So i've been reading so much vitriol about the Rudd-Gillard changeover; so much so that I felt the need to write something.
People are calling it undemocratic, people are calling Gillard a Communist and a backstabber.. where is all of this naivety coming from??
I'm fairly sure both Rudd and Gillard were elected or they wouldn't be in Parliament at all; the issue is that the public does not choose the head of the party - and indeed this isn't our Constitutional right. I honestly don't fathom how people fail to comprehend that.. A major lynchpoint of the Howard-Rudd election was that no-one wanted Costello as the PM if/when Howard retired. It's a completely legitimate aspect of politics, and it's something that sometimes sways an election poll. The same can be said for the US election with respect to Sarah Palin - the prospect of her becoming President should John McCain have died is what swayed many voters over. It's surprising that people have forgotten that.
It may actually be another point for scrutiny in the upcoming election with Wayne Swan (given that he has been at the head of fights to topple Beazley, Crean, Latham and now Rudd - he's the ultimate backstabber, and in my opinion the real person behind Gillard's challenge), but i'm thinking that Tony Abbott himself will be the person the media attacks; especially since he is, you know, insane.
Sufficed to say, it's completely naive to even suggest the changeover is either undemocratic or unconstitutional. You may not like that it is within the rules to permit it (and it's your individual right to opine that), but it's simply (the real) fact that it's legitimate. If it wasn't, then leaders would never be allowed to change, die, or retire unless they were not in Government.
If people actually took their political candidates more seriously instead of only looking at the figurehead, we wouldn't be having these completely redundant debates based on illigitimate facts.
With respect to the backstabber comments, my understanding is that her beef is not specifically with the issues Rudd was raising but rather with how he was implementing them (and indeed he made many blunders with implementation). He was not consulting the Cabinet for a few decisions, and he was taking a "daddy knows best" approach where her intention is to sit down and consult with the stakeholders. When the voices of the Cabinet and the public are not being heard, something is fundamentally wrong.
Granted, it could have been done differently, and I do think it's an easy way to market "backpeddling" as "rejuvenation"; but Rudd was pretty unequivocal on his stance, and we don't know what went on administerially (which is apparently where most of the concerns arose).. but ultimately I don't see how it can be construed as 'backstabbing' - given that Rudd announced an assembly of the Caucus immediately upon challenge; and also given the fact that Gillard's intentions seem to be well informed.
It depresses me that the voting public are largely naive, and so easily swayed by illigitimate arguments. Is this unfounded of me??
so it's been a tumultuous few days with my dad being sick and having lots of people go crazy all at once. Thankfully, the internet never fails to serve me up a healthy dose of non-sensical randomosity:
Third: Was looking at some old WW1 posters on http://www.firstworldwar.com/posters/australia.htm and the difference in language still astounds me. Honestly, if someone told me to "stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood" today; I wouldn't really be thinking of preparing for wartime combat >_>
So someone from my highschool added me on facebook, he was the 'weird' kid at school - kinda meandered around walking in circles talking to himself. He never really did anything much.. his grades were abysmal and he always got his parents to get him out of things like school sports, detentions, and camps. Fairly sure he had some kind of psychological disorder, but then again; maybe he was just 'slow'.
Anyway, it's amazing how seeing someone's facebook updates can tell you about a person you otherwise knew nothing about. For instance, this guy is a crazed religious fanatic:
Now don't get me wrong, I don't believe there to be anything wrong with these statements. I'm rather happy this guy has found something in his life to feel passionate about, where in highschool I had often thought that he had no social skills, no grip on reality, and that he would be lost without his parents.
Unfortunately, then, we get to things like this:
Whilst I have a deep appreciation for people who are religious and who can trust so deeply and blindly, this is just one of the reasons why I have such a bitter distaste for all things religion. Perhaps it's a product of having sung at church twice a week for 11 years, or perhaps it's just history classes which have taught me that religion has been - and continues to be - the most exploited means of legitimising harm to others... but it frustrates me that religious ideals can make someone who is otherwise so innocent into an unwittingly hateful beast, and when you try to argue with fundamentalist religious people you hit a brick wall because no matter how great an argument can be, or how illogical a point of view can be: "it is regrettable, but it is simply the word of god" seems to be an irrefutable trump card. ( Blah biddy blah ) ~
so the last few years have seen an increase in the amount of scientific shows on mainstream television, and not just within the Sci-Fi genre either.
Quite a few of these shows revolve around the concept that society is defined by technological advances which in themselves surpass the realms of traditional governance. In a sense, technology is increasing so exponentially that it is moving outside of the control of the state and into a realm of self-governance where advances can be used for exploitation and manipulation, and that scientists are able to treat everyone in the world like test subjects for horrific schemes.
Naturally these concepts can sometimes be tricky to follow and a certain element of blind trust is required to make the plotlines believable as well as entertaining. Usually a widely resourceful (and unique) company is used to spearhead such expertise, and i'm finding that there is a little bit of a trend with the naming of the companies these TV shows use.
In Eureka for example, the name of the company is:
Then there is of course Fringe, which gives breath to:
and finally we have Better Off Ted, which revolves around the scientific company called:
So there you have it. My advice to any budding writers out there, then, is that the best way to legitimise a company's expertise is to include within the title the word "dynamic". For some reason, it'll make you sound so unique that no other company could possibly be as important as yours!
So as a law student I think about the question of "what is the perfect crime" - or more specifically, "what is the perfect murder?" quite a lot. I like to think of it as more of a way to constantly second guess my theoretical knowledge rather than a morbid fixation on blood and guts criminality.. but I'll leave it devoid of definition since i'm inherently biased.
Of course the answer to such a question would be different in every jurisdiction, but I think irrefutably the only foolproof way to get away with murder is to be caught. It makes perfect sense (at least in my head), because if no criminal is found - or if someone is successfully framed for a murder - there is always going to be someone who quite zealously pushes an investigation either questioning the outcome, or who refuses to give up in finding a culprit. Inevitably, they will uncover the truth.
At least that's what American television tells me.
Indeed by getting caught you save yourself from the hassles of a stressful life (constantly looking over your shoulder, wondering whether you will get caught), but being assured in the fact that you have already been found as the killer, you have been acquitted with the public knowledge that you were the killer, and because of double jeopardy you cannot be trialled for the same fact scenario ever again. So how do you do this? ( Clicky clicky ) So perhaps it's not the easiest way to circumvent the law, but at the very least you can always remind your loved one that you essentially have a license to kill them if you wanted. So they should do as you say if they value their lives :)
So perhaps absolute laziness has confounded my ability to gather my thoughts together in a semi-moderately coherent fashion. I've certainly been quite negligent of my LJ duties. With that said, university has once again started and, therefore, multiple tools for procrastination are necessary.
So several things have cropped up in the last few weeks. Firstly, there are many many many many bands that have come and are planning on coming in the next few weeks. They range from the classic "The Cure" and "The Police", to indie bands like "Defiance, Ohio" and "Tilly and the Wall", to the metal "Akercocke" and "Marduk", to fashion bands like "OKGo", "Good Charlotte", "Bloc Party", "The Arctic Monkeys", "Kaiser Chiefs".. Then there's local bands The Butterfly Effect, Operator Please, Silverchair, Grinspoon..etc etc etc It's absolutely insane. How does one have enough money to see them all? Completely unfair says I.
Anyway, in order to get into law school at Melbourne Uni next year, they're forcing me to do the LSAT, which is some American test that is done all over the world yada yada pudding. It does mean that I am eligible for every single law school on the planet if my score is good enough. Unfortunately, the test will be on the 30th of September, which is the day *after* my 21st birthday. Le crap.
In other news, I am beginning to lose my weird cravings for snow peas; instead finding myself quite partial to (seedless) grapes and icy-poles. A healthy addition of loud music and procrastination amalgamates for the perfect afternoon with a left hand loved one.
Alas, I have started my winter intensive. Aptly named, the course is during winter and very intense. This means that I have to leave my snuggly bed at 6:30am in the freezing cold. Typically, my room happens to be the coldest during winter and the warmest during summer. A great combination. Naturally i've had to walk in the rain every day. This wouldn't be a problem if I didn't have to walk through a park in order to get to my bus stop. I like the rain, but it hate it when my socks get wet. Squishy Squishy. I also wouldn't mind if it was making a difference to the drought situation. But, it really isn't. Maybe I need new shoes. Mmm.
On the plus side, i'm really enjoying the subject. It helps that my tutor is amazingly good looking. Mmmm. Anyway, the material is much more enjoyable and lighter than, say, learning about digital rape. Although rape comes on Monday so i'm sure i've spoken too soon. We spent 20 minutes in a tute watching "CSI", and at any point we could shout out any problems the show had with reality. Humour ensued etc etc.
A meme stolen from , just because i'm bored... and there really is only a certain amount of children's television you can watch before you want to kill yourself.
1. Reply with your name and I'll respond with something I like about you. 2. I'll tell you what song/movie reminds me of you. 3. I'll pick a substance wrestle you in. 4. I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me. 5. I'll tell you my first memory of you. 6. I'll tell you what animal you remind me of. 7. I'll ask you something that I've always wondered about you. 8. Post this in your journal if you feel like it. If not, I won't lose sleep over it.
I am once again free from the clutches of university stress. Although I'm an idiot and signed up for a winter intensive, so I realistically only have another week of freedom until study starts again. Le shit.
On another plus, I have begun the bi-annual 'post-exam clean up', since I can no longer blame my messy entrails on study. I say 'plus' sarcastically, but realistically the gold you dig up after 3 months of build up is just amazing. I found unopened packets of m&ms and campinos undernear a pile of papers, as well as $50. Hoorah!
In other news, I am abhorred that microsoft have changed minesweeper from being a game based on 'time', to a game based on 'consecutive wins'. This is just not good enough. Minesweeper has always been about winning beginner in under 8 seconds, now it's all "omg i won 10 in a row". SHUT UP! pshaw. Fury x 10.
I still love snow peas.
So as I get older I find that I have less to say, and that I care less about it. It's rather disconcerting. What's life unless you can constantly complain about inane subjects such as the idiocy of humans, infrastruture and public policy?
I really miss "Fast Forward":
I think I should get horrendously drunk and buy a koala. It really is about time.
One of my favourite bands, Architecture In Helsinki are releasing a new album this year, and the video for their first single has been completed. They're totally the happiest band on the planet. Song starts a minute in, or skip straight to the FLUORESCENT PUPPET DANCING 3 mins in. Mmmmm. I love them dearly.
FEEL THE HAPPINESS!
In other news, I had the fortune of reading this gem of an article a few days ago:
I love how the wife's gone "it's ok, i'm only kidding..it's really dog shit". And who says psychopaths don't have class.
Hokay, so. 3000 word essay due in 7 days. Chosen topic as of yesterday. No reading or researching done. Surely i'm not fucked???
mmm
anyway
I was working the other day and had the following conversation with some Asian guy who walks in: man: What nationality are you? me: Australian man: No, I mean what country do you come from? me: ..Australia man: Are you from Iran? Portugal?... me: *cuts him off*, well, my cultural heritage is Irish and Sri Lankan, but I was born and raised here so... man: *scoffs* well you don't look it *walks out*
wtf? Wow i'm not completely caucasian, this *must* mean I can't be Australian. What am I supposed to do, just make up what country i'm from based on what I look like?
fucktard.
So, the last few days have been dedicated to..well..this:
that's right, i've been swallowed into the firey depths of the abyss, also known as Hilary Clinton's vagina World of Warcraft. I am a very sexy gnome called Interlect (coz i'm smart, yo, *duh*). Don't you just wanna grab him in naughty places and shack up for the night? I know I do.
okies. bed time. toorah!
PS: I know I haven't been updating lately, but i've been reading every post and commenting when I can, promise!
Quite behind with uni work. With that said, got one essay done (pretty much), and a week till the next one's due, for which i've done all but 3 articles of reading for. Hoorah!
Got a patronising grilling from a tutor today IN class about missing 3 tutes (which was in fact 2, since I enrolled into the subject late, and we're allowed to miss 4), and apparently being hit by a car isn't a sufficient excuse. He then went on about how proud he was he made some tourists feel guilty about shunning him off because of his ethnicity. DID YOU EVER STOP TO THINK THAT YOU'RE JUST AN UNLIKEABLE PERSON??? HUH??? HUH??????? CUNTPLUG!
I hope he gets venereal disease from a cattleprod and can only orgasm when reading Lord of the Rings erotic fanfiction with Bronwyn Bishop playing "Legolas" and Hilary Clinton as "Frodo".
Preview for next episode of Lost:
Dunno whether to describe is as incredible corny or incredibly sexy. Either way it uses Lux Aeterna from "Requiem For A Dream" which is a thumbs up.
Hokay, so, answers to last post were:
Movies: 1. Dumb & Dumber: Toilet // Van // Tongue Stuck On Pole dominion_bells, raven_doomsduck, opethic 2. Hot Fuzz: Murder // Car Chase // Stabbed In The Throat 3. Dogville: Mass Child Killing // Great Depression // Dog raven_doomsduck 4. Who Framed Roger Rabbit?: False Accusation // Buxom // Run Over By A Streamroller vikusias, white_moon_, opethic 5. Snakes On A Plane: Venom // Gay Interest // Pilot white_moon_
mmk i'm bored, so i'll do this meme I stole from how_common that will amuse me and keep all of you procrastinators doing what you do best.
yes. • Go to IMDB.com and look up 10 of your favorite TV shows / movies. • Post three official IMDB "Plot Keywords" for these 10 picks. • Have your friends guess the show movie names.
Comments are screened but i'll put your name next to correct answers. Going to IMDB is cheating. *duh*. None of them are obscure in any case. If any of you don't get #4 or #9 I will crucify you with Rosanne Barr's used dildo. #5 made me chuckle, I had to choose that.
OK I happen to watch a lot of TV shows with incest undertones..or..overtones...so shoot me! I bet you do too ;)
I'll post the answers tomorrow when I can be bothered.
Now, amuse yourselves with Alanis Morisette's cover of My Humps
Mmmmk so I've had a very busy few days. Seen Fiona O'Loughlin and Wil Anderson at the comedy festival, seen the Red Hot Chili Peppers, attended birthdays and had lots and lots of choir. I have no voice left.
Both comedians were great. Chili's were pretty average. Set list was: Intro Jam, Can't Stop, Dani California, Scar Tissue, Charlie, Havana Affair, Warlocks,Parallel Universe, This Velvet Glove, John Solo - songbird, Snow ((Hey Oh)), Get On Top, C'mon Girl, Hump de Bump, Right On Time, Californication (w/intro jam), By The Way, -------------Encore------------------ Flea (trumpet) and John solos, Give It Away, Long Final Jam, John playing something weird with distortion pedals or something
Anyway, this computer is absolutely dead. I can't even plug in my ipod without it crashing. Going tomorrow to see about getting a nice new shiny one. This one's almost 10 years old anyway. It had a good run.
THIS. IS. SPARTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. ehehehe pokémon.
Also, for those Australians, we have the absolutely screamingly fantastic news that Avril Lavigne is coming to town next month, so we're going to have lots of this to look forward to:
I really can't decide whether she's bitchingly cold, humourless, or just plain stupid. Perhaps all of the above.
Also, there is a relatively new website in the same vain as YouTube , called GodTube. Naturally, it is a hellhole of slaughterhoundom. An absolute fuck lampoon.
Now i'm not mocking anyone of faith, but even worse are some of the comments. In response to this video, someone commented with this:
Hello Will, When I saw your video it pierced my heart to know that you don't know Christ. That's why you can't fathom what will happen to your soul after death. I would like to ask you what are some thoughts that you have concerning your soul after death? I know you said you have no idea, but you've faced insecurity, your posting on this site is evidence of that. I want you to know that every person that has ever been made will one day stand before God, creator of the universe and give an account for their sins, if they have not believed in Jesus Christ and been cleansed by his blood, then they will be cast in to the lake of fire. My prayer for you is that you will have saving faith in Jesus Christ. Please copy and paste this website to find out how. http://www.billygraham.org/SH_StepsToPeace.asp Your friend, Nate natesavedbychrist// Videos(0) | Favorites(1) | Friends(0) - (1 days ago) (Reply to this)
yeh..that's not creepy.
SO MANY ESSAYS TO DO!
That is all
PS: For those wondering what my other "hold back the tears" moments were, i'll ashamedly share them with you ( here )
I recently heard about this guy who successfully robbed a store getting away with a lot of cash. There were at least 30 witnesses, none of whom could describe what he looked like, even though he wasn't wearing a single item of camouflage. The way he did this was putting a gigantic star sticker on his forehead.
When police questioned these witnesses, every single one of them was able to say that he had a gigantic sticker of a star on his forehead. Others could describe loosely what colour clothes he was wearing, but couldn't remember anything else.
I would've been tempted to write "WANKER" or "PENIS" personally, but then people would've actually looked at my face in order to see whether I indeed looked like a wanker or a penis. Clearly this man is a genius. I reckon anyone who can successfully carryout such a plan without hurting anyone or getting caught deserves the reward.
ANYWAY
Being a completely heartless bastard, I've never actually cried over any moving moment of fiction. It's pretty lame. However, I've come close on many occasions... watching cartoons...
Now you may sit back and scoff and be all "Steve, you idiot. You should go and drown yourself in a jar of George Bush's pickled semen", and no doubt you would be right. But I will stand and defend my number one choke back the tears moment to the death (EVEN if the wager is having to spend the night in Dolly Parton's conch).
Given that I'm a dog person..this moment from an episode of Futurama called Jurassic Bark. For those unfamiliar with the episode, a brief synopsis from Wikipedia:
In 1997 while on a prank delivery, he finds an abandoned dog on the streets and names him Seymour (since the prank name was Seymour Asses). After feeding the dog pizza, Seymour follows Fry who then decides to keep him. By 1998 he had taught Seymour to sing 'Walking on Sunshine', clean up and wait for him after a delivery. Before Fry was frozen, Seymour attempted to prevent Fry leaving on his fateful New Year's Eve prank delivery.
He discovered Seymour's preserved corpse in "Jurassic Bark", and was eager to bring him back to life with the Professor's help, until he realized the dog lived twelve years after his disappearance. Thinking Seymour had lived a full life without him, Fry abandoned the project. In a poignant flashback we see that Seymour, like Hachiko or Odysseus' dog Argos, waited out his entire life for his master to come home, never leaving that spot or giving up hope.
Breaks my heart that does.
Things coming up: Lots of choir Comedy Festival Chili Peppers concert Essay submission dates 21st birthday parties More choir
I mean seriously. Don't people wonder what they sound like (metaphorically) when they write something down? Especially really dodgy poetry. No, i'm sorry, dressing like goth Where's Wally makes no difference, there's no deeper meaning, it's really just you being a pretentious mullet shaped colostomy bag.
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