to be noticed moving at any great speed in their natural environment.
A rather odd looking construction made with rammed earth. I will have to check this out once it is finished. Looks rather like a monstrosity at the moment.
Un-named victim of increase in the price of petrol. Too ashamed to mention his name.
Have camera. Will take silly photos.
Apparently it is quite difficult to find a painter these days.
Or a gardener, for that matter.
Quite unimaginative garden decoration. These landscape gardeners must be difficult to get hold of too.
Watch out for the attack cat. On sale now at Myer.
Whomever learnt to plant trees for the Government to collect their dole payment needs a TAFE refresher course.
The Banana Splits are not dead. It looks like Drooper lives on.
Council workers who have run out of shovels to lean on.
Council workers appearing to be moving and caught on film. A rare beast to be noticed moving at any great speed in their natural environment.
A rather odd looking construction made with rammed earth. I will have to check this out once it is finished. Looks rather like a monstrosity at the moment.
Un-named victim of increase in the price of petrol. Too ashamed to mention his name.
Did Anyone Catch The World Ten-Pin Bowling Championship This Morning?
It was quite an exciting match. Pins going down all over the place. The tension was kept up for the 90 mins and then for the additional time. France were too good for Portugal in the end and progressed to the Final of the World Ten-Pin Bowling Championship.
Oh, sorry. Did I miss something? That's right - it was the semi-final of the World Cup of Football. Strange, it resembled ten-pin bowling much more closely with those Portugese falling down all over the place trying to get free kicks and penalties. Ugly football and Portugal didn't deserve to win.
Italy v France for World Cup glory. Should be worth getting up for on Monday morning Perth time.
It was quite an exciting match. Pins going down all over the place. The tension was kept up for the 90 mins and then for the additional time. France were too good for Portugal in the end and progressed to the Final of the World Ten-Pin Bowling Championship.
Oh, sorry. Did I miss something? That's right - it was the semi-final of the World Cup of Football. Strange, it resembled ten-pin bowling much more closely with those Portugese falling down all over the place trying to get free kicks and penalties. Ugly football and Portugal didn't deserve to win.
Italy v France for World Cup glory. Should be worth getting up for on Monday morning Perth time.
Come Out And Support The Purple Cobras
... In their hour of need. Come on people, come out and show your support. The Purple Cobras have made the semi-finals of Men's 4 at Lord's Stadium in Subiaco. We're on at 6pm. What a fight to make the semis. Yes, we reached that hard-to-get 4th out of five places to get there. Having said that, most of our victories have come against the top sides. Therefore, we have a shot at winning tonight.
... In their hour of need. Come on people, come out and show your support. The Purple Cobras have made the semi-finals of Men's 4 at Lord's Stadium in Subiaco. We're on at 6pm. What a fight to make the semis. Yes, we reached that hard-to-get 4th out of five places to get there. Having said that, most of our victories have come against the top sides. Therefore, we have a shot at winning tonight.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Strange Weather On The Drive In On Monday
It was one of those unusual occurrences where the sun was out but the rain was pouring. Yes, I kid you not. Just after dawn on Monday the sun was blazing and sunglasses were required. But, following a short-lived rainbow there was a decent bit of rain where headlights and fast windscreen wipers were required. I think it was brought about by little or no wind to move the clouds therefore we had about a 5/8th or 6/8th cloud cover for much of the morning. Miky finds this kind of weather difficult to fathom.
Incidentally, June was the driest recorded in Perth and we averaged about two hours of sunshine per day more than normal. The long term average is for 176mm of rain and as you can see from the chart we only experienced 28.4mm for the month.
It was one of those unusual occurrences where the sun was out but the rain was pouring. Yes, I kid you not. Just after dawn on Monday the sun was blazing and sunglasses were required. But, following a short-lived rainbow there was a decent bit of rain where headlights and fast windscreen wipers were required. I think it was brought about by little or no wind to move the clouds therefore we had about a 5/8th or 6/8th cloud cover for much of the morning. Miky finds this kind of weather difficult to fathom.
Incidentally, June was the driest recorded in Perth and we averaged about two hours of sunshine per day more than normal. The long term average is for 176mm of rain and as you can see from the chart we only experienced 28.4mm for the month.
What Did Harry Kewell Say To The Ref?
I am really curious as to what Australia's Harry Kewell said to Markus Merk, the German referee, immediately following the final whistle in Australia's match against Brazil. Harry berated the ref after Australia had received only nine free kicks to Brazil's twenty five. I'm sure that the rest of Australia was holding its breath as well, disbelieving in Harry's lack of respect and fearful of FIFA's retribution.
Apparently Merk told Harry that, "You won't be playing in the next match." Harry was reported and FIFA dealt with it. FIFA's finding was that Harry was cleared because of "inconsistent report from the referee." So, the ref couldn't tell the same story twice.
Come on Harry, did you call him a f***wit or just a dickhead? Australia needs to know.
I am really curious as to what Australia's Harry Kewell said to Markus Merk, the German referee, immediately following the final whistle in Australia's match against Brazil. Harry berated the ref after Australia had received only nine free kicks to Brazil's twenty five. I'm sure that the rest of Australia was holding its breath as well, disbelieving in Harry's lack of respect and fearful of FIFA's retribution.
Apparently Merk told Harry that, "You won't be playing in the next match." Harry was reported and FIFA dealt with it. FIFA's finding was that Harry was cleared because of "inconsistent report from the referee." So, the ref couldn't tell the same story twice.
Come on Harry, did you call him a f***wit or just a dickhead? Australia needs to know.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Pics From My Wander Around At Lunchtime
I took my camera with me during my lunchtime break today to help satisfy my curiosity and perhaps get some interesting photos. If I'm the only one who finds them interesting then so be it. Being in a group of one is nothing new, I can assure you.
Having found something that attracted my interest I then had to wander back to the office to retreive my camera battery that was charging. Doh! What do you think about the results?
People working at the Activ Foundation obviously have a different idea from others in society as to what constitutes a bus. It also struck me as funny that perhaps three cars out of 20 in the car park were older than about four years - this is a not-for-profit organisation you know and everyone seems to have a new car. Excuse me Mr Tax Officer.
Excuse me but I think that somebody has stolen your registered lawn.
Caught this gent outside the Central TAFE building in Subiaco. He is quite obviously taking a course in how to be a council worker and practising without his shovel.
The middle-aged and slightly oversized driver, wearing a suit sans tie, appeared to live by his motto.
Oops.
I took my camera with me during my lunchtime break today to help satisfy my curiosity and perhaps get some interesting photos. If I'm the only one who finds them interesting then so be it. Being in a group of one is nothing new, I can assure you.
Having found something that attracted my interest I then had to wander back to the office to retreive my camera battery that was charging. Doh! What do you think about the results?
People working at the Activ Foundation obviously have a different idea from others in society as to what constitutes a bus. It also struck me as funny that perhaps three cars out of 20 in the car park were older than about four years - this is a not-for-profit organisation you know and everyone seems to have a new car. Excuse me Mr Tax Officer.
Excuse me but I think that somebody has stolen your registered lawn.
Caught this gent outside the Central TAFE building in Subiaco. He is quite obviously taking a course in how to be a council worker and practising without his shovel.
The middle-aged and slightly oversized driver, wearing a suit sans tie, appeared to live by his motto.
Oops.
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