Why oh why did we book such godawful early flights?

...And get tickets to Motorace the night before??

Still, you know, rock on and all that.

Tom Cruise kills Oprah in savage on air attack

Love drunk Movie Star Tom Cruise (you may remember him from such films as Top Gun, Minority Report and of course the 1988 classic, Cocktail) has killed talk banshee Oprah Winfrey in a savage Jedi inspired attack, live on air.

The surprisingly entertaining horror is captured in this high quality video presentation.

Meanwhile, over at the Today show, Tom takes on Matt Lauer with predictable tabloid talk TV results - "I'm passionate about life". The second part of this video presentation is where you'll find all the action.

I feel so powerless, I'm only one person

It seems Katie is not the only one we should be worried about.

Getting On Down For The Lawn Bowls

Oh what a night!

Can you believe that a bowls club after 9:30 is packed with people with a funky jazz band and that in between sets they have "rap battles" (more like aussie hip hop battles in reality)? Neither did I until I spyed upon it with my very own eyes.

We got to the Bowls Club at about 7 ish. Had some nice food and started drinking the bar tab down compliments of AXA. For a while a serious game of bowls almost broke out but it descended more to one on one challanges for various things.

1 Jug, 2 jug, 3 jusg 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, more more moe

Then the game plan turned into "we have to find every little thing about this bowls club that we can exploit for a hilarious time". And we did, we did.

Remember that solo ad where they all got in the big bin and paddled down the street. And the disclaimer was all "do not try this at home", well they lie. What those bins lack in steering accuracy they make up for in ground speed and toughness.

All played well, good time had by all, except this morning when it felt like an indonesian province had declared independence in my head. Yeah cop that indonesia, not long till we get that number down to 192.

Scott

Holla - I can be heartless too!

BenThommo, that is a chicken egg debate that could go on forever. I've made my argument and stands.

That said, I wouldn't want anyone thinking I was some kind of left wing tree hugging softies. Hating people who don't take responsibility for themselves goes hand in hand with hating this nanny state we're living in - particularly in Victoria. In fact, I'm a professional "it wasn't my fault" hater.

Excerpt from a typical shift at Sleazy

Me: YO YO, THERE IS $30 OWING ON YOUR ACCOUNT! YOU SILLY BILLY. HOW MUCH WOULD LIKE TO PAY TONIGHT?
Punter: OH, WHAT?
Me: YOU HEARD ME COUCH POTATO - PAY UP!
Punter: BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS A WEEKLY
Me: I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.
Punter: OH, BUT I DIDN'T...
Me: TOO BAD TIGHT ARSE.
Punter: OH MY GOD, THIS IS TERRIBLE - WOE IS ME! $30! HOW WILL I FEED MY CHILDREN AND PETS? MY KIDS WILL HAVE TO EAT DOG FOOD AND MY PETS WILL HAVE TO EAT DIRT, MULCH AND OTHER ASSORTED GARDEN DEBRIS!
Me: NEXT!

Chronicly Chronologically wrong

Ben, if you're going to argue that the government bears responsibility for such accidents then you're getting the issue seriously out of order.

These rules have only come into being as a means to protect the government's money from goons like that, who think that because the government hasn't told them that shooting themselves in the face with a shotgun could be fatal they can hold the government responsible. In addition to this, the courts reprehensible decisions to agree to such suits has lead to an overly litigious society thus pushing up indemnity premiums thus requiring more legislation to cover the various party's arses.

It is because of people failing to take responsibility for their own actions, particularly the stupid ones, that the government has to intervene. Your crusade against the "nanny state", which you've been on about for quite some time, seems to be based on the notion that a government trying to stop stupid and dangerous behaviour in makes them more responsible. It is this way of thinking that trains people in being ingnorant of the consequences of their actions, not the legislation.

Oh no you didn't, grlfren

I'm not arguing anything. I'm just telling it like it is.

The government is either intruding on our lives, or they're not. The took on the responsibility, so they can suffer the consequences.

Oh, and another thing - this poor kid certainly won't be living a wealthy life. He's buying a new wheelchair, paying medical expenses (that will be ongoing) and setting up a house so that he can enjoy some kind of mobility in his own home.

ALSO

What could be safer than a Safe?

No Way Known

The role that Governments have in constructing law is through voting in the houses. That is for for the written law. This is a case of common law where a judge finds the council owed a duty of care. You have to proove a duty of care to sure for negligence.

Just because the government legislates safety rules for some activites it doesn't mean in anyway that they are responsible for every little thing we may do to ourselves.

Depsite the fact we are living in a nanny nation this is the judicial system saying that local councils owe a duty to its citizens to tell them "don't smash your head on the ground or you will hurt yourself".

Should everyone who has a body of shallowish water on their property have to put signs up "hey diving in head first, not so hot"

Its ridiculous that people look for scapegoats for their own damn stupidity. If we think the government owes a duty of care to a teenager from making a decision about diving in to some water then we may as well give up on the notion of free will.

We always have the choice despite what the government legislates. The government can never, nor should it ever try, to warn people about all the dangers in life. If people want to take drugs, drive fast and reckless, dive into shallow water the consequences rest with them and them only.
The fact that tax payers whose money goes to the forestry commision, rate payers whose money goes to the local council have to see their money go to a new wealthy life for this guy is a disgrace. That money could be used benefit those you aren't complete morons and understand that head first diving into the ground is not a clever idea.

The fact the swimming hole was a popular place to swim has nothing to do with it. All the people who swam there including those who may have dived in and done better than this guy are still responsible in whole for their own actions.

You can't argue for the government to get out of our lives while embracing the fact that they should be responsible for us and our actions.

If you willingly and deliberatly take a cause of action that could kill you then you have no one to blame but yourself. If you can think of a situation where someone should be allowed to choose a dangerous cause of action and have someone else to blame please let me know.

Scott

Time for a Counter Rant

I think it is nuts to get fired up about the $5.6 million payout to Jason Ballerini. We're either living in a nanny nation, or we're not. Governments can't have it both ways.

Think about all of the intrusive rules and regulations imposed on us day to day. All of the thousands of ways the government tries to protect people from their own stupidity.

Some of them are reasonable: slower speed limits around schools; seat belts; bike helmets; restrictions on cigarette advertising; warnings on cigarette packs; patrolled beaches; ad campaigns warning against drug use, water use, power use, car use - even bloody shovel use!

Some of them are downright ridiculous, like forty kilometre speed zones to protect drunks at 2am on a Sunday night and Easter trading restrictions. "GET OUT OF MY LIFE!"

Whether you like it, hate it or couldn't give a toss about it, our government intrudes on almost every aspect of our lives with advice (and usually legislation) on how to live better, safer, healthier lives.

It is the government, not litigious citizens, breeding a society that doesn't take responsibility for itself. Hell, the government won't even let us take responsibility for ourselves.

So, when Jason Ballerini dived from a log into the Old Barooga swimming hole when he was a 16 year old kid during his summer holiday, damn right the government deserves some of the blame. After all, they are the ones so intent on protecting us from ourselves. When they fail, shouldn't they then be liable? We're liable if we're caught not wearing a seat belt.

The court found that Ballerini was partly to blame - 30 per cent to be precise. The Berrigan Shire Council and Forestry Commission of NSW are splitting the remaining 70 per cent of damages that must be paid. Eighty per cent council, 20 per cent commission. Fair-a-fuckn-nuff.

This was a popular swimming hole. In a country where you find warnings signs at every turn, is it unreasonable for a young boy whose life has been ruined to ask those responsible for the swimming hole just where the warning signs were this time? I don't think so.

Time For Rant

oooh you better believe it

Ok so today a guy got a 6 Million payout after sueing a local council because HE dived off a log into shallow water when he was a teenager and suprise, suprise he messed him self up and is now a quadraplegic and in a wheelchair

Did I miss a meeting where society just went insane and it suddenly becomes someone else's fault if you a complete muppet and fuck yourself up doing dumb ass shit.

This sickens me

Darwin was WAY off

Scott

Free Katie!

That is all.

We Sleep In Sydney Banditos

Hey All,
I have booked in the hostel for Sausage Fest Sydney 2005. Although after some friendly reviews from people and investigation I booked it in at the Sydney Central Hostel (YHA) which is a big modern place right in the city. It is a little extra each night but it looks way better than the other one.

Sydney Central Hostel (YHA)
5 Star hostel rating by AAA tourism

Beds cost $36 p/night

This place has a pool, sauna, bar, pool tables, café and restaurant, games room, reading room and Internet, no curfew or lockout, close to casino, darling harbour, Chinatown, everything

The 7 of us (hodaka not included) are in 2 different rooms of 4 with the last bed I picked up for $18 a night. I am happy to pay for the non-person but if you want to pitch in that is nice.

I realise I quoted $28 for the other place and I thought I better book this ASAP so didn’t ask everyone if $36 is ok. If you feel “hey, who is this Muppet who ups the price, I oughta go upside his head” wait until you stay there and I am assuming it will be totally (awesome) groovy.

We can leave our bags there before we check in on Friday and after we check out on Monday, so that is all good.

In other news Motor Ace tix are still on sale and one of the supports is Treetops.

Scott

The Espy cup runneth over with groovy bands

I had to use "groovy" because the overuse of the word "awesome" on this blog was becoming a cause for concern.

So, this Saturday at the Espy caught my eye because I'd been meaning to catch the Devoted Few again. Just got their latest album "Billboard Noises" and it's great - quite slick but without being too sugary, kind of like honey on sourdough rather than going the full fairy bread option. So anyway, imagine my glee on discovering that on top of them (or rather, under in this case) you also get Treetops playing in the Gershwin room! Two great bands for the price of free!

The Suits also don't look bad, but I don't link to bands that don't put free samples on their site. It's tough but it's fair.

Blog of the day: Sublethal

Ben, this is the blog I've been drunkenly burbling about the last few times we've met. Maybe not for everyone, but I think he takes the blog thing in a whole new direction. This entry still makes me salivate when I reread it.

Bridge Climb

I know it is pricey, but is anyone up for doing Bridge Climb when we're in Sydney in a few weekend's time?

I did it last time I was in Sydney and it was totally awesome. It takes about 3.5 hours to do, and is about three skips and trip on foot from Circular Quay. As complicated as that sounds, it is easy to get to from CQ.

It's $160 on Friday day or night, or $185 on Saturday or Sunday day or night. It is a standard $225 for a twilight climb on any day. You get to wear a grey jump suit. It's like being a pilot. (Ben T, I think you will especially like this element.) If you go at night, you get to wear a head lamp. (I think I will especially like this element.)

I did a twilight climb last time. You go up while it is light and come down as it gets dark. It was scary at times, but overall I think everyone played well and a good time was had by all.

It would be great if "all" could come, but I don't know what he is up to these days. I haven't seen him since grade six inter-school cricket.

Anyway - if you're up for it, pick up the phone and let me know. We'll need to book it in as soon as possiblev (if not sooner, puhlease) because we'll be there right in the middle of school holidays.

Word School

Cau·ca·sian (adj.)
1. Anthropology Of or being a major human racial classification traditionally distinguished by inability to cook asian food. eg. "He can't cook asian."

BILLY CORGAN COMES TO MELBOURNE

Well, I'm excited. Sure, it's not quite the same as the mythical tales of Smashing Pumpkins supporting Pearl Jam and the Chili Peppers back when we were babies, but he's still a hero who I've never got to see live. And at the Palais! Intimate and expensive, no doubt.

I'M ON YOUR COMPUTER

I didn't want to have to do this - post for a third time in a row - but I just couldn't resist telling you about this site. I first read about it here. Today it was mentioned here.

Thank Jebus they chose to share the love, because you'll cream your jeans over this one. It's the hot new craze sweeping the nation.

It is the funniest blog I have ever read. Check out this post. And this one.

Oh, but this one dissin' Hong Kong is fucking hilarious totally unfair.

PS. I hear the band is back together. Nice.