Sobby

Name Change

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 02:16:00 +1100

So I decided to make the change from Spiderblog to Sobby. The former is a name that I thought was funny for like a few seconds due to the pun but then I discovered there’s another blog out there with the same name and the person actually talks about spiders. Anyway, the new name Sobby is more fitting for it is my nickname going on 2 years.

It originated when one of my friends looked up the meaning of my name in Latin. To her suprise and my mine, Maria means “Sea Of Bitterness”. If you know me, you’ll know that that is a freaky coincidence. And I’ve always been one of those people that felt worthy of a nickname. So it started as SoB and now it’s more Sobby. You may call it unflattering, I’d call it mine MINE MINE!!! And it’s really stuck: when people actually call me by my real name I look around the room to see who they’re talking to. Say hello to Sobby.

Reflecting On Spiderblog

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 20:08:00 +1100

As I sit here at home, with a paralysing migraine (when I should be in the class this blog was originally created for), too restless to get any more sleep and too doped up to really feel anything, I thought I’d take time to reflect on this blog. Firstly, I named it Spiderblog because I thought it was a pretty cool, lame pun which kind of suited pretty cool, lame me. Spiderblog… of the World Wide Web… HAHAHA! Get it? Apologies to all.

ANYWAY… I’m still very much trying to find my voice. I certainly write with more confidence than I did when I first started but I still have so far to go. When I’ve been complimented by the few people that frequent here, I feel a real sense of pride and achievement and that’s something that I want to keep going. “RANDOM!” is the word most used to describe this blog, and I’ve had a few “You must be pretty crazy in real life” comments, which kind of work for me but I definitely hope they mean those in a good way. I most enjoyed writing my light-hearted criticisms of the likes of Bono, Tyra Banks, Sarah Palin etc. And it was something that I got the most positive feedback for, which is not surprising since celebrity and political scandals are closet addictions for a lot of people, including myself. I just tried to avoid the unnecessary trash-talk and malice of Perez Hilton, and provide (semi) substantiated reasoning behind my words. I also really really really enjoy listing things.

I’m fairly proud of everything I’ve put to cyber-paper here, although I am baffled that I spent as much time writing about the Olympics as I did. For the love of God, this wasn’t an Olympic themed blog and one blog post would’ve been more than enough! In hindsight I care so little for the Olympics that I want nothing to do with the athletes involved until at least the next Games. (Especially Phelps who should stay the hell away from acting!). In my defence, I’m the type that can get easily swept up in the moment, and I went from someone who never even thought about writing a blog to someone who had to write at least twice per week so I was starved for ideas. At least I can look at my weaker moments with an open-mind.

If I can take anything away from this experience, it’s definitely thinking far more highly of the blog-medium. I barely used to visit blogs prior to this class, bar on the occasions I used to scout for rare album links or new album leaks. But now I’m genuinely interested in what people think and write about, what’s important to them, and more so, how they have evolved as bloggers and found a voice their readers come back to time and time again.

5 Things On My Mind During The Uni Break

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:58:00 +1100

1. TV On The Radio - Dear Science
The latest album by Brooklyn’s finest experimental rockers, TV On The Radio, is my new favourite album of the year. The guys behind 2006’s most hailed album, Return To Cookie Mountain, have produced something as equally undefinable but perhaps a little more accessible. Dear Science is funky and slick but with a dark, and broody edge made possible by Tunde Adebimpe’s lyrical themes. It’s an album that has both pretentious and mainstream publications alike salivating at the mouth, with P4K saying, “this shit-hot thrilling music”, and the UK’s Guardian calling it, “career-defining stuff”. TV On The Radio are also coming to our shores as part of the Big Day Out line-up. YAY!

2. It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia
Say hello to the best show since Arrested Development. Described by creator and star, Rob McElhenney, as “Seinfeld On Crack”, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia covers almost every sore-spot and taboo in American society. Channel 7 showed it briefly in an awesome (NOT!) 11:30pm time slot, which is how I happened to catch one episode. Since there hasn’t been an official Australian DVD release of it, I was forced to download the rest. The end justifies the illegal means, if I do say so myself. And it’s the only way the characters would have it.

3. The case of missing Aussie girl, Britt Lapthorne
On a much more serious note, the case of missing Britt has been really tugging at my heart strings for the past two weeks. I joined the Facebook group responsible for generating media attention about her disappearance and I have followed every up-to-date media release so far. Despite thousands of people going missing every day, this hit a little too close to home for me. Travelling around Europe is a rite of passage for so many young Aussies; and this could just as easily have been me or someone close to me. I still have faith she’ll be found alive but I feel so very helpless.

4. Tina Fey’s SNL impersonations of Sarah Palin
Just when SNL was floating around shit creek without a paddle, Tina Fey single-handedly saved the show from the point of no return. If you ask me, her impersonation of Governor Palin is as good as any featured on the show, ever. She almost makes a satirical take appear more believable than the real thing. The highlights so far have to be the NBC interview with Katie Couric and the VP debate. Fey has said she’d be more than happy to stop impersonating Sarah Palin after November 5. I think we catch her drift.

5. Beautiful Photographs
I am now actively since seeking to buy a kick-ass SLR camera after spending hours in awe of the photographs on this website. Must-see links include:

35 Beautiful Examples Of Rain Photography

45 Beautiful Motion Blur Photos

Beautiful Black and White Photography

(Really) Stunning Pictures and Photos

35 Fantastic HDR Pictures

When I was first linked to this video, I thought it was fake....

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:24:00 +1100

When I was first linked to this video, I thought it was fake. Then I realised that that didn’t make much sense since it would impossible for a lion they didn’t raise not to bite their faces off. Anyway, when I realised it was very real, I cried my little heart out.

These two Aussies living in London in the late sixties bought a lion from Harrods (of all places) and raised and nurtured him for one year. They named him Christian. Once Christian became too big for their modest flat, they decided to reintroduce him to the Kenyan wild. After one year his former carers decided to go visit Chrisitan, who had now become the leader of his own pride, ignoring the warnings that he might very well bite their faces off. This video captures the moments they reunite for the first time, unfortunately backed by Whitney Houston’s, “I Will Always Love You”. But this is a true love story. In over four months this video, taken from the feature documentary, Christian, The Lion at World’s End, has amounted over 15 million views on YouTube. And captured many hearts, including mine.

Which made it even more difficult for me to swallow their rejection. I attempted to contact John Rendall and Ace Bourke, Christian’s former owners, in the hope one or both of them would be willing to speak to me about the experience. I figured the guys behind such a heartwarming video would be willing to spare a few minutes of their time, especially since one of them is permanently based in Sydney. This is the emailed reply I got from their management:

“Ace and John are not available to at this time and not participating in any media right now either. This won’t change around your deadline as they are working on projects to bring the whole story to the world and focused on that. All the best.”

What would Christian think? *Shakes head*

“I’d like to be remembered as a guy who tried - who...

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:39:00 +1000

“I’d like to be remembered as a guy who tried - who tried to be part of his times, tried to help people communicate with one another, tried to find some decency in his own life, tried to extend himself as a human being. Someone who isn’t complacent, who doesn’t cop out.”

Paul Newman
1925 - 2008

Image taken from Google Images

50 Great Album Covers

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 00:24:00 +1000

Over the course of several hours, I rather painstakingly assembled this list. I scoured through my record collection and chose my favourite covers; it is therefore completely subjective and by no means definitive. Along will some iconic favourites, I wanted to throw some less hailed covers into the mix. I selected them based on how well I thought they reflected the music they accompany, as well as overall ironicness or just plain easiness on the eye. I also noticed a trend: all covers here are from albums which I enjoy a great deal. I figured no one would say how awesome they found a cover if they thought the album itself sucked. And none of these do, so be sure to follow the links if you are unfamiliar with any artists or albums. Without further adieu, I present you the list!

Miles Davis - Bitches Brew (1969)

DJ Shadow - Endtroducing….. (1996)

Dinosaur Jr - You’re Living All Over Me (1987)

The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms (1980)

Betty Davis - Nasty Gal (1975)

PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love (1995)

Funkadelic - Maggot Brain (1971)

Isaac Hayes - Hot Buttered Soul (1969)

Husker Du - Zen Arcade (1984)

Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures (1979)

Love - Forever Changes (1967)

Magazine - Real Life (1978)

Curtis Mayfield - Curtis (1970)

Prince - Sign O’ The Times (1987)

Joni Mitchell - Blue (1971)

My Bloody Valentine - Loveless (1991)

Mos Def - Black On Both Sides (1999)

Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted (1992)

Radiohead - Kid A (2000)

Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The
Machine (1992)

Slowdive - Just For A Day (1991)

Ride - Nowhere

Sly & The Family Stone - There’s A Riot
Goin’ On (1971)

Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation (1988)

Talking Heads - Remain In Light (1980)

A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
(1991)

Tom Waits - Rain Dogs (1985)

Wire - Pink Flag (1977)

Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key Of Life
(1979)

The Zombies - Odessey & Oracle (1968)

Big Black - Songs About Fucking (1987)

Bjork - Homogenic (1997)

Cocteau Twins - Treasure (1984)

Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes (1982)

The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers (1971)

The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground
& Nico (1967)

The Pretty Things - S.F. Sorrow (1968)

Can - Tago Mago (1971)

Pere Ubu - Dub Housing (1978)

Sigur Ros - () (2002)

This Heat - Deceit (1981)

Tangerine Dream - Phaedra (1974)

The Replacements - Let It Be (1984)

The Clash - London Calling (1979)

Glenn Branca - The Ascension (1981)

John Zorn - Naked City

The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Club Hearts
Band (1968)

Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral (1994)

The Olivia Tremor Control - Black Foliage:
Animation Music Volume One (1999)

Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley (1956)

All images taken from Google Images

I came across this very cool blog inspired by web design. I plucked out two of my favourite gig...

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:33:00 +1000

I came across this very cool blog inspired by web design. I plucked out two of my favourite gig posters by two of my favourite bands, Animal Collective (Whom I really used to detest!) and LCD Soundsystem. The first was designed by Little Jacket, and the second by Delicious Design League. The blog itself has 48 more gig posters on par with these that are featured in the post, ‘50 Amazing Gig Posters Sure To Inspire’. Similarily, it features ‘50 Incredible Film Posters From Poland’. Who would’ve known. Check it out to find out what a great blog is supposed to look like.

Why I want to punch Bono in the face!

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:35:00 +1000

Image taken from Google Images

Hmm… where do I begin.

1. “MUSIC”. First and foremost, Bono is a musician and should therefore be judged as one. In short, Bono fronts one of the most overrated bands in the history of modern music.

The Joshua Tree was OKAY because it marked a coming of age and move away from trying to sound as hip as great post-punk bands that will never get their just deserves, (The Edge, original? Keith Levene might have a thing or two to say about that). U2 embraced their inner arena rock, which puts them more in line with Journey than Joy Division, The Fall, Talking Heads and so on, if you ask me. And their studio catalogue post-Zooropa has been absolute garbage but it still floods TV and radio. (Why, Brian Eno, why? *sniff*). Gotta love the muscle of a monopolised industry which can make absolutely anything popular.

2. PREACHING ROCKSTAR. Bono, please don’t use one of your sold-out shows as an opportunity to push your world-poverty agenda.

People come to enjoy the show, not to be reminded that they’re not doing enough to save the poor from dying on a daily basis.

If you caught U2 on their Vertigo Tour, you would’ve been lucky enough to experience the following words uttered by Bono as he held the audience in total silence: “Every time I clap my hands, a child in Africa dies …” A voice from the near front at a Glasgow show decided pierce the silence: “Well, fucken’ stop doin’ it then,” he said. IN YOUR FACE, BONO!

3. HYPOCRISY. So, Bono helps by pouring money into Africa and raising awareness about poverty, right? WRONG!

The Tax Justice Network says:

“Bono participates in the worldwide offshore tax-evasion system that is to a large extent responsible for the poverty of Africa… The African Union says tax dodging by foreign companies costs it $150 billion a year – three times what it receives in aid.”

I guess hypocrisy comes hand in hand with amassing hundreds of millions in personal wealth; but what is the point of the self promotion when you end up having endowed investments in businesses that contribute to the very ills that you are apparently trying to correct. Let’s not also forget he owns a private jet and half a dozen luxury houses worldwide.

He’s also snuggled up with President Bush.

Image taken from Google Images

And if you think it’s just him doing it all in name of poverty and he doesn’t actually respect Bush, think again. In 2006, Bono backed the video game, “Mercenaries 2: World in Flames”, that promoted the destruction of Venezuela and the overtaking of their oil industry. Bono’s investment company, Elevation Partners, has invested $300 million into Pandemic Studios which is responsible for manufacturing the game. Venezuela, under Hugo Chavez, has made real strides to eradicate poverty and oppression but is hated by the US for opposing their domination of Latin America and the Middle East. “Make poverty history”? Yeah, riiight.

4. BLASPHEMY. Bono compares Brown and Blair to Lennon and McCartney.

Please refrain from speaking about real musicians, Yoko Bono. Kthanxbye.

5. Last but certainly not least, his SUNGLASSES.

They simply the most awful and annoying fashion accessory I have ever laid my eyes on. And they apparently fetch upwards of $5000 a pair. The thing about Bono; he is possibly the uncoolest rockstar alive and tries to disguise this fact with lame sunglasses and dark, loose-fitted clothing. Seriously, Donny Osmond is cooler because at least he doesn’t try nearly as hard.

Bono, the man of the hour… of every hour, of every day since I can remember anything about popular culture. With a new U2 album on the way set to be the best ever (Bono’s words, not mine), I’ve braced myself for yet another Bono overdose. (Why, Brian Eno, Why??? *sniff*). As for poverty and world issues, it’ll be interesting to see what he can drone up this time. We can only hope that the average citizen who becomes aware of the African problem via Bono’s misdirected agenda can actually take steps in the positive direction. The Australian satirical newspaper The Chaser put it brilliantly:

“For many years, my people and I have felt ignored,” said Eric Mbeke, 13, of Ethiopia, with what later proved to be his last breaths. “But now that Bono has taken up our cause, we know that not everyone is ignoring us, just the people who are in a position to do something about it.”

The Whale Hunt

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:46:00 +1000

Image taken from the whalehunt.org

Two weeks ago I did an in-class presentation on The Whale Hunt – a very exciting PowerPoint presentation to be more specific. Here, I hope I can provide some more concise information in regards to this site than I did during my rambling mess of a presentation. For those not familiar, The Whale Hunt is a Webby Award winning web site by internet guru, Jonathan Harris.

WHAT IS IT?

Jonathan Harris spent nine days living with Inupiat Eskimos in Barrow, Alaska, photographing their annual whale hunt. He photographed the harpooning of two Bowhead Whales by the Barrow community. The site features all 3,214 photographs taken on the expedition. Photos were taken at least five minutes apart, even at night. The frequency of photos increased based on levels of excitement – to maximum rate of 37 pictures per 5 minutes.

Harris wanted to experiment with a “new interface of human storytelling”, in a way that allowed each viewer to experience the whale hunt differently. In doing so he takes an experience from the physical world and translates it optically so many people can experience it. Interestingly, the Whale Hunt also allowed Harris to appreciate the complexity of his work, and revaluate the role of the computer in order to humanise it: “Much effort is spent making computers understand what it’s like to be human (through data mining and artificial intelligence), but rarely do humans try to see things from a computer’s perspective,” he says on the Statement page.

HOW IT WORKS

If you navigate away from the homepage to BEGIN THE WHALE HUNT, you’ll see why Harris calls the Whale Hunt an “experimental interface” for human storytelling. You’re greeted by no less than all 3,214 photos taken in the shape of a colourful mosaic. This mosaic can then be switched to a timeline interface or a pinwheel interface in the right hand corner which works much in the same way. It’s when auto-play is clicked do things become really interesting – you don’t have to sit through every photo, as I first thought, but can completely navigate your experience. This supports Jakob Nielsen’s idea of the internet as an “active medium”. The most notable features include:

The full sequence of photographs is represented by a medical heartbeat at the bottom of the screen; its magnitude indicating the frequency of photos and thus the level of excitement. You can skip straight to the action as indicated by the heartbeat intensity.

Below the medical heartbeat is a row of small text and icons, indicating the metadata, or categories, featured in the currently viewed photograph. These include the CAST (who is featured in the photo), CANDENCE (the level of excitement at the moment), CONTEXT (where it was taken) and CONCEPT (what ideas are represented, such as blood, boats, food etc).

The above categories can be isolated from the larger narrative by clicking the CHANGE CONTRAINTS icon in the centre top of the screen. You can then navigate what portion of the narrative is viewed, depending on your interest or curiosity. Multiple constraints can also be combined to make different sub-stories. For example, “Ronny” (CAST), “Blood” (CONCEPT), “Arctic Ocean” (CONTEXT). This is how Harris believes the storytelling process will be different for everyone.

WHAT’S RIGHT AND WRONG WITH IT

Of course the innovative interface is what makes this web site. The photographs are beautifully shot and coupled with the hands-on approach of the interface, there’s a real sense of immediacy to viewing it. The homepage is simple and inviting, a modest introduction to such a grand adventure. Given the sheer number of photographs; the site loading so fast is a testament to Harris’ web-making skills. The Whale Hunt doesn’t come without its support either, as the Homepage links to Statement, Highlights, Interface, FAQ, and Credits. These make sure you’re equipped with the right tools to navigate the whale hunt, while also giving it some context and additional information. If you’re like me, you’ll find it pretty hard to find your way around unless you know what all the shapes and links mean. The Highlights page is particularly useful for those that want a quick glimpse of the expedition.

Although Harris insists this is not political and he is merely acting as an observer and storyteller, I can’t help but feel like he does have somewhat of a moral obligation to this isolated community. His ‘I came, I saw, I conquered’ approach works more to enhance his portfolio – he may humanise the computer’s role but fails to be equally as effective portraying the people involved. Perhaps it doesn’t matter in the wake of his outstanding graphic achievement, but I like my adventures to come full-circle and, from a storytelling standpoint, he just leaves me hanging.

His supporting pages may be useful but I have qualms with anyone that links to explanations on Wikipedia, which is what Harris does. The only really great links are the ones that link to his former works – this then lead me to discover that he has a portfolio to die for. Without wanting to sound too nitpicky, this website could have also done with a small disclaimer warning of the graphic content since some of it is not for the faint-hearted.

MORE ABOUT JONATHAN HARRIS

Image taken from the whalehunt.org

Artist and computer scientist, Jonathan Harris, is a former two-time Webby Award winner for his creations WordCount and 10x10. Ted.com says about Harris: “His computer programs scour the Internet for unfiltered content, which his beautiful interfaces then organize to create coherence from the chaos.” All his amazing works can be found on his personal website, Number 27.

Image taken from webbyawards.com

FORMER WEBBY AWARD WINNERS IN THE SAME CATEGORY

The Whale Hunt won the 2008 Webby Award for Best Personal Website. Former winners include: Jonathan Yuen in 2007, Steven Sebring in 2006, This is our son, so far in 2004 and Nobody Here in 2003. All former winners are uniquely different in their approach, with an underlining excellence in graphic design. The personal website category has established itself as the ‘artist’ award for web-makers who choose to push the boundaries of online communication. 2003’s Nobody Here, in particular, is a mind-bending display of one’s random thoughts and boredom. Check it out.

Prince – Housequake (Live from Sign O’ The Times...

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:22:00 +1000

Prince – Housequake (Live from Sign O’ The Times Tour)

DISCLAIMER: This video is likely to disappear. This will briefly explain why.

I felt a need to share this video for one of two reasons. Firstly, it’s one my favourite musical performances by an artist captured on film, taken from the Sign O’ The Times (1987) concert film on the back of releasing one of the greatest double albums in rock n’ roll history - Sign O’ The Times (Both TIME magazine and Rolling Stone ranked the album in their 100 greatest of all time. The former calling it the “best album of the 80s”). Prince pulled off the tour of a lifetime. Although he was at the height of his powers here, this is around the time that people were getting sick of him due to a music-overdose of releases. But here he reverted back to this dark, cult-like figure akin to his 1999 days and provided a real treat for those that decided to stick with him. All moments of musical genius aside; no performance better represents Prince as a perfectionist. It’s also memorable for marking the era which was the beginning of the end for him; it was mainly down hill from here after. As for my second reason for posting this: Prince videos are such rare occurrence on the internet these days, they must be celebrated for their existence alone. There is no such thing as Prince on YouTube anymore so I had to revert to Dailymotion or the poor man’s YouTube. It makes me so mad that music fans are starved of Prince exposure on the internet; leading them to believe the only the thing the man is good for is coming up with a squiggle for a name and suing his fans. Sign of the times indeed. Sigh.

I previously wrote about touching Prince’s pants here.

Tyra Banks made me realise there’s a reason that...

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:14:00 +1000

Tyra Banks made me realise there’s a reason that supermodels don’t talk much. As soon as supermodels use their celebrity to make ‘poignant’ statements - as Tyra has attempted to make countless times with hilarious results - their allure of beauty is completely shattered in my eyes. For all those that have had the pleasure of catching any of her hosting endeavours - The Tyra Banks Show and America’s Next Top Model – as I have on a few too many sleepless nights, you, too, may have noticed she’s actually quite mental. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, since Tyra is, as Tobias Funke would say, “ripe for parody.” For this very reason she has long been one of my internet browsing obsessions. (Check out a hilarious collection of Tyra gifs here). Tyra Banks was recently named the top earning female personality on American TV for June 2007 – June 2008 by Forbes.com, and for those out there in Spiderblog land (all 2-3 of you) that are wondering ‘how in the hell?!’, the above YouTube video should lay that to rest.

5 crazy politicians who make Sarah Palin look sane

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:28:00 +1000

1. North Korea’s “Dear Leader”, Kim Jong-Il. The poster boy of communism, made for a hilarious puppet in Team America. And his love for the Arts almost makes up for a leadership that’s left millions of his people starving. Now he’s apparently running North Korea from the grave as a Japanese Professor claims Jong-Il died 5 years ago and a series of stand-ins have taken his place.

2. Asif Ali Zardari, the President-elect of Pakistan due to be sworn in before you can say brb. Let’s see; his wife, his brother-in-law and his father-in-law were assassinated. He attempts to head a State which produces more suicide bombers and terrorists than any other. Asif Ali Zardari, are you crazy??? Write a tell-all book about your family, cash-in, and RUN!

3. Israr Ullah Zehri, also of Pakistan. I had no idea who this man was until like a week ago and perhaps it was better that way. The senator defended the honour killings of three young girls and two older women, who were shot and buried alive. Their crimes: wanting to marry men of their choosing. The older women were believed to be mothers sympathetic with the wishes of their daughters. Zehri had the following to say:

“These are centuries-old traditions, and I will continue to defend them.”

“Only those who indulge in immoral acts should be afraid.”

4. One of the guys in white in the video below.

5. Jean-Marie Le Pen of France. This faaaaar-right extremist came in second in the 2002 French election; which is terrifying in many regards. Le Pen is a denier of the holocaust, an anti-Semite, an advocate of the death penalty and torture, and all around xenophobic… and very creepy. In an feature by the Guardian in 2002, he said the Muslim veil “protects us from ugly women.” Aging bald men shouldn’t be ones to talk.

All images taken from Google Images

Video

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:18:44 +1000

Gun-slinging Beauty Queen 4 President

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:48:00 +1000

The blog post of ze’ babel fish, “Finally, the candidates”, raised some very interesting points about to the selection of Sarah Palin as John McCain’s vice-presidential running mate. The former beauty queen has shown to have an ambiguous track record when it comes to her stances and the Republicans have indeed done away with their trump card of referring to Barrack Obama as “inexperienced” and unfitting for the executive position. Palin’s critics have already pointed out her flaws; she has inadequate knowledge on foreign affairs with only 2 years small scale governing experience and has a tendency for double standard as shown by an incident with her brother in law.

Further augmenting ze’s point on her international inexperience; she also appears to be indecisive about her stance on the Iraq war; saying that “I’ve been so focused on state government, I haven’t really focused much on the war in Iraq. I heard on the news about the new deployments, and while I support our president, Condoleezza Rice and the administration, I want to know that we have an exit plan in place.” She has also potentially tarnished the American image by telling the media, “We are a nation at war and in many [ways] the reasons for war are fights over energy sources.”

Then there’s God:

“We need to think like Jesus thinks. We are in a time and a season of war, and we need to think like that. We need to develop as believers the instinct that we are at war, and that war is contending for your faith. … Jesus called us to die. You’re worried about getting hurt? He’s called us to die. Listen, you know we can’t even follow him unless you are willing to give up your life. … I believe that Jesus himself operated from that position of war mode. Everyone say “war mode.”

And this:

Image taken from news.com.au

Character deviances such as these are quite alarming, especially when you consider that she may end up being the most powerful person on the planet should McCain kick the bucket.

With quite the colourful back story behind her, I thought I wouldn’t be surprised if the media uncovered something new to shed light on. Well I admit it still came as quite the shock to me when she announced that her 17 year old daughter Bristol is pregnant. Further to my amusement, she also added that her daughter would be getting married as soon as possible, which if you ask me, looks like veiling the problem to save the conservative facade.

It almost feels as if the Republicans are pulling off an elaborate marketing scheme, with Palin being cast to tug in last grasp republicans with her relative youth while simultaneously becoming a poster child for traditional Republican values.

"Well, yes, but I’m afraid I prematurely shot my wad on what was supposed to be a dry run, if..."

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:14:34 +1000

““Well, yes, but I’m afraid I prematurely shot my wad on what was supposed to be a dry run, if you will, so now I’m afraid I have something of a mess on my hands.””

- Tobias Fünke, Arrested Development.

My claims to fame...

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 14:22:00 +1000

I haven’t written a blog in about a week as I found myself a bit starved for ideas. Here in a computer lab, while I wait for one my classes to start I decided to turn to google for some inspiration. This then prompted me to google my own name to see what results regarding my work it would generate. As a student, I’m a total slacker - I’ve never been one of those journalism students that pushed my work to get published so my exposure is very limited. Plus, I took a whole year off with one semester to go so any momentum I had as an aspiring journo has almost disappeared entirely. So when I came across these two following articles, it made me recall a time when I thought I really could pull it off.

The first is an article I wrote for UTS’ News Day, “Governor says Triguboff kidding over developing parks”. I was made to cover the launch of Parks Week at The Royal Botanic Gardens at Sydney’s Circular Quay. I was completely uninspired by the prospect but chasing the story was filled with so much excitement it nearly gave me a heart attack. I was late, running around Circular Quay like a lunatic, and when I got there I couldn’t find… I didn’t even know who or what I was looking for! I finally saw this small group walking around and I approached a woman to ask if the group had something to do with Parks Week. The woman was the Governor of NSW, Professor Marie Bashir. Apparently she is a big deal and I was utterly clueless as to who she was. She turned out to be one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met in my life, even offering me some afternoon tea. I somehow produced a story from the experience.

The second article, “What A Firthy Good Idea”, can be found here on page 12 in an archived version of UTS’ VERTIGO magazine. (This is a PDF file, please don’t hurt me). I was actually really proud of this one - I somehow got to interview one of the founders of The Chasers War on Everything, Charles Firth, hot on the heels of a great Hillary Clinton gag and a book release. My tutor, Sue Joseph, recommended I get it published and I attempted to do this only to discover that VERTIGO published it without my permission!!! And they didn’t even edit it properly. I had trouble convincing others to publish an non-exclusive story so I just gave up.

I hope I can soon top these minor highlights.

"Best Rapper Alive"

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:42:00 +1000

My intention wasn’t to make this blog an Olympic-tribute. I guess you can say I got caught up in it all and was compelled to share my thoughts. Now that the Olympics in Beijing have come to an end, I’ve decided to move onto more important matters: Lil’ Wayne. I’m a huge music and hip-hop enthusiast but I’m still not sure whether to take this guy seriously. He is the self-proclaimed best rapper alive, infamously charging $100,000 for a guest-spot. Weezy also in a very unique position of being idolised and hyped in alternative circles as well as hip-hop circles. He certainly possesses some mean skills, as they say, but I haven’t quite worked out what’s elevated his stature above that of his peers. With bullet-wounds, tattoos, gold teeth and hood stories in tow, Wayne seems more like a parody of the rap gansta than a bonafide king of rap. At the moment I can’t seem to get past liking him on a novelty-basis, but I’m working on it.

While I do some Lil’ Wayne soul searching, I’m left feeling sure of one thing: Lil’ Wayne is CRAZY. So in celebration of this fact, I have assembled:

10 Crazy Lil’ Wayne Moments (not in any particular order)

1. “That’s what Martin Luther King told me. He ain’t never put a specific on what to [do]. He said you can do anything. “Kill” falls under that.” (Source: COMPLEX).

2. You must have the most unique voice in that world?
Lil’ Wayne: Some people can’t sing and can just use their voice very uniquely. I was watching these clips on E! of the worst people singing the National Anthem and - what’s the dudes name from that rock group - the nigga with the big lips.
Steven Tyler.
Lil’ Wayne: Steven Tyler? That’s the nigga with the big lips? That nigga’s like the worst ever! The secret - WHITE PEOPLE CAN’T SING UNLESS YOU’RE ROBIN THICKE! (Source: VIBE).

3. Most people manage to look worse in their mugshot. Not Lil’ Wayne though. He looks EXACTLY THE SAME!

Image taken from thesmokinggun.com

4. When Wayne was 15, his mother Gloria Carter, asked him to find someone to have a baby with so she wouldn’t be bored around the house. He had a daughter with a 14-year-old girl. (Source: VIBE).

5. “I think I’m a better MC than anybody who’s an MC. I don’t think I’m a better MC than anybody who was an MC. The dude that is an MC right now, I’m better than that one. But Jay-Z, I ain’t better than Jay-Z, never will be, ’cause Jay-Z is Jay-Z and better is an opinion. And even in school they told you opinions wasn’t shit.” (Source: COMPLEX).

6. And I be the shit
Now you got loose bowels
(Taken from the song, “A Milli”).

7. At age 12 he shot himself in the chest while trying to imitate Travis Bickle. (Source: TIME).

8. “My mama’s a gangsta…She told me every day, ‘Nigga play with you, you kill him.’ I believed her, and I do everything she say.” He told the journalist he was being interviewed by, while pointing at his tattooed tear drops. “You see these four? Lord, forgive me. But guess what, you play with me, I’ll knock your head open and piss on your motherfucking eyes.” (Source: HIPHOPDX).

9. “There are 16 songs on the disc by my and my CD player’s count, but perhaps one is neither simply brilliant nor sheer genius but superduper brillgenius classicawesome!” (An excerpt from the press release accompanying his latest album, Tha Carter III. Source: EXAMINER).

10. On the album, did you ever contemplate doing a whole track dedicated to the Hurricane Katrina tragedy?
Lil’ Wayne: No, because I’m from New Orleans, brother. Our main focus is to move ahead and move on. You guys are not from New Orleans and keep throwing it in our face, like, “Well, how do you feel about Hurricane Katrina.” I f**king feel f**ked up. I have no f**king city or home to go to. My mother has no home, her people have no home, and their people have no home. Every f**king body has no home. So do I want to dedicate something to Hurricane Katrina? Yeah, tell that b*tch to suck my d*ck. That is my dedication. (Source: AllHipHop.com).

Um...

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 00:59:00 +1000

Ok, so Jamaica just won the 100m mens relay in world record time. Without sounding too much like a member of their PR team or worse still, a paid Chinese cheerleader, I just want to say what a pleasure it’s been witnessing these boys push the boundaries of human ability. Of course Bolt was there doing his thing but I was really happy to see Asafa Powell take it home for the team. He managed not to crack under the pressure and ran one of his best races ever. Powell shouldn’t be forgotten in the wake of Bolt’s bolt to stardom (hehe..) as he’s always been one of the good guys of the track and definitely no slouch at his best. The Olympics is pretty much over for me now. All this amazing running makes me wish I took up athletics at a young age so I could grow up to become Australia’s next Tamsyn Lewis*.

*If you happen to be from abroad, Lewis is a shithouse runner and a cry baby.

Insane Usain

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:29:00 +1000

I’d like to add a few comments to the photo of Usain Bolt I posted a few nights ago after his 200m win at Beijing Olympics. He won it shortly before 12:30am Sydney time and I was too worked up and tired to write anything too meaningful so here goes. A few nights ago, in my blog about Michael Phelps, I referenced Bolt as a worthy contender as athlete of the tournament. I was confident that if things went his way he stood a real chance at being the ‘king of Beijing’. When I wrote this I still underestimated what he was capable of but after his spectacular world record breaking win, my admiration for him as reached new heights. He has now become my sole emotional investment in these Olympic games. I agree with Ben English at FoxSports that Bolt exceeds Phelps as the man of the Olympics on sheer memorable performances alone. If I disregard 8 gold medals in one hand and the first man to break 100m and 200m at an Olympics in another, I’m left with an lasting image of a young Jamaican runner who toys with his competitors and sure knows how to celebrate.

My knowledge of athletics is very limited so I’ll try not to speak with too much authority on the race but I thought his performance was a perfect example of someone being in total control of their talent and ability, which is an ideal place for anyone to be in regardless of their chosen path. He dictated how he ran the race, and I wholeheartedly believe that he waited for the biggest stage to break such a prestigious world record. Most records are broken in sporting races every second meet but Michael Johnson’s 200m record stood from 1996 and before that it was last broken in 1979! Fast runners win the 100m but smart and fast runners win the 200m. Only super-humans break both world records. And I’m so happy to say I saw it live.

^_^

Image taken from foxsports.com.au I just witnessed Usain Bolt...

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:32:00 +1000

Image taken from foxsports.com.au

I just witnessed Usain Bolt break the 200m World Record in the Olympic final and wanted to make note of it. The moment of the games for me so far.