tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52132662012-01-13T07:59:38.959+11:00Little bits of the physical, mental, and spiritual experiences that constitute existence - writing, Palm, LIFE, THE UNIVERSE ... AND ANYTHING from Sydney (Australia).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comBlogger21451100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-80712893904854973732012-01-13T07:59:00.001+11:002012-01-13T07:59:38.999+11:00

It depends on what you see as a positive - the headline on to day's Gold Coast Bulletin was: Vampire Killer Living on Coast. If you were afraid of these undead creatures of the night (unless you subscribe to the Twilight model) you might be pleased this was the case and you would see a "good news story". The intention though was not this. It is to let folk know that a woman who stabbed a man to

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-85321141072972452202012-01-04T11:12:00.001+11:002012-01-04T11:12:04.417+11:00

One thing I love about being on holidays is that there is more time for puzzle-play but it has been just a bit disappointing.  I obviously haven't been doing enough of it because one I love and am usually quite good at is now proving quite difficult and I have had to resort to using pen and paper to try to figure out the 9-letter word you can make from the jumble of letters.  Or to self: do more

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-78648141524649106992012-01-02T08:26:00.001+11:002012-01-02T08:26:17.045+11:00

According to a report I was reading this morning in Zite, two habits that people who are interested in self-improvement could take up this year are journalling (for recognizing, learning and remembering life's lessons) and reading books (because successful people do).  

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-43728864241048707022011-11-12T08:25:00.001+11:002011-11-12T08:25:11.202+11:00

Have you ever wondered about how we adopt sayings and never actually question their origins or what they really mean? It struck me this morning that we use the term "Russian Roulette" but it seems to have very little to do with Russia - although Wikipedia suggests this is where the "game" originated - or Roulette - except perhaps (again as suggested by Wikipedia) the spinning action and the

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-41566852356425421572011-10-31T12:49:00.001+11:002011-10-31T12:49:50.787+11:00

I had forgotten I knew the word ... but as soon as I saw the white pencil under the chair at Zarraffas I thought "someone's dropped their chinagraph"- it's been a while since I even saw one - years ... decades - when I was doing my media degree and we used them for marking radio tape (goodness - that really is a very long time ago!) it is amazing how memory works though, isn't it - we can totally

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-51850731128501649762011-10-26T12:26:00.001+11:002011-11-12T08:36:14.184+11:00

I have found a science fiction series on the web which is available free of charge but donations are welcome because it is funded from viewer contributions. It's called h and tells the story of a downed Russian spacecraft which has supposedly returned from Mars carrying a passenger - a young man born on Mars (the first Martian to set foot on earth? - although he hasn't actually yet because he's

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-4474140348552696532011-10-25T07:35:00.001+11:002011-10-25T07:56:19.329+11:00

Boy pleads guilty to killing with axedeclared the headline and I couldn't help wondering if this was about Ivan Milat's relative who took a teenage friend into the Belangalo State Forest (scene of murders for which Milat is currently serving prison time) and murdered him with an axe. The whole thing does raise the issue of nature or nurture - and that if either or both of these influenced the

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-77608381837641117902011-09-23T07:01:00.001+10:002011-09-23T07:01:14.516+10:00

It may be the first and only time but as I was chatting with someone about making a weekly Skype call to Sydney, I was noting that the start of Daylight Savings Time is just around the corner which meant our call time would need to change. Yes, I said, that means we'll bring it back to 8am our time which will be 9am their time. I could hear S do a silent cheer - 21 years later she may never

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-47647515319160073202011-09-16T06:46:00.001+10:002011-09-16T06:48:35.520+10:00

This morning on the way to work, I was following a utility truck (aka ute) for a roofing company and the signage on the tailgate proclaimed "Colourbond and Zincalume specialists". Well, let's hope they're better at installing it than spelling it. Although there could be something to be said for making sure "U" is in a Colorbond moment.

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-57827477695656045362011-09-15T06:46:00.001+10:002011-09-15T06:46:50.712+10:00

The 45th anniversary of Star Trek has led to a few marketing opportunities. You can have your photo added into a Star Trek mosaic. As the FaceBook entry put it: Star Trek: The Next GenerationLimited Spaces remaining! Don’t miss the chance to add your picture to an officially licensed Star Trek photo mosaic. Each Star Trek Fan Mosaic uses photos submitted by fans as the building blocks that

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-76659874169909045192011-09-10T20:56:00.001+10:002011-09-12T19:06:25.758+10:00

I have tried various Apps for blogging from the iPhone and iPad and have now found one that I'm happy with. It's called BlogPress - cost only a couple of dollars - and lets you write - with formatting - and edit blog entries so you can quickly fix that apostrophe or spelling error you wish you'd caught before you published the post! You can also upload photos but I've still to play with that

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-28836091507144079052011-09-10T09:20:00.001+10:002011-09-10T09:20:38.278+10:00

A Gold Coast Pastor is this week attempting to attract more people to his church by holding a charity "fight night". A boxing ring will be set up inside the church and they hope to attract people who have previously thought churches were just for the "old or religious". The C3 Church, in Upper Coomera, was established three years ago and currently hosts about 350 people at its services. The

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-34823674666992030002011-09-09T19:11:00.000+10:002011-09-09T19:13:02.641+10:00

Who knew that it had been 45 years since Star Trek first hit television screens. I had no idea until yesterday when I received a message on FaceBook - and was stunned to realise that I had unconsciously chosen that day to start watching Deep Space Nine - as purchased from JB HiFI during their latest sale. I'm looking forward to watching it even though it will probably never match Star Trek: The

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-42662366929116535062011-09-01T06:45:00.001+10:002011-09-01T06:45:57.371+10:00

Hmmm ... Does it signify changing interests that instead of going to the Tech pages of Zite (personalized magazine available on the ipad) I head straight for the Psychology and Mind section? It pulls together reports from a variety of sources and there are always at least a couple of articles I bookmark (via Instapaper) to read later. Maybe one day I will get to read them - but for now at least

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-61180844558638645842011-08-29T16:41:00.001+10:002011-08-29T16:41:30.817+10:00

Sometimes you fluke it! Some time ago - when they first introduced the stylus for use with iPhone and iPods - I bought the Pogo Stylus which was fine but not perfect. Then I found the Targus stylus at a booth-type electronics store in a local shopping centre. they were kind enough to let me try it out "instore" and I liked it so much I bought two. I sometimes go back to the Pogo just to make sure

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-12348829098035646682011-08-19T14:08:00.001+10:002011-08-19T14:08:37.436+10:00

If water takes different times to boil depending on the altitude - can you boil water in space?

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-44978461097984109592011-08-13T08:28:00.001+10:002011-08-13T08:28:57.313+10:00

One of the things I love about the digital age is that you can get a dictionary that will actually say the word for you - and even though it still hives the phonetic pronunciation, you don't have to rely on it - especially if this is something you've never learnt/been taught. Do they still teach it?

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-12179786590709833852011-08-10T17:35:00.001+10:002011-08-10T17:35:56.341+10:00

National Census Day was today - where everyone in the land stands up to be counted ... or in our case, sits down at the computer to lodge their eCensus online. S had put her hand up for the task - and while she would have preferred to have done it on the iPad, we weren't sure that the eCensus website had been optimised for this technology - so she used the PC. Which is strange because the

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-32794094669743068702011-07-09T22:12:00.001+10:002011-07-09T22:12:06.817+10:00

There's nothing quite like seeing the world through a young person's eyes. This is probably not the advertising approach you'd take to get more people to become organ donors.

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-75283018825737379332011-07-07T06:50:00.001+10:002011-07-07T06:50:14.663+10:00

Of course they are going to have different security requirements and procedures at some grounds - and we've all heard stories of venues who prevent glass bottles being taken into sporting events but this suburban sports field may not be one of them. According to a report in today's Gold Coast Bulletin, back in 2009, Tutaki Olsen walked on to the field of a Melbourne suburban ground after the

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-57244591010715133892011-07-02T13:12:00.001+10:002011-07-02T13:12:11.805+10:00

Having trouble sleeping? You may be just one in a long line of sufferers of PDSD- Post-Dramatic Stress Disorder. Simply put, what you have watched or read in the last hour before putting your head down to sleep may have stressed you out of that I'm tired and want to go to sleep state. i'm still reading up on it but it seems that when you are in an Alpha state - as you are when you watch

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-82296857479577170152011-06-29T06:50:00.001+10:002011-06-29T06:50:55.940+10:00

There was an interesting article this morning on what approach you take to life and the people around you. Are you a naysayer or a yaysayer? Despite the obvious first observation - this is the first time I can remember having seen 3 y's in a word - it does give pause for thought. Do you encourage people by telling them they can do something or they can't do something - and what motivates each

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-63600837516922904592011-06-22T07:12:00.001+10:002011-06-22T07:12:07.633+10:00

I have been watching the machinations within the new NSW Government, especially as it relates to public servants and their pay and conditions (since I was one in a former life). This statement, as noted in The Sydney Morning Herald, intrigued me:Mr O'Farrell said the cabinet had decided to shorten the period for retaining excess public servants from 12 months to just three months and reduce

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-15986236782898976472011-06-14T06:57:00.001+10:002011-06-14T06:57:57.409+10:00

A Malawian man has been found guilty of circulating false documents after distributing Leaflet predicting The Rapture - the event which didn't take place on 21 May. Saduki Mwambene, a 39-year-old bicycle repairman, was given a six-month suspended sentence because he pleaded guilty to the charge. (Meanwhile, US televangelist Harold Camping who predicted The Rapture suffered a mild stroke over

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-59345402303211863702011-05-25T13:00:00.001+10:002011-05-26T09:20:48.592+10:00

Police in the south of England last week were called in after a tiger was sighted in a field off the M27 Motorway. Photos were provided by some tourists who were able to capture the images using telephoto lens. A nearby stadium was evacuated and a helicopter was sent in to assess the situation. It was only when thermal imaging was used that authorities realised not was all as it appeared -

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-60064689154800806772011-05-25T12:19:00.001+10:002011-05-25T12:19:39.714+10:00

John Birmingham's novel Without Warning tells of a mysterious energy wave that sweeps over - actually lingers on - America causing the disappearance of those it comes in contact with except for their clothes and some "residue". People seeing pictures on the web this week could be forgiven for thinking they were related, but the prank photos (they are prank not real) of people's empty clothes

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-5361218871594592682011-05-25T12:13:00.001+10:002011-05-25T12:13:08.873+10:00

The recent eruption of another Icelandic volcano (not the one with the unspeakable name which erupted last year) means air traffic throughout Europe has again been disrupted - but not as badly as last time. So, if the eruption and ensuing ash cloud is much larger, why is there less disruption? Well, according to some reports it's simply that the policy regarding air travel has changed -

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-2744201478651869612011-05-11T06:54:00.001+10:002011-05-11T06:54:46.449+10:00

Why is it that things in life are never always all good or all bad? I was just marvelling at the "Personalized Mazagine", Zite which is a free application on the iPad. It allows you to "tell" the magazine what content you like or dislike so it can tailor your reading to your preferences. It does a very good job of it - too good in some respects and I would happily read just about everything it

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-25172104902987326862011-05-04T16:32:00.001+10:002011-05-04T16:32:54.407+10:00

If Louis Armstrong was known as Satchmo or Louis - pronounced Loo-ee - why was it that in Hello Dolly, Barbra Streisand's (and why is it that I am more sure of how to spell the diva's surname than first name?) character called him "Lou-is"? And why has it taken a thousand repetitions of the soundtrack (it does feel like that many some times) to realise that?

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-55464713281652631632011-04-26T07:19:00.001+10:002011-04-26T07:19:38.273+10:00

Why does this not come as a surprise? Apparently income tax was first introduced in Canada in 1917 to finance the First World War - and it was levied at different rates - based on a man's marital status with single men taxed more - 4% of all income. It became the welfare state's greatest revenue source - which no doubt explains why some country's have a personal tax rate of well in excess of

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-476346943647510942011-04-25T21:49:00.002+10:002011-04-25T21:58:08.804+10:00

Finally I have started posting Samagrams puzzles again. A new puzzle is posted each day Monday to Friday! Give them a go - but don't forget to read the instructions on how to play before you begin,

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-72635028137213338032011-04-25T21:12:00.001+10:002011-04-25T21:12:39.691+10:00

Why is it that when you have coloured shower gel or shampoo it always lathers white rather than its original colour? The same with toothpaste - especially the striped variety - why does it always come out as white? Where does all the colour go?

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-25839522953137418642011-04-24T22:56:00.001+10:002011-04-24T22:56:19.863+10:00

America's Only Humor Site Since 1958, Cracked.com, recently carried on item titled "7 Hotly Debated Movie Questions That Totally Have Answers". It was interesting partly because I didn't know whether or not to believe it but also because I hadn't actually given the "questions" any thought until then and still haven't really except for the one about ''Groundhog Day". Why did Bill Murray's

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-84374708516077362312011-04-24T19:57:00.001+10:002011-04-24T19:57:05.452+10:00

What does a person's browser history tell you about them - working on the assumption that they haven't used one of these browsers that allows "private" browsing - ie deleting your browsing history lest it be discriminating in any way. When I started writing this blog item some time ago, I was planning to list what was on my browser history but having looked up a few sites over the last week,

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-43310826383905203872011-04-24T18:38:00.001+10:002011-04-24T18:38:37.331+10:00

I read a very interesting article today by Malcolm Gladwell about failure - specifically about people choking or panicing in times of crisis - and he used, among others, a couple of sports stories to illustrate his point. One was of particular interest and told of the time a few years ago when golfer Greg Norman lost the 1996 Masters tournament to Nick Faldo. This is often used, in other circles

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-84174390634817153902011-04-23T07:46:00.001+10:002011-04-23T07:46:27.893+10:00

While they seemed to be fairly primitive in appearance from the start - was that really a bathroom plunger for their ray gun? - the Daleks from the TV series ''Dr Who" have struck fear in the heart of we mere mortals. Why is it so? Why should some robots who go around saying "exterminate", especially when they are totally incapable of negotiating stairs (wheels for feet, remember?), be cause for

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-26773840073866972052011-04-21T16:11:00.001+10:002011-04-21T16:11:05.531+10:00

Ever had trouble telling your zebras apart? Well, that may be a thing of the past now that Stripespotter has been developed by a team of US computer scientists and biologists. It works a little like a barcode scanner (you can see how that would work with zebras) to allow the recording and tracking of a variety of different animals - not just the obvious.

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-53929554037224605072011-04-21T15:50:00.001+10:002011-04-21T15:50:31.708+10:00

Over the last few weeks I have noted about 30 articles which have seemed blog-worthy but as yet I haven't found or made the time to write them up - which is a shame given the topics range from gut flora and how it affects the way we think - through to how prejudice evolves! There's also been some interesting work-place related items. Ah well, Easter is almost upon us - so there's a chance for a

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-71587217727791529112011-04-07T16:11:00.001+10:002011-04-07T16:11:42.613+10:00

I admit it - given a choice I would prefer plain packaging for cigarette packets - plain brown that is - leaving off all the "scare" images. I don't think pictures of mouth cancer or eyes or anything else is going to deter a person who really wants to smoke. Maybe it just fosters an "it won't happen to me" attitude. If the Government does legislate here and brings in plain or scare packaging,

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-18259783329692435602011-04-05T06:21:00.001+10:002011-04-05T06:21:47.526+10:00

When shopping this morning I was stunned to pay $3.69 for four apples but flabbergasted to pay $2.98 for one not-very-large banana. I think I knew bananas were going to be expensive but this seems to be exceeding the cost we were paying after Cyclone Larry decimated the banana crops a few years back. Hmmm ... may have to save half for tomorrow.

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-55865854220042444562011-04-02T22:22:00.001+11:002011-04-02T22:22:43.626+11:00

Just when you thought there was some great information available via the web on your smartphone comes this: We're sorry, this story relies on some features that aren't currently available on your mobile device. I may now never know "How to Build A 'Magic' Window".

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-54007145620105791812011-03-31T23:28:00.001+11:002011-03-31T23:28:38.746+11:00

Who ever said "the fastest way to a man's heart is through his stomach" may not have meant that absolutely literally- but now that I have that mental image - it isn't going away.

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-45904535332494872622011-03-29T17:51:00.001+11:002011-03-29T17:51:40.189+11:00

I was very excited for a few moments there. In looking up a puzzle answer, I came across the suggested word "epigaeous" - wow! What a fantastic word for a game of Scrabble - there's at least one of every vowel and it sounds great (or would if I knew how to produce it ... but, alas, if there is mo definition for it - and there appears not to be - it doesn't count! Oops, always good to get a

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-39810060502404962672011-03-26T18:21:00.001+11:002011-03-26T18:21:22.430+11:00

According to a recent study church-goers are more likely to put on weight than their non-church-going associates. While this did not appear to be limited to any one denomination - and there was no clear "winner", it appears that a likely reason for people gaining pounds for piety is that they are more likely to have a bigger social network and eat more often. But this may not be as big a

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-55607743400657196832011-03-26T17:49:00.001+11:002011-03-26T17:49:51.796+11:00

What responsibility do bloggers have to make sure that what they post is right? I read a blog today which highlighted the tussle between Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in today's election. Well, no gold stars here because it is not a Federal election but a NSW State election which has little to do with the ongoing leadership of Australia. So what do bloggers do,

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-54803929027979954012011-03-26T09:28:00.001+11:002011-03-26T09:28:13.837+11:00

It's a challenge sometimes to want to try new and/or exciting things (because, let's be truthful here, some new things are NOT exciting) but it's often worth the effort. Must try harder!

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-32439192297115463162011-03-25T07:21:00.001+11:002011-03-25T07:21:06.531+11:00

Heard on the radio this morning: "Carmel will come back to haunt him.". It's not what they said (karma!!!!) but it is what I heard.

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-19578422822298952932011-03-23T07:32:00.001+11:002011-03-23T07:32:17.824+11:00

I'm not sure I heard it correctly but I thought it said that a man had been stabbed 27 times and then bundled into the boot of a car - and then he escaped at Uki (a small town in northern NSW) and has survived. Another man has been charged with attempted murder. But wow - what a will to live the man who was stabbed must have. And what presence of mind to know/remember that you can open a boot

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-68675441539104489832011-03-10T23:09:00.001+11:002011-03-10T23:09:45.736+11:00

... towel! It makes a change from the towel animals Lisa saw on her Alaskan cruise but it's a shame when people use towels not for good but for evil. A man - described in the press as "a speed-fueled bank robber" - used a towel disguised as a gun to "threaten a teller" and carry out "an armed robbery" in Broadbeach QLD last year. After William Edward Hamilton, 33, pleaded guilty, he was

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-59462312162002363072011-03-10T07:55:00.001+11:002011-03-10T07:57:20.977+11:00

A parliamentary committee in Queensland is reportedly examining whether death poses a pollution hazard. Hmmm - it can certainly pose a personal hazard. Their concern is that both burial and cremation release "carcinogens with significant impacts on the environment". Will they need to come up with alternatives? I've always thought embalming a loved one and having them encased in a transparent

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-53366108206203115882011-03-08T07:40:00.001+11:002011-03-08T07:42:11.723+11:00

Queensland Health is confident that it's new payroll system - introduced a year ago and plagued with problems - is now "under control". When the system first went "live" - without the benefit of running in tandem with the old system for even one pay run - thousands of nurses and hospital workers were underpaid, overpaid or just not paid at all. The good news is, now that the system's "under

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-11626727774350661002011-03-06T02:42:00.000+11:002011-03-06T02:43:16.877+11:00

Photos are amazing things and I'm sure that many a treatise has been based on then. But have they been based on the original - as in unedited - version or on the effect after the pic has been through some photo editing software? I used to be a puritan about not editing pics but somewhere over the last while I seem to have lost that - as I noticed this evening as I cropped and adjusted the

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-9233818804182881582011-02-22T15:15:00.001+11:002011-02-22T15:15:46.605+11:00

I feel like a goose. I have just looked myself out of my voicemail box for my mobile phone. Yet another reason for recording passwords and access codes somewhere!

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-74856294711240229882011-02-22T07:59:00.001+11:002011-02-22T07:59:54.248+11:00

You know you've been playing too many computer-based games when you finish a word puzzle in the newspaper and can't work out why it's not telling you you're got it right (or wrong) ... and you miss the applause!

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-7002828112244015872011-02-21T17:17:00.001+11:002011-02-21T17:17:50.621+11:00

Once upon a time it used to be (well, if you believed the television shows) that people who were arrested and taken off to jail would be allowed one phone call. Today, I was listening to the radio and the report came in of a teenager who was tweeting on her way to the police station - and this tweet had been picked up by the news media. Does this mean the one-call limit no longer applies - if

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-35400803961355232122011-02-10T09:17:00.001+11:002011-02-10T09:17:56.309+11:00

... but tell me what it means! I went to fill the Volvo with fuel yesterday but no matter how hard I tried it wouldn't open (it's linked to the car's central locking - or it's supposed to be). I took the car home and was able to open the "fuel filler flap" after a search on the Internet - and resolved to fuel up this morning. Not to be ... I had pulled into the side street to go into the

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-45190185923523545332011-01-30T20:19:00.001+11:002011-01-30T20:19:18.972+11:00

I recently downloaded an App for my iPad called "Secret Diary" - a place where I could keep all my most secret thoughts under (virtual) lock and key - which is fine in theory but it seems that when I used it the first time - and it's anybody's guess which of my innermost thoughts were recorded there - I set a password which I now cannot remember. Not quite sure how I'm going to reset the password

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-13055125831325036862011-01-19T23:17:00.001+11:002011-01-19T23:17:50.800+11:00

Well full points to Dragon dictation software. After some months of waiting for it to arrive in Australia on the iPhone and iPad it is here and it works very very well. It has very good voice recognition and the user interface is simple and intuitive. It is certainly a pleasure to be able to dictate something and have it come out as a sensible sentence rather than as gobbledygook. It does take

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-75100217113752772922011-01-19T07:46:00.001+11:002011-01-19T07:46:23.567+11:00

There's something about being part of a global economy ... It means you can also get conned from overseas. Apparently international scammers have started targeting victims of the recent Australian floods - phoning them and offering fast-tracking of applications for flood relief for a $200 fee. No such fast-tracking exists. Police have warned that as well as losing their money, victims were

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-72740232897665026372011-01-18T21:51:00.001+11:002011-01-18T21:51:07.789+11:00

The news today is that Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman have just become parents again - using a gestation carrier - was that the term they used for their surrogate "mother". The baby, named Faith Margaret, was born late last year. It was pointed out on one of the television bulletins this evening that there may have been a clue to the new addition to the Urban Kidman family because on the sleeve

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-28231523167096574922011-01-18T21:39:00.001+11:002011-01-18T21:39:45.463+11:00

I have just finished watching a series on the ABC called "Collision". It was recommended by a friend a couple of weeks ago. She had seen it a couple of nights before but it turned out that it was available on iView - which is where you can view programs that have been broadcast over the internet. They are usually available for about two weeks after their initial showing. So, this is how I

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-7794193905907858192011-01-17T14:38:00.001+11:002011-01-17T14:38:34.167+11:00

It would be a poor convenience store indeed which didn't sell toilet paper.

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-43211591629786036322011-01-11T20:46:00.002+11:002011-01-12T08:49:46.818+11:00

We managed to find ourselves on the wrong side of a flooded creek over the weekend and when we waded across, leaving the car on the other side so we could check on the animals (two dogs, two horses) we were surprised when one of the women at the water's edge offered us a lift back to the house - which was 2 kilometres up the hill. We gratefully accepted - given that it's not easy walking in

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-68379914290426026372011-01-11T20:18:00.001+11:002011-01-11T20:18:18.815+11:00

There are some times you just want to stop and listen rather than walking on by. This was the case as I passed the lunchroom today and heard someone telling someone, obviously a reported conversation, I thought, of a husband and wife: I don't care - you've got your mistress and I need to talk to her.

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-8793697219027082282011-01-07T08:05:00.001+11:002011-01-07T08:05:44.242+11:00

what is the big news about to come out of Apple Headquarters? Rumour has it that staff have been told not to take holidays in the three weeks from the end of January - and holiday staff have apparently been retained. Hmmm ... IPad 2, a new iPhone? We'll just have to wait and see.

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-86700356351439719722011-01-06T16:32:00.001+11:002011-01-06T16:32:29.483+11:00

There are just some things that shouldn't make it to the news. I was listening today to a podcast about suicide and I learned that the media stopped reporting on the number of suicides by the general public some time ago. There are, at least, two schools of thought about this - that if you publicise the method of the suicide you can fuel people's ability to commit suicide; but that if you talk

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-85992461226224878382010-12-24T13:21:00.001+11:002010-12-24T13:21:37.461+11:00

When last we saw my brother and his wife back in September they were extolling the virtues of the new "Power Balance" bracelets which were available from lots of pharmacies and chemist shops in Sydney and the Central Coast. They were supposed to restore the body's natural balance, unlock energy flows and generally help make the wearer feel "great". I think I saw earlier this week, in the paper,

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-23682160275641598452010-12-24T13:14:00.001+11:002010-12-24T13:14:19.555+11:00

I'm not sure if this is where it hails from but on the drive back from Kyogle yesterday we passed a paddock full of cows where they were all lying down save for one. It occurred to me then - for the first time - that this was where the phrase "standing" guard comes from.

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-3209185009626955532010-12-21T21:33:00.002+11:002010-12-21T21:37:29.783+11:00

I have been using the SpellCheck facility on our corporate email system and was a little surprised with the suggestion it made for "superannuation".

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-23328437797304661102010-12-15T07:37:00.001+11:002010-12-15T07:37:16.118+11:00

The Courier Mail today promises this about smart phones: We review & rate 40 of the best. Well maybe I'm not as smart as the phones but I could count only 33.

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-83048737316638208362010-12-02T08:13:00.001+11:002010-12-02T08:13:05.548+11:00

The US military is reviewing its policy about banning openly gay soldiers. A study has found the risk "to overall military effectiveness is low" if the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law is repealed. It is surprising that the US goes off to fight for democracy in far off lands but has a problem with full disclosure. Why is it so? That "out" gay people would pose a security risk - or be too

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-53788101890554589722010-11-30T15:43:00.001+11:002010-11-30T15:43:53.067+11:00

When we left Sydney - over 7 months ago - the Phantom's wife Diana had been kidnapped and placed in a prison under another name as a way of punishing the Phantom for his past good deeds. He was supposed to believe she had perished in a terrorist attack. The saga continued to the point that he and Diana are in the same place but she is heavily guarded. How will they get out of this one?

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-33064357491010226372010-10-30T11:09:00.001+11:002010-10-30T11:09:07.519+11:00

I am guilty of needing to know - and needing to know "now!". I have become hooked on the latest series of "The Apprentice" from the US and as I watched this week I realized that since television often comes late to Australian shores, the series may already have been decided. Well, it hasn't but the results for the next few weeks are on the website so I have skipped ahead. There are no

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-45656088254592975572010-10-20T21:42:00.001+11:002010-10-20T21:42:42.354+11:00

Two television parents - the Cleaver's mother and the Cunningham's father - passed away this week. They will be missed.

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-85175195625839140022010-10-20T08:46:00.001+11:002010-10-20T08:46:26.847+11:00

I'm glad it wasn't just me - I read the joke in today's Gold Coast Bulletin and it wasn't funny - but more than that, it didn't make sense ... until I looked it up on the and saw they hadn't included the punchline! The sad thing is that I had to look it up because I'm positive I've seen similar versions of this one before.

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-19341611003101854592010-10-10T11:29:00.001+11:002010-10-10T13:25:19.186+11:00

I have stumbled across a new app for the iPhone - Bump - which allows you to send something to someone else's iPhone just by touching (bumping) them together. Very cool! And once you've done it with them once, you can use the app to message them (as long as they have an Internet connection).

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-68319723050851126822010-10-04T08:43:00.003+11:002010-10-04T08:43:35.547+11:00

Even though we have moved over the border and into a DST-free zone, I still found myself in the time warp yesterday when I was up and ready to go at what I thought was 7.30 but was actually 6.30. I'd usually be able to tell by the sun but it has been raining here for the best part of a month (reminds me of a Ray Bradbury story where the sun only shines one afternoon every seven years) so that

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-45590606255186198002010-09-16T16:39:00.001+10:002010-09-16T16:39:16.089+10:00

Thanks to mate C for the recommendation - I have finally finished reading "Slaughterhouse Five which I am giving a fairly high score - because it featured time travel, aliens, and an anti-war message. I can see though that I am now going to have to do some reading on the bombing of Dresden. The passage I loved most in SF was when main character Billy Pilgrim describes what he sees as he watches

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-29010464834407330702010-08-10T14:02:00.001+10:002010-08-10T14:02:47.832+10:00

I know this makes sense in some way - it was printed on a cheque I saw recently: "Security feature: this cheque contains micoprinted signature lines, the absence of which may indicate a fraudulent cheque." Now, chances are that if someone was printing a fraudulent cheque, they'd leave that bit off - especially as most people these days, in Australia anyway, don't give or receive cheques that

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-44512297795821702332010-08-10T14:00:00.001+10:002010-08-10T14:00:04.428+10:00

Someone asked me a question on the weekend which I wasn't able to answer then and haven't been able to answer since - even though I have been seeking advice from others, and doing some net research. The question: what is the equivalent one-word noun for not committing a sin. The best to emerge so far is "good deed" or the Jewish "mitzvah" but it seems that if the powers that be wanted to

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-40658614217420085812010-08-10T13:57:00.001+10:002010-08-10T13:57:05.665+10:00

I'm sitting in the newly-opened Gloria Jean's at Emerald Lakes (on the Gold Coast, Queensland) and as I catch up on some writing I can't help but think of JK Rowling and other authors who have penned works in coffee shops. It could have been the middle of winter and their abodes didn't have heating, or because they lived alone and just wanted some company around them, but, as long as you have

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-5458825372141802442010-08-10T13:54:00.001+10:002010-08-10T13:54:10.522+10:00

During online training the other day, we were doing formulas in Excel and the trainer was trying to tell us to make sure, that when we were using IF (a logical test) formulas, that we had to make sure to give the either/or option responses in "those things you do in the air when you're having a conversation". I'm pretty sure she meant quotation marks - as was everyone else in the training

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-67129883892544539442010-08-10T13:51:00.001+10:002010-08-10T13:51:41.943+10:00

I have recently been doing some online training courses with work and was a bit surprised when an assessment (of the training) survey arrived via email. It put me in a quandry. I thought the trainer was good but the only options for rating were POOR, AVERAGE or EXCELLENT. I didn't want to mark them as AVERAGE because they were better than that, but I really didn't want to mark them as

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-29309577726393942402010-08-03T10:19:00.001+10:002010-08-03T10:19:28.442+10:00

... suck without you. Catchy title for a song and every time I see it on the Glee album playlist I think "there's no way I'll ever like that" but it is growing on me so much so that today I checked to see what wonderful tune was playing and found I had been totally sucked in!

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-30738705841971547672010-07-26T22:40:00.003+10:002010-07-28T22:41:48.098+10:00

... the more they stay the same. Except in the olden days, I'm sure the carriage return lever on the typewriter used to be on the right, not the left. Or am I remembering that wrongly? Someone has developed the MiTypewriter app for the iPad which has the look and feel - and sound - of an old manual typewriter. Very very satisfying in some ways - but very difficult to correct errors as you

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-48787448140477403542010-07-25T14:23:00.000+10:002010-07-25T14:23:50.733+10:00

Depending on which you believe I was either the 999,999th or 1 millionth visitor to the WebShots photo site when I visited there earlier today.  I played it safe and didn't click on either of the large flashing areas that told me I had a won a prize - one of which was $66.  I think it could have cost me more than that in the long run - for the time I could have had to spend cleaning my machine of

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-3542406233398297222010-07-02T08:39:00.001+10:002010-07-02T08:43:35.166+10:00

One of the things we have loved since moving up here is the stars at night, which are big and bright, and, simply, breathtaking. Looks like we're in for some more action with comets, meteor showers and planetary groupings being clearly visible in the night sky over the coming months. Hmmm ... I wonder where that telescope is or where I can borrow one. And of course, finding Comet McNaught R1

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-63884531518196111202010-07-02T08:35:00.001+10:002010-07-02T08:35:37.813+10:00

Ukulele lovers in Cairns, Queensland, are all heart at the moment - to be precise "Achy Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus. This is the song that organizers hope over 1000 of them will play in an attempt to win a place in the Guinness Book of Records - beating the current 851-player record. "It's going to sound fantastic - one ukulele sounds great, 1000 will sound even better" organiser Gabrielle

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-11020928770881740522010-06-30T07:52:00.001+10:002010-06-30T07:52:34.472+10:00

... there are now some new words/phrases to cover texting disorders. According to a report in today's The Gold Coast Bulletin you could have textaphrenia; textiety or post-traumatic text disorder. The last one is my favourite: physical and mental injuries sustained while texting, such as walking into poles and people, plus feelings of depression when no one contacts them. Textaphrenia isn't

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-55583695880250535232010-06-30T07:36:00.001+10:002010-06-30T07:36:11.833+10:00

"The navy would not need to use a nuclear weapon ..." said former President Bill Clinton when saying there may be no other option to stop oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico other than to blow the well up. There is still some hope that two relief wells might be able to stem the flow, but if that fails he said the most important thing was to fix the leak. "The navy could probably top it but

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-67666901259777472382010-06-30T07:25:00.001+10:002010-06-30T07:25:18.356+10:00

Paul has so far successfully predicted the outcome of all Germany's World Cup games - which in itself isn't spectacular, one could say, unless you were also told that Paul is an octopus. He is being billed as a "psychic octopus" and makes his choice from two boxes, one with Germany's flag, and one with their opponent's, lowered into his tank. Let's hope he continues his winning streak, and, if

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-65376736508089415052010-06-29T07:57:00.001+10:002010-06-29T07:57:05.804+10:00

They're there to lend a hand in times of disaster and they promote drug-free messages ... these are just two of the benefits The Church of Scientology offered to an Australian Senate enquiry when speaking against the introduction of a new bill which would require religious groups to provide what public benefit they provide before granting them tax breaks. They were not, suggested their

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-76570513192375531822010-06-29T07:42:00.001+10:002010-06-29T07:42:11.523+10:00

Without knowing the context - and sometimes even knowing the context - it's difficult to know if this is a positive affirmation or a suggestion that the exercise is a lost cause. You just have to love the English language!

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-88184337205074237522010-06-29T07:32:00.001+10:002010-06-29T07:32:11.030+10:00

What does Lindon Litchfield know that the rest of us don't? In a letter today to the editor of the Gold Coast Bulletin, about Julia Gillard's ascension to power, he asks: "Although one needs to respect the office of PM, the question is how will Gillard handle the coming depression and world war?" and goes on. "No better than her predecessor I suspect. Basically Australia is well and truly

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-54233024442652681412010-06-28T08:38:00.001+10:002010-06-28T08:39:06.279+10:00

Hmmmm. This is a little disturbing. I had just written a blog entry - checked out another application and come back in to finish editing it - when I realised I had not saved it properly and it was "gone" - and now I have absolutely no idea what it was about ... until just then. Not sure if it had anything to do with the newspaper being open to exactly that page - where Gold Coast fertility

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-89521257030445670452010-06-24T08:09:00.001+10:002010-06-24T08:09:11.643+10:00

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd faces a leadership challenge this morning and is quoted as saying "I was elected to do a job. I intend to continue doing that job." The suggestion was that the "job" he was talking about was that of Prime Minister. However, it seems Mr Rudd could have the concept of democracy in this instance wrong - which is a worry in someone who continues to commit

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-81023755000815978582010-06-22T07:56:00.001+10:002010-06-22T07:56:02.963+10:00

How exciting is this? I download the new Apple iOS this morning - onto my iPhone - and am now able to type this using a bluetooth keyboard (conveniently recently purchased for use with the iPad). I am still investigating the other improvement the update delivers. Unfortunately I didn't have time to read all the articles about it while it was downloading - only because I ran out of time. Much

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-88930991352408867052010-06-21T13:38:00.003+10:002010-06-21T22:31:04.802+10:00

I admit it, I have given in and purchased WritePad for iPad - which allows you to write on the screen - just like you can with other tablet devices. I still have to order the stylus that will allow me to write on screen delicately - rather than using sausages like the Koreans who have been hesitant to take off their gloves/mittens in cold weather yet still wanted to be able to use their iPod/

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-55665505800190921792010-06-11T19:09:00.001+10:002010-06-15T07:44:49.089+10:00

Forgive if I have pondered this one before - but how do you name your device - if you name it at all that is. Or, if not a device, then your pet? Or your child? What is it that kicks in and makes you think "I love/like that name enough to want to attach it to something or someone I get to name". Usually my partner helps me with my naming, or friends, but sometimes I manage to find the "right"

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5213266.post-86368894344078333462010-06-11T18:58:00.001+10:002010-06-11T18:58:51.218+10:00

On the way to work this morning (I think it was this morning because I marvelled at how different the drive was when I was 10 minutes later than usual) I saw a woman coming up the street I was approaching and she was pushing a large red and black "runners" stroller - you know the type, they're designed for mothers (or fathers) on the run - literally. Imagine my surprise then when I was within

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0