rydblog

What Have We Lost?

2011-06-11T18:56:00.006+09:30

This video may be titled "The Worst Playground Idea Ever", but I disagree. I miss playground equipment like this.
When I was a kid, I rode on roundabouts that spun so fast they made me woozy. I climbed objects that I knew if I fell from, I would seriously hurt myself.
All those things are gone now.
In fact, the age of the knock-around, latch-key kid seem long gone and distant now.
It's a shame.

It started with the roundabouts. They used to be everywhere. Then, one by one, they disappeared.
I used to love roundabouts. I loved running around, pulling at the bar to make it go faster and faster. Then, once it was going as fast as I could possibly make it, trying to leap onboard and, as often as not, failing to adequately get a hold and getting flung off instantly. The times I did manage to get "safely" aboard, I'd gingerly experiment with the centrifugal force, creeping toward the center, where it felt safer, or leaning out as far as my little arms would let me, feeling the rush of the speed and the danger.
It was wonderful.

But then people started getting litigious. Parents stopped realising that broken bones and concussions were just part of growing up. Instead they saw them as signs of liability on the part of the councils who built the playgrounds. It probably wasn't even that many cases, just one or two would have been enough for all the councils to decide it was cheaper to remove the play equipment that it would be to pay out some parents who really should have been keeping a closer eye on their kids.
And now we're all poorer for it.

The worst part of it is that I don't think it has made things any safer.
When I was growing up, I learned to assess risks through playground play. There was one playground near where I lived that had a tower you could climb to the top of. From that top, if you dared, you could jump to another part of the playground. It wasn't what the designers had in mind. If you missed the landing, you could break your neck. But we never missed it. We never fell. However, standing atop that tower, looking and the huge drop between you and your target, you stopped and thought about the risk. You weighed it up.
Kids today aren't given the opportunity to weigh their options like that. They are kept wrapped up in cotton wool. Kept indoors, safe from non-existant boogie-men and dangers concocted by the media to sell advertising on current affairs programs.

The thing is, I believe (and I have no statistics or evidence to support this, just a gut feeling) the rise in dangerous, risk-taking behaviour among teenagers in recent years is a direct result of the sanitization of playgrounds. If kids are denied the chance to assess risks and face consequences when they are in a playground, they are less prepared to assess risks when in cars or in various other situations where the stakes are far higher than a broken arm.

Perhaps I'm wrong. Perhaps teenagers will always kill themselves in cars and on motorcycles. But I can't help feeling that we are living in a culture where we are so afraid of liability and so fearful of our children's safety, that we have stolen from them an important part of growing up and, as a result, have ensured that some of them will never get to grow up at all.

UPDATED:
It seems I'm right on a lot of levels here. This story has since taken off.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/19/science/19tierney.html

The Great Aussie Hotdog

2011-05-08T17:44:00.001+09:30

GeoTagged, [S34.92866, W138.58740]

I walk past this every day and, honestly, something needed to be said.

This is "The Great Aussie Hotdog"?

It's a bit shit, really. Isn't it?

Just a sausage in a bun with a line of mustard and a line of tomato sauce?

I'm disappointed.

In Chicago, they serve a hotdog with chopped onions, sliced tomato and pickles.

In New York, they include sauerkraut, sweet onions and a special tomato sauce.

New Jersey hotdogs are made with pizza bread and include sautéed onion and crispy potato chunks.

All we have is mustard and sauce? Really?

You used to be able to buy chillidogs here. They came piled with beef chilli, corn, guacamole and cheese. I haven't seen them in years though.

Surely the "Great Aussie Hotdog" should be a bit more than just mustard and sauce?

Every Aussie sausage sizzle serves their sausages on sliced white bread with grilled onion. Surely that would be closer to this so-called "Great Aussie Hotdog"?

I mean, really, if it's just mustard and sauce, I think it's time to let go of all delusions of greatness and call it what it is: "The Piss-weak Aussie Hotdog".

And, to be quite honest, I'm entirely okay with that. It's not like I was going to buy one anyway. And doesn't that capture something of the Aussie spirit even better?

"It's a bit shit, but it's Australian!" - Now that's an attitude we can all get behind.

The Truth We All Knew!

2010-11-06T13:49:00.002+10:30

I personally have a theory about the way UPS, TNT and Australian Air Express all have a habit of leaving "Sorry we missed you" notes on your doorstep while you are home and waiting for them.
It isn't in the best interest of the drivers to actually deliver your package. You see, if the package is undelivered, they are required to try a second time. So, if the driver is guaranteeing that they have more work and thus ensuring their ongoing employment!

(Yes, I am well aware that theories like this are how conspiracy nuts get started, but I'm willing to risk it.)

My inner Dali

2010-11-06T01:06:00.001+10:30

I've just entered the current Hipstamatic photo competition. The competition's challenge is to emulate Salvador Dali.
You can vote for my print at http://hpstm.tc/22cr

The Rotunda

2010-11-03T00:05:00.001+10:30

During lunch break today, I wandered down to the Elder Park Rotunda.
It may be crappy Adelaide postcard landmark number three, but it is actually rather photogenic.

A funny thing about technology.

2010-10-31T19:51:00.001+10:30

Why is it that the most impressive thing about new high technology is often how well it emulates old low technology?

This is what I'm all about.

2010-10-19T13:47:00.003+10:30

It's just plain spooky to be the only living soul in an airport.

2010-08-31T21:57:00.001+09:30

James May, Hit-And-Run Killer?!?

2010-03-19T03:13:00.003+10:30

I know this is probably just thoughtlessness on the part of the editorial staff... tragic hit-and-run story on the front page...

And who's this up in the top corner... with the word "Hit" emblazoned and a steering wheel in his hand?

Obligatory Womadelaide 2010 Post

2010-03-14T16:00:00.004+10:30

Once again, I took the closest thing I have to an actual holiday to go to Womadelaide for the full four days.

The following photographic evidence does not really capture the experience adequately.

Suddenly everybody's a bloody comedian!

2010-03-14T15:37:00.001+10:30

Final night of the 2010 Fringe and a few drinks to celebrate a successful run for comedy at the Mercury.

Eddie Ifft, Jason Cook, yours truly, and Andrew O'Neill.

I do not pretend to understand...

2010-02-28T17:42:00.000+10:30

Home taping

2010-02-23T02:56:00.001+10:30

The argument never changes, only the technology...

This just seemed wrong.

2009-12-20T02:34:00.001+10:30

Not only were these little kids blasting away at terrorists with guns that were way too big for them, but I felt like I had to be insanely subtle taking this picture, for fear that someone might think me some kind of pedophile. What has become of the world?

Inexplicable

2009-12-15T15:15:00.001+10:30

No, none of the smiley faces are without a cross through them.

Regarding my previous post...

2009-11-04T20:42:00.002+10:30

It seems I was really on top of the zeitgeist with that video. Within a few hours of posting it, I saw it turning up on buzzfeed and just about every other RSS feed I subscribe to. A day later, while in the gym, I see it play, almost simultaneously on two different "morning" shows.
I almost feel like deleting it now. Any sense of cool has been entirely sapped away.

Ultimate Forklift FAIL

2009-11-03T13:06:00.000+10:30

Wow, huh?

This hardly needs a title, it speaks for itself...

2009-10-09T17:33:00.002+10:30

Wow. Just wow.

Not only it the product astonishing, Shepherd Smith's reaction to it is pure deadpan gold.

I don't understand how they can think this will make people want to buy one...

2009-08-12T19:11:00.000+09:30

Sometimes it's better not knowing.

2009-08-11T23:08:00.001+09:30

I just turned on the TV and was greeted with this image. The sound was down, so I don't know what the exact context was. To be honest though, I don't care. It's perfect as it is.

The end for another year.

2009-03-09T00:56:00.001+10:30

A last look back before returning to the real world.

Enjoying the day at Womadelaide

2009-03-09T00:45:00.002+10:30

Beautiful weather all weekend made for pretty much the perfect Womadelaide.

Speed Caravan

2009-03-09T00:42:00.001+10:30

Definitely THE discovery of this year's Womad. Their blend of traditional Algerian oud and modern electronica was amazing. These guys come highly recommended.

Chai Tent

2009-03-09T00:36:00.001+10:30

This year, the big coffee tent was missing and the Chai Tent was moved to it's place. Kinda a shame, as I used to like the fact the Chai Tent was out of the way and a bit of a secret.

Dresses in the trees.

2009-03-08T13:57:00.001+10:30

Womadelaide 09

Tasty DJ

2009-02-04T21:53:00.006+10:30

I think the post title pretty much says it all.

Z-Trip

2009-01-22T12:45:00.004+10:30

It had not been my intent to attend the Z-Trip gig last night, but tickets were presented to me and I figured I shouldn't say no.

I'm so very glad I went, although I was totally unprepared for the experience I had.

I felt truly part of the events of our times in a way I have never before experienced. Z-Trip started his set by saying he was in a really good mood because his country had just got a new president and he wanted us to celebrate with him.

I've closely followed the US elections, particularly as my mother covered it heavily over at her blog. When Obama won, I felt the same sense that the world had a chance for change with this new leader that I guess everyone felt. But my feelings were quite academic, I never felt touched by the movement on a personal level.

That all changed last night.

Z-Trip's set was an amazing experience. Over block-rocking hip hop party beats, Z-Trip scratched up highlights of Obama's inauguration speech of that very morning, whipping the crowd into a dizzy, euphoric frenzy. We all chanted O.. B.. A.M.A! Over again as we danced in a sweaty, bouncing mass of enthusiasm.

For the first time, I really "got" it. I felt the sense of hope and optimism that has engulfed America. I was touched by this incredible cult of personality. I was part of the now, part of the joyous future.

The last time I felt in any way part of the world experience was 9/11, when we all felt the world become darker and more frightening. It was a time when we all came together in how alone we felt.

Last night was the exact opposite, and boy did it felt good.

Guess who I went to see this week...

2009-01-22T11:51:00.001+10:30

Yeah, they were awesome.

I love Japanese people!

2009-01-16T21:00:00.000+10:30

I think this video explains my reasoning...

Immoral Adapters!

2009-01-06T18:11:00.004+10:30

This sounds insane. I agree with most of it, but feel they are going a little far when they describe them as "possible immoral".

Oddly enough, I recently discovered that you can't buy "piggyback" plugs to put on electrical appliances anymore. You know the ones with a socket on the back of the plug?

You can still buy extension cables with these plugs moulded on the end, but you can't buy one by itself.

Why?

Because some twit put piggyback plugs on BOTH ends of an extension cord and accidentally killed himself when he picked up the live pins at one end.

Personally, I think this is Darwinism in effect. He was clearly too stupid to live and has done us all a favour by removing himself from the gene pool.

Unfortunately, the government decided that we are all that stupid and banned them outright.

As a result, I own a LOT of double adapters.

I also salvage piggyback plugs whenever I see a broken device that has one of these plugs on its cord.

Don't we all?

2009-01-03T18:57:00.001+10:30

I'm really not sold on this product

2009-01-02T12:45:00.003+10:30

Somehow, I just don't think the gentleman in this picture has his priorities right. Sure, he may be enclosed in a fly-mesh bubble, away from nasty insects, but he also appears to be a sad, lonely, friendless git. I really want to ask him if he feels his choice was worth it?
Also, looking at the picture now, I can't help but wonder what it is he's looking at? It isn't the view he has his back to. It certainly isn't his copy of Mao's Little Red Book (an odd choice in itself). Could it perhaps be the single mosquito that he has now realised he has trapped himself inside the tent with?

Suspicious elastic bands

2008-12-14T13:45:00.001+10:30

Sometimes I worry that my mail is being stolen. Gradually, more and more elastic bands have accumalated next to my mailbox. But if some bugger was swiping my mail, they wouldn't be likely to leave the rubber bands, now would they? Some things are just inexplicable.

Iron Chef

2008-12-11T02:53:00.000+10:30

New Zune ad - WTF?!

2008-11-19T11:40:00.002+10:30

Seriously. I mean, damn. I just don't know what market they want to appeal to with this.

But now you've watched it, you can't unwatch it. This is what my nightmares look like now.

The Better Thing

2008-11-16T02:10:00.003+10:30

After copping a hell of a lot of flack for "letting everyone down" last year and not throwing my usual new year's eve party, this year I intend to make amends.

The party is back on!

I don't yet know what the line up of DJs will be, or if there will be any live music action, but I'll update that information on here fairly regularly.

For now, all you need to know is this: you won't need to worry that you are not at the better party - this one will be it. There will be cocktails, lights, couches, quiet nooks, great music and a whole bunch of good people.

Any people with good vibes and a party attitude are welcome, so long as they bring a bottle of liquor for the making of cocktails. We've had nothing but lovely people in past and I trust we will again this year.

If you haven't got an invite yet, email me and I'll sort you out.

Miss South Carolina and the Map Question

2008-10-29T00:32:00.002+10:30

I know I'm waaaay late to this particular party, but this video has done my head in. Forget Sarah Palin getting herself ever more tangled in her answers to Katie Couric, this girl had only one question to answer and gets far more lost than I ever would have thought possible. And apparently she still came third in the pageant!

This pair of jeans has let me down for the last time.

2008-10-27T20:00:00.001+10:30

I'm at Sydney Airport and this shit pair of Syke jeans have torn completely. I've only owned them a couple of months and only washed them a few times. Quality, you have eluded me again.

Opeth

2008-10-13T01:24:00.001+10:30

I went to see Opeth a couple of weeks ago. It was pretty awesome. I would have posted this "live", but I've been a really bad blogger of late. Sorry.

007

2008-08-08T13:58:00.002+09:30

This is very cool. A proposed theme for the new Bond film... one that actually uses the title for the title.
Check it out...

This is just amazing...

2008-08-06T10:59:00.001+09:30

I was just sent this. I think it's fantastic.

Done.

2008-07-20T20:43:00.001+09:30

It's over. The first AD's attitude seems about right.

Final shot

2008-07-20T19:42:00.001+09:30

The film's final shot is now about to be filmed. Final camera rehearsal is happening.

Last day of principal photography.

2008-07-19T14:44:00.001+09:30

Not much left to shoot, and the fact the campsite is looking vaguely dry at last makes me confident this thing will actually wrap tonight.

Trouble.

2008-07-18T16:24:00.001+09:30

Overnight rain has left our principal set completely drenched. We have puddles pretty much everywhere we need to put actors. I think some cunning is going to be required.

Axe wound

2008-07-17T22:04:00.001+09:30

The flash on my camera makes this look really fake, but in the movie this is only seen for a split second and looks pretty convincing.

What is wrong with this picture?

2008-07-17T20:25:00.001+09:30

About to go for the axe shot. One of these hands is latex.

Rigging Dual Cameras

2008-07-17T20:15:00.001+09:30

Going for our key effects shot, so we've decided to run two cameras at once.

Stunt Double!

2008-07-17T17:35:00.001+09:30

Can you spot the difference between our leading lady and our stunt driver?
I thought not. Ah, the magic of the movies!

Adorable and dead.

2008-07-15T19:52:00.001+09:30

Jade is the first character we have killed this evening. Doesn't she look cute? Now I must get back up the tree to direct the discovery of her exquisite corpse.

Directing from in a tree.

2008-07-13T23:35:00.001+09:30

Yeah, I'm twelve feet up a tree, trying to direct the actors while staying out of shot.

Day Five.

2008-07-11T13:39:00.001+09:30

Waiting on set for the actors to be sent down to begin rehearsal. We plan to rehearse and block all afternoon and shoot through the night. We have an ambitious amount to get in the can tonight, but with this approach, we have a good chance of achieving this goal.

Shooting our last daylight material.

2008-07-10T18:36:00.001+09:30

Late afternoon on day four and we have our last daylight shot in the can. Barring reshoots, from here on in it's all running and screaming in the dark for the remainder of the shoot.

Start of Day Four

2008-07-10T12:33:00.001+09:30

Beautiful weather in the forest (perhaps a little too nice, continuity-wise) and fewer pages to get shot, means for a quiet sense of confidence. Here's hoping it is warranted.

Set dressing.

2008-07-08T17:32:00.001+09:30

This is a bit of set that we'll be shooting on tomorrow. The dressers have done an awesome job. Come dusk, this will look really spooky.

Arriving at our principal location.

2008-07-08T15:52:00.001+09:30

Day two of directing this film and we have reached our principal location. The rest of the shoot will be here... In the rain.

I promise I will post again soon (Part 2)

2008-06-28T22:06:00.000+09:30

I'm still very busy, but this is worth sharing anyway:

http://view.break.com/527110 - Watch more free videos

I promise I will post again soon.

2008-06-25T17:38:00.002+09:30

I've been insanely busy these past couple of months, but I have photos and stories to share.
For now, please make do with this video:

Womadelaide 08 - The Rest

2008-03-12T15:43:00.000+10:30

Okay, well here's the rest of the rather incredible Womadelaide weekend.
Please bear with me if there's any strange formatting, I'm using RapidWeaver for the first time to post this blog, as Blogger seemed to have trouble uploading my images.
Let me know if this post doesn't appear at all.

This was a French brass band type thing. To be honest, they gave me the shits. The seemed to be under the impression they were funny. Someone really should have broken the bad news to them - they weren't.
Also, they kept playing while quite acts were on at a nearby stage, drowning them out.

Last year, these trees were filled with lampshades.

Mavis Staples - Soul Legend. I was so far back in the crowd that I never had a chance of getting a decent picture.

Dr Natesan Ramani and his Indian flute orchestra - very cool. Very chilled out. These guys were genuinely transporting.

The Tibetan Buddhist sand mandala... in progress.

People thronging and camping around stage one.

Finished!

A very cool Tibetan folk singer. He didn't seem to be in the program, so I have no idea who he was. A shame really, as I would have bought a CD (if he had one).

Carnivale parade.

Carnivale parade... again.

I have no idea what this is about.

Mamadou Diabate, virtuoso kora player from Mali,

with his famous kora-playing cousin Toumani Diabate. They were very good. I bought both their albums.

Cliche? Yeah, perhaps. But I defy anyone to go to Womadelaide and not take at least one photo of the flags.

From what I understand, this man is trying to get his car keys back from his friend, who is dressed as an elephant.

This is me, watching "The Beautiful Girls" play at stage three. Yes, I know I'm looking in the wrong direction.

David D'or, proving that he really is Israel's answer to Ricky Martin.

Terem Quartet. Awesome as ever. At this point, they were actually playing the theme from "Mission: Impossible" as a Russian folk piece. Genius.

Mista Savona. A Melbourne/Kingston reggae fusion outfit.

As I left, I took a picture of the rubbish, to kind of symbolise the end of the weekend. More interesting, though, was the way all the dust in the air was illuminated by the flash.
All weekend, it had been extremely dusty, with the feet of the record crowds turning dry grass into clouds of dust in no time.
When I woke up on Monday, I was coughing like a three-pack-a-day smoker.
It was kinda worth it though.

Monks

2008-03-07T21:57:00.001+10:30

I've just had an awesomely chill time, listening to these Tibetan monks. Fantastic stuff. John Butler, please note: there are four of these guys and at no time have they tried to call themselves a "trio". Smart fellas, these monks.

Womad time again.

2008-03-07T21:21:00.001+10:30

I seem to be surrounded by dancing hippies. That's okay though. They come with the territory. I do wonder why there are four people in the John Butler Trio, though. Someone should have a word with him about that.

Scorsese's "Silence your cell phone" ad...

2008-02-19T02:12:00.002+10:30

Okay, I admit, two youtube videos of famous filmmakers in a row is a little screen-geek of me... but seriously, who doesn't love Marty? His awesomeness knows no bounds.

David Lynch really is the man.

2008-02-01T13:34:00.000+10:30

Okay, his films may be increasingly incomprehensible, but his comments on how he thinks Product Placement will effect the future of filmmaking are pretty clear...

Santana

2008-01-30T21:46:00.001+10:30

Seems that Carlos Santana is coming to Adelaide to play a concert to all the bogans at the Clipsal 500 this year. To honour that event, I thought I'd post of this classic video of him and the band, cutting loose onstage.

What I've been up to over the past two months (Parts 1 through 12)

2008-01-30T18:39:00.000+10:30

Dang. It's been quite a while since I last posted here. I've been, uh... doing stuff.

For a start, I hooked up with Gemma for some drinks...

Then there was Michael and Shelly's engagement party.
Which included girls...

Twister...

And girls again...

Oh, and a pair of friends of mine getting engaged... I just didn't get a photo of that. (My bad)

I continued to explore my romance with dumplings...

There was a drunken night out...

With some rather amazing cocktails...

Did I mention they were flaming cocktails?

There were Xmas parties...

More drunken carousing (it was the "silly season" after all)...

Then there was New Year's Eve, spent with the lads (quite an odd night, to say the least... nobody seemed to go into town except us and our house parties all fell through... we had fun anyway)...

...Joel, of course, found an excuse to take his shirt off.

Uh, another night out with my best girls...

Umm... and then there was Melanie's costume party...
(I'm the one who doesn't have a costume)

Joel kinda started acting a little spurious, but people seemed to like it...

There was other stuff, but I didn't take any photographs of that stuff so you'll just have to trust me on that.

My Pick For The Film Of 2008

2007-12-13T09:55:00.004+10:30

Seriously, what could top this? It has everything one could possibly hope for in a film. If you doubt me in any way, just watch the trailer again.
Awesome.

High-Five Hollywood

2007-12-06T00:05:00.001+10:30

I don't quite understand why this is so funny. It somehow manages to be the funniest thing I've seen all week. Of course, it has been a slow week, so your mileage may vary.

Did I ever mention that I hate "inspirational" posters?

2007-10-27T16:33:00.000+09:30

I like this one though.

Is this caring in any way?

2007-10-11T20:20:00.000+09:30

Is it just me, or it there a fundamental flaw in logic on display in this sign?

"..we are responsible for your safety" - okay I get this part... they are serving you alcohol and want to ensure nothing bad happens to you - you don't injure yourself or catch fire or anything. Cool. I'm down with that. Fair enough.

But my problem is this part: "If you are drunk.. ..you may be asked to leave." That's just great. Now that's caring. You are drunk and unable to control yourself or behave appropriately, and they'll just turn you out into the street. There are cars out there! Cars are the natural enemy of the drunk person (who tends to stagger toward the pretty-looking and fast approaching headlights).

Heck, if they really are "responsible for your safety", shouldn't they provide a nice safe place to have a lie down or something? Surely ejecting people into the dark and uncaring night - replete with cars, rapists and random stabbings - is not being particularly responsible for their safety.

It's much like having a sign at the Roman Colosseum that reads: "As your Imperial Overlords, we are responsible for your safety. If you become too Christian, we will not serve you and you may be thrown to the lions."

Seriously people, where is the love?

Amy's Birthday

2007-10-10T20:01:00.001+09:30

Amy had birthday drinks at the Bombay Bicycle Club... an odd joint. They clearly spend some serious cash making it look like some quasi-Raj India joint, but then plastered cheap and nasty liquor brand posters over everything and hung McK Bourbon bunting from everything - completely destroying the effect they spent so much money to achieve! Stupid.
Speaking of "completely destroying", however, they had 2-for-1 vodka specials all night... with the expected results.

From there, those of us still standing moved on to ELH, where I ran into Julie and Holly and things took a turn for the drunken.
As is often the case, it was light before I saw home.

Parklife

2007-09-24T02:18:00.001+09:30

Bretski laced me up with a ticket to Parklife today. I just got home. Big day and night. This is the first festival other than Womadelaide that I've been to in the parklands.
Now, before I continue, a disclaimer: people are dancing in the crowds in a pretty serious way... I had a hard time getting a single focused photo.

Right, so I got there just in time for MSTRCRFT - who I love and feel lucky to have had a chance to see play.
Luckier still, I ran into Dee in the crowd and, seeing as how Bretski and his crew were hard to find and harder still to keep in sight for any length of time, it was fortuitous I did find Dee and we became pretty much inseparable for the remainder of the festival.

We moved over to check out Lyrics Born, who will always remain one of my favourite bay area rappers. He did a great set with full band. However, I was surprised at the way, during the song "Stop Complaining", he kept on telling the audience he couldn't hear them and that we weren't singing loud enough. All with a complete lack of irony.
Where I come from, "I can't hear you!" and "You're not loud enough!" can pretty much be considered complaining.

Next up was Derrick Carter in the "Fire Tent", some food and general "festivalness". Then onto the third major highlight of the festival: JusTice.
Maaaaaan, they went off! A mad, stomping set that included everything from Daft Punk; to their own awesome "We Are Your Friends" Simian remix; U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday"; House of Pain's "Jump Around"; to Rage Against The Machine's "Killing in the Name of".
The whole set fully went off.
Here is a short video clip to give you an idea of the going-off-ness of the set and the crowd (and to test this new blipBack mobile video blogging thing.

I must mention though - the mess. Sheesh. You go to Womadelaide and the whole park is immaculate. At Parklife, the whole place was awash in rubbish by the time I got there and it only got worse. I wasn't impressed.

Anyway, once Parklife was over, it was on to the afterparty at Electric Circus. Many laughs and cocktails were had, rounding the night off splendidly.

My ears ring, though.

People I don't look like (part... oh, god.. I don't know, 7?)

2007-09-17T13:26:00.000+09:30

I don't look like Cypher. Okay?

I went into a shop the other day. The girl behind the counter smiled at me and said, "Hey, have you seen 'The Matrix'?"
Now, I knew where this was going. I've been on the receiving end of this particular conversational opener before.
I stared at her blankly and said "Uh, 'The Matrix'? Sorry, never heard of it."
She looked at me with a certain degree of surprise for a moment then laughed and said how funny I was.
She then resumed with "You look just like-"
...At which point I jammed my fingers in my ears and started making a high-pitched whining noise.
Clearly, she wasn't expecting this and asked me if I'm okay.
I explained that if she tells me that I look like Cypher, I will smash everything in the shop.
She smiled and said "No, I wasn't going to say you look like Cypher. I was going to say you looked like... um..."
A few minutes later, I left the shop, leaving her still unable to come up with an alternate character to say I looked like.

Me = Cypher? NO.
Just don't go there.

The Jelly Babie Conspiracy

2007-08-26T20:07:00.000+09:30

There has been an insidious evil going on that no-one seems to have noticed... except for me: the disappearance of a whole segment of the Jelly Baby population. You can see in the photo above the regular contents of a container of Jelly Babies. But look at the image below, and you'll see one of the newly arrived bags of these juicy infants...

The green ones have vanished. I'm not sure quite when this happened but, thinking back, I seem to recall that the green ones were becoming a smaller and smaller minority for quite some time.

There is only one explanation : Ethnic Cleansing.

Now this is truly abhorrent. The idea of discriminating against any group based on the colour of their jubey flesh is appalling enough, but to actually round them up and eliminating them truly chills the soul.
For the love of all that's good, THEY'RE JUST BABIES!! How could they have possibly have done anything to warrant such inhumane treatment, they only left the factory production line days before.

And don't get me started on this outrage...

We must all make our voices heard on this issue, every day we remain quiet, we endorse this injustice.

For those who may have forgotten...

2007-08-12T15:08:00.000+09:30

It really is funny how quickly people forget stuff. I dropped a girl I work with home the other night and, in the morning, she texted me asking if I had any facial hair. She saw me the night before.
I MMSed her this picture:
She then texted back "How long has it been like that?" - as if I'd grown it since she saw me twelve hours earlier.
When I took her up on her poor memory, she confessed she couldn't recall what colour my eyes were either.
For anyone else who may be unsure, I include the following image:
I request that anyone who is having any trouble remembering what I look like download these images and set them as either their desktop backgrounds or mobile phone wallpapers.

Also, as a footnote, this man is not me (to start with, I'm much cuter):
I swear, the next person to tell me I look like him is going to witness the hissy fit of their lives.
DON'T tickle this dragon.

It's true. I'm all about the dumplings.

2007-07-31T15:11:00.000+09:30

I figured, while I'm being all confessional, I should confirm to all those who suspected it that, yes, my principal motivation in everything I do is dumplings.

Ingmar Bergman

2007-07-31T14:51:00.000+09:30

I was saddened, surprised and ashamed to hear of the passing of this great and inspirational filmmaker.
"Ashamed?" I hear you ask... well this relates to the surprised part: You see, I was surprised to hear of his passing, but even more surprised to discover he was, hitherto, still alive.

Beardyman is such a king

2007-07-27T11:25:00.001+09:30

Damn. Not only is this guy a superb beatboxer, but he's posted one of the funniest videos I've seen in a while too.

You can check out more of his stuff at: http://www.beardyman.co.uk

A sort of review of "The Simpsons Movie"

2007-07-18T19:05:00.000+09:30

Having viewed a screening this morning, I thought I'd throw down my
thoughts... seeing as I seem to be one of the first.

The Simpsons Movie is just what you'd expect. The characters are all there, the tone is the same... it really is just a big, cinema scope episode of the show. In order to make the big screen transition seem worthwhile, the stakes have been raised, the animation contains flourishes of detail you'd never normally see, and there are a handful of elements designed to shock certain demographics just enough to get people talking, but not so much as to create any genuine scandal.

While funny (particularly in the first half), you can't help but feel a nagging sense of disappointment. Partly for opportunities missed, partly for sections that feel like retreads of things we've seen the characters do before, but mostly because it really is just a super-sized episode of the show from TV.

I don't think anyone's going to be surprised by this though - it's not as if they were going to break the format in any major (or even minor) way.

After opening with an Itchy and Scratchy cartoon (and a few jokes about how the audience is being ripped off - forced to pay to see something that is on TV for free), the opening titles follow in roughly the same format as the series... mainly visiting different locations in Springfield, but still being fundamentally recognizable.

From there, the first half is well paced and humorous and visits the majority of the characters one hopes to see. Various elements are very effectively set up in the first half and the wheels being very much in motion throughout, once the plot really starts to kick in (about the 40 minute mark) the film starts a gradual slide into mediocrity. The progression of the necessary story events takes a front seat and the humor drops off. Everything becomes quite predictable.

It's not that any of it is bad - it's just no better than the show. If you watch it with a crowd, you'll laugh the majority of the time, just don't expect any quantum leap from what you see at home. Sure, there are some nifty 3D tricks on display (and a few bad ones - check out the sides of screen during the "camera move" through the torch-bearing angry mob and you'll see the figures become pixelated with digital zoom as they pass through extreme foreground), everything is bigger and the stakes are higher, but you won't find a single surprise here.

Maybe that's the point though. This franchise has become something of an elder statesman of popular culture, do we really want to see anything change?

If you've read this far, you know you're probably going to see this film. I just advise to see it with a crowd and to free yourself of any unnecessary expectation - you'll enjoy it a lot more if you do.

Neither great nor bad, The Simpsons Movie coasts through with the occasional spark of brilliance.
Just like the show really.

Kristin's Birthday at ELH

2007-07-01T14:08:00.001+09:30

The ever-lovely Kristin celebrated her birthday at ELH this weekend. A few drinks spiraled into getting home at dawn. Kristin and I being the last ones standing. We do have a lot of fun together.

Alpaca

2007-06-13T12:43:00.001+09:30

What? I need a reason to post a picture of an Alpaca on my blog? Damn you and your judgements straight to hell. It's my blog. Mine!

Me Wantee!!

2007-06-06T02:30:00.001+09:30

I love this t-shirt. It's called "Adorable Disaster".
To be honest, I love a lot of the t-shirt designs over at www.threadless.com.
Sadly this one is all sold out in my size. I must wait for an eventual reprint.

12:34 5/6/07

2007-06-06T02:24:00.000+09:30

Well that was a bit of a fizzer, wasn't it? The universe didn't collapse or anything.
Almost as big a letdown as the millennium.

Another Gentlemen's Absinthe Evening

2007-06-05T02:06:00.001+09:30

Not being able to get all my oldest mates in one place very often had been a frustration for a very long time. A solution seems to be a bottle of top shelf absinthe. (In this case THIS one)
Another great evening of drinking and garbage-talking followed (although there was some horseplay later in the evening). All involved are eager for the next such evening to be arranged.

It should, however, be noted that, when drinking absinthe that contains a suspension of wormwood shavings, straining the wood through your teeth is not the best idea.

At War with the Imbeciles (part XXIV)

2007-06-05T00:04:00.000+09:30

Of late, I've found the stupidity of modern culture increasingly frustrating. One of my greatest peeves has to be stupid "Serving Suggestions".
This one here truly takes the cake.

What the hell is that about?
I mean, seriously, what are they thinking?

As I understand it, a serving suggestion is supposed to be an example of how the food contained within the packaging might be served. (I assume this was born of some customer complaint that the picture did not accurately depict the contents). Thus a tub of yoghurt has a "serving suggestion" of the yoghurt in a bowl with a piece of fruit on it; a packet of couscous has an image of the couscous cooked and on a plate with a garnish. This I comprehend.

What I can not comprehend is the "suggestion" that a jar of peanut butter can somehow be "served" as reconstituted peanuts. How in hell am I supposed to do that? I'm pretty sure the peanut shells depicted in this "suggestion" would have been removed prior to the nuts hitting the blender, so there is no way in hell I'm ever getting those back, even if I could magically re-sculpt nuts out of the butter.

This, in my humble opinion, is stupidity of the highest order and reasonable grounds to start lighting fires in the supermarket aisles that contain the offending packages.
You have not heard the last of this.

Why I've become afraid to go camping.

2007-05-20T22:57:00.001+09:30

Is it really a good idea to take Rambo of all people with you when camping? Didn't he flip out and kill a whole bunch of people last time he went camping?

"Black Friday in Black" Party Photos Finally Up

2007-05-01T21:28:00.000+09:30

Okay, enough with the questions. I've been busy, okay? Click HERE and quit complaining. Regular blogging will resume shortly. Promise.

Spikey Tee at Lotus.

2007-05-01T21:21:00.001+09:30

While Spikey was in town, putting the finishing touches on his album (which is starting to sound dope, by the way), he played a set at Lotus. Clearly, I was there.

Will Post Again Soon

2007-04-16T15:10:00.000+09:30

I've been maaaad busy of late. I swear, there will be party pictures and a full report up here soon. As will other updates of my activities. However, at the moment I am in the midst of writing a treatment for a film and it keeps getting longer and time keeps getting shorter...
(The picture relates to the script, as well as the sensation I'm experiencing while writing it.)

More Prom Party Pictures Up

2007-03-20T02:07:00.000+10:30

After a hell of a lot of fuss, including wiped memory cards; corrupted files; huuuuge emails and several upload stalls, I can finally direct you over here to see Deanne's pictures from the Prom Party.

All over

2007-03-12T22:27:00.000+10:30

The end of another Womadelaide. Once Salif Keita had finished, I made my way over to see Mad Professor's DJ set. Once his last record stopped spinning, I made my way to my car. Exhausted. Elated. Done.

Watching the parade with Ruth

2007-03-12T22:04:00.000+10:30

I spent most of the day with Ruth and her mother, cruising around and watching performers. However, I turn my back on them for just one minute and they almost get crushed by the parade and it comes rushing through. I pity the people who's rugs and bags got trampled by the surging parade.

"History of the Blues" at Womadelaide

2007-03-12T21:39:00.000+10:30

Part of Sunday's events at Womad included a workshop out at the Speaker's Corner that showed how strong the influence of the blues is throughout world music. Fascinating stuff. Clearly I wasn't alone in thinking so - this was one of the best attended of the workshops I've ever seen.

At night two of Mr Scruff

2007-03-11T20:07:00.000+10:30

Word had gotten out about how good Mr Scruff was. The whole area was packed out, so we settled back in the Chai tent and watched the crowd throb.

Flex and I watching Bill Cobham

2007-03-11T20:01:00.000+10:30

Womadelaide kicked on with the amazing drummer Bill Cobham. Brilliant as he was, after twenty minutes of drum soloing, we'd had enough.

Light Flowers

2007-03-10T20:49:00.000+10:30

One of the stalls is dedicated to these rather cool little fairy lights that have been floralised. I'd buy some if I didn't already have so many funky party lights.

Womad Lamp Tree

2007-03-10T20:43:00.000+10:30

One of the cool little details at Womadelaide is this tree full of lamp shades.

Hippy Handstands

2007-03-10T14:31:00.000+10:30

Escaping the heat today at Womad, I retreat to the Chai tent out by the Speaker's Corner stage. While listening to the tabla music, I watch this couple flex and contort into various poses.

Mr. Scruff

2007-03-10T01:22:00.000+10:30

Oh my god. Mr. Scruff played an unbelievable set. Mixing breaks and electronica with dub and afro-beat, he had the whole crowd in the palm of his hand. What's more, if came up to me afterward and thanked me for coming. A DJ of impeccable taste and a gentleman as well.

Damn, man.

2007-03-09T23:22:00.000+10:30

Femi Kuti goes OFF! I am so glad I finally got to see him. I'll hopefully post some pictures of him if there are any that aren't blurry. It was a bit of a Nigerian mosh pit down front. Not exactly ideal for photography. Pumping afro-funk, though. Can't really knock that though.

That time of year again.

2007-03-09T22:16:00.000+10:30

Just waiting for Femi Kuti to start.