All Things Random

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Wed, 08 Oct 2008 05:06:10 -0400

Music Downloading. The Effect.

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 04:33:00 -0400

For my feature I’ve chosen to delve into the world of music downloading, looking at the effect it has on the music industry. In particular, I will examine its affect on large record labels such as Sony/BMG and Universal, as well as other independent labels and the ways, if any, its affects on the consumer.

In order to gather research for this issue and ultimately discover what’s going on in the music world, I aim to speak to individuals from the larger and independent labels, as well as ordinary people off the streets. I will ask their perspectives in regards to the issue at hand and hence gain insight into the effect it has, if any, on the industry, or in terms of the consumer, their perception of music availability and music overall.

If I am able to, I aim to ask some local bands whether or not they believe music downloading to be beneficial to their career or for getting their music recognised and out to the greater public. What exactly do LiveNation 360 deals actually mean for artists and the industry?

The reason I have chosen to write about this issue is because I believe it to be a contemporary issue that is revolutionising the music industry. Music downloading has been a topic that has received a vast amount of interest within the media, particularly through the manner in which it has caused many job redundancies such as those witnessed at EMI.

In order to make this story something actually worth reading I will have to find a lot of the hard sales data both old and new. As well as looking at things like the reasons for the loss in CD sales. Is it because of the new technologies such as ring tones and gaming or is it because too many people are downloading from illegal music downlad programmes?

This issue is a debate that I witness constantly within my student body and my group of friends. It has become a moral question – whether or not it is theft or whether it is the consumers right?

WHAT A MONTH!

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:24:00 -0400

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October is a wonderful month! Not just because you can feel the weather getting warmer and warmer but because it is one that is filled with many festivities, 100’s of birthday’s worldwide and oh offcourse the much enjoyed public holiday.

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There are many people who take the dance floor for celebrations, people who enjoy a Monday off work, along with the many people and celebrities that add another candle to their cake. I didn’t even think that this many celebs would be celebrating their birthdays this month!

Take a look…

Famous singer Sting turns 49.

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Actress Susan Sarandon turns 60.

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Actress Kate Winslet turns 31.

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Rapper Snoop Dog turns 34.

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TV star Judge Judy turns 64.

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Actress Julia Roberts turns 39.

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And Actress Winona Ryder turns 35.

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Oh and then there’s ME who turns 20!

Along with these fabulous birthday’s, October is full of festivals and holidays worldwide. There is the traditional festival, Oktoberfest, the traditional holiday, Halloween and the public holiday, Australian Labour Day. On top of this, there are the many other unique festivals and holidays celebrated across the globe.

There is the Andong Mask Dance Festival in South Korea, the Boat Racing Festival in Laos, The Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon Festival in Bhutan, the Festival of Lights in India, and A Laugh a Minute Festival in America.

“WOW what a month!”

Matt’s most recent video!

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 07:38:00 -0400

Matt’s most recent video!

WHERE THE HELL IS MATT?

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 08:23:00 -0400

Go to www.wherethehellismatt.com to find out!

ABOUT:
This website is all about this guy named Matt.

It’s a simple story really. Matt gained his fame when he uploaded a video onto his webpage. It showed Matt performing a special dance. Matt travelled the world performing this dance and thought it would be a good idea to make a short movie of them all. He uploaded it onto his website for his friends and family to see and a couple of months later, it got picked-up by the chewing gum company, Stride-Gum. Since that day, Matt’s life has never been the same.

Matt’s videos soon took over the net. One day a bum, the next a star. It’s interesting you know. I can’t imagine how many artists, comedians and actors that have gained fame and fortune from the net. It’s craziness. It is a life changing thing. Just look at Matt!

Read below about Matt’s history and you will understand!

INTERESTS:

I became interested in this site about a month ago when I saw an interview on the ABC with Andrew Denton and Matt. At first I felt quite jealous, as who wouldn’t want to get paid to travel around the world? Damn. I would love to do that!

After getting over my envy, I decided to find out more about Matt’s world. I was secretly hoping to see if there was some sort of special M.O to gaining fame! However, I wasn’t so lucky.

I found Matt’s site to be humorous with the many funny and quirky blog entries and offcourse the halerious videos!!! I got addicted to reading all of what he had to say about his travels as well as seeing all of his ridiculous dance moves. I was intrigued!

I loved reading his “Journal” posts. They are really insightful and more to the point realistic. They are not some guidebook saying go here, see this, do that.

However, one thing that I would like to see on the website would be a photo album of some sort. Though I do enjoy watching Matt’s videos and reading his blog, I would also like to see more visuals from his trips.

HISTORY:

It all started in 2003 when this American guy who used to do nothing but play video games quit his job in Brisbane and decided to go travelling around Asia. During his travels, he created a website showing all his videos and journals. He did this so his family and friends could conveniently visit the website and see where he was and what he was up to.

Matt’s video evolved when he and a good buddy of his where in Hanoi. His buddy suggested that he “do that dance” whilst being recorded. After some time, the video was discovered on Matt’s website and leaked out to millions worldwide via a mass email- an “internet meme”. The email got passed onto someone, then another someone else and so on until Matt became an inadvertent celebrity.

With his website getting 20,000 hits a day since it was discovered in 2003, Matt’s videos became viewable on Youtube, Google Video, Vimeo.

Shortly after this, Matt gained the universal name- “That guy who dances on the internet”.

With the website getting thousands of hits a day, Matt shortly became noticed by the people at Stride Gum – “The ridiculously long lasting gum”.

They contacted Matt asking if he would consider taking another trip around the world to make a new video and promote their new flavoured gum. Of course Matt accepted, and before he knew it, Stride Gum was his primary sponsor.

What a dream, right?!

When 2006 came around, Matt took yet another trip around the world. What distinguished this particular trip from his previous trips was that he was sponsored. Matt visited 39 countries on 7 continents in 6 months and believe it or not, every single one of these countries saw Matt’s dance.

After creating his second video, Matt had become “semi-famous”. Wanting more, in the year of 2007, Matt had another idea - To travel the world again but this time inviting the public to join him. Matt received millions of emails worldwide through his website. There were countless amounts of people who wanted to join him.

Being his most recent trip and his third video, Matt aims to do more performing and create more videos.

Today, Matt receives millions of views on his website. Since June of this year, for example, Matt’s videos have had around 10, 871, 835 hits on Youtube alone. I wonder how many hits his webpage gets?

DESIGN:

The webpage is designed by the company “The 6th Republic, Creative Liberation”. This is the same company that has directed projects for Johnson and Johnson as well as Hallmark Entertainment and Microsoft.

The design of the webpage is appropriately themed. For example, the background is of all different postage stamps from all over the world and on top of this is a faded map of the world. At the top of the page is where all the tabs are located. Too easy!

There is Matt’s “Journal”- his blog- “Maps”- this shows the location of Matt. It shows where he has visited since he began his journey all the way up to where is he today- “Videos”- this has all of the videos Matt has created along with some others, which he likes to call, “what I enjoy”. Then there is the “About Matt” tab which takes you into a story about Matt and how he got to be where he is- next to this is the “FAQ” tab- this takes you into the “Frequently asked questions”. Finally after this there’s the link “Email Me”- where anyone can email Matt about what ever it is they want to talk to him about.

The page overall is quite grabbing. There are a lot of images from Matt’s travelling on each page, though I would like to see more.

The fonts used are also quite striking- almost like the Indiana Jones font- adventure packed! This makes the page quite attractive to its viewers. I definitely know it dragged me in!

The titles, phrases and overall style of writing used, is quite colloquial. For example, “Where the hell is matt”, “Where in Google Earth is Matt?”, and “Where the hell am I going to be this week?” and so on.

Matt writes his journal with the intention of informing his audience. Each entry mentions his whereabouts and what he’s been up to on that particular day. He talks about his experiences, thoughts at the time whilst also telling funny other little things.

The website is fairly easy to use and is well organised. For example, Matt has set it up so that people who want to read a particular post can either search by the date it was written, what country he was in at the time it was written or by seeing the most recently added entries.

He also has the comment tool on his website, allowing people to comment on his entries- boy do they comment! These are organised as well by the most recent comments showing first.

Although, the FAQ page is a little messy, Matt even says that at the top of the page, it is still arranged under headings, “Frequently Asked Questions” and “Less Frequently Asked Questions”.

LINKS:

Throughout the website and each of his entries, readers will find many links to other webpage’s. For example, in one of Matt’s most recent posts he says how on his third and most recent trip he decided not to take any media interviews like he did in his second trip. He said he declined all except for Australia-he had a link to the story about him in The Sydney Morning Herald.

Overall, I think the links used on the website are all used in the appropriate context. I would hopefully like to achieve something like this on my own blog one day!

STANDOUTS:

One particular part of the website that stands out to me is the Google Map facility and the Google Earth facility. It allows you to actually see where Matt has visited and where he is today… like TODAY TODAY! Google Earth allows you to also follow Matt but allows you to further explore the places he has landed even allowing you to see street views. For example, you can see the Eifel Tower in France! It’s amazing yet freaky at the same time.

I must also mention the way Matt has used his links. He has covered pretty much everything that can be linked. For example, Matt has even made a link to download the music that is played during his videos!

ADVERTISEMENTS:

The only advertisements on the page are those that promote themselves as well as Matt. I.e. YOUTUBE, GOOGLE, STRIDE GUM, WIKIPEDIA and so on.

OTHER WEBSITES THAT REFER BACK TO THIS WEBPAGE:

There is a wikipedia page on Matt and his site. There is also a profile on Matt on his primary sponsor, Stride Gum , as well as the many pages that have mentioned him like NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day page.

Overall, I highly recommend this site! If your up for a laugh and/or interested in travel, then this is the site for you!

Matt at the moment is in Seattle!

I LOVE THIS AD! I have even gone on to YouTube to watch it! I...

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 06:48:00 -0400

I LOVE THIS AD! I have even gone on to YouTube to watch it!

I normally hate watching ad’s but this one is just so enjoyable.

The two masterminds behind this creation is creator and director, Juan Cabral and actor, Garon Michael.

Interestingly, I found this ad was actually aired in England and Ireland last year. Since it got around 500,000 hits on YouTube in just the first week it launched, Cadbury decided to release it to the world.

According to the company YouGov, Cadbury has actually improved on its sales already from this ad.

Although I don’t really understand it’s relevance to Cadbury Choccy I still lurv it!

SPIDERBLOG talks Tyra

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 06:31:00 -0400

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I was reading through a few blogs the other day when I came across SPIDERBLOG. I became quite intrigued after reading a few of the posts and decided to become an official follower of site!

I particularly loved the post on Tyra Banks going psycho at one of the contestants on her show. It made me laugh!!!

Being a fan of America’s Next Top Model, I actually remember watching this go down on FOX about a year ago.

I know it’s sad but I love reading about celebs that have gone off the rails and better yet watching celebrities make mistakes LIVE on air. It’s absolute gold and never fails to make me laugh!

Call this wrong but it makes me feel better about myself. It brings it all back to reality that they are just human and not some glowing perfection that the media generally makes them out to be.

After I saw this on FOX 8, I really did realise she is quite a crazy woman. I agree with SPIDERBLOG, in that Tyra has lost her “allure of beauty”. I find her to be too know it all and I especially hate how she tries to be little Miss Counsellor!

At first, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read she was named top earning female personality for June 2007- June 2008 by Forbes.com, but now after watching that clip, my dear SPIDERBLOG, I see why!

Overall, I thought this blog was well written, well sourced and had all the appropriate and useful links.

One of the highlights from this particular post was the link to the hilarious Tyra gifs!!

CHECK IT OUT!

No BLACK HOLE for our PLANET but for ME?

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 04:39:00 -0400

Technology.

From Alexander Bell’s 1876 invention of the telephone to today’s Hadron Collider.

Amazing.

Though. Bad news is on the horrizon.

I feel compelled to tell you that I feel like I am being slightly left behind in my own black hole. I don’t think I am ready for all this. I’m sorry. I just don’t mesh well with technology that has the potential to destroy me. I miss the good old days. Yep, the days when everything was so peachy. When people thrived over getting the Nokia “brick” phone. Oh wow. Those were the days.

New technology is being developed everyday and I like this. However, when something that has the potential to finish me. I’m bothered. I’m affraid my bubble will be burst.

With scientists probing the world for new things every day, there is nothing I can do to stop it from happening. What is next if it isn’t the Hadron Collider?

I am starting to feel insecure about this new technology and think it is pushing me over the edge.

Just so you understand where I am coming from check it out …THE HADRON COLLIDER..Dun, Dun, Darrr…(sure you have all heard about it and if you haven’t well your a step below me)…

Though I do think it is incredible piece of equipment, I just can’t grasp that scientists actually expect it to “re-create similar conditions at the very origin of the universe, the big bang” (SMH, 2008). WOW!

Well I can tell you in good faith that we are still alive. GOOD news folks, we weren’t sucked into a black like the doomsayers said. Yep this baby was turned on last Wednesday in Switzerland and I can report that it is giving successful results.

Since I have shared my struggle, it’s clear that I am not going to understand fully how this new technology works. So, I will try and make it easy for you.

According to scientists the Collider is meant to do just that. Two streams of protons, going in opposite directions, are meant to collide together at a speed very close to the speed of light “to produce the elusive Higgs boson, the last unobserved particle among those predicted by the Standard Model” (Wikipedia, 2008).

Easy Riggghhhhhhhhhttttttttt?…

Lets just take a step back, rewind and well, stick to the basics. In my mind I take it that it was created to find out where we came from, where earth and our universe evolved from, to understand how we evolved.

Am I right? Look at this thing. So complex, so scary.

"It's BRITNEY bitch!"

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 01:32:00 -0400

It’s amazing. Britney Spears has taken home not one or two but three MTV Video Music Awards.

Living a roll-a-coaster life over the past couple of years, Britney’s career is finally starting to bloom once again!

Being a Britney fan, it’s exciting to see her get her life back on track. Though she has never won any MTV AWARDS until now, Britney seems extremely happy and in high spirits to finally pick up an MTV Moonman.

Brit wowed crowds after taking home Best Female Video, Best Pop Video and the night’s biggest honour, Video of the Year for her song Piece’s of Me.

Looking vibrant and healthy, Brit kept it short and simple in her acceptance speech.

“I’m speechless. Oh my goodness, thank you! I first want to thank God for blessing me like this and my family… my two beautiful boys for inspiring me every day,” (SMH, 2008).

Brit this time round looked way more classy than we’re used to seeing. She looked gorgeous in a Versace number.

I think the world better look out for Ms Brit as her trip on the roll-a-coaster is finally coming to an end.

MEET HATEBOOK!

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 23:05:00 -0400

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Meet Hatebook. The new social network for those that Hate.

This site is hilarious! It is being called the new parody site of Facebook only differing with a hellish red colour scheme and a devilish spoof on all its features- instead of having “Photos” which is what Facebook has, it has “My HatePhotos”.

The site was created by this German guy who is a member on the site himself. He goes by the name and persona of Dr. Evil from Austin Powers. He introduces himself when you sign up.

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I guess you can figure that I joined. I thought it would be a humorous experience to see what people get up to on this site and wow it is not a let down.

It has features that allow you to add you’re “Homies” which is your friends as well as the application to add you’re “Enemies”, which are those people you dislike. The site also has quirky little things such as Hate Groups. This is an application that allows you to either create a hate group or join a pre-existing one. For example, I joined the “I Hate Waking Up Early Group,” which has thousands of members.

The site doesn’t, however, keep your details private. So when you join up, if you do, make sure you make up an address and so on otherwise some freak may track you down as the site also has Google Maps incorporated on everyone’s profile. They show where you are located and how far away you are from your enemies. Also, people can view your profiles as well as all your messages. NOTHING IS PRIVATE! So be very, very, very careful when using the website as you never know who is watching you. FREAKY!!!

Overall, it is a pretty entertaining site and one that is growing rapidly in members. Although I don’t know how long it will last with Facebook aware of its presence, recently adding their own application related to hate called Enemybook.

Guess we’ll have to wait and see!

Video

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 23:28:19 -0400

09/11/2001

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 23:22:00 -0400

Today marked the seventh anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. It just seems so strange to me that a whole seven years has past! It honestly feels like it was just yesterday when I woke up to what was the beginning of the “War on Terror”.

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When I got to work this morning, almost at the very time that it happened seven years ago, I overheard at least five people talking about it. It blew me away that almost everyone I spoke to remembered that day and what they were doing at the time it all went down.

SEVEN YEARS AGO and we all still remember.

That morning…I had just woken up and had a shower. I was getting ready for school when my mum called me to come downstairs. As I was only in year seven at the time, I really didn’t have any idea the extent to what had happened nor did I realise what it meant.

My mum told me a plane had gone into the Twin Towers. I remember thinking what is that? Why do you look so sad mum? As I watched on I just got more and more confused.

I remember I was just about to get my breaky from the kitchen bench, when I saw a second plane go into the other tower. As it was airing LIVE, I remember hearing the reporter just became speechless. I knew at that very moment that something very strange and serious was happening in the World.

Next thing I know, I was at school in class talking to my friends about it. I remember my teacher crying, clearly upset over the events that had occured. I found out later that day that one of her family members actually lived in New York and worked in one of the towers. I never really found out what happened, I just remember watching her cry.

When I got home from school, I turned on the tele. I flicked from one station to the next. All I could find was news, news, news, news.

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It freaked me out. I just couldn’t help but think what would I do if I was there. Watching people jump from buildings, people screaming down the streets of New York, news reporters on edge and out of control. I felt helpless.

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Seven years on and remembering that day really brings back the shock of what actually happened. It literally takes my breath away. I still to this day can’t grasp the sadness that those families out there must of felt and still feel. Just thinking about those 2,975 people who died that day. Crazyness. Complete insanity.

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Let us rememeber.

Being in the right place, at the right time!

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 03:35:00 -0400

I used to think that I was one of the most unlucky people living on this planet. I never won the lottery and never won any competitions that I actually spent the time entering.

This was my state of mind up until I got that job I went for, got posted free tickets to a concert and oh offcourse met the Kooks.

Yep, this all happened in just one month.

Maybe it was just good karma, or maybe it was just luck? I guess its one of those things I will never know.

But anyway more to the point.

On Friday night last week I lived the life of a GROUPIE.

It was one of my good friend’s birthday and ofcourse we hit the town party style.

Oxford street was were it all began.

We were out, having a blast, dancing and drinking like most people do on a friday night.

Out of no where this guy offers to buy my friend a drink with the most CHEESIEST pickup line. In fact, it is just too embarrassing to repeat.

In her nicest voice, not making eye contact with this guy, she said, “no thanks”.

About 10 minutes passed and we eventually moved away from the bar, only to find Hue from the KOOKS standing there! To our disbelief, it just happened to be the same guy that tried to pick up my friend moments before.

Seeing their concert the night before, it just seemed too good to be true.

After beating through the crowd my friend decided to ask if she could buy him a drink. He ofcourse accepted and next thing I know I am slightly intoxicated and eating Maccas on my couch chatting to yep the KOOKS guitarist and his entourage.

Unbelieveable right. Somehow my friend managed to convince this guy and his friends to come back to our apartment. What on earth???

So we did offcourse what everyone would do.

Have a true rock party.

We listened to the fine tunes of the all famous Beatles, Led Zeppelin and so on.

Sad but true about 5 hours later it was over. My GROUPIE life had come to end.

“Wow what a night!”

Want to hear the MOST annoying sound in the WORLD?

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:46:00 -0400

Beep Beep Beep…or is it WAKEUP I’M NOT LETTING YOU SLEEP that I hear?

“SHUTUP, SHUTUP, SHUTUP!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Yep! I am talking about my stupid alarm that goes off 5 days a week at 6:30am.

This noise, the one I have gotten so used to opening my eyes too, is in my books, my most hated sound. It is so up there on my hate list, that sometimes I would rather hear fingernails screeching down a blackboard.

Seriously. Every time I hear that rhythm I want to pick my little noise maker up off my bedside table and throw it out the window.

I know I am coming across quite aggressive but I know I am not alone, right? How many of you love the warm comfort of your bed? I know I do!

I do realise I may just be having some sleeping problem, issue or whatever you would like to call it…but I do have one query that I feel uncertain about.

Why is it that when I have the opportunity to sleep-in that I naturally wakeup anyway??? AND when I do have to get up to go to work, I could just sleep for a million years?

Now I know that your body can get into a set rhythm but why is it then, that I would just do LITERALLY anything to sleep in when I know I have to get up? It’s like some weird conspiracy!

So after much thought, I have come to the conclusion that maybe I’m just cursed.

Maybe I’m just one of those people who just don’t sleep. Maybe I am suffering from Insomnia, sleep apnea or some sort of other sleep disorder? OR maybe I just missed sleeping beauty’s boat?

Who knows?

First of all this video is just ridiculous. Filmed at the Salt...

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 04:52:00 -0400

First of all this video is just ridiculous.

Filmed at the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympic Games, this event has to be one of the funniest things I have ever seen! What a way to make Australian History!

One thing I must point out is the excellent commentary. I especially enjoyed how the commentators mention every skaters name except for the Australian!

YAY its GOLD for our Aussie, Steven Bradbury!

WATCH and see!

My GUILTY pleasures = BLOCKED arteries?

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 04:14:00 -0400

I am one of those people who like to think they exercise.

When I wake up of a morning I like to feel refreshed and energetic.

This never happens, so I ask myself what am I doing wrong?…

Well after watching Jamie Oliver’s Eat to Save Your Life, apparently its the FOODS I am putting into my body.

Seriously.

After digesting the programme, WOW did I felt so guilty and shameful of all my naughty little habits! My one guilty pleasure is a crispy bowl of french fries on a cold day. Mmmmmm….

However, all thoughts have changed.

I never knew that every time you eat a bowl of chips…ONE BOWL OF CHIPS… you increase your chances of having clogged arteries down the track!

What THE?

How clogged are my arteries?

TOP 5 FOODS IN MY KITCHEN …

Hot Chips. MY all time favourite fried potato. Isn’t there something deliciously bad about eating them?

2. Vegemite. The ALL TIME patriotic spread that almost every Australian loves to eat on their morning toast. I know I DO!

Cheese. Nothing but a bit of dairy in my diet. It completes any social gathering- cheese dip, cheese biscuits, cheese spread, cheese everything.

Steak. Love the juicy barbequed tender sirloin. MMMM! It brings the family together, you know the good “ol barbie”.

Weetbix. This is truly the breakfast of champions, what more can I say? How many do you do? ;)

Facebook = Addiction?

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:27:00 -0400

Is it just me or is it impossible to get any work done these days.

You can tell me I’ve got the shortest attention span, but there’s no way you can honestly say that you don’t do it too!?

Before, I go any further, I better clarify that the reason my work is NEVER completed twelve hours before it’s due, is because of that darn site FACEBOOK.

There is no way I can ever do research without logging onto the site. Then, of course, once logged in, there’s the Facebook chat, I get pulled into seeing people’s updated profiles, new photos, new music, new statuses, new applications, event invites, group invites, messages, comments, photo comments, updated profiles…

With all this thrown at my face, HOW CAN I FOCUS ON WORK? I’m just going to come out and say I think I have an addiction.

I mean even when I’m not researching but am simply writing an essay or some sort of uni related work, I still feel compelled to log onto Facebook.

It’s gotten to the stage where I’ve begun to wonder whether or not there’s a self-help group or something to cure this problem of mine.

Now I know people would just tell me to delete my profile, I may try but I know I will never go through with it. There’s something just so compelling about it that I feel it deserves a higher priority than any work I might have.

I’m not even joking; at work, I’m on Facebook. At home, I’m on Facebook. Right now, what a surprise, I’m on Facebook!

Wait though, I don’t think it is only me that has this craving. Exactly now my friend is sitting on the couch next to me (on Facebook, shock, horror) and as I write this, switching to Facebook every twenty seconds, we are also deeply committed to a Facebook chat with each other even though we sit about fifty centimetres apart. Sad and ridiculous I know!

I’ve truly entered the technological phase of existence that eliminates any form of personal, face to face communication.

Until the day comes when there is a Facebook Armageddon, my attention will forever be divided, and don’t count on you receiving the higher percentage of it.

Bayshing OLYMPICS

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:25:00 -0400

I’ve got to say, all sport and victory aside, one of the best aspects of this year’s Olympic Games, is the MASSIVE amount of mistakes and shady cover-ups that have occurred. And don’t think it’s just me who feels this way; simply type ‘Olympic bloopers’ into Google and you’re confronted with a staggering 557 000 results!

During the opening ceremony alone, at least seven different things went wrong. My favourites include; the young girl who accompanied the pianist by bashing a few keys and picking her nose, at least three people forgot to turn on their torches leaving noticeable black gaps in the performance and finally, when the Chinese flag was held at the end of the ceremony, it ironically hit the face of a soldier in the background. I certainly found it an amusing ceremony.

One of the most controversial issues however, also occurred during the opening ceremony when the original young child singer was replaced by a “more attractive” little girl. At first, I personally had a bit of a chuckle at this piece of news but upon reflection, it really is absolutely horrific. Imagine the psychological impacts of such an action. According to a Chinese spokesperson, Yang Peiyi, the actual singer, was replaced because of “national interest” (BBC NEWS, 2008), a concept that confirms even within the most skeptical, that western society is indeed predicated upon a sense of superficiality. The scary thing is that this shallow act could cause serious harm to the young girl who may develop acute self-esteem issues, forever being reminded that she wasn’t cute enough for the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.

Despite these errors, I find the most interesting to be the manner in which Olympians who make mistakes, react. We watch as they put everything into landing the perfect routine, running as fast as they possibly can to defeat competitors or cycling with such intensity their legs become victims to the speed, turning into blurred circles. So when they make a mistake, more so in the gymnastics, who are the tears for? Do they cry because they’re human and they made a simple mistake or are they crying because they feel that citizens of their country, although subconsciously, may blame them for the subsequent loss of a medal? Whatever the reason, this ‘sport’ thing, particularly the reactions athletes make to a mistake, is way too emotional for me.

So I guess on the surface, the blunders made at the Beijing Olympics are pretty amusing, but if you scratch a little beneath the surface, some can be a little too close to heartbreaking.

"Nah, nup, MOVE ya stuff!"

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 09:19:00 -0400

I have always been one of those people who actually believed that we lived in a society of tolerance, equality and mateship, you know, that old “Aussie” belief that we all, in a sense, actually cared for the well being of each other. So when I was confronted by this suited, stocky figure waiting for me to move into a non-existent space, I naturally assumed he was joking.

I think some background to this predicament is needed so you can completely understand my annoyance.

I was travelling from home via that unnervingly unhygienic transport system often referred to as “city rail”, which, when combined with the sorrow I felt at having to leave my family and friends… yet again…. was already making for a hell of a ‘fun’ trip.

My bags were enormous and I felt it right that they were entitled to their own seat, leaving me the aisle chair. I amused myself, having forgotten the all important trashy magazines, by watching those around me – in a complete un-stalkerish way I assure you.

There were the testosterone filled teenage boys lusting after their school girl companions seated a few seats behind me. The young primary school siblings playing a game to see who could breathe in jumper zipped over their heads the longest, and finally a business women immersed in what sounded like a very negative business call, with the sentence ‘no, no I did NOT say that, no’ thrown around quite a lot.

Such observations didn’t do much to deter me from my own home sick mindset and still a few tears fell silently down my cheeks, rather in unison to the quiet regret I had that I hadn’t brought a pair of sunglasses to hide such vulnerability.

This brings us to Hornsby station when I notice that stocky, suited man standing in the aisle starring at me. Being the polite person I am I said, in my best ‘leave me alone to my own pity’ voice, “I’m very sorry but I have too much stuff, there’s no way I could move over”. I thought the man might have half a brain and realise that I was in fact being honest and if he were to just look around him he would notice that there were at lest four other spare seats. No, no I was strongly misguided. “nah, nup, move ya stuff up there (he says pointing to the roof, which we all know is just that, a roof, there are no compartments) or down there at ya feet. Come on. Move!”

At this point I realised we had become the focus of the carriage so I reluctantly moved my stuff over and ended up sitting half on my bag and half on my laptop with another bag wedged under my legs, leaving me no room whatsoever.

I guess I was just naïve. There are people who are out just to assert their dominance over poor little tear-stained girls.

It’s okay though, I figured out the reason for this jerk’s rudeness – he was a short, stocky, suited single.

“nuff” said.

Mr Macho!

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 07:01:00 -0400

So today was my second day at the gym (you know, after having joined two weeks ago…) and it never ceases to amaze me just how vein some of these gym goers are!

Both yesterday and today I’ve caught two men take over the machines next to me, use the hardest level available so that the sweat starts pouring within approximately fifty seconds, only to catch them checking their appearance in the mirror every twenty seconds!

What exactly are they looking at?

Are they checking to see if their pecks aren’t bouncing around too much?

Making sure that their calves are at the most flattering angle? Or simply ensuring that their exercise face illustrates the full degree of their raw masculinity.

Personally, I go out of my way to avoid catching glimpses of myself in these mirrors because I knew that the person I’m going to see starring back will be coated in a thick layer of sweat, face barely recognisable behind the blotchy red skin with hair firmly stuck down in straggled strands around my forehead.

With this image in mind, and I’m fair certain that I’m not the only one who looks like this after a solid thirty minutes on the treadmill, it’s understandable that I pose the question, just why is it that gyms feel the urge to use mirrors as walls?

Until my encounter with the ‘macho’ men, I never quite understood why there were mirrors on every wall in the gym. Now of course the answer is obvious; to satisfy the enormous egos of the members. I guess some stereotypes fit reality perfectly.