Folks,
I'm very glad the kids have done a terrific job with this classic Jacksons track. If this clip is indicative of the voices on offer this year, then I'm looking forward to the upcoming series.
There's a dearth of good stuff to watch on free-to-air these days. The least programmers can do is entertain us with quality singing.
Ninja
]]>http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24043030-601,00.html
Folks,
I'm once more astounded by the logic that, "We should have our own Australian people and not locals from there so that they don't discriminate," he (Kevin Andrews) said. "This would help solve problems."
This proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the previous government was so out of touch with reality that they had no other option but to be dumped.
As though Australians don't practice bias and discrimination??? WTF???
The immigration portfolio has to work closely to the foreign affairs portfolio, and if the ex-minister had reservations about rorting at the various overseas posts, then surely it must have been a systemic failure between his own bloody department and that of that other idiot, Alexander Downer. Thank fuck they're both gone! To blame local staff is just pathetic and frankly, racist.
Ninja
]]>http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=600040
Folks,
How dumb is this guy? On the upside, he's very lucky to have escaped the noose by mere grams of the stuff.
I don't think he's going to be taking Singapore for granted ever again if they're talking about caning him as well.
It continues to astound me how so many people get snared in Singapore's legal system due to drug possession. Their authorities can't be any clearer - you take that chance and you will pay dearly.
Methinks Mr Lloyd will be rethinking his options right this very moment. Personally, I'm deeply disappointed that he's done this. Having covered this part of the world as a journalist for as long as he has, you'd think that he's the first to NOT even think about testing the system.
Ninja
]]>Only five our of eight last week which means I've really dropped off the lead in the tipping comps I'm in. I have this horrible feeling that, come the end of round 22, I'll be looking back on the time a couple of months ago when I uncharacteristically trash-talked fellow tippers as the turning point. Karma, perhaps. Maybe I should make a list or something.
Anyway, this is the time of the season when injuries really start to take their toll, even though it hasn't been that long since they had a week off. I reckon nearly every side in the comp at the moment has problems with key players so it sort of adds another bit of guesswork to the whole equation. Into it:
Kangaroos v Collingwood: Michael Voss really gives a wrap to the Magpies today, but frankly I'll be impressed with Collingwood when they don't get as cruisy a draw as they do week in week out. Kangaroos are in real danger of dropping out of the eight and have too tough a task here, Shinboner spirit or not.
Geelong v Western Bulldogs: Game of the round, and maybe the year to date. No Ling after a deplorable act by Docker Dean Solomon and no Ablett due to an ankle injury. But having said that, the Cats still have the talent and the depth to overcome the Bulldogs down at Kardinia Park. It's a tough one to pick as there's a lot to like about the Sons of the West at the moment (old grudges held aside of course) but conditions should favour the Cats more.
Richmond v Essendon: As I noted in an edit to last week's tipping post, the Bombers played with a bit of flair last week to beat the Lions. Likewise, not tipping Richmond is a big regret of mine from the last round. The Tigers are improving but how will they be feeling after the trip back from out west? Essendon are missing a couple of key players in McVeigh and Lovett-Murray too, so do they have the depth to win? I'm saying Tigers.
Brisbane v West Coast: The Lions are facing injury problems too with talented young ruckman Leuenberger facing knee surgery and doubts over Black and Brown playing. But the Eagles, let's face it, the "t" word must be being whispered around the halls of the club about now. No Kerr thanks to a dopey suspension, Hunter out for the rest of the season, honestly both western teams are just complete bloody basketcases at the moment. A depleted Brisbane to win at home.
St Kilda v Hawthorn: Maybe I've been underestimating the Saints, it wasn't too bad a performance against Carlton last Friday night, helped no end by a stand out night for Milne. Hawks will be too strong for them though - and how was the news about Shane Crawford (who's out for this round and maybe the next) taking horse medicine and pain killers in an effort to make it to his 300th game? Freaky.
Carlton v Sydney: Despite the remarkable efforts of one C. Judd in parts of the final quarter last week, Carlton would be feeling let down by the loss to the Saints - and let's not forget all the rubbish since then about Fevola's next contract. What a mook. This is a challenging game for both sides, and even though they're playing away I'm tipping the Swans. I could probably do without seeing Tadgh Kenneally pop his shoulder back in a few times again though, thanks boys.
Port Adelaide v Adelaide: Well, at least one of these sides gets to end a losing streak (barring a drawn result) as a result of this game. Bookies seem relatively even and on paper it could certainly go either way, but I'm asking myself who has more to play for and my answer is the Crows.
Fremantle v Melbourne: "Who cares?" is the common refrain across the nation regarding this game. Heard an interesting comment on local radio last night about the "culture" at Freo in light of their stupidity in the first quarter of their game against Geelong (where they clumsily tried to muscle them around a bit) and it's a totally fair question. Melbourne continue to introduce young players but I can't see them overcoming even this useless old bunch of mugs (excepting Pavlich, Palmer and Mayne from this comment) at the broad expanses of Subiaco. If they lose then I hope to see Dockers fans storm the ground in abject frustration.
So I need to string together a few sevens and eights to be more confident methinks, hope you enjoy your footy this weekend.
]]>
this is only the third day... and i spent 3 weeks there... more pictures to come...
candy
]]>As soon as I was legally able to work (14 years and 9 months of age) I got a job as a night filler at the local supermarket, and pretty much worked at the same place right through until I finished uni and started a "proper" job in 1996. It was about 7 years in total, working across the departments (except as an actual butcher) though mainly as a storeman, including a stint in my "gap year" between high school and uni working in the warehouse for some days of the week, hootin' around on a forklift and talking shit with tattooed, chain smoking truckies between loading and unloading the pallets.
So I know my way around your modern supermarket environment. I know about differential pricing between locations, about the tricks with the stock location on the shelf, about how much produce gets thrown out, etc etc etc. I have no embarrassment about reaching up to the top of the shelves, pulling down and opening up a box of something I need that isn't on the shelf. I reckon I still have this "supermarket boy" vibe about me as I still get asked by random strangers where something's located, or for help with something up on a high shelf by little old ladies.
This also means that in our household I'm responsible for the shopping. K and I don't really do the grocery shopping together due to a fundamentally different approach - she browses, I hunt. Seriously, I'm like in there with my list (often organised by aisle, note, 'cos there's an effective routine to that e.g. never get your produce in the trolley first), get what I need, use some quick and dirty math for the whole "unit pricing" thing (comparing price to volume between at least two differently volumed and priced objects) and then before you know it zoom, I'm at the checkouts and doing a whole new set of analyses about operator experience, scan rates, customer type and trolley loads in order to get my sorry old arse out of there asap.
Yes, it's crazy. But yes indeed, I assure you this all works. At this point I'll highlight that this little rambling of mine was prompted by my confession over at Cat's that she's not alone in having a system laid out for the operator to pack her green bags full of purchases. Just because dammit, it really should be in that particular order because it's the system and it works and it even helps me unload the car in one fell swoop as I struggle up the stairs to find the front door's locked and I have to bump it with my temple to get K to let me fall in through the door. And that's just a minor part of my Saturday morning.
I also 'fessed up to a couple of things that drive K spare - I'm more than happy to tear the green stalky bits off the hydro or truss tomatoes in order to get them at the price of the cheaper ones (which they always laughingly call "gourmet" tomatoes), as well as the stalks off the larger mushrooms as I bag them. And now, following Cat's advice, I'll probably start doing the same if I ever get broccoli from the supermarket too.
Why? Well, to start with, nowadays I don't generally get my fruit and veg from the big chain supermarkets, preferring instead to go to a local place nearby as well as the farmer's markets. The latter in particular is a great option as it's local produce and the quality is just fantastic. I think a lot of what the big chains do around the quality and treatment of their produce is just terrible (just look at how yucky and ordinary their apples and spuds are), and to be blunt I refuse to pay $7-$9 a kilo for half-decent tomatoes (though there's always a little guilt associated with the "food miles" of produce out of season), and if they're insisting I pay $9 a kilo for shrooms then yeah, I'm just going to get the bits I need.
I think the years of working in that sort of environment has just enured me to the types of bizarre customer behaviour that I witnessed then, and perhaps engage in myself now. But there's more to it than that as well.
Being the one responsible for menu planning, shopping and cooking, I watch the prices week in, week out. I notice how the price of the rice milk I use has gone up by 15% in the past 12 months, oat flakes up around 20% to the point where I had to let them go and stick to porridge every morning. The price of bread is up, milk's up, cheese, pasta, rice, cat litter, cat food, all up markedly this past year and a bit.
And wouldn't you know it, a quick look at google news turns up today's news that Woolworth's profits have gone up, same with their stock price -
Woolworths tightened its grip on the supermarket sector yesterday, unveiling a 10.7 per cent leap in full-year sales to a record $47 billion. Despite households struggling under the weight of higher petrol and food prices - along with rising borrowing costs - Woolworths cash registers continue to ring, driven by more shoppers and a bigger spend each visit.
Probably the same for Coles, though they're not doing as well. Off the top of my head (because I am a nerd) I can quote the exact Australian Bureau of Statistics publication you need to see inflation - yep, there it is, 6401.0 - with the March quarter to quarter change between 07 and 08 for food running at 5.7%.
So do you ever get the feeling you're being cheated? Support local places, especially local producers, where you can and are able, and don't take any rubbish from the bigger chains if you can manage it. Stuff 'em.
]]>http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/16/2305749.htm
Folks,
This is just totally unacceptable and completely unjustified, when a man is treated as a criminal BEFORE he's even formally charged for doing something wrong... if indeed he did do something wrong.
Malaysia's leading opposition figure, Anwar Ibrahim, was arrested today on the very same SUSPICIONS for which he was illeaglly jailed 10 years ago. In recent years, those convictions were quashed after it was found that the original charges against him were completely baseless. Here's a question: whatever happened to those people who made those baseless allegations against an ambitious family man? Did they get punished for perjury?
Since his release, Anwar has been busy rebuilding his political career to the point that in March this year, he led the country's opposition to a stunning result which saw the sitting National Front (Barisan Nasional) government lose control of five States. In more recent months, Anwar has also voiced the probability of defections to his party amongst members of Parliament - enough to tip the balance of power in his favour, and enough to form the next government.
And this is just about the time - about 4-5 weeks ago - when these alleged sodomy allegations surfaced that he roger-ed a young political aide in his entourage.
A very simple question: where is this young bloke and why is his statement enough to get a man thrown into detention with his character besmirched once again?
Whatever happened to due process and investigation of all allegations first before arresting anyone?
I find it hard, very hard, to accept that after 10 years, we are seeing a sordid chapter of Malaysian politics repeating itself once more. This time, I would hope that ordinary Malaysians stopped believing the "official" stories and get angry enough to chuck this totally incompetent and irrelevant government out of office before the country's sacrificed at the altar of political expediency again.
Lies and more bloody lies. I would hope that ordinary Malaysians are clever and brave enough to reject being lied to once again.
Ninja
]]>Courtesy of the lovely Cat...
Type the following into the Google search box, and choose the first choice:
1: Type in "[your name] needs" - sKatZ needs to give herself some credit.
2: Type in "[your name] looks like" - sKatZ looks like Paul Stanley
3: Type in "[your name] does" - sKatZ does Tahiti
4: Type in "[your name] hates" - sKatZ hates me...more than CHLOE THE EVIL DOG?
5: Type in "[your name] goes" - sKatZ goes Krazy
6: Type in "[your name] loves" - sKatZ loves edible flowers
7: Type in "[your name] eats" - sKatZ eats the kannibals.
8: Type in "[your name] has" - sKatZ has three passports, speaks five languages, and is. searching for a place to call home.
9: Type in "[your name] gives" - sKatZ gives Good Hoover
10: Type in "[your name] takes" - sKatZ takes a kaffee break in SL
11: Type in "[your name] won't" - sKatZ won't make the A-list for appropriateness
12: Type in "[your name] can't" - sKatZ can't take a joke
13: Type in "[your name] wants" - sKatZ wants to bin fruit and veg wrap
14: Type in "[your name] makes" - sKatZ makes First 2008 WSOP Final Table
15: Type in "[your name] killed" - sKatZ killed Karma
]]>http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23996561-12332,00.html
Folks,
I keep harping on this but there have been other equally horrific mass deaths and killings than the Holocaust!
How many school kids actually know about the Rape of Nanking? How many people actually understand what happened throughout SE Asia when the Japanese mobilised their Imperial Army on their march south? How many people know of the absolutely unimaginable ways in which innocents were slaughtered? It is terribly sad that only the WW2 generation in this coutry have a good grasp of what actually happened to our north.
I think if the education curriculum wants a better balance in history lessons for our kids, they shouldn't just hone in on the Holocaust.
Ninja
]]>http://www.smh.com.au/news/china/frenzy-in-shenzhen/2008/07/09/1215282891274.html
Folks,
This little write-up reminded me of exactly the same adventure the clan and I went on about 3 years ago.
I had been to Shenzhen before on business and frankly, couldn't care too much for the place. But then, I'd always travelled there from the north and not from Hongkers.
Anyway, we did the train trip from Kowloon, crossed the border and folks, can I just say that I can verify everything that this woman's written about. We spent a total of maybe 3 hours in Shenzhen (the clan was happy to get a China stamp in their passport) but shopped in a few nondescript places chockas with A-grade knock-offs of the branded stuff. The untrained eye wouldn't be able to distinguish them from the real stuff; they were that good. And for a fraction of the cost.
Just for fun - when we arrived back in Hongkers - we ducked into one of the flash Louis Vuitton shops to compare prices. Now THAT is satisfaction!
Me? I'd like to find more places to eat. I'm just happy to sightsee and eat. Simpleton that I am.
Oh, if you want to say "Bugger off, that's rubbish and too expensive" in putonghua, here's how: "Bu yao mai le. Zhe ge tai gui le. Zhao le!" And then be prepared for the possibility of the shopkeeper hassling you to give them a counter-offer. Ah, the game!
Ninja
]]>