There ain't 'arf bin some clever bastards

I mean really clever. Time has announced its inventions of the year. "YouTube", while not immediately world changing, has given us true freedom of information (this is not a comment on the veracity of that information) and made good the promise of the internet. For a while. Better get in quick, as Google has bought it.

Have a look through some of the other inventions. I was particularly impressed with the Tesla car and the bike riding robot. If you have a few minutes, have look and wonder at human ingenuity.

Melbourne Cup Day

I have never been a fan of horse racing, not even the Melbourne Cup, though usually I do have the day off and get trashed at the local race track, but that has more to do with the company than the actual entertainment.

I was intrigued earlier this week by calls for Melbourne Cup day to become a public holiday in states other than Victoria.

Now, I like a bludge as much as the next person, but I believe this would be a mistake. For me, the beauty of having Cup day off is that there are still people all over the city working. It gives me a thrill of slightly illicit pleasure to think I am out carousing while government buildings, offices and schools through out the metropolitan area are filled with people crowded around radios and wheeling in televisions to watch the race. Or if I am at work myself, one of the huddlers, it gives me a sense of community with my co-workers to take the time to watch the race. Frankly, I think the sense of sharing is what makes it special for those still at work. Otherwise, it's just a horse race.

Who won?

Mondays

I think "weekday" and "weekend" are not enough choices when it comes to days. Especially when your weekend consists of 2 nights drinking, 1 and a bit nights sleeping, an engagement party, 1/2 day playing cricket, 1/2 day umpiring/coaching and 2 x 1/2 days watching your children play cricket. Oh, and a couple of hours sleeping on the couch trying to stay awake to watch Australia play cricket.

Summer hasn't even started.

Carn 'straya

Vale Wally

Wally Foreman, along with Dennis Cometti, was always one of my favourite commentators growing up, probably because they were Western Australians. I always thought Wally was passionate about his sport but not to the degree where he lost objectivity or even handed-ness. I only ever met him once, as an opposition coach in junior cricket, but even in that forum he impressed me with his attitude to the game. Sport in Western Australia and Australia for that matter will be sadly poorer for his passing.

Get on the green

No, that's not what I mean at all! I was thinking something more along the lines of this:


Get on the Green is a drive by bowls clubs to attract people to bowls. My regular Wednesday nights have moved from the shed to the Innaloo Sportsmans Club for our annual foray into community bowls. Any sport that marks it's rinks with ashtrays at each end and has a beautiful young woman walking around with a wheeled esky selling cheap beer gets a big tick from me.

Oops....

Methinks the Kazakhs do protest too much....

Equality in sport

I found this interesting story while trawling the internet for cricket related news. It seems an "Old Boy" has taken offence at his school selecting a girl (Ian Healy's 16 yo niece) in their First XI.

Personally I cannot understand how someone could take offence at such a thing. How insecure would you have to be to wish the girl anything other than success? I have always sort of hoped that sport would be truly unisex (and not only so I don't have to watch women's sport). I love the fact that on the field, you are either one of the "goodies" or the "baddies". No in between, no shades of grey. I don't care where you were born, where you live or what you do for a job. And I see no difference between men and women (other than the good ones) on the sporting fields. Sport, more than most other avenues, offers the opportunity for equality. Everyone wears the same uniform and everyone gets the same chance.


If you're good enough.

Minimum Wage Rise

Try as I might, I keep finding reasons NOT to like the current Liberal government. All politicians really. They (and apparently most of the voting Australians) have no idea what government is supposed to be about. This weeks decision by the Fair Pay commission to award a $27 a week wage rise to the minimum wage earners should have been a chance for the goverment to bask in the glow of a job well done. Instead, all I have is this image of John Howard and Kevin Andrews grinning smugly, not because the people they represent have more money in their pocket, but because they think that it will piss the unions off.

Andrews was quoted as saying "The only people disappointed about this decision are Kim Beazley, (Labor's IR spokesman) Stephen Smith and the ACTU who have been running around Australia saying this decision would reduce wages for Australians"

John Howard is no better "It must have been a very bad day for Mr Combet (ACTU secretary) today, a very bad day indeed"

To me, it lays bare the greed and desire to cling to power inherent in the personality of these men, that they would expect a man who's goal it is to represent workers to be disappointed that the Fair Pay commission grants Fair pay those very workers because it may somehow weaken his political standing. This is not a fucking game, people. To those workers, that $27 represents a lot more than a chance to thumb their nose at a political opponent.

If anyone out there does read this, please know that these people do not represent me.

Random meme

1. List two things that are true of you that are not stereotypically true of members of some group that you belong to.
a) Married with children
b) My eyebrow is pierced


2. List two unusual talents that you have.
a) I remember phone numbers and birthdays
b) I have a knack for finding other peoples lost stuff


3. List two unusual weaknesses that you have.
a) Crap television (Neighbours, Australian Idol)
b) I hate going to sleep but I hate getting up (call me Mr Inertia)

4. List two unusual things that you aspire to.
a) Record and play my own music
b) Tall Children

5. List two words that you use more than most people do.
a) cunt
b) archetypal

6. List two foods that you dislike and most other people like.
a) all seafood
b) tomatoes

7. List two strange habits that you have.
a) blogging
b) filling out these questionnaires



Found it here

YAAAHHOOOOO!!!!!

Beginning December 1st, Western Australia goes on to Daylight saving time. For three years!! Then of course all the nay-sayers will have their chance to screw up summer again. But for the next 3 years.........

Sweet.