Funny post on Farmer Ben's blog here.

Going through my stack o' bookmarks, some oldies but goodies:

iPod vs. Cassette

Some interesting anecdotes from development of the first Macintosh here.

History on pretty much any arcade game you (okay I) played in your (okay my) misspent youth here.

Horatio visits a sunglasses shop.

Drummer jokes, anyone?

Most recent LiveJournal pics posted. (Ob. warning, potentially NSFW, NSFL, or just plain wrong)

Have these guys got dafont for you?

Some psycho marketroid wants your email address so they can stalk spam verify you? Give them one that's good for an hour, a day, a week, or a month.

You'll never guess, but Apple Australia has [gasp!] actually started putting commercials on prime-time free to air and sat TV for the iPod touch and iMac. And here was me thinking they (still) couldn't market their way out of a wet paper bag.

The ALP trounced the Libs in last nights federal election, we have a new Federal Government for the first time in over a decade. Like many I was a little worried that we as a country would make the same mistake again, but it looks like we've started to learn. I'm a little more hopeful for this country's future.

No doubt the Prez of the U.S.A. is sending his congratulations to the new PM of Austria as we speak.

From our local Neighbourhood Watch newsletter:

Welcome to our new neighbours who have recently decided to make [here] their home. This is a beaut place to live, help us to keep it that way. All residents including people who rent are welcome.

There's something very, very wrong with that attitude, I'll leave it to you to work it out.

I mean when you see (or more likely hear) a car like this come doof-doofing down the street waking everyone and their kids up...

...you know the type, the ones that have bought Mum's old Honda Civic, had the springs chopped, put noisy exhausts the size of sewer pipes on it (reducing compression to [does some calculations] about zero), replaced the back seat with a couple of $20 subwoofers and a $50 megawatt amp. And you just know they're cooler than you'll ever be...

...well, my question is why is it that you can't use something like this...

...as a cure, as in this example (though here, Randy's blowing up perfectly good warthogs.):

I mean, it's not like we're some down & out 'hood of L.A. or anything. Sometimes there are just too many laws...

These are the only ricers I'd like to see around our neck of the woods.

P.S. Speaking of warthogs, I didn't realise Bungie made a real one! Those crazy wacky guys...

So we (Australia) are staring down the barrel of a federal election happening this Saturday. After a catty, childish mud-slinging campaign by the Libs and not a whole lot better behaviour from Labour, we're in that blissful three-day political advertising blackout phase leading up to E-day.

I'm hoping that we'll do better than the U.S.A.¹ and boot out a government that is (IMHO) arrogant, out of touch with the majority of its constituents to the point that it's sometimes internationally embarrassing, and one that is way too closely aligned to the current (dangerously insane) Bush administration like a bully's little kid brother. I mean, hello? We're a part of South East Asia, not the 52nd state of the U.S.A. (U.K. being the 51st, of course) and it's time we as a country pulled our head in and started acting like it.

[1] - Note to the people that call the U.S.A. "America": I'm pretty sure the other countries that make up the Americas - you know, those pesky ones that make up the whole of South America - would rather you stopped sounding like you're talking for both continents...

Bit of history behind my encountering this one. I was at high school at the time, (about 15-16?) and this girl who hung out with the same crowd (I knew her at the time but not well) handed me her walkman (they were what we had before iPods, kiddies) and said "listen to this, see what you think." We hadn't even talked about music then. The walkman was cued to play Specialty off this album, and I was blown away (not the least because I was wondering whether she was hinting something with the track choice!) It sounded unlike anything I'd heard at the time. I knew this was an artist I had to hear more of so became an avid fan.

As for the girl, she ended up being my first real girlfriend. Took me a long while to get over having to leave her behind when we moved to Australia. Hope you're going blissfully well these days, MJF.

Tags: AotW

We got the rings the other day!

I've been tapping it against every hard surface ever since.

Though I really like Deep Forest's sound ('twas the style of the time) I only felt compelled to get this one after being entranced by one of the tracks that made me come out in goosebumps as it played in the closing credits to what was quite a compelling movie, Strange Days.

It's While The Earth Sleeps and the really amazing aspect of this song (apart from it sounding great) is that it's a collaboration between Deep Forest and Peter Gabriel. I'd be hard pressed to think of another combination of talents that sound so good. The track is also a perfect compliment to the end of the movie. As an aside it's also another powerhouse performance by all actors involved, particularly Angela Bassett.

Anyways, back to the album, I was lucky enough to grab the two disc edition - highly recommend it as the second disc has some great remixes of their more well-known tracks. Have a listen, you'll like!

Tags: AotW

Believe it or not I first listened to this because I liked the cover! Olive were around for only two albums in the late 90s, Extra Virgin being their debut. They had moderate success in the UK and Germany, but didn't get anywhere near the recognition they deserve. The biggest single, You're Not Alone did receive a little airplay over here, but again, not nearly enough. The CD single You're Not Alone also has some kick-ass remixes on it that make it easy to see why the band were big on the 'dude, where's my glowstick?' dance scene. Vocalist Ruth-Ann Boyle is enchanting, and the music was really something different and refreshing. Interestingly, Ruth-Ann later went on to be a vocalist for Enigma. Go here for some Extra Virgin samples.

BTW, notice how that last track is about 10 mins longer than all the others? (hint, hint...)

Oh and while I think of it, these iTunes Music Store links are working for you aren't they? And you do know that you just double-click the track to hear a one minute sample?

Tags: AotW

You know how I had a little rant a while back about how some scammer company that kept calling from 02 8023 0000? Statcounter is showing quite a few people in Australia starting to hit that page after doing their own Google search for it. Seems I wasn't the only one they were trying this on with...

Again, if you know who this bast company is, I'd love to hear about it. Even just an anonymous comment just here using that Comments link below that you just know you want to click...

update: thanks to a reader who took time to comment, it turns out it's American Express (or someone acting on behalf of same) trying to sign up people on credit cards. Busted.

Looked at the calendar and did some maths (okay Numbers did some maths...)

102 days.

Guess that makes me a non-smoker.