Corny Arnie

Do you remember 'Last Action Hero'?
I do, but only because there was a great AC/DC single on the soundtrack - Big Gun. The version on the soundtrack (yes I bought it from the bargin basement bin) was a studio take, you can even hear the sound engineers at the end going 'that was awesome!'

It is definetly a classic AC/DC track and thanks to YouTube we can now watch the video including Arnie fooling around as Angus!!! (ho-ho now we larf!!)
Just classsic!
[LINK]

Now I Fly Fish

Got my fly rod yesterday and man it is sweet!!
For those who care its a Sage LE series 5 weight (even comes with its own case, which is handy). I'll spool on the line tonight and get some practice casting in for class next week.

I have to say that I've veiwed fly fishing as something of a goal from the moment I started this great hobby about 3 years ago. To be honest it is not as hard as it looks to cast, if you have ever held a tennis raquet and hit a ball - you can fly cast.
The great thing about the course I'm on is that at the end of it we go on a fishing trip!!!
Very good chance I'll catch a fish on one of those!!

A good use of your time

You have to wonder, who gets up in the morning and thinks to them selves - 'I reckon I'll teach some dolphins how to sing the Batman theme.'

And they still get paid, gotta love the science industry
[LINK]

Angry Monkey BMX Stunt

Haven't much of these guys, but this one is awesome [Link]

Notes from Adelaide cont'd

Now I'm back at my desk (for today at least, I'm off again tomorrow for a week) I thought I would finish off my previous post about Adelaide.
I'm not feeling too inspired to write elegant prose, so in no particular order;

ADELAIDE HIGHLIGHTS

1. 
   Had a cab driver who knew Damien Martin personally (showed me photos of the pair of them together) and claimed he had at one time or another transported most of the Aussie cricket squad around town. He was a cheerful enough chap but his B.O. was blinding.
2. 
   On the Saturday after climbing out of my hangover, I hired a bike by the River Torrens and had great fun going for a bike ride to the beach. Didn't get there in the end as my work colleague called me (he had just climbed out of his hangover) and I convinced him to join me on the bikes. What jolly good fun we had, up hill and down dale and going a bit off road here and there... An afternoon of total regressive fun!!
3. 
   Adelaide has one main drag whose opposite ends are as chalk and cheese. The northern end (Rundell St) has many cafes and restaurants, quite a classy district. While the southern (Hindley St) end is the red light district with quite a lot of seedy bars and strip joints.
4. 
   There is a LOT of heroin on the streets.
5. 
   On our last night in town I wanted to get away from the city (had enough of underage drunks, heroin addicts and seedy pubs - this is what happens when you travel with a Marine!). So we headed past the Gabba and the statue of the Don and found this neat little pub that had great music and atmosphere. Food was awesome, folks were friendly and on Mondays they host 'Pub Cinema' - on the bill for next week was 'Return of the Jedi' and Rocky'.

Overall impressions;
Adelaide has some great buildings and they've done a great job with public art. The food is wonderful, but I would expect nothing less from a city so close to the Barossa Valley. It was a fair bit cooler for me that week, but this is the changing of the seasons. Very easy to get around the city and the city is close to the airport.

Final conclusions - Could I live there... I would say yes I could, but I prefer where I am.

Honourable Mention

Another cartoon from Weebl and Bob, this time with a name drop of someone we should all know... [Link]

Sick Daze

I got back from Sydney on Tuesday night, just in time to make it to my Fly Fishing course I started this week.
But I woke up on Wednesday with a brand new passenger in my gut. It hit me about 10am at work and kept up a steady flow of house cleaning for 2 days, I lost 3 kilos. Today being Friday I managed my first solids, toast and marmite.
I know I'm feeling better when the first thing I want to do around the house is clean. But not having eaten anything for 2 days my energy level is low.
Now I actually have a legitmate excuse for my Playstation, but I feel guilty about 'wasting a day off'...
I don't think I'm quite right in the head yet.

Freakin Stenches Man!!

Everyone has a Zombie plan

Mine invloves hiding out at a mall (not original I know, but practical) then wait for winter to freeze those suckers and get out there with a hammer... SMACK DOWN time baby.

Then I decleare myself supreme ruler etc Institute a 'No John Denver' music policy with brutal consequences for those who disobey, print loads of 'Jez is Tops' t-shirts - that must be worn on my birthday and no bogans. Period.

First time in Adelaide

Hi y'all, I'm in the South of Australia today - listening to Johnny Cash sing Big River (the 1958 version from the Johnny Cash Show).

Something of an associated here in this town as the Murray River flows close by. Actually Adelaide is on about the same longatude as Sydney, so it ain't all that far south as you would think (Melbourne is further South by far)(Some say not far enough).

I haven't seen too much of the city yet, only flew in last night, but it looks pretty nice. Lots of colonial era buildings about with some medium sized hills off to the west.

Will go for a walk later today and report.

Songs you'll never hear from SingStar

I do enjoy SingStar, probably the best use of technology for those too lazy to muck about with UltraStar code. Having reviewed the track listings for the new Anthems game coming out, I was struck by the fact that the only Pet Shop Boys song they could find was an Elvis cover.

Which got me thinking, how do they cull their playlists? 2 Jimmy Barnes songs is pretty bad (especially since one of them isn't Khe Shan...) and why Black Sabbaths Paranoid (why not Iron Man or War Pigs...).

Songs I'd like to see on Jeremy's SingStarRocks;

1. I Wanna Rock - Twisted Sister
2. Jump - Van Halen
3. Legs - ZZ TOP
4. MOFO on a MotorCycle - Machine Gun Fellatio
5. Whip It - Devo
6. I Love Rock and Roll - Joan Jett
7. I Was Made for Loving you - KISS
8. Mama Said Knock you out - LL Cool J
9. God Save the Queen - Sex Pistols
10. Killed by Death - Motorhead
11. Back in Black - AC/DC
12. Wild Hearted Son - The Cult
13. Jane Said - Jane's Addicition
14. Dancing With Myself - Billy Idol
15. Welcome to the Jungle - Guns 'n' Roses
16. Enter Sandman - Mettalica
17. Dude loked like a lady - Aerosmith
18. Stairway to Heaven - Led Zepplin
19. Highway to the DangerZone - Kenny Loggins
20. Rollercoaster - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
21. Burden in My Hand - Soundgarden
22. Greg the Stop Sign - TISM
23. Candy - Iggy Pop
24. Closer - Nine Inch Nails (but with this video)
25. Schools out - Alice Cooper
26. Binkini Girls - The Cramps
27. Louie Louie - The Kingsmen
28. Underdog - The DirtBombs
29. Peace Frog - The Doors
30. 911 is a Joke - Public Enemy
31. The Number of the Beast - Iron Maiden

This years must have stocking filler!!

SingStar has a new game coming out for release in time for Christmas (Baby Jesus would approve!). They are calling it SingStar - Legends, and it looks a whole lot better than the disappointing Anthems.
Track list for Australia/NZ release below;

Aretha Franklin - Respect
Jimmy Barnes -No Second Prize
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
Jimmy Barnes - Working Class Man
David Bowie - Life On Mars?
John Farnham - You're The Voice
Dusty Springfield - Son Of A Preacher Man
John Paul Young - Love Is In The Air
Elton John - Rocket Man
Elvis Presley - Blue Suede Shoes
Jackie Wilson - Reet Petite (The Finest Girl You Ever Want To Meet)
John Lennon - Imagine
Johnny Cash - Ring Of Fire
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama
Madonna - Papa Don't Preach
Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
Midnight Oil - Beds Are Burning
Pet Shop Boys - Always On My Mind
Silverchair - Tomorrow
Sam Cooke - What A Wonderful World
The Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
The Monkees - Daydream Believer
The Police - Roxanne
The Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody
The Angels - No Secrets
The Easybeats - Friday On My Mind
Tina Turner - What's Love Got To Do With It?
U2 - Vertigo
Whitney Houston - Greatest Love Of All

Notes from San Diego Airport

I very rarely have time to catch up with myself when I'm travelling - But this time I decided to make some notes.

San Diego is about 40 minutes odd south from Carlsbad (where I usually stay) and is a pretty easy drive along the freeway (so called because the speed limit posted serves as a 'suggested minimum' to most drivers). So I left early to beat the security rush and because I hate waiting in the security line, or any line for that matter.
Things I can tell you about San Diego airport;
- Its a lot like Perth, minus the international flights. It has the same small departure lounge with one or two concession stands selling overpriced water [There was a recent relaxing of the liquid no fly rules, provided you buy the liquid INSIDE the terminal - Fuckers].
- People covet the electrical outlets so as to charge phones or in my case watch dvd's. Actually I missed my spot and wound up reading a local newspaper cover to cover. Did you know Encinitas celebrated its 20th anniversary as an incorporated borough of San Diego last weekend?!? Really, you didn't - how sad for you. Then you probably also didn't know about the Viking Festival they held - kind of like a medieval fair, if Panterra organised it (I guess, I mean what do you do at a Viking festival "Hey man, Beowulf is the shit!!", "Oh yeah Bro, you totally got that right.", "So dude you wanna drink some larger and ravish some hot chicks?", "Yes I do my long haired Viking friend, Yes I do...").
- I discovered that it is now possible to get $1 coins in the States and that these $1 coins are rejected by every vending machine I could find.
- In San Diego, Mexican food is the equivalent of Chinese food in Australia, only with a higher level of sanitation - but a lot less flavour (oh yeah, I went there).

I was also touched by a young girl and her parents, she had to have been around 12yrs old for sure. She looked happy and quite unremarkable except for this wonderful pair of Gold Mickey Mouse ears. She wore that hat with all the pride of a Marine - you go girl!!

Besides all that, it was an airport terminal. My only glitch was with the ticketing machine, it was self serve. I hate technology, I hate it with a vengeance - and no wise arse remarks about this Blog. I'm talking about the kind of technology Geeky MacFreaky comes up with "To make your life easier" or in this case to fuck with your mind AGAIN as you try and comprehend how get your boarding pass. I despise with cold hatred those sorts of innovations - I want someone behind that counter, I never want to have to think for myself while I book in. That is not my job.
I'm looking at my hastily rearranged flight itinerary (so I can get out to Baltimore for 4 days of training). The gosh darn machine wants my booking number, what they hell does my booking number look like!?!?! I try another menu option, now it wants my frequent flyer card - but won't read the damm thing. Option 3 tells me to pick up the phone and it will connect me with an operator - FUCK YOU!!! I am not talking to chimp-stuffing-olive-munching-cheese-cracking-goat-loving-somabitch!!!!
Then the baggage handler guy with minimal English and a nice smile presses the buttons for me and I work out how to upgrade myself....
I feel small and ungrateful, I slink away toward the security check point - ashamed and dishonoured.

Latter as I relax in a seat with more legroom watching my dvd a buddy 'gave' me, I think to myself, "Maybe I don't hate technology, maybe I'm just getting old."

On the plus side, at my age I can buy all the cool stuff I want when I want (if my wife will let me!)

Far from the maddening crowd

I write this on sunny Monday morning in Baltimore a place I can almost find my way around in the dark. Which is what you need when you fly in from Chicago at 10.30pm local, having started at 10.30am in San Diego. Which is where I have been for the last week. But 10.30pm ET is only 7.30pm WT and about lunch time in Canberra, but only 8.30pm central...
Anyway, I'm awake and fully functioning sitting at a spare desk of my companies Baltimore office and I thought I'd post a note. All going well I'll be home this Saturday in time to play my regular morning soccer game!!

This month is just going to fly by, I have this Saturday to myself and every other waking hour is spoken for. But that is not to say it's not going to be fun October holds the following, an intensive radio presenters course, a week in Brisbane (for work), an all day fitness assesment, cleaning and polishing the deck, fishing and most importantly Halloween!! Which doesn't get much of run here in Australia - sadly.
Somewhere in the next month I hope to set up our first Halloween party, we'll have scary stories, bobbing for apples and budgies (have been watching Bottom series 3 on the planes)

Another silly Song - About CRABS

This is anothre silly but catchy toon!!
And its all about Crabs!!

[Link]

Ninja song!!

This is a very cute video and the song is dangerously addictive!!!
So get ready to Flip Out Like A Ninja

(here)

Super Barrio Man - Luchador Libre!!!

Horray!! At last I finally saw a movie that was as much fun as the trailer - Nacho Libre (Starring Jack Black and directed by the Napoleon Dynamite director, guy, dude... whatever) It was fun, Jack Black was fun and there was mucho Luchadores, great fun for young and old and pleasantly, not one swear word.
After watching a film about Mexican style wrestling, Ash and I were getting a bit carried away Luchador style in the parking lot after the film - But neither of us had been drinking!!! Holy cow!!! Just shows what is possible with good clean fun from time to time.

Actually it reminded me a bit of a Wes Anderson film.

But the I have to confess I am easily suckered in by a good movie trailer. I regularly visit the Apple.com/trailers site and pass a few minutes away. And yet how rarely does the feature do justice to the trailer (ie Star Wars Ep1!!). Some times you know its going to be crap, you just know (ie Miami Vice) but you watch it anyway. Well Nacho Libre delivered as much fun as it promised - and that my friends is a magic all to itself.

Its the last one!?!?!*&^*

Alas after 15 great years of fun and good times, this year is to be the last, the very last Metal For The Brain
Oh woe is me, Metal for the Brain is/was a great concert. A whole lot of fun for lovers of live and loud music. Me mate Ash and I used to enjoy wandering around, drinking a beer or two and getting down to some metal sounds.
The best thing about the concert is that the proceeds go toward victims of brain injury. Believe it or not his is actually a benefit gig (every year some of lovely ladies from the Brain Injury Foundation man a sasuage sizzle tent and are always pleased for any extra donations and a cup of tea). I myself can confidently assert the crowd is always pleasant and well mannered, its a great atmosphere for one and all.
I have cleared my schedule and come November 3rd, I'll be ready for some fun metal noise!!

Fully Fledged Radio Star!!!

I did my radio show and it was awesome!!
Its been a choldhood dream and there I was, actually fulfilling an ambition. Quite an honour I must say and not an everyday event.

Gotta say, people who do that for a living make it seem easy...
I was on for 2 hours but I spent about 5 hours preparing in the evening the week before. A lot of work goes into a radio show. Had my playlist worked out, timed it properly and had a little script to read off so I didn't sound like some mubling, bumbling fool.

In the end the 2 hours flew by, I finised up with more music than air time. Played my sponsorship promo's as per the running sheet and threw to the satelite news feed on time. Did my job well! Even got a call from a listener who congratulated me on doing a great job!!
And after the show, what a buzz! waht a buzz indeed!!

Good clean fun people, thats community radio I tell ya that for free buddy!!

I made the grade!!

All right, as you know I've been doing my radio DJ course with a local community radio station (ArtSound 92.7 FM). Well I was contacted a week ago to do a slot on Sunday, horrah! But I hadn't quite finished my final exam if you will (my On Air Check as they call it).
So some drama's ensue and last night I recorded 30 odd mins of me and got the pass with flying colours this afternoon!!!

I'm in baby!! I'll be hosting Patchwork 10am - 12am, which is a Folk Music show. Now don't say it, first off you are wrong - there is an incredible depth and variety to Folk Music. Its not all Judith Durham and Morris Dancing. And secondly - screw you, I'm a gonna be on air!!!

I totally rule!!!

Bloody Saturday Soccer!!

Well it wasn't too bad, I didn't get hurt for a change.
The important thing is we won 5-4 (1 goal from me!) and we were playing 5 a side, which is an absolute bitch because you are running like a bastard the whole time.
Playing in those conditions its easy to get carried away and try to REALLY give a 110%. My team mate Ross decided that with 5 minutes to go while we were 5 - 3, that Tyson must not score a goal that still would have meant we would have won (if you follow my meaning... it wasn't that big a deal if Tyson scored).
So in a last ditch attempt, Ross slides in to bloke the ball and collects himself on the goal post, and let the goal through anyway...

Poor old Ross, a very nasty cut and a trip to the hospital for stiches. The lesson here is that saturday soccer is all about fun, its about forgetting your troubles for a while and enjoying the company of your friends.
From time to time, its okay to let a goal through.

Ross should be back in action in a week or two.