29 Feb 2004

University revisited

Posted by Bigg Daddy Wallbuxx | Filed under: News

Uni starts again tomorrow. I spent the night watching American Idol and wondering what the hell I did with my holidays, like many students I am feeling guilty that I achieved very little in my time off… perhaps I should feel worst than most seeing as though my holidays have lasted three years… but anyways, too late to worry about that now, guilt has no part to play in physics, and physics will be my playground this year at the University of Melbourne.

You can take a virtual tour of my next four months here (updated 3/3/04).


23 Feb 2004

Media Bias

Posted by Bigg Daddy Wallbuxx | Filed under: News

The Reader has produced a nice little spectrum of bias in Australian journalism, which may be handy for those who pick and choose their news sources… as Curtis T. Lee once said to me, “If you're going to read a bias newspaper, best you read one which shares your bias.”

True Socialist - Adele Horin (SMH)
True Socialist - Phillip Adams (ABC Radio, The Australian)
Libertarian Left - Mike Carlton (2UE, SMH)
Libertarian Left - Jon Faine (ABC Radio)
Small 'L' Liberal - Alan Ramsey (SMH)
Small 'L' Liberal - Kerry O'Brien (ABC TV)
Moderate Left - Laurie Oakes (Channel Nine, The Bulletin)
Straight-as-a-die, her only bias is towards truth in political coverage - Michelle Grattan (The Age)
Moderate Right - Ross Gittins (SMH)
Moderate Right - John Laws (2UE)
'Tory' Values - Robert Gottliebsen (The Australian)
Arch-Conservative - Alan Jones (2GB)
Red Neck - Steve Price (2UE)
Red Neck - Neil Mitchell (3AW)
Attila the Hun - Andrew Bolt (Herald Sun)

(thanks to Crikey)


23 Feb 2004

Wilsons Prom revisited

Posted by Bigg Daddy Wallbuxx | Filed under: News

Continuing in my retrospective collection let's go back a month when Claire Healy and James Quinton were in town. We went out one Thursday night to sample the delights of Melbourne, starting at the First Floor in Fitzroy and finding ourselves at Honky Tonks early Friday morning, with the DJ playing cheesy dance from his grand piano booth, over-priced drinks and the general air of desperation that is common in these types of clubs (ie: Geisha). An hour at Honky Tonks and we were ready to leave the city, hatching a plan to borrow Claire’s sister’s car for a road trip to Wilsons Promontory, or Wilsons Prom as it is for the locals.

Wilsons Promonotory is located about 230 km south-east from Melbourne, and is billed as the southern most tip of Australian Mainland.

For a virtual road trip to Wilsons Prom click here.


19 Feb 2004

Conan Does Canada

Posted by badger | Filed under: News

This is some classic Conan antics right here. Watching Triumph insult the Frenchie-Canadians was priceless, as none of them had a sense of humour (except for one weird lecherous old dude). Here's the good bits from an IMDB report, including Conan's “apology”:

The Toronto businessman who spearheaded a drive to bring NBC's Conan O'Brien to Canada for a week of shows featuring Canadian-born talent has defended O'Brien against an avalanche of public outrage that ensued when Robert Smigel, in the guise of Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog, let loose with a series of barbs targeting French-speaking Quebecers. Soumalias told the Canadian Press that he not only has no regrets about the bit but encouraged it. Soumalias said that some of O'Brien's writers did express concern about the material but that he assured them that Canada was mature enough to take it. As for protests by government figures about the skit, Soumalias said, “Government needs to stay out of the public airwaves. It's as simple as that.”

Appearing with a “translator” (whose words appeared in English subtitles), O'Brien apologised on Tuesday night's show:

O'Brien: “People of Quebec, I'm sorry.”

French translator: “People of Quebec, I'm an albino jackass.”

O'Brien: “We meant no harm with our comedy piece the other night.”

Translator: “The other night, I wet the bed like a little girl.”

O'Brien: “I was a stranger in a strange land and I was very insensitive.”

Translator: “I have a small penis.”

O'Brien: “Quebec, your lively and rich culture is a treasure to Canada, and your unique heritage deserves only praise, not ridicule.”

Translator: “I have never known the touch of a woman and I never will.”

O'Brien: “Again, please accept my heartfelt apologies.”

Translator: “Did I mention I have a small penis?”