Things I love part one

 

I've decided to launch a new series of posts orientated towards documenting things that I particularly like. Today I'd like to rant on about Pimms (mainly because I've just had two glasses... or mugs, as it may seem).

I was first introduced to Pimms by SNR (indeed there is a facebook group entitled, 'Hallowed be the day Sikeli introduced me to Pimms', so Ill assume I'm not the only one). Pimms is a fun. Its a cup of the British Empire. It is easy to drink, it is yum, it is nice, clean, wholesome fun.

What I do enjoy about Pimms is that you can taste the history. Its a glass that takes you back to the good old days. Let's face it, the good old days are too long ago. Every time you have a cup of the good stuff you get taken to a better time, a better place, you become a better person.

Yes. That is a nice beginning!

Photo by me!

2008

There are lots of different lists going around at this time of year trying to compile the best of 2008. You know, music, news, sporting events etc. Well I've already put down my favourite songs of 2008, here are some of my favourite moments of 2008 – things that have been big, or important, or just fun. They're in no particular order, just as they come to me.

Moving out of home. Moving over the bridge was lovely. First with Ev & Christina, now with Pete - it has been a hoot. I don't think I ever want to leave the inner west and go north of the harbour again

Working at USU. I love USU, I really think it is a sensational place. Some brilliant moments this year there were the Annual Dinner, the C&S awards night (first time I've ever stayed back for staff drinks at a bar), the Christmas Party & the friends I've made. At USU I've also been to my first ever conference and been flown to consult another uni for the first time. Just a tops year at work.

Stradbroke Races on the June long weekend. The races were really good fun, but then cutting Nick's grass (the best looking girl I've ever kissed as well!), kicking on after we had gone home, getting kicked out of a cab – what a day. Such a fun family, kicking it with the cousines is always sensational.

Material possesion. These include my 323i. It's a nice little car. My 2002 was probably the best car I've ever had, but this one isn't far behind. Needs more work than Inka, but still, what a car. My Rickenbacker. I love it. 330. Beautiful. Finally my new phone, which is lovely. Hopefully that doesn't sound too materialistic.

Being part of the 3rd Grade Premiership. Not as good as the 4th grade permiership last year, but still bloody good. I think that finishing 2nd in the club championship was probably a bigger highlight. Playing 2nd Grade for the first time was pretty great too.

Trip to Singapore. My uncle flew my cousin & I to Singapore. I think this was probably the best holiday I've ever had. Going to the first ever night Forumula 1 Grand Prix, kicking it with the family, eating till I couldn't eat anymore, playing a real 1968 Gretch, just one thing after another. Just a lovely trip

Trip to Radelaide. It was only last week, but was just great to kick it with Dad.

Paint and Bathurst. Paint got so very drunk the night before and fell through a stained glass window... next to his front door. Was a very funny moment.

Playing the field. There wasn't much love in 08, but there were a couple. Much easier to see girls when you're living out of home. I read a great line in High Fidelity that says, 'It's easier to have parents when you've got a girlfriend...my Mum and Dad like me more when I have someone...' I think Ill have to keep that in mind for 2009.

Music and books. I've loved listening to music this year, as well as reading. I think that music and books are very much a highlight of this year

I guess there a few things that I can recall off the top of my head. Looking back, it has been a wonderful year and I've been blessed. There are other things I think that are great, but these are some things that have just jumped out at me. Highlights. If 2009 is any bit as good as 2008, look out!

I hope you've had a lovely year too. I think that looking back over some fun things that have happened makes you realise how lucky you are, I'm sure it's all good.

Looney Tunes

As promised, here is the contrasting top 25 from my current computer. Firstly let me begin by noting that I have only loaded 3 albums onto this computer (Best of Supergrass, Little Barrie and Highway 61 revisited), the rest are all individual tracks that I've downloaded or transferred from another spot. So here we go:

- Most played is Getting Up by Q Tip, with 31 plays

- Last is shared by three songs, Everyday by Buddy Holly, Les-Champs Elysees by Joe Dassin and This will be our year by Pablo, all with 9 plays

- Again two artists have two songs in the list, this time its Van She (Changes, 27, Kelly (Breakbot remix), 25) and of Montreal (Gallery Piece, 15, Id Engager, 12). Van She's two songs are back to back (2nd & 3rd but of Montreal's are not)

- Two songs remind me of girls, being If you wanna be happy by Jimmy Soul & Changes by Van She

- The most unusual song is I missed again by Phil Collins, which I downloaded after hearing classic albums on ABC2, it was an early song on my computer.

- The oldest song on the listening is Everyday by Buddy Holly (1957), & the song added earliest onto the computer on the list is Paris is Burning by Ladyhawke

- The song added most recently is Id Endager

- The breakdown of genres is:
Alternative 1
Electronic 3
Hip Hop/Rap 2
Fluokids.blogspot 1
Rock 7
Soul 1
Soundtrack 2
7 1
NA 6

Don't you feel as if you know me so much better now! I should hope so!

Tunes...

I was just looking at my top 25 most played songs on itunes on my old computer. Here are some stats that might seem ‘interesting’ or ‘vital’ or just things I think I should put down:
- The top song is not one but three songs, ‘Lets stay together’ by Al Green, ‘You’re so fine’ by Paul Kelly & ‘What goes on’ by Sufjan Stevens, all with 113 plays.

- In 25th, just scrapping into the list, is ‘Peaches’ by the Stranglers with 73 plays.

- There are two bands to have two songs on the list, The Beatles (Martha My Dear 110, Eleanor Rigby 107) & Supergrass (Tales of Endurance [Parts 4, 5 & 6] 103, Moving 104); both these bands are back to back in the list (i.e 5th & 6th then 8th & 9th).

- The song that I’m most surprised is in the list is Just Pretend by the Bens, not sure why.

- Only one song reminds me of a girl (some songs instantly remind me of things or people), being Golden Touch by Razorlight.

- The oldest song on the list (i.e the song released first) is Eleanor Rigby, it was also loaded earliest onto the computer out of any of the tracks in the list

-The newest song added to the list is Heartbeat by Annie, which was added in November 2007

- Of the list, the genres are:
o 4 Alternative
o 2 Country
o 1 Dance
o 1 Electronica
o 1 Folk
o 4 Pop
o 2 R&B (real rhythm & blues!!!)
o 9 Rock
- What else do you want to know

I think this will be vastly different to my current computers top 25 (which I know, off the top of my head, is Q Tip Getting up #1 with about 26 plays), but ill document it fully soon.

Merry Christmas!

Low Fidelity?

I'm reading a lot more at the moment. I have always envied well read people; I think it is because they have witty anecdotes they can produce from a popular text that gathers laughter and acclaim from the audience the said anecdote is delivered to. That and I really like words. Words are excellent. I know I have very poor grammar, but I always appreciate words.

Of late I've made a commitment to myself to read more often. Texts, not magazines (I will never stop reading motorsport news though, it is a bit of an obsessions for me. I've read it without break since about 1996/7, originally fortnightly but monthly since last year). The easiest way into the literary world is via the Popular Penguin series. I think this series is just so clever, so true to the original penguin charter. So far I've read In Cold Blood, Lolita & am currently half way into High Fidelity. The first release of the series contains 25 fiction and 25 non fiction titles, I really hope to read the fiction texts by the time uni starts back.

As I mentioned at the start though, I think that reading opens you to fun views, practices and the like. One practice that I just love, from High Fidelity, is the list of girls at the start. Just brilliant. So here I go, a list of girls that I've pined for. Well maybe not, but Ill run through the distinct phases of affection that I've had, so more a breakdown of lust. I think that will be fun.

School
I think we have, invariably, our first crushes at primary school. I, like most of the other boys at school, liked one girl who was pretty, intelligent and sporty. Whilst I had other crushes about that time (on girls who had developed early...) she was the lasting one. Seeing we went to the same high school my crush continued into high school for a few years, until some of the other girls became a little more attractive. I had one lasting crush most of school on one very attractive girl, mainly because she was just so pretty. She was nice enough, but always had much older boy friends so she was never really on the cards.

During school different groups of boys started seeing girls from different schools, namely Loreto and Cheltenham girls. I had crushes on girls from both these schools, and saw a Chelephant for a little while, but was so emotionally immature nothing really happened. There was a gorgous girl from Cheltenham who all the boys had crushes on, I wish that I would have kissed her at some point but never did (mainly because she didn't like me. Small technicality).

Schoolies
At schoolies I kissed two girls. The first night (which was in fact the second night of the week, I had spent the first in BrisVegas for my cousins 21st) I kissed some girl who I think was pretty, but that night was also the first time that I'd ever got very drunk, so I can't remember much of it. The second night and each night thereafter I kissed one girl who was lovely, but I think that she kissed everyone else in the building, including one of my room mates. Well, he had tried to sleep with her and it hadn't worked on the first night, but I think they were star crossed lovers for most of the week and I just got in the middle. Still, good fun.

Uni
In first year there was so much love going around. Like heaps. True to form, I wasn't part of any of it. I think I kissed a couple of girls, but was so shy I didn't kiss many and many didn't kiss me. This was not so disappointing at the time, but seems all the more disappointing looking back on those days now.

In second year right through to the early years of work I was caught up in a love network involving those who I worked with at Uni. I think that I liked most of them at different stages, but nothing ever happened. I in turn liked all their friends, but not much eventuated from them either. A few cheeky pashes perhaps, but nothing of much consequence (nee any consequence).

Today
Well so much remains the same. I still have crushes on those about uni, but nothing ever really happens. I think that if I can draw one lesson from High Fidelity, above and beyond the wonders of the list, it is to be a little more care free. I shall indeed try this in the future in my new well read state.

Anywho, I've always tried to make mixtapes for my friends, so I guess I've some of it down already.

Photo from:
http://www.popularpenguins.com/images/header_popular_penguin.gif

Sugar Cane Juice - tops

 

This is the best juice I've ever had. From a market in Singapore. Tops

Material world

We're living in a material world, and I'm a material person (notice the gender equality of the rewritten, more apt lyrics). I guess that at this time of year, more so than any other point, our obsession with material objects really comes to the fore and dominates our lives. What do you want for Christmas? What should I get for the family? Blah blah. You know the score, the season is overwhelming geared towards giving and receiving, perhaps more receiving than giving. As I've gotten older the joy of giving has begun to far out weight the joy of receiving (its still nice to receive though) & I guess (or hope) this would be the case for a lot of people too. But why? I think it is for the following reasons:

• Giving provides a wonderful personal satisfaction, more than receiving

• As we grow older we appreciate those close to us more and find joy in giving to them

• We naturally accumulate things, so buying presents for people becomes harder and as such, more obscure gifts are given

• Our taste become more defined, so we naturally want more specific things

That is a really shallow understanding. I guess the last point is something that's been evident for me lately. In saying that, it is because at the moment the material possessions I'm keen to 'collect' are:

• A Gibson ES 335

• A Fender Deville valve amp

• To rebuild my car

• A Nikon D90

See the problem. I'm after some very expensive things that I want (read have to) to save for. But ultimately, I think that the real problem, or my real problem, is that my material desire is not in keeping with the spirit of Christmas. I think its best to think about what the season is all about and approach it with that understanding. I think we all need t

o focus on giving a little more, particularly to those less fortunate (particularly if I'm keen to get such elaborate gifts) so that is the idea. Do that.

Still, if anyone is keen, you've seen the list...

Here is a picture I took of a car too, on a nice camera. Yay

Saving for cars

I’m sitting at home playing on my old computer. I was just looking through some of my old files and I found this table:

1 Escort $ 15000 Early 2006
2 Mustang $25000 Mid 2006
3 Early 911 $35000 Mid 2007
4 M5 $40000 Early 2008
5 BMW 3.0 CSL $50000 Late 2008
6 Austin Healey 100/6 $60000 Late 2009
7 E-Type $70000 Mid 2010

This table, under the subheading of revised targets, demonstrates two things. Firstly, that I’m a poor saver. I am yet to purchase any of these, not even close. Secondly, it demonstrates is the change in price of a number of cars, particularly the huge increase in value of early 911s. Just as a point of contrast, here is the original table:

1 Mini Cooper 'S' $14000
2 BMW 325is $16000
3 Ford Escort Mk 1 $20000
4 Triumph TR6 $25000
5 Ford Mustang $32000
6 Ford Sierra $35000
7 Holden Torana L34 $45000
8 Jaguar E Type $55000
9 Austin Healey 3000 $65000
10 BMW 3.0 CSL $80000


This also demonstrates that I haven’t changed that much, as I would pretty much still have the same cars in the beat of a heart. Still, would have been lovely to save along this (obviously not a cent was saved for insurance, rego, service etc in any of these plans, just purchase price. Inflation was also not catered for).

Yes, that was fun. Ill focus on saving I think now for a while, after fixing the BM which is a little sick (& in need of a bit of a g-up anywho).

Perhaps later on ill type a little of some of the old school notes I read… scary!









TOTAL
57000

'n' shit

Oh my, I’ve fallen into my old ways… writing about what I’ve read.

Still, this is a very interesting article. I think it makes a lot of good points, in so much as it does break down the mystery of death for the viewer (in this instance, Craig Ewert’s death). Still though, this would make death no less confronting for those who fear it, as it shows only the physical process, not the after affect. I think that is important, but still it breaks down some of the physical mystery. Well worth a read though.

The other interesting article was this one from the Australian, on the most influential and interesting Australians in 2008. Robbie Deans is an interesting inclusion, given that he is not an Australian but instead a Kiwi coaching the national rugby side. I was going to go off on some tangent ramble about the Australian’s focus on people like Jennifer Hawkins, but when you look how long the list is (193,378 people), I think that every man and his dog must be in there. I might look for the 2008 Rhodes Scholarship winners and the like, they’re probably in there. I hope that Casey Stoner & Mark Webber are in there!

Finally, I like the stereogum and so it was with interest that I looked over their top 50 albums of 08. I’m not too familiar with about 19 of them, & I’ve only got a couple of them, still it’s an interesting break down of the year. It’s interesting to compare the stereogum list to that of the Rolling Stone magazine. Bit of overlap, but not 1000% correlation.

LISTS! Lists are the key! Ranking, order, I love it!

Photo from: http://www.derc.org.uk/projects/goodHabitat.htm

Historically speaking

I have an interesting conundrum to grill you with - Is all history important?

In short, I think that this doesn’t have an answer. Obviously it depends on what you define as important (I would like to think of it as something that significantly affects the outcomes of an event etc), then what you classify as history. Well, let’s take the Free online Dictionary’s definition of history:

1. A narrative of events; a story.

2.
a). A chronological record of events, as of the life or development of a people or institution, often including an explanation of or commentary on those events: a history of the Vikings.
b). A formal written account of related natural phenomena: a history of volcanoes.
c). A record of a patient's medical background.
d). An established record or pattern of behavior: an inmate with a history of substance abuse.

3. The branch of knowledge that records and analyzes past events: "History has a long-range perspective" Elizabeth Gurley Flynn.

4.
a). The events forming the subject matter of a historical account.
b). The aggregate of past events or human affairs: basic tools used throughout history.
c). An interesting past: a house with history.
d). Something that belongs to the past: Their troubles are history now.
e). Slang One that is no longer worth consideration: Why should we worry about him? He's history!

5. A drama based on historical events: the histories of Shakespeare.
(http://www.thefreedictionary.com/history)

I think this conundrum raises fundamental issues about how you view other people and your respect for their beliefs and the like. That is why I’d be inclined to say that it is. On the other hand, I don’t think that every piece of history is ‘important’ in so much as some history is irrelevant to so much of the population, or shapes very small outcomes.

I know why I wrote this, I think it helped me to answer some of my own questions.

I’m listening to the Easybeats singing The music goes round my head (they wrote it). I think the Saints did it better. I think they did Where going to have a good time tonight better than INXS & Jimmy though

Foxey

Age is a funny thing. There is a point in our lives, I think probably 18, where we stop wanting to be older and suddenly focus heavily on reminiscing on the joys of youth. I guess 18 may be a bit rich, but by about 22 you’re definitely looking back to the glory days. Health, abundance of girls, ability to hold liquor yet avoid hangovers – those where the days…

But age has some advantages & of late one component of aging has started to appeal to me greatly. What is it I hear you ponder as you sit staring into the vacant air around your screen? GREY HAIR. Yes, I’ve noticed that more and more grey hairs popping through all over my head recently and I for one could not be happier. I would love to be grey as soon as possible, primarily so my eye brow, or specifically the white patch I have there, is blended in to the rest of my head. I really don’t like it much at all, so to be blended would be grand.

I could even call myself the Silver Fox. Perhaps Silver Service or Old Man River. Maybe even The Man from Snowy River.

Yes, the possibilities are endless.









Image from
http://www.wolfphotography.com/graphics/00000001/D-00577.jpg

Snake on a plane... bursting

I think that perhaps I should tell some stories that are ‘interesting” observations, moments or events that have happened to me*. Seeing as this is a blog that mainly is about my thoughts then it seems to make sense, doesn’t it? If not, stop reading. Ill humour myself for a little.

On Sunday I flew to BrisVegas to present at Griffith University with Al, the Director of my department. Our presentation was at about 10.30, after which we had lunch (with a nice beer) then headed to the QANTAS Club to wait till out 4.15 flight (we arrived at the club at about 2.30). Well… I had about three beers in that time but most importantly, skulled the last and broke the seal. This, as was blatantly obvious at the time, was not a particularly wise move. I got on the plane and proceeded to have two more beers, not needing to go to the loo too much, but maintaining an underlying debate of whether or not I should go and relieve myself. Being the over thinker I am, I decided not to disturb the gent next to me and to wait it out - after all, it wasn’t too bad. I also thought that I may break the seal again and be in trouble on the way down. WOW, did I not know what was in stall.

The nightmare began during the decent, after the seatbelt sign had been on for about ten minutes. I think we hit a few bumps and I suddenly had to piss like a race horse. I was seriously thinking of ways to get off the plane without people noticing that I’d pissed my pants. I pressed the call button to see if a flight attendant would come and let me up, but we were too far into the decent so there was no hope. I started to rock my legs back and forth like crazy to take my mind off the burning desire to slash outside off. Fortunately the bloke next to me had a laugh about it, so I was able to take my mind off it. After mentioning it to Al, he noted that I would be sacked if I pissed my pants on the plane (somewhat as a joke, but who really wants to piss their pants next to their boss on a plane???). Yes, a very real nightmare covered in urine at 5000 feet.

Without wanting to draw the story out too much more, we had to wait on the tarmac for about five minutes, then taxied all the way to the furthest airport gate from the runway. We were in the middle of the plane so it took a little while to get off, but fortunately I made it up the air bridge and to the loo without spilling a drop. A proud moment, I pissed for about two and a half minutes solidly. I hope there is no internal bleeding or a burst bladder. I have subsequently had cramps & pain in my legs from the violence with which I was rocking them back and forth, but I think its all admissible given I made it out alive, dry and with a job.

* Not that I'm very interesting, nor claim to be

Photo from:

http://www.hyperborea.org/journal/images/inflightwoman.jpg

Reading

I have forgotten how nice it is to have a good book. It really is sensational. I say this because I’m currently reading In Cold Blood, which is just tops. I think all too often we loose sight of the fact that there is so much good music, literature and culture out there that is so much more valuable than sitting down and watching telly. I don’t say this to be a high brow intellectual (something I could never aspire to), but I do think that when you’re tired, or bored, or just looking for something to do, it is so much better to grab a book or listen to an old CD. Yes. Do it.

http://www.jamescaccavophoto.com/editorial/TrumanCapoteNewsweek.jpg

I wish

I have an increasing interest in photography. Why? Well a picture says a 1000 words, & I for one do tend to talk a lot, so taking out the middle man is always a good option.
There have been occasions when I have been desperately disappointed that I didn’t have a camera on me though. I’ll make a list of some exceptional moments, starting with an incident today that would have been delightful to remember by way of a photo:

- 40 year old man on a 12 year olds mini mountain bike, fluoro, with pegs on the back, with a stack hat and new ‘extra padded’ seat

- Bride being driven to her wedding on the back of a tractor. Bridal party on tractors following

- (I got a blurry phone photo of it but) A taxi stuck out on the front lawns after trying to drive down the stairs

- Bigfoot – when I saw him down the shops

- Vomiting competition in Canberra

- A group of girls dressed up after Mardi Gras in Hyde Park – they were girls too!

- A certain road side reflector that got run over by a 4wd in Orange

Yes… that would be fun

Photo courtesy of:

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/camera1.jpg

Articles

I think I've been writting a lot about what has been written lately. I promise to write something about something that hasn't been written about some time soon, perhaps tomorrow. That would be worth writing about, so I will, when the inspiration grabs me. Good.

Movin pictures

I really like Australian film. That is important to preface what I’m about to say. I think that a lot of the Australia hype has pulled the Australian film industry back into the spotlight, which is a good thing but points out an underlying flaw – our inability to move outside what would appear to be one genre. Baz has tried something different and it will remain to be seen whether it is ultimately successful, but I think that an inability to move away from black comedy in the past decade has really affected the industry.

I was reminded of this from this article in the Australian today, which explored our best films. There are some great ones in there, but not necessarily many from the past decade. That’s because all of them are orientated around Brian Brown style characters, with twists and turns and the like. The problem is perhaps that films of these type, from the mid 90s, were successful & have been regurgitated to generate or mimic some of that success. We need to get back to the more innovative films that characterised the industry in the 70s & 80s, even films like Strictly Ballroom from the early 90s.

With that out of the way, there really are some good films in this list. A few of my favourites would be:

The Castle – still relevant and widely quoted today. A wonderful insight into bog standard Australian suburbia too, not much has changed

Shine – Such a powerful film, with such wonderful music

Kenny – had the power that The Castle had to infiltrate popular language, very funny

Rose Byrne – Well not really a film, but sill, enough said

Chopper – I love this film. I generally have one of those laugh cringes though when people get hurt, so that was me throughout most of this film

Getting Square – ‘Whose paying for my bus fare?’ Too funny

Don’s Party – A different perspective to a very yobbo period in Australian history

Gallipoli – Such a power film, but I guess this just recounts an event that shaped so much of Australia’s future & national identity

Ill leave it there. I like a lot more, like Malcolm and He died with a falafel in his hand, but Ill just go on too long and need to finish a powerpoint before I go home. Lovely.

http://www.muchadoaboutsomething.com/images/team/AFC_logo.gif

Back in the day when things were cool

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it twice… I love retro n shit, when things were a little more care free.
Here is a wonderful example of advertising being, ah, a little more care free. Care free, or free of care? Who knows, what ever which way you look at it, this is such a tops add I think Holden should run it for the next couple of weeks just to see what sort of response it gets. How good is that fat person on the horse… each time I see that I can’t help but chuckle!

http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/richa306/pictures/thumbs/pages/14-HQ_JPG.htm

Reading

Hello. I know that I seem to be writing a lot, but I’ve been reading a lot today… and reading has upset me.

The first article just pissed me off. Of course I feel sorry for people who didn’t full appreciate that the exit fees for fixed interest rates would rise, but really, how can you cry foul because of a drop in interest rates isn’t past on if you have a fixed rate. I couldn’t believe how people felt they were being cheated by the banks because the RBA brought down the interest rate. It just shows that you need to read the fine print.

The second article is interesting, given that this is what I would consider to be a ‘non uni student’ view of student life, from someone who would have been to uni at a time when uni was free. Let me qualify my opinion by saying that I had a delightful time when I was studying, where I was at home making a fair bit of money. But my experience is indicative of those that Gittens targets – middle classed who graduated to a decent salary. I know thought that my experience was not universal, that there were lots of people who had a very difficult time making ends meet, living away from home etc. You can’t stereotype the student body like he has done. I think my experience now, of working full time and studying, is a little more difficult (well playing rugby made it a bit harder on top as well) as I can see how you need to juggle everything (and I make more money now, which make life easier than other students).

Still, interesting… Well the second one, not so much the first

http://www.speedace.info/media/newspapers.htm

This Sporting Life...

I was only just thinking on the weekend how amazing it was the Roy and H.G were still had This Sporting Life on Triple J after 22 odd years. To read this is a little disappointing, somewhat from a capitalist perspective (but not so much, they’re obviously exceptionally loyal, so I don’t worry about that too much) but mainly from a content perspective. I really hope that they won’t have to change any of their content for commercial radio, but the demographic of Triple M is quite different to Triple J and some of the stories the two tell are a little obscure for the masses. But that is half the fun… we were rolling around with laughter on the weekend when the two were talking about donating $46M to Unicef as part of the Annual Pig shooting festival. I don’t know if this will fly (get it, pigs flying… ooh that is good) as much, which is a pity.

The two are sensational so they’ll be funny no matter what they do, but I would suspect it would be more of The Dream set up, whereby they interview people and the like. Still, they’re my favourite comedians. Listen to this... So good.

Second John Clarke & Bryan Dawe. I guess I shall most likely listen to Triple M as a result… caving into the man!

http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/images/stories/large/2008/08/05/roy_hg2_2877289.jpg

The roof

This articles is a important reminder that there are glass ceilings that still exist in society for women. Bishop seems to be an intelligent woman who is very powerful and successful, but this article examining her facial range, with quotes like, ‘The Liberal deputy leader is carefully co-ordinated in everything she wears, from the heels on her feet right up to the expression on her face’ on the front page of SMH online. We saw this with Gillard in 2007.

When will it stop?!?! Who knows!

To cover or not to cover?

Something I’ve been thinking about lately is whether covers are better than originals. Here are the points for both side:

Covers
- They represent a second life for a song that could build on its foundations
- That the cover could be done by a more talented musician – or a more sympathetic voice (Dylan covers)
- The cover could bring the song to a wider audience
- The song could be recorded with better equipment, resulting in a better quality sound

Originals
- It’s pure
- It is how the artist originally intended
- It is more creative – a cover is just a cover with an interpretation
- KA POW

This argument really needs to be at a song level, not an overarching level I think. Some covers may be great, whereas others may just be terrible. So perhaps we should have a few examples then to illustrate the point?

Okay first of all - Everybody needs somebody to love. Solomon Bourke’s version is soulful, you can hear really taste the texture of the song. Particularly towards the end, it just has grit. Then, the Blues Brothers. This is such a happy version, but when you listen to it in comparison to the original, it does sound a little tame. It does sound like a different song though. Fair to say, round one to the original.

Second example, What goes on. The Beatles version is very much a B-side, with Ringo singing his little heart out. Sufjan’s version is amazing, but then again, you would never pick it for the original. I think this is a clear example of using the original as a basis, but creating an entirely new song. So is it a cover? Well yes, but wow, what an interpretation. Round 2 – Cover.

Thirdly, Memphis Tennessee. Chuck Berry kicked it off, but then Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Rivers (as well as dozens more) have all done versions. Tough competition but as John Lennon said, “If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it 'Chuck Berry '." Yes, I think enough said. This example is interesting though – it demonstrates the rerecording of black singles by white artists for the white market. This is a late version, but in most circumstances the cover was no where near as good.

I could keep playing this game for hours, but I think I’ve made my point. I think originals are generally better, with covers only being better if they add something, or bring something to a song. I think that most of the argument is mainly due to the fact that most covers don’t bring anything to the original song.

Good fun.

http://static.flickr.com/68/186987067_4f43c14c45.jpg

Festive season

I went to a music festival on the weekend and didn’t enjoy it that much. I think there are a few key reasons why I didn’t enjoy it (that being said, it was a super fun weekend kicking it with the kids), here they are:

- The Music – I think a big part of why I was a little unimpressed was because I was blasé about the acts that were playing. If there had been some people I was keen on seeing playing, perhaps it would have been a different story, but as it was…

- Festival goers – A great many people at music festivals are just that, festival goers. They’re none too interested in who is playing or the like, they’re jus there for the festival (eh, I guess that was me on the weekend…). These people tend to be louts and irritating, just there to ‘kick it festively’.

- Tired – Festivals are hard going – long days on the piss outside is always tough

- Music PT 2 – I guess that seeing someone live at their own show is always going to be better than seeing them to a set at a festival

- I’m a grump – Grumpy and dull – that is the REAL problem.

Well there you go. Word

http://gigdoggy.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/woodstock_music_festival_redmond_stage.jpg

I thought these were great in 08

This is a really hard thing to do (which becomes more obvious each time you try to pick a song). I just went through and thought of songs that I’ve really enjoyed this year, songs that I’ve listened to a great deal but would still listen to and enjoy straight off the bat now. So I think these are my ten favourite new releases of 2008*:

Gallery Piece of Montreal
Paris is Burning Ladyhawke
Changes Van She
Vacation from Ourselves Wale
Dusk till Dawn Ladyhawke
Gamma Ray Beck
Getting Up Q Tip
Soon the new day Talib Kwelli
Dropped Phantom Planet
The Race Cajun Dance Party

There are so many more… so many things that are just growing as well. Anywho, there we go. It is still November too, so there is the potential for the entire new Guns n Roses album to take over (but somehow I doubt it). Lists are fun (as seen over the past two days) - I will keep on making 2008 favourite lists I think. Fun

* Obviously other than Gabriella Cilmi

Tech - NO

http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2007/obama_portrait/barack_obama_01.jpg

I saw a delightful article today about Obama not wanting to give up his BlackBurry. Isn’t that fun, you would have to say he would be the first President to be all up on mobiles and email and the like (to be fair, it wasn’t about when Bill was in power). I was just thinking, there aren’t too many technological advancements (such as the BlackBurry) that past Presidents would have had to give up when taking office. I am sure that I’m completely wrong in saying that, my ignorance is often overwhelming, but I simple thought that most technological advancements (such as the telephone itself, electricity etc) would have been utilised by the White House relatively quickly.

I hope Obama get to keep on checking his Facebook, he seems like a bit of an addict there too. His fan page has 3 201 193 members.

The top fan pages makes interesting reading:

1. Obama
2. Sleeping (half as many fans as Obama!)
3. Michael Phelps
4. Facebook
5. Coke
6. Batman – the Dark Knight
7. Windows Live Messenger
8. Pizza
9. You Tube
10. Homer J. Simpson

Some other interesting ones:
Top Band – Coldplay (938K friends)
Top Place – Disney Land (255K)
Top Restaurant – McDonalds (463K)
Top Game – Guitar Hero (338K)
The Titanic (third top place?!?! How many bloody people have been there?!?) – (125K)

Some would say these stats are interesting, some that they’re a little scary – all would confidently say I have too much time on my hands.

Oh well, hope Obama keeps the phone

Go Robbie Go!

I really believe that Robbie Deans’ appointment as Wallaby coach is the single best thing the ARU have done in years. After letting John O’Neill go off and build soccer up and using Knuckles for a few terrible years, Australian rugby was well and truly stunted. I think that despite the loss of the Tri Nations/Bledisloe (I still think we were unlucky there, perhaps Graham Henry did out coach him to an extent with the use of the subs), this has been one of the best Test seasons we’ve had in a long time.

Why? I think that despite relatively low score lines and some below par performances (against Italy and France), we’ve come up with wins. Twelve months ago this would not have been the case. In both games I think that the Wallabies of twelve months ago would have gone wanting and lost the plot. I think this is due to Robbie – it’s the Crusaders ‘get out of jail’ style of play. Those hands for Hynes to score were sensational – we’re taking opportunities that see us win the games. When we start playing Deans’ football for 80 minutes I think we will win back the Tri Nations. Big call, but that’s how Ill call it.

The other thing that has been really noticeable is how much poorer the old laws are. The ELV are sensational to play and in turn provide much better spectacle for the fans. The amount of penalties on the weekend was disgraceful, very dull to watch too. Most of the Super 14 was better to watch than these Tests (although it is always good to see England thumbed), the Tri Nations was a cut above too. Seeing now the Northern Hemisphere sides can’t beat us with the old Laws then maybe they’ll be more relaxed to trailing the new laws!

That is all

Some of the *big* questions

Here are some things I’ve been wrestling with today:

- Hip Hop in French doesn’t sounds as gangsta as Hip Hop in English. I don’t know why this happens, because I think that the French are every bit as bad ass as any gangsta. French hip hop sounds better than any Australian hip hop though
- Where do all the good looking students go during winter? Hibernation? Europe? They’re never on campus when it’s cold, but as soon as summer hits – look out!
- Why does my finger still hurt after being stung by a cactus a month ago?
- Why is Rhiannon RnB? Who exploited the term? Or more specifically, who first used the term incorrectly?
- Why do I tire of music when it gets famous, or widely known? Is it because I become tired of listening to it? Is it because I’m a snob? I don’t know
- Why is Facebook addictive? Is it because I am voyeuristic? Is it because I have too much time on my hands?
- Why oh why did I swallow that fly?

Well there you go. Trash

Shoes and feet

In a past life (or a past blog as it may seem) I have a sneaking suspicion that I had touched on this subject before. Regardless, such an important theme doesn’t need justification to be repeated so we shan’t hold this against anyone… So WHAT is the theme, what is causing all this commotion??? In short it’s shoes.

Due to a touch of vanity (I’m not as vein as others, but more vein than others), I tend to assess people on what shoes they’re wearing. I find that shoes tend to suggest much about an individual, above and beyond what their clothing demonstrates. Why? Well clothing is relatively straight forward to a degree – people can buy nice shirts and the like and have terrible footwear, which would suggest someone investing in their appearance yet not fully pulling it off. Shoes tend to say a lot more – comfort or style, clean or dirty, expensive or cheap. My observation and assessment is not necessarily all about their personality, but it does help understand at what stage people are up to in their life.

If I were to apply this assessment mechanism to myself, I think I would obviously be more impressed (after all, I did pick them all) but I would think that I was a bit of a wanker. Isn’t that a fair assessment!

Back in the day

All I can say is that I miss the good old days of EVERYTHING - cars, rugby, music, most things. There are lots of good things about today, but so much has been watered down. Well, anywho, I wrote that so I could put up this photo - which harps back to the good old days of rugby, namely mid week games, biffs and the All Blacks being beaten by Munster.

Great shot... pity the lost, only just...

Ra Ra's - Taking the bok out

Given the recent US Presidential election, it would be fair to say that Obama and the plight of African Americans has been the recent global focus of racial equality. This is of course justified, indeed the election was a landmark in world history, but this focus has negated the impact of the racial debates currently consuming South African Rugby. For those of you unfamiliar with the issue, it largely centres on the South African Rugby Union’s continual use of the ‘Springbok’ emblem and mascot, a symbol of white power and apartheid to many in RSA – but a logo that has a tradition that dates back to the first ever national rugby side.

Whilst this issue would appear to be relatively small in comparison to other important racial issues, it is the culmination of a rift of much wider issue within RSA, namely the continual racial divide that exist post apartheid. Given my removed perspective my opinion is by no means extensively justified, but it would be fair to say that the SARU continued use of the Springbok in contrast to the use of the King Protea by all other national sides demonstrates a stark divergence from the rest of the nation in a sport traditionally associated with white South Africans. Whilst as somewhat of a historian (what little claims I have to that title), I can appreciate the place of the bok as a part of history in RSA, I believe that in this instance its historical importance is not fitting for the nations future development.

It is, as such, disappointing that so much of the debate around this issue has focused on peripheral points (sex scandal, Luke Watson’s position etc), diverting the focus of many from the key points. I have taken a few key points out of this that I think are important, they are:

- That racism continues throughout the world (especially in Australia), issues such as this are needed to expose underlying problems in order to seek resolutions.
- The media play such an important role in these issues – I would like to see the demographic of the RSA press to get a better understanding of why this has played itself out like it has
- To play the game, not the man

Today it was announced that the side would no longer use the emblem (here). I think it will be interesting to watch how this plays itself out in the coming weeks.

Rick

As it has been such a long time between drinks, I think it may be fitting to introduce you to my new son, Rick:

Rick is not exactly new, he was born in 1998, but I have only just signed off on custody. The custody period was somewhat short; some would go so far as to call it a ‘whim’. I would strongly oppose such harmful remarks; when you make these life changing decisions you have inevitably had a degree of forethought, above and beyond any snap, hungover decision made whilst looking at a music sale down the street. No no, Rich was a glimmer in my eye for a while before the papers where signed.

Rick’s previous custodians, Jackson’s, act much the same way as an exclusive ‘library’ in so much as Rick could be traded for a younger, sexier model in the future. Did anyone say Gibson ES 335? Anyone? Okay I did… In a few years (or next year as it may seem).

Rick is the proud brother of Tele, his younger yet older brother. Tele is a 2007 baby, but a 60th Anniversary. Hmm, interesting middle ground.

Next stop, significant amplification… and more expense… but they are our future, we do have to invest in our children.

Heard 'em say

It has been such a while since I wrote anything here. Obviously the distraction that is Facebook has taken up far too much time and destroyed my contributions to this space, but I will try and write something each day here for the next little while. Why? Well once I looked back on this site, it reminded me of so many things that I was passionate about, or what I was thinking, back in the day. So keep it going son, you keep it going. Well that and I should write more, you need to write to develop your writing (oh really???).

Such fun... ZZ TOP infact