No spoilers contained, but some vague plot details. So, I saw Superman Returns yesterday. Bit of a big ol' meh for me although I can see why it would get good reviews. Last week I saw Poseidon which got crappy reviews, and indeed it was stupid and not a patch on the original, but I enjoyed it more than this. If you haven't seen the first two S-Man films, like me, since you were six I advise brushing up on the lore because otherwise you will be left scratching your head at some details. You can get kryptonite from Ethiopia??? I thought it came from Krypton!! -- I had to spend half an hour on Wikipedia finding out why that made sense.
And boy, that Lois is one dull broad. Humourless, annoying, selfish and dull, dull, dull. Clark, what part of "she's a bitch and not worthy of you" do you not understand? Get over it! She treats her boyfriend badly and blithely puts her son in mortal danger and god she is DULL! Speaking of the son, that whole subplot is creepy and no one seems to care about Lois's poor bloke. The film reaches mightily for emotional depth but to me fell flat. Cartoonish, but in the bad way. Nice But Ineffectual Boyfriend is played by James Marsden who I believe plays a similar role in the X-Men movies. He's with Jean Gray but can't realy compete with the awesomeness of Wolverine. Now he has to compete with Super-freaking-man. Poor James.
But Brandon Routh is pretty good.
Nice to see Eva Marie Saint in action though, if only briefly, on her Tamworth farm. If you haven't seen North By Northwest, you simply must.
Friday, June 30, 2006
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
A fool and their money...
or the desperate and their money
or the unobservant and ther money
are all soon parted.
I have this thing about clicking stupid ads that catch my eye, or reading spam just for the fun of it. Especially if they look extremely dodgy. This morning's trawl proved quite successful. There was a google-ad saying "Find your perfect lover, including their name!". Well... what could possibly go wrong with something like that?
I followed the link, and you get a very simple webpage asking for your name, mobile number and starsign. Easy enough. Then it's got the button to make it all happen, with a big red Yes and a giant tick of approval. You then click "yes" (in bigh letters) to receive "My score" in big letters and agree to terms and conditions (in rather little letters). So what is in these terms and conditions? Well... further down the page is a tiny link for these terms and conditions, which is the fun bit. Here's half of what you agree to:
"By signing up with or accessing any of PerfectLover.com.au services, you form a partnership with PerfectLover.com.au whereby you give permission to accept any type of promotional or otherwise content from PerfectLover.com.au and third parties affiliated with PerfectLover.com.au at any time. This includes material sent via SMS, E-Mail or any other means of communication utilized by MobilePhoneMaters.com and any of its affiliates. "
And
" Each love calculation costs $6.60. You are also charged a one time only horoscope club membership fee of $6.60. You will receive one free horoscope with every love calculation. You will then receive weekly horoscope charged at $6.60 each. All messages sentn to the service number will be replied with a charged message of $6.60. You must be the owner of the mobile device or have the permission of the owner. You must be 16 years of age or older. To unsubscribe, send the word STOP to the service number or call 1300 767 306."
Wow. Money for nothing! Would it be fun to put in fake numbers? Would they check them to make sure they are real? And.... what if someone else puts in *my* number? Well I entered some fake details and apparently they send you a pin, which you key in to a second screen which no longer displays any links to terms and conditions. Boy you could sure spam and annoy people quite easily with this.
Dodge-a-rama or what?
or the unobservant and ther money
are all soon parted.
I have this thing about clicking stupid ads that catch my eye, or reading spam just for the fun of it. Especially if they look extremely dodgy. This morning's trawl proved quite successful. There was a google-ad saying "Find your perfect lover, including their name!". Well... what could possibly go wrong with something like that?
I followed the link, and you get a very simple webpage asking for your name, mobile number and starsign. Easy enough. Then it's got the button to make it all happen, with a big red Yes and a giant tick of approval. You then click "yes" (in bigh letters) to receive "My score" in big letters and agree to terms and conditions (in rather little letters). So what is in these terms and conditions? Well... further down the page is a tiny link for these terms and conditions, which is the fun bit. Here's half of what you agree to:
"By signing up with or accessing any of PerfectLover.com.au services, you form a partnership with PerfectLover.com.au whereby you give permission to accept any type of promotional or otherwise content from PerfectLover.com.au and third parties affiliated with PerfectLover.com.au at any time. This includes material sent via SMS, E-Mail or any other means of communication utilized by MobilePhoneMaters.com and any of its affiliates. "
And
" Each love calculation costs $6.60. You are also charged a one time only horoscope club membership fee of $6.60. You will receive one free horoscope with every love calculation. You will then receive weekly horoscope charged at $6.60 each. All messages sentn to the service number will be replied with a charged message of $6.60. You must be the owner of the mobile device or have the permission of the owner. You must be 16 years of age or older. To unsubscribe, send the word STOP to the service number or call 1300 767 306."
Wow. Money for nothing! Would it be fun to put in fake numbers? Would they check them to make sure they are real? And.... what if someone else puts in *my* number? Well I entered some fake details and apparently they send you a pin, which you key in to a second screen which no longer displays any links to terms and conditions. Boy you could sure spam and annoy people quite easily with this.
Dodge-a-rama or what?
Monday, June 26, 2006
Eighty-eight Pages of Pure EVIL
or
Ding-dong the witch is dead!
or
I SO wish I was making this up...
or
Filed pursuant to section 1.911-7(a)(2)(i)(D).
Most of you will know that I've been doing my US taxes so I can act as Coz' sponsor to live in the states. This will be because I have been fuming about it more-or-less continuously for the last 6 months.
Don't look at me like that! You don't know what its like! Its like being forced to write an Emily Bronte novel the length of Robert Jordan's the Wheel of Timelessness(ness) (13x 2000+ page volumes, last I checked) while listening to nothing but hold music and living on SPAM, Cheez-whizz, and Coors Lite. I have to do it in 5-hour stretches minimum, because it takes me at least 4 to tie my brain up into enough of a pretzel to understand what I was doing the last time I worked on it. I once read a technical paper by Stephen Hawking just for the hell of it, and I think by the third pass I almost understood the basic gist of the abstract. But Hawking is like reading "One Fish Two Fish" compared to the IRS; there is a whole generations worth of fucked-up abstract physics that will never be discovered because these guys became tax lawyers instead.
In the booklet that explains the instructions* to the form that allows me to avoid paying US tax on my Australian income and then having to deduct the Australian tax paid**, which Australian tax obviously takes into account Australian tax on all of my US income but then deducts any US tax paid***, there is a note down on page 34**** which casually mentions that if you file this form more than 12 months after the taxes were originally due AND you owe them money then you have to hand write in the space at the top of some other form, in the margin because there isn't a blank for it, the words "Filed pursuant to section 1.911-7(a)(2)(i)(D)"*****! Ngrablah!
Well HA! I'm DONE! Finito! Finished! Assuming I haven't just passed an event horizon of infinite tediousness and emerged in a parallel universe, this puppy is DEAD. Its 88 pages long, not counting the numerous forms I had to half fill out in order to work out that I didn't have to fill them out, nor the number of times I had to fill each one out as I found some obscure subclause that made everything I'd done so far wrong. I conservatively estimate that its taken me about 60 hours worth of work and 5 years off my life. If I, perhaps, partook rather enthusiastically of the fruit of the agave on Saturday night now you know why (sorry about the furniture Scruff; I dance like that even when I'm sober...)
Whew. Got that out of my system. I'll shut up now, honest.
* I'm not making this up.
** Seriously.
*** I'm not kidding!
**** Ok, I made that up, but only because I couldn't be buggered to look up the page number - the booklet IS 44 pages long.
***** I shit you not!
Ding-dong the witch is dead!
or
I SO wish I was making this up...
or
Filed pursuant to section 1.911-7(a)(2)(i)(D).
Most of you will know that I've been doing my US taxes so I can act as Coz' sponsor to live in the states. This will be because I have been fuming about it more-or-less continuously for the last 6 months.
Don't look at me like that! You don't know what its like! Its like being forced to write an Emily Bronte novel the length of Robert Jordan's the Wheel of Timelessness(ness) (13x 2000+ page volumes, last I checked) while listening to nothing but hold music and living on SPAM, Cheez-whizz, and Coors Lite. I have to do it in 5-hour stretches minimum, because it takes me at least 4 to tie my brain up into enough of a pretzel to understand what I was doing the last time I worked on it. I once read a technical paper by Stephen Hawking just for the hell of it, and I think by the third pass I almost understood the basic gist of the abstract. But Hawking is like reading "One Fish Two Fish" compared to the IRS; there is a whole generations worth of fucked-up abstract physics that will never be discovered because these guys became tax lawyers instead.
In the booklet that explains the instructions* to the form that allows me to avoid paying US tax on my Australian income and then having to deduct the Australian tax paid**, which Australian tax obviously takes into account Australian tax on all of my US income but then deducts any US tax paid***, there is a note down on page 34**** which casually mentions that if you file this form more than 12 months after the taxes were originally due AND you owe them money then you have to hand write in the space at the top of some other form, in the margin because there isn't a blank for it, the words "Filed pursuant to section 1.911-7(a)(2)(i)(D)"*****! Ngrablah!
Well HA! I'm DONE! Finito! Finished! Assuming I haven't just passed an event horizon of infinite tediousness and emerged in a parallel universe, this puppy is DEAD. Its 88 pages long, not counting the numerous forms I had to half fill out in order to work out that I didn't have to fill them out, nor the number of times I had to fill each one out as I found some obscure subclause that made everything I'd done so far wrong. I conservatively estimate that its taken me about 60 hours worth of work and 5 years off my life. If I, perhaps, partook rather enthusiastically of the fruit of the agave on Saturday night now you know why (sorry about the furniture Scruff; I dance like that even when I'm sober...)
Whew. Got that out of my system. I'll shut up now, honest.
* I'm not making this up.
** Seriously.
*** I'm not kidding!
**** Ok, I made that up, but only because I couldn't be buggered to look up the page number - the booklet IS 44 pages long.
***** I shit you not!
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Yet another personality test....
I like this one. 5 questions. And it may have given me the correct answer too:
This link was lifted from Anything Girl
| Your Personality Is Like Alcohol |
 You're the life of the party, a total flirt, and probably a pretty big jokester. Sometimes your behavior gets you in trouble, but you still remain socially acceptable. You're a pretty bad driver, and you're dancing could also use a little work! |
This link was lifted from Anything Girl
Friday, June 23, 2006
For Fracks Sake...
Everyone get their arse over to Cute Overload stat.
Must see video of sleepy kitty, reminds me of our last section meeting.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Suck it down!
"Australian Teleservices Association executive director Michael Meredith warns a compulsory Australian do-not-call register would lead to job losses and a sharp drop in the telemarketing industry's revenue."
And also apparently:
"he said many people would join a local do-not-call register whether or not they were receiving such calls."
(see http://www.callcentres.net/CALLCENTRES/LIVE/me.get?site.sectionshow&CALL1066 for the poor telemarketers point of view)
Oh no. Boo hoo. Well, suck it down. It's in. First piece of sensible legislation in a long time.
And also apparently:
"he said many people would join a local do-not-call register whether or not they were receiving such calls."
(see http://www.callcentres.net/CALLCENTRES/LIVE/me.get?site.sectionshow&CALL1066 for the poor telemarketers point of view)
Oh no. Boo hoo. Well, suck it down. It's in. First piece of sensible legislation in a long time.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
tee-hee
Last night we looked at the bestest ever Wolfmother filmclip ever. It's the oine to their sond "White Unicorn" except some very clever chappy has drawn all over it. Go have a look here
The capes and the octopus are the greatest
The capes and the octopus are the greatest
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
My Latest Hobby
Meg and Mr Snerg bought Mouse and I a little tin pop-pop boat when they were in Darwin last. What's a pop-pop boat? Check out the pop-pop pages!
Mouse had bought me a similar one from Gowings a couple of years back. The Gowings boat is from a Chinese factory while the other one is Indian and completely hand made, even the metal tubes look hand rolled.
The hand made Indian boat leaves the other one for dead and makes and enourmous racket while the little machine guns move up and down in time with the popping noise.
Meg & Snerg's gift on the right. Left is one Mouse bought from Gowings.
Mouse had bought me a similar one from Gowings a couple of years back. The Gowings boat is from a Chinese factory while the other one is Indian and completely hand made, even the metal tubes look hand rolled.
The hand made Indian boat leaves the other one for dead and makes and enourmous racket while the little machine guns move up and down in time with the popping noise.
Meg & Snerg's gift on the right. Left is one Mouse bought from Gowings.Well, I was intrugued by the new toy and, after some web surfing I found this:
Now, that is just too cool! Looking around I found some articles on how to build the boats and settled on this for a first project.
I've got as far as the engine coil which I fired up this evening. It seems to work a treat! It actually shakes you hand as you hold it while it's running and, unlike the pop-pop boats that have a built in clicker, it's absolutely silent.
Engine coil with pop-pop boats for size comparison.
Now, that is just too cool! Looking around I found some articles on how to build the boats and settled on this for a first project.
I've got as far as the engine coil which I fired up this evening. It seems to work a treat! It actually shakes you hand as you hold it while it's running and, unlike the pop-pop boats that have a built in clicker, it's absolutely silent.
Engine coil with pop-pop boats for size comparison.But this is just the begining. If the technology scales up, and wee Jasper doesn't have other ideas, I'm planning to have a pop-pop powered dingy for the next messing about in boats.
Scaling up the pop-pop engine with pop-pop toys for size comparison.
Scaling up the pop-pop engine with pop-pop toys for size comparison.And next, the pop-pop luxury Yacht!
pissed off...
I'm getting really REALLY pissed off.
Did you know that there is a bill before the senate (it's passed the lower house) that will change some of the legislation surrounding voting. Apparently this isn't important.. because I can't find anything really in the media. The changes are summed up thus.. taken from the explanatory notes from the office of Eric Abetz these are the ones that particularly annoy me.. comments by me .. this document can be found here and the bill info is here
The bill contains provisions that will:
• increase a number of the disclosure thresholds to above $10,000 (with legislated Consumer Price Index increases) with effect from date of introduction of this bill; from what I can tell this is a raise from $1,500 - at the moment all donors who donate above that must be disclosed - with identifying address etc. To bump that up to $10,000 is so fucking dodgy. What are you scared of people?
• reduce the close of rolls period to provide that, in general, the roll will close at 8.00pm on the third working day after the issue of the writ. However, persons
who are not on the roll (with two exceptions, set out below) will not be added
to the roll in the period between 8.00pm on the day of the issue of the writ and
polling day. The exceptions are for persons who are not on the roll who are
either: 17 year olds who will turn 18 between the day the writ is issued and
polling day; or who will be granted citizenship between the issue of the writ
and polling day. Persons in these categories can apply for enrolment up until
the close of rolls at 8.00pm three working days after the day on which the writ
is issued; Basically if you are not on the roll, or your details are incorrect you have until 8pm on the day the election is called. Screw all young people and those who move or have unstable housing
• introduce a proof of identity requirement for people enrolling or updating their
enrolment by requiring that they provide their driver’s licence number on their
enrolment application. If they do not have a driver’s licence, the elector can
show a prescribed identity document to a person who is in a prescribed class
of electors and who can attest to the identity of the applicant. If an elector
does not have a driver’s licence or a prescribed identity document, then they
must have their enrolment application signed by two referees who are not
related to the applicant, who have known the applicant for at least one month
and who must provide their driver’s licence number; and for those of us who don't have a drivers licence? Maybe a tatoo on the back of my neck?
• provide for the automatic de-registration of all currently registered political
parties six months after Royal Assent, with exceptions for parliamentary
parties and parties with past representation in the Federal Parliament. Any
political party that is de-registered will be required to re-apply for registration,
and must comply with the current requirements in the Electoral Act, including
the existing naming provisions. Political parties that re-apply for registration
within 12 months of de-registration under this scheme will not be required to
pay the $500 application fee; Just GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
• amend the voting entitlement provisions so that all prisoners serving a
sentence of full-time detention will not be entitled to vote, but may remain on
the roll, or if not enrolled, apply for enrolment. Those serving alternative
sentences such as periodic or home detention, as well as those serving a noncustodial
sentence or released on parole, will still be eligible to enrol and vote; hello? What fucking country are we in now? Jesus Christ. Oh wait - these bad bad evil people won't vote for Howard anyways. And they don't need no rights those bad bad evil people
I could go on.. but I'll spare you... but I'm on the warpath Mr Howard, see the pic below, that's me. Watch out.
Did you know that there is a bill before the senate (it's passed the lower house) that will change some of the legislation surrounding voting. Apparently this isn't important.. because I can't find anything really in the media. The changes are summed up thus.. taken from the explanatory notes from the office of Eric Abetz these are the ones that particularly annoy me.. comments by me .. this document can be found here and the bill info is here
The bill contains provisions that will:
• increase a number of the disclosure thresholds to above $10,000 (with legislated Consumer Price Index increases) with effect from date of introduction of this bill; from what I can tell this is a raise from $1,500 - at the moment all donors who donate above that must be disclosed - with identifying address etc. To bump that up to $10,000 is so fucking dodgy. What are you scared of people?
• reduce the close of rolls period to provide that, in general, the roll will close at 8.00pm on the third working day after the issue of the writ. However, persons
who are not on the roll (with two exceptions, set out below) will not be added
to the roll in the period between 8.00pm on the day of the issue of the writ and
polling day. The exceptions are for persons who are not on the roll who are
either: 17 year olds who will turn 18 between the day the writ is issued and
polling day; or who will be granted citizenship between the issue of the writ
and polling day. Persons in these categories can apply for enrolment up until
the close of rolls at 8.00pm three working days after the day on which the writ
is issued; Basically if you are not on the roll, or your details are incorrect you have until 8pm on the day the election is called. Screw all young people and those who move or have unstable housing
• introduce a proof of identity requirement for people enrolling or updating their
enrolment by requiring that they provide their driver’s licence number on their
enrolment application. If they do not have a driver’s licence, the elector can
show a prescribed identity document to a person who is in a prescribed class
of electors and who can attest to the identity of the applicant. If an elector
does not have a driver’s licence or a prescribed identity document, then they
must have their enrolment application signed by two referees who are not
related to the applicant, who have known the applicant for at least one month
and who must provide their driver’s licence number; and for those of us who don't have a drivers licence? Maybe a tatoo on the back of my neck?
• provide for the automatic de-registration of all currently registered political
parties six months after Royal Assent, with exceptions for parliamentary
parties and parties with past representation in the Federal Parliament. Any
political party that is de-registered will be required to re-apply for registration,
and must comply with the current requirements in the Electoral Act, including
the existing naming provisions. Political parties that re-apply for registration
within 12 months of de-registration under this scheme will not be required to
pay the $500 application fee; Just GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
• amend the voting entitlement provisions so that all prisoners serving a
sentence of full-time detention will not be entitled to vote, but may remain on
the roll, or if not enrolled, apply for enrolment. Those serving alternative
sentences such as periodic or home detention, as well as those serving a noncustodial
sentence or released on parole, will still be eligible to enrol and vote; hello? What fucking country are we in now? Jesus Christ. Oh wait - these bad bad evil people won't vote for Howard anyways. And they don't need no rights those bad bad evil people
I could go on.. but I'll spare you... but I'm on the warpath Mr Howard, see the pic below, that's me. Watch out.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
For Battle!
Despite the colder than cold "Cold War Goes Forth!", there was still mightyness to be had:
For Battle!!
For Battle!!
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
masking my cordwangle
Miss Hunnnnnyyyydddddd (yes, I'm sure that's how it's spelt, bloody foreign ye olde welshy-pants names) has posted the words to the highly memorable version of 'green grow my whatsits oh" that Topsy sang at Cold War on her blog, the garment district
This has been a community service announcement!
This has been a community service announcement!
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Federal funding of "pregnancy clinics"
Anyone who objects to federal funding going to pro-life "counselling" clinics might want to follow the link and have a bit of a read...
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
The ForBattle lines are drawn...
A graphical map of the blog. Click the image to go to the place that made it...
Monday, June 05, 2006
The one above "Generic Computer Nerd"
Web page: Fairfax Photos
Search: "Geek"
First photo in sequence. The perfect adornment to your personal shrines to Coz 'n' Ob. Come on, I know you all have one.
Bwaahahahhahaha!
Search: "Geek"
First photo in sequence. The perfect adornment to your personal shrines to Coz 'n' Ob. Come on, I know you all have one.
Bwaahahahhahaha!
Sunday, June 04, 2006
BreastRocket from Planet 9
BreastRocket to Ground Control, seeking permission to land...
this is The Dinghy's grand obsession: the light fitting in our dining room. sure, there's other light fittings (the one in the lounge room, nicked from a house Tops and Mouse used to rent comes a close second), but this one, this one right here, is for The Dinghy!
we've decided it looks like a BreastRocket, due to it's rather round, pendulous nature, with five rockets or afterburners or whatever you call the bits that are stuck on a rocket and make them go whoosh. a BreastRocket with a rather unappeallingly spikey tip - I'd write the N-word (that ends with -ipple) but I'm not sure if that, combined with the B-word (that ends with -reast), would attract too many unsavoury types from Google. heh.
anyway, The Dinghy has wasted at least two beautiful smiles and a really nice Goo on the BreastRocket. should I be jealous of a light fitting? or accepting? it's a tough decision...
...this is Ground Control to BreastRocket.
permission to land has been approved, BreastRocket!
Friday, June 02, 2006
Crafty Stuff
I have been meaning to put this up for a while. The statue is just one of the many interesting things made by a friend of ours in Alice Springs. Her website can be found at Purpleplatypus and it's all for sale.
So To Speak .... *cough*
What horrible Edward Gorey Death will you die?
You will be sucked dry by a leech. I'd stay away from swimming holes, and stick to good old cement. Even if it does hurt like hell when your toe scrapes the bottom.
Take this quiz!
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