Archive for September, 2006
The Sydney Swans reserves have thrashed the Belconnen Magpies to become back-to-back ACTAFL premiers. The Swans won 10.16 (76) to 6.7 (43). The win good be a good omen for the Swans first grade team, who won the AFL Grand Final last year after the Swans Reserves won the ACTAFL Grand Final.
Based on the scores at each break, it looks like the Swans dominated the entire match, but were terribly inaccurate with their kicking (excusable given the strong winds)…Belconnen had a decent start, they were level with the Swans at quarter time, Sydney 2.6 (18), Belconnen 3.0 (18), but from there on it was all the Swans.
The second quarter saw the Swans score five time, with the Magpies only scoring once, the Swans led by 19 points at half time, 6.7 (43) to 4.0 (24).
The third quarter saw a minor comeback from the Magpies, but the Swans were still in control, the Swans scored 10 times (only goaling from three attempts) whilst the Magpies could only score four times, and goal once. At three quarter time the Swans led by 35 points, 9.14 (68) to 5.3 (33).
Belconnen appear to have had a better last quarter than Sydney, but it was too little, too late. Belconnen scored five times, and kept the Swans to three scores. At full time it was the Swans winning by 33 points, 10.16 (76) to 6.7 (43).
According to the Swans Reserves website, the goal scorers were as follows:
Swans: Spriggs 2, Currie, Laidlaw, Phillips, Rowe, Simpkin, Thornton, Vogels, Wall. Belconnen: Knowles 2, Bennett, Turnbull, Weston, York.
Best on ground for the Swans was Bevan, and best on ground for the Magpies was Braton.
I am rather disappointed to see that the only people to bother covering the story seem to be the Swans Reserves website, not even the local ABC could be bothered to cover the match, instead being more interested in an out-of-town rugby match. I’m not picking on the ABC here, I’m disappointed with all media outlets, it’s just that I think the ABC had the best opportunity to cover the match.
Obviously the match will be newsworthy by morning when the local media outlets read a press release from AFL Canberra or the Swans Reserves…but the most important match of the local season might as well not have been played with the amount of interest the media took in it.
Samuel
September 24th, 2006 at 11:58pm
The ACTAFL Grand Final should get underway at Manuka Oval shortly, with the Belconnen Magpies up against the Sydney Swans Reserves. Sydney are undefeated this year (and last year too apparently), whilst Belconnen won the three premierships before that.
I’m tipping Belconnen to win, the only real reason being that last year when Sydney won the ACTAFL Grand Final they also won the AFL Grand Final…and as I intend on tipping West Coast to defeat Sydney win the AFL Grand Final this year, I also shall tip Belconnen to defeat Sydney, and influence the AFL Grand Final by omen.
Perhaps I’m nuts, but go the Magpies!
Samuel
September 24th, 2006 at 02:01pm
This weekend’s winners go through to their respective grand finals.
AFL Finals Week 3
Swans V Dockers
Crows V Eagles
NRL Finals Week 3
Bulldogs V Broncos
Storm V Dragons
Samuel
September 22nd, 2006 at 12:27pm
Due to today’s bus strike, and the fact that I have to be at work at 9am on the other side of town, I don’t have time to finish my analysis of Canberra’s latest radio ratings, so please enjoy this abstract summary instead!
| Position |
(Last Survey) |
Station Name |
Score |
(Last Survey) |
Change |
| 1 |
1 |
Mix 106.3 (Music) |
22.2 |
21.5 |
+0.7 |
| Equal 1 |
2 |
FM 104.7 (Music) |
22.2 |
17.6 |
+4.6 |
| 3 |
3 |
ABC Local Radio (Talk) |
16.0 |
15.9 |
+0.1 |
| 4 |
4 |
2CC (Talk) |
9.3 |
8.5 |
+0.8 |
| 5 |
5 |
JJJ (Music) |
7.0 |
7.8 |
-0.8 |
| 7 |
7 |
ABC Radio National (Talk) |
5.8 |
6.4 |
-0.6 |
| 8 |
6 |
ABC Classic FM (Music) |
4.8 |
7.4 |
-2.6 |
| 9 |
10 |
ABC NewsRadio (Talk) |
3.1 |
4.0 |
-0.9 |
| 10 |
9 |
2CA (Music) |
2.9 |
5.0 |
-2.1 |
| 6 |
8 |
Other |
6.7 |
5.9 |
+0.8 |
Samuel
September 20th, 2006 at 11:54am
Yesterday I reported that ACTION have put the same shifts on the table for drivers for a third time. Not surprisingly, the drivers are on strike.
The strike will last until at least 8:30, and there will be no school services today…and good luck getting to work…this will be a fun morning!
Update 7:12am: Just spoke with a driver on the picket line…they’re staying there until at least 9am. It could take a back down from Transport And Municipal Services head Mike Zissler for this strike to stop…they could be there for a while.
Update 7:23am: Just flicked over to the local ABC and heard loony breakfast host Ross Solly suggesting to the union secretary that strike action is unwarranted and there should be more negotiations…TAMS boss Mike Zissler was on there just before that pulling the wool over Ross’ eyes by trying to tell him that drivers don’t support the strike. Strangely poor interviewer that Ross Solly, and very easy to confuse and poll the wool over his eyes…thankfully I’m flicking the radio back to Mike Jeffreys on 2CC now!
Samuel
September 20th, 2006 at 06:51am
After my recent email to Mr. Mike David, honourable online money giver, stating that I had not heard from his personal assistant, one Mr. Brown, I received an email which I know is very important, because the entire message is written in the subject.
From: BOB MIKE <GLOBAL4com@spinfinder.com>
Reply-To: GLOBAL4com@spinfinder.com
To: smoothwallsamuel@gmail.com
Date: Sep 19, 2006 8:50 AM
Subject: Dear Samuel Please contact Mr. Brown at ( info@diplomaticservice.net )
Mike David
So, as requested, I contacted Mr. Brown on his new email address…I am a bit confused about the sanity of Mike David though, he seems to be unsure of his own name as he is using “BOB MIKE” in the from field of his emails these days.
From: Samuel Gordon-Stewart <smoothwallsamuel@gmail.com> Mailed-By: gmail.com
To: info@diplomaticservice.net
Date: Sep 19, 2006 7:14 PM
Subject: Consignment for Mr. Mike David
Dear Mr. Brown,
Mike David has asked me to contact you regarding his consignment, which he would like me to pick up for him as he is too busy with investing at the moment.
Please contact me so that we may make the arrangements.
Blissful Regards,
Samuel Gordon-Stewart
This time, Mr Brown was rather prompt at replying, and presented me with a very professional email (albeit with broken english).
From: info@diplomaticservice.net <info@diplomaticservice.net>
To: Samuel Gordon-Stewart <smoothwallsamuel@gmail.com>
Date: Sep 19, 2006 8:34 PM
Subject: Re: Consignment for Mr. Mike David
DIPLOMATIC GLOBAL SERVICE
CONSIGNMENT CLEARING HOUSE
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS.
EUROPE OFFICE TEL – 31 644 271 874
TEL /FAX – 31 847 473 477
E-MAIL; info@diplomaticservice.net
E-Mail – spin-diplomta@spinfinder.com
Attn : Samuel Gordon-Stewart
Please do let us know any of the following ways that will be more
convenient for you to collect this consignment .
1 )Me coming with the diplomat to deliver the consignment to your country.
2 )Me sending you the consignment by diplomatic courier services.
3) You coming to the Netherlands to pick up the consignment .
I dont have a representative in your state to whom you could pay
the requested amount at reception,so I can send a diplomat.
Please do let me hear from you as soon as possible.
THANKS
GEORGE BROWN
DIPLOMATIC GLOBAL SERVICE
CONSIGNMENT CLEARING HOUSE
AMSTERDAM,THE NETHERLANDS
EUROPE OFFICE TEL–31 644 271 874
HEAD OFFICE TEL\FAX 31 847473477
E-MAIL; info@diplomaticservice.net
Operational GraphOpe tio
We are neither just an off shore office nor are we only on shore ……..WE ARE BOTH; We touch base at every nook and cranny of the country. That is why you ‘ll always find DIPLOMATIC GLOBAL SERVICE up North ,down South, East and West. Our amiable record is borne out of the philosophy of clients satisfaction, we offer our clients the following services: Traditional services , Visible Transaction Services, Exports Desk Services and Public Sectors Services.
We are totally devoted to you
You’ve just gotta love this poor attempt at a company footer on that email…usually they ramble on about how the email is confidential and the company won some award for something last week…but this one just rambles…it may have come out of an automated translator.
Anyway, I looked at the options and thought for a while about them. Surely if Mr. Brown were to visit my country with a diplomat they would want me to pay for the airfares, if they send it via courier they are going to make me pay for the courier and then tell me some story about the parcel getting lost…and there is no way I’m flying to the Netherlands just to meet people who don’t exist and pick up a parcel which also doesn’t exist…although they would probably insist on buying the airline tickets and making me pay them for the tickets before they mail them to me.
In the end, I decided that I could have more fun if I insisted on Mr. Brown flying to Australia. Time to bring out the waffle iron for this email.
From: Samuel Gordon-Stewart <smoothwallsamuel@gmail.com> Mailed-By: gmail.com
To: “info@diplomaticservice.net” <info@diplomaticservice.net>
Date: Sep 19, 2006 9:04 PM
Subject: Re: Consignment for Mr. Mike David
Dear George,
It is my firm belief that this consignment is very important, and as such I feel that the only way to ensure the safe arrival and delivery of the consignment is for yourself to accompany the diplomat and the consignment to my country of residence (Australia). I do hope that you are able to spare some time in the nearby future, as this would be highly fortuitous and prove to be the most fruitful outcome of goodness for all parties involved.
Many regards and thoughtful wishes,
Samuel Gordon-Stewart
Where to from here…well it all depends on where Mr. Brown leads me I suppose…I wonder what my chances are of reversing the scam and getting money from them?
Samuel
September 20th, 2006 at 01:12am
They say that you make your own luck, and they also say that the third time is lucky, and it looks like ACTION’s bizarre management comittee are trying their hardest to make their third attempt at throwing the same set of rosters at drivers their lucky attempt.
Yep, ACTION are throwing those same shifts at drivers again, only a few days after withdrawing them in an attempt to prevent rumoured industrial action. For those of you who haven’t heard yet, here is how I summarised the shifts the other day.
ACTION management had proposed a system based mainly on split shifts, which would have seen a large reduction in the number of middle-of-the-day bus services, and a drastic increase in the number of hours bus drivers spend at work.
The proposed shifts would have seen the majority of drivers on split-shifts, where they would have been expected to be at work by 6 or 7am, drive busses until about 10am, then sit around at the depot for a couple hours just in case there was “special” work to be done, this would then be followed by an unpaid break of a couple hours, and then drivers would be expected to drive until about 6pm or later. This would have the effect of ruining ACTION’s family-friendly atmosphere, and pose a safety risk with drivers being required to be awake for more hours in the day. It would also have slashed middle-of-the-day services (ie. 9:30am-3pm) to the bone, stranding the people who rely on the bus services for transport, especially elderly people and shift workers.
Drivers may also have been alternated between day time split shifts, and night shifts, a move which may have resulted in even more driver fatigue as drivers may have struggled to adjust to constantly changing rosters.
I’ve since confirmed that this proposal would (or perhaps will) see drivers changing between day time split shifts, and night shifts, on a weekly basis.
Obviously it would be stupidity to throw the same shifts at drivers again, and expect them to accept them, so ACTION’s six-person management comittee have come up with a new plan. A lot of the existing part-time drivers are already working on a system somewhat similar (but less draconian) to the proposed split shift system…the plan: place them on the proposed split shifts and call them full-time employees. This offer is reasonable acceptable to the current part-time drivers, as it means more benefits, probably more pay, and similar work conditions.
This now threatens to split the Transport Workers Union down the middle, with part time drivers accepting the proposal, and full time drivers rejecting it. If the numbers of drivers accepting the proposal outweighs the number rejecting it, then this will only be bad news for people who rely on ACTION’s services during the day.
Incidentally, I still have the “Save ACTION” forms online, and the Transpot Workers Union are still accepting them. So if you would like to convey your message of disappointment about the proposed cuts to ACTION services to the ACT government, download this form, fill it in and post it to
Transport Workers Union
PO Box 649
PARRAMATTA NSW 2124
Samuel
September 19th, 2006 at 08:24am
I think this week’s results show that, the less matches played, the easier it is to have a really good or really bad weekend. Thankfully I didn’t have the latter!
AFL Finals Week 2: 1/2 (50%)
NRL Finals Week 2: 2/2 (100%)
Week Total: 3/4 (75%)
Totals:
AFL: 94/182 (51.65%)
NRL: 99/186 (53.23%)
Total: 193/368 (52.45%)
Samuel
September 19th, 2006 at 06:03am
Having not heard back from Mr. Brown, personal assistant to Mike David, nearly 24 hours after sending him an email, I decided to contact Mike david and find out what is going on. I have never failed to receive a reply from a scammer before, so something must be wrong.
From: Samuel Gordon-Stewart <smoothwallsamuel@gmail.com> Mailed-By: gmail.com
To: global4com@spinfinder.com
Date: Sep 16, 2006 11:04 PM
Subject: Re: consignment
Dear Friend Mike,
I have tried to contact your personal assistant Mr. Brown, I did this nearly 24 hours ago, and I am yet to hear back from him. Please contact me with advice as to what you would like me to do next.
Blissful regards,
Samuel
I do hope this doesn’t end here…I haven’t had my fun yet, and I don’t want the spammers to get the song in the title stuck in my head, only two weeks after I got rid of it!
Samuel
September 16th, 2006 at 11:10pm
Oh how I love wasting the time (and money) of scammers. It’s easy to waste the money of phone based scammers, especially when they have free call numbers setup to divert overseas…at their own cost, but it is just as enjoyable to waste the time of email based scammers.
Last month Clayton Northcutt had plenty of fun doing just that, and this month I am going to have some fun.
Occasionally some spam slips through Gmail’s spam filters and lands in my inbox, such as this one from Dr. Mona Diop, an illiterate bank manager, with a need to steal the money of dead people.
Dear ,
My name is Dr Mona Diop,am the branch and computer manager here in our bank.I have only written to seek your indulgence and assistance. I wish to make a transfer involving a huge amount of base £15,000,000.00 {Fifteen Million B.Pounds Sterlings}of Late Mr Mark Smith out of the bank,he died since 1995,till now the account remains dormat.I am proposing to make this transfer to a designated bank account of your choice. Thus, for your indulgence and support,
I propose an offer of 20% of the total amount to be yours after the transfer has been successfully concluded.Your full name and phone number/fax is need in the first place.Kindly reply me stating your interest, and I shall furnish you with the details and necessary proceedures with which to make the transfer progress. I am anxiously awaiting your response through my confidential/bank email address:
mona_diop02@yahoo.com
Thanks and God bless
Dr Mona Diop,
Manger.
………………………….
My Informations will be given
to you in my next mail.
Fairly standard, nothing new or interesting about this one, but she (or maybe even he) did send it twice, and on both occasions it slipped past the spam filter, so I felt like replying.
Dear Spammer Mona,
Banks do not use yahoo email addresses, and if you were a manager, you would be able to write an email without dozens of spelling and gramatical errors.
I must ask you a question though, why is everything from Rivers just so comfortable?
Kind regards,
Samuel
For those of you who aren’t subjected to Australian television…there is a clothing shop called “Rivers” which has an advertising campaign featuring a slideshow of their current discounts, and a poorly recorded voiceover where a person keeps repeating the phrase “Why is everything from Rivers just so comfortable”. The ad annoys the heck out of me, so I thought it was an appropriate question to ask a spammer, alas she/him/it didn’t answer the question.
Dear Samuel ,
what you have to believe this is my personal email address so if you can believe with then try and get back to me so that i will direct the way to take ,
thanks
Dr Mona
Sorry Mona, but you didn’t address two of my points, and your scam isn’t interesting, so I shall refrain from contacting you again.
Last night, another, slightly more interesting spammed scam landed in my inbox.
From: mike david <global4com@spinfinder.com>
Reply-To: global4com@spinfinder.com
To: smoothwallsamuel@gmail.com
Date: Sep 15, 2006 9:51 PM
Subject: consignment
Dear Friend
I need your assistance to help me in receiving my funds form a security office in the Netherlands .
I am obliged to inform you that I have succeeded in receiving ( fourteen million dollars ) from a partner that work with the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF) South African .
My partner initiated this idea so everything was perfectly done because we strike this deal with one Lady accountant who works with the Federal Ministry of Finance also she rendered a tremendous help to us and everything worked out successfully .
I will appreciate your assistance in receiving the Funds and I have decided to compensate you with the sum of $850,000 in Cash (Eight Hundred and fifty Thousand United States Dollars).
I am doing this simply to show you that it is good to do good things to the right people always.
So if you can help please contact my personal assistant with the security office in the Netherlands
Mr Brown with this e-mail address
( spin-diplomta@spinfinder.com )
Please tell him that you will like to pick up my consignment and do not tell him that the five million is in the Box, also do let me know immediately you receive a reply from Mr Brown .
I am very busy here in London because of the investment projects,So feel free to get in touch with him to send the consignment to you without any delay and I will fax him the paper works in-other for you to pick it up.
Best Regards
Mike David
Mr. Brown? Alternating amounts of money in a box/case? Secrecy even from those involved? And no bank accounts in sight? I’m reminded of Clayton’s fun, and intend on seeing where this one goes, so I, as requested, made contact with Mr. Brown.
From: Samuel Gordon-Stewart <smoothwallsamuel@gmail.com> Mailed-By: gmail.com
To: spin-diplomta@spinfinder.com
Date: Sep 16, 2006 12:27 AM
Subject: consignment of Mike David
Dear Mr. Brown,
I am writing to you in regards to an email I received from Mr. Mike David. He asked me to write to you about picking up his consignment, and asked that I express my interest in picking up the consignment.
I eargerly await your reply on this important matter.
Yours with kind regards and wishing you a blissful day,
Samuel Gordon-Stewart
I just had to honour Clayton by adding in the blissful day reference (see Clayton’s story and you’ll understand). I googled spinfinder.com, it would appear that many people have received scam emails from this domain, and the site itself appears to be one of those strange attempts at being a web portal that bombards you with ads, and some of the ads on that page do redirect you through adware and spyware laden sites on their way through to the target sites.
I now await a reply from Mr. Brown.
Samuel
September 16th, 2006 at 12:57am
The finals continue this weekend, and I am pleased to be able to announce that 2CA will be doing something they rarely ever do, broadcasting night-time AFL matches…it’s just as well really, all the matches are at night, although I must say it is very unusual (good, but unusual) for them to not have their live “Jukebox Saturday Night” request show.
NRL Finals Week 2
Dragons V Sea Eagles
Knights V Broncos
AFL Finals Week 2
Dockers V Demons
Eagles V Bulldogs
Samuel
September 15th, 2006 at 12:45pm
Well it’s Friday Funnies time again, and I could just say that the joke is “ACTION management comittee”, but I doubt many people would find it funny, so instead I’ll provide you with some bus flavoured jokes.
A good and kindly bishop pops his clogs and finds himself at heavens gates behind a newly deceased bus driver. Saint Peter is describing the five hundred room marble palace that will be the eternal home of the bus driver.
Saint Peter gets to the bishop and tells him to go round to the back gate of the mansion and prepare to be the bus drivers gardner. The bishop is outraged – “That idiot bus driver drove like a maniac – what do you think you are doing!!??” Saint Peter replies: “That bus driver is highly favoured in the heavenly realms; he put the fear of God up more people than all the churches in England!”
Did you hear about the magic bus?
– It went along the road, then turned into a side street.
Customer: “Can I have a return ticket please?”
Driver: “Where to?”
Customer: “Back here of course!”
A passenger who was slightly late in rising from her seat said to the driver, “I wanted that stop.” The driver turned around and replied ” I’m sorry madam, the company don’t sell them”
Do you have something you would like to contribute to Friday Funnies? If so, email it to smoothwallsamuel@gmail.com. All contributions welcome!
Samuel
September 15th, 2006 at 10:47am
ACTION management have decided to go back to the drawing board over their proposed driver shift changes. The move comes amidst credible rumours of sudden and surprise strike action being planned by the Transport Workers Union.
ACTION management had proposed a system based mainly on split shifts, which would have seen a large reduction in the number of middle-of-the-day bus services, and a drastic increase in the number of hours bus drivers spend at work. The shifts were rejected by drivers at a recent stop-work meeting, but ACTION management stubbornly refused to accept no for an answer, and subsequently offered the same shifts on a non-negotiable basis.
The Transport Workers Union and ACTION bus drivers were understandably annoyed at this, and credible sources inside ACTION claim that the Transport Workers Union were planning a surprise and sudden strike, to take place this morning. This would have involved TWU officials blocking the depot gates, and turning drivers away as they arrive for work, effectively stopping all bus services for the day. This plan is unconfirmable due to the very nature of the rumoured industrial action, which has previously been suggested publicly, and drivers subsequently threatened with fines equivalent to multiple days pay if they carried out the action.
It is believed that ACTION management got wind of the rumours, and decided to retract the shifts and negotiate with the TWU. At approximately 2:30pm yesterday, an announcement was broadcast to drivers via ACTION’s two-way radio system that the shifts had been withdrawn, and negotiations were continuing.
The proposed shifts would have seen the majority of drivers on split-shifts, where they would have been expected to be at work by 6 or 7am, drive busses until about 10am, then sit around at the depot for a couple hours just in case there was “special” work to be done, this would then be followed by an unpaid break of a couple hours, and then drivers would be expected to drive until about 6pm or later. This would have the effect of ruining ACTION’s family-friendly atmosphere, and pose a safety risk with drivers being required to be awake for more hours in the day. It would also have slashed middle-of-the-day services (ie. 9:30am-3pm) to the bone, stranding the people who rely on the bus services for transport, especially elderly people and shift workers.
Drivers may also have been alternated between day time split shifts, and night shifts, a move which may have resulted in even more driver fatigue as drivers may have struggled to adjust to constantly changing rosters.
Under the proposed changes, Flexibus (known here as Flexichaos) would have been replaced with normal route services, possibly the only sensible move in the proposed changes.
At this stage it is unclear what the 6 person ACTION management comittee (who have replaced former CEO Peter Wallace, and apparently have never been bus drivers) will come up with in their next offer.
Samuel
September 15th, 2006 at 09:49am
Good morning Stuart,
Just a thought about this Naomi Robson incident…perhaps Channel Seven just want a new ongoing storyline for Today Tonight, I can just see the promos now…"Behind bars, Today Tonight brings you life in a bali gaol, when Naomi Robson bravely walks in Schapelle’s footsteps" etc etc. The only problem I can see with this is the possibility that Naomi is just as popular as Yasmin who isn’t getting married!
Have a great weekend Stuart,
Samuel Gordon-Stewart
Canberra
September 15th, 2006 at 01:30am
Just having a look at the 2CA website (hooray, they finally updated the AFL schedule), I noticed that they are running a webpoll, namely “Who is the biggest knob?”, with the options being Germaine Greer, Jon Stanhope, The Breakfast Boys, Tom Cruise and Paris Hilton.
As I write this post, the results are as follows:
Jon Stanhope 56.0%
Germaine Greer 28.0%
Tom Cruise 6.0%
Paris Hilton 6.0%
The Breakfast Boys 4.0%
So our beloved Chief Turnip is Canberra’s biggest knob…sounds about right.
Samuel
September 14th, 2006 at 01:27pm
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