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Photo Hunt: Party
2008-03-01 11:21:00
Hannah had a party with her class for her last birthday. She documented the day with her new digital camera and this was one of the better photographs. The kids have moved school now and these memories are very special.photohuntMore Photo hunters.
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Feeling Lonely?
2008-02-28 21:00:00
Go to the beach in China.One of the great things about Adelaide beaches is that they are almost always deserted except for hot days and holidays. This on the otherhand would be my worst nightmare. Where would the dog run? Imagine worrying about losing your kids.
More About: Feeling , Lonely

New Relaxing Spectator Sport
2008-02-26 01:55:00
Submarine Racing
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Brummy Bloke Gorges to Death on Fairy Cakes
2008-02-25 01:03:00
This Guys Tombstone will read "Choked to Death of 217 Fairy Cakes "An inquest is to be held on a man who died during a contest to see who could eat the most fairy cakes. The man, thought to be from Birmingham, collapsed at a Swansea nightclub during the event at the end of a party to raise funds for an art exhibition. Police say there are no suspicious circumstances following the incident at the city's Monkey Cafe and Bar during the early hours of Friday. I love the bit about no suspicious circumstances. So watch out mums when you plan those kids fairy parties.
More About: Darwin Awards

Green Week in Adelaide Ends in a (V8) Roar
2008-02-24 13:48:00
Adelaide had more than its fair share of green thinking blue sky thinking this week with the Green Cities Festival, the Solar Cities Congress and hosting Professor Ross Garnaut who suggests that Australians should cut greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent. Great stuff and right up the Vision Thang that Mike Rann, the State Premier, loves to float without backing it up with much action.Too bad somebody scheduled all this with the V8 Supercar Motorsport Festival to reinforce the sobering environmental messages from earlier in the week. As the correspondent in the Australian put rather eloquently.The Clipsal 500 will fill the city's streets with fossil fuel laden ear shattering, petrol guzzling, green house gas emitting V8s for the next four days. Every litre of high octane juice provided to the monsters with deliver over 2kg of greenhouse gas at the other end.I was reading earlier that the Clipsal had hired a firm to work out their carbon emissions for the event and some clever type...
More About: Week , Ends , Adelaide , Roar

Thriller 25 Years On
2008-02-24 13:35:00
My American girlfriend bought this in LP format around 25 years ago when I was a poor impoverished student on a trip to Edinburgh. Funny to think that was the highpoint of his career. I liked it then and still like it now and have it as a CD, somewhere in a cardboard box in our shed. Apparently it is popular with a new generation here in Australia with the rerelease near the top of the charts. The music companies must be pretty desperate. Why would you want to mess with a classic. I listened to some of the tracks on the radio this week and it seemed over engineered and flat. I didn't know that Generation Y and the like bought plastic music. I thought they only spent it on ITunes.
More About: Michael Jackson , Thriller , Years , Thriller 25

Wollongong Council to Boost Productivity
2008-02-24 13:19:00
Sleeping on the job has been banned.
More About: Productivity , Council , Boost

How to Put Kids Off Fast Food
2008-02-23 04:33:00
Try this.Makes most meals in a tin look gourmet.Thanks Stuart from Secluded Habitat
More About: Kids , Food , Fast Food , Fast , Gross

Pay to Pee (or Poop)
2008-02-22 22:25:00
When I lived in Singapore, I was reintroduced to the concept of paying to use a public toilet. The idea being that by paying, people would value the service I think. Singapore certainly had generally very clean toilets with the government publicly supporting and funding clean toilet awards. Here in Australia we have a national toilet website where you can search for the nearest public toilet. Where we lived before, invariably they were disgusting, had drug paraphenalia, vandalised or locked. I was quite surprised a couple of nights ago that the toilet in the park that I went to with the kids was open and pretty clean. Quite rare in areas closer to the city.Functioning and clean public toilets are a good measure of a functioning society and a pleasant reminder of some of the good things about suburban areas.Along the same lines, Mr Eugenides has some quiet thoughts on a plan for private businesses in the UK to make their toilets available to the public in return for some public dosh...
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Obama - Big in Japan
2008-02-22 22:21:00
Obama, Japan , is Barracking for candidate Obama, hoping that if he becomes the US president he will put this ancient fishing town of 32,000 people firmly on the tourist map and, just maybe, choose it for an international summit.Supporters in Obama -- which means "small shore" in Japanese -- have held parties to watch election results, put up posters wishing the senator luck and plan a special batch of the town's "manju" sweets bearing his likeness.
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Learning Japanese at School
2008-02-22 22:10:00
Hannah is learning Japan ese this year after having had Italian for a number of years at here previous school. We were a little shocked by her text book that she brought home.
More About: School , Japanese , Learning

Alister Darling Set To Take the Reins at St James Park
2008-02-22 21:59:00
Kevin Keegan is set to get the heave ho as the new sponsors of Newcastle are set exert their authority. Ticket prices are set to double to assist in paying off the debts acccumulated in paying of Toon Fans to stay loyal after another season of crap football from the St James 's Park Boys. Scotland Yard are investigating the link between the collapse of the bank and the sponsorship deal. If Mr Abramovich, a successful business man can lose 100 million pounds on Chelsea, just last year, then look for even bigger losses in the North East if the new owners' track record is anything to go by.
More About: Darling , St James

Australian Cultural Primer
2008-02-20 07:13:00
This is very worthwhile reading if you are interested in Aussie Culture. An Australian from Perth living in America. Read and digest this, take a few elocution lessons, watch Crocodile Dundee, get a fake tan, some thongs, a beer and a barbie and you could pass as an Aussie (Mate!).
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Bottled Water Gets Bashed Again
2008-02-19 07:24:00
Apparently the UK Government is comparing bottled water to cigarettes as an immoral cancer on society. Drinking bottled water should be made as unfashionable as smoking, according to a government adviser."We have to make people think that it's unfashionable just as we have with smoking. We need a similar campaign to convince people that this is wrong," said Tim Lang, the Government's naural resources commissioner. Bottled water generates up to 600 times more C02 than tap waterPhil Woolas, the environment minister, added that the amount of money spent on mineral water "borders on being morally unacceptable".Their comments come as new research shows that drinking a bottle of water has the same impact on the environment as driving a car for a kilometre. Conservation groups and water providers have started a campaign against the £2 billion industry.This is utter bollocks. Cigarettes kill and maim millions of people worldwide. I am not sure the same could be said of bottled water. I l...
More About: Water , Bottled Water

Carbon Neutral Baloney from South Australian Government
2008-02-18 22:08:00
Premier for life Mike Rann is going to hit up the taxpayers to meet his environmentally friendly and expensive commitment to reduce the environmental footprint of the government."This Government is one of the largest greenhouse gas emitters in the state," he said."We hope that our determination to reduce our carbon footprint will, in turn, inspire and encourage industries and other governments to follow our lead, thereby increasing demand for green energy."In other words, from little things, big things grow.''Well Mr Rann how about starting by getting rid of the six and eight cylinder motor fleet that shuttle Ministers and other public servants around the state. How about supporting electric cars and other public transport.Other governments around the world have made similar pledges, but not in Australia.New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark has set a target of taking the whole country carbon neutral.Mr Rann already runs a carbon-neutral Cabinet, with ministers reducing their car...
More About: Carbon , Australian , South

This phone will self destruct in ten seconds
2008-02-18 21:24:00
I recently got a fairly whiz bang new mobile phone for work. I have had an older Nokia for years and really like it for its simplicity and intuitive understanding of how it works. I got the new phone so that I have a camera for visits to new sites. I got a whole lot more as well, most of which I have not figured out. My daughter on the other hand had it figured out within five minutes. She had changed the boring ring tone to one she sang, changed the start up photo and wallpaper, recorded some videos and was hassling me to download some games. No peace for the wicked.I laughed looking at this cartoon, thinking that I am more like an old person than a young person when it comes to technology. In the back of my mind there is always the worry that the phone will self destruct if I press certain combination of buttons.Thanks Gizmodo
More About: Phone , Seconds

South Australian Cane Toad Roundup Kicks Off Tonight
2008-02-18 11:31:00
The discovery of a Hobo Cane Toad near a rail marshalling yard in suburban Adelaide, this week has lead to a major frog roundup. Cane Toads turn up now and again in Adelaide and this one seems to have hitched a ride on the Ghan heading south.Ye Croak!
More About: Roundup , Australian , South , Tonight , Kicks

Bird Shit Inspires Famous Socialist Republic of Barnsley Football Win
2008-02-18 08:10:00
A well aimed bird shit inspired the Barnsley Football team to a famous win at Anfield against fellow strugglers, Liverpool.As the Dickie Bird said, it was the most famous win of his sixty five years of supporting Barnsley.I wonder if there is any beer left in the town.My colleague, who is a die hard Liverpool fan was more than a little subdued this morning. All the more so for sitting next to the General Manager, who is a die hard Manchester United fan. I seem to remember a similar result the year Barnsley were in the Premier League in the late 1990s, when they knocked out the mighty Red Devils. My colleague at that time grew up in Barnsley and was more than a little happy. The joys of the FA Cup. A fantastic competition.And as for Rafael Benitez. Shit Happens!
More About: Famous , Republic

It's a Snake eat Frog eat Snake eat Frog World
2008-02-18 07:21:00
This is just like one of our kids stand up and fight to the death screaming matches. The Clever Clogs who got the Shot
More About: World , Snake , Frog

My New Kilt
2008-02-17 22:39:00
I have ordered a new kilt and all you have to do is pop it to see whether I am a true Scot.The kids liked this one. There are some more tasteful ones too. Thanks Insight of Nothingness
More About: Kilt

The Joys of Pie Floaters and The Carnival of Australia
2008-02-15 20:03:00
This week I had my first ever pie floater. I have lived in South Australia for almost six years and only this week, on a whim, when I went for lunch to Cafe Villis, I was able to sample this gourmet delight.A pie floater, a South Australian delicacy consists of a traditional Australian meat pie covered with tomato sauce and inverted in a plate of thick green pea soup. It was recognised as a South Australian Heritage Item by the National Trust of Australia.As you can see, mine had a lot of soup. Delicious.Speaking of Australian Cultural Icons, the latest Carnival of Australia is published here. Or you could take the slow path by scrolling down. Enjoy.

Wordless Wednesday: Acquaintance Night
2008-02-12 22:29:00
More Wordless Wednesday
More About: Night , Hannah

Carnival of Australia
2008-02-12 22:15:00
This will likely be published later today. There are many submissions and I have a life that is intruding on completing this at the moment. Bugger.Have a nice day and enjoy.
More About: Carnival , Australia

Australian Government Says Sorry
2008-02-12 22:13:00
Today we honour the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing cultures in human history. We reflect on their past mistreatment. We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of those who were stolen generations - this blemished chapter in our nation's history. The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia's history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with confidence to the future. We apologise for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australian s. We apologise especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country. For the pain, suffering and hurt of these stolen generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry. To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and com...
More About: Government

Thirty Two Ways to Piss People Off
2008-02-12 04:38:00
Leave the copy machine set to reduce 200%, extra dark, 17 inch paper, 99 copies. In the memo field of all your checks, write "for sexual favors." Specify that your drive-through order is "TO-GO." If you have a glass eye, tap on it occasionally with your pen while talking to others. Stamp on little plastic ketchup packets. Insist on keeping your car windshield wipers running in all weather conditions "to keep them tuned up." Reply to everything someone says with "that's what you think." Practice making fax and modem noises. Highlight irrelevant information in scientific papers and "cc" them to your boss. Make beeping noises when a large person backs up. Finish all your sentences with the words "in accordance with prophesy." Signal that a conversation is over by clamping your hands over your ears and grimacing. Disassemble your pen and "accidentally" flip the ink cartridge across the room. Holler random numbers while someone is counting. Adjust the tint on your TV so th...
More About: People , Piss

Jigsaws and Geography Love it or Hate It.
2008-02-12 04:28:00
If Jigsaws and Geography drive you batty, don't go here.I used to hate jigsaws after being put off by life by sitting with my Grandmother, who loved them. It was my Christmas Day nightmare after lunch, the invitation to come and help with a ten million piece jigsaw of a forest with some grass. I have never quite got over it.Geography on the other hand I enjoy. I did that in sixth year of High School as my specialist area and started off a University degree. Unfortunately that got lost in a year of drinking and partying and I ended up getting a degree in Sociology. How did that happen? More drinking and partying and that was all I could graduate with. Luckily my America n girlfriend of the time paid for a ticket to the US and the rest, as they say, is history. I did get to see a lot of America, so I suppose that was a bit of geography.
More About: Love , Hate , Love it

Aussie Carnival of Love Valentines Eve 2008
2008-02-12 03:00:00
Yesterday was a big day for Australia with the official apology from the government to the Aboriginal people. I listened to it on the way to school with the kids. Hannah thought it was very sad, but that she was glad that the Prime Minister had said sorry. If you didn't like what Kevin had to say, you could do worse than to use Tim Dunlops apology.Along similar lines, Megan points us in the direction of this topical post.The Body Shop Australia are activists. Not only do they have a corporate blog that overtly flaunts their excellent corporate social responsibility, they also encourage peaceful social action to create change for a multi cultural, non racist and inclusive Australia. In this post, called the Sea Of Hands Online, by Adam Valvasori (Values Manager), the "Sorry" movement is aided by Adam's pointing toward a "handy" website: Australians for Native Title & Reconciliation (ANTaR), which has a fantastic, creative way for you to commit to justice for Indigenous Austra...
More About: Carnival , Love , Aussie , Valentines , 2008

Fifers Free At Last Free At Last
2008-02-11 02:37:00
Forth Bridge Tay BridgeFifers can afford a few extra pints a week as tolls are dropped on the Forth and Tay Road Bridges, making Scotlands roads toll free.I can remember going on the ferry across the Tay and the Forth prior to the road bridges being built. I also remember a few trips to Kincardine to avoid the tolls (using up the toll cost in additional petrol). What a Scotsman will do to "save" money.My brother and his wife and their children use the Forth Bridge almost every day. They'll be feeling rich this week. No doubt this will be a brief hiatus before the cables on the Forth Bridge start to fail and a new bridge or tunnel has to be constructed.
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Seeing things in a different way
2008-02-10 17:30:00
Yesterday Elizabeth had the car and we realised very late, that Hannah had a party later in the day. I had to work out our public transport options, which in this case was the bus. Despite leaving the house without my wallet, we managed to scrape together enough coins to get a day pass. The kids came well equipped with everything you would need for that type of adventure including books, a sword, a spear and various other essential items for a 10 minute bus trip. We walked from the bus through some new neighbourhoods past some cricket, played on every available oval through the summer on a Saturday.It was a very unusual experience for the kids. When they were younger, I used to walk with them a lot. Now with our busy life, we drive almost everywhere except the local park. It reminded me how great it was to observe the world in a different way and to be thankful of having access to a car. There is always something interesting to see, nothing more so than this unexpected beauty sittin...
More About: Things

Order of the Garters Set for New Antipodean Representative?
2008-02-10 11:40:00
Former Aussie Prime Minister for Life John Winston Howard is set to wear garters, according to knowledgable types. The award is the sole preserve of Her Majesty. God Bless her Garters .The Order of the Garter the oldest and most significant Order of Chivalry was founded by Edward III in 1348 and counts among its elite members 24 knights plus Royal knights. I wonder if Sir John of Tooronga and Kirribilli (Has he left yet?) and Lady Hyancinth will take up residence in a castle and who will wear the garters in that family? They can spend their retirement pretending to be king and queen.The irony is that the vacancy is that it is to replace Sir Edmund Hillary. Talk about diminishing the value of the award.
More About: Representative