Archive for November 12th, 2008

Fuel Watch

Good evening Stuart,

One watch down, how many more to go? I'm pleased to see that the Senate have killed off Petrol watch…it proves that there is still some sanity in parliament after all. Not that it lasted for long, apparently the Senate Standing Committee on Economics want us to launch a space program.

As for the soccer, can you explain to me why Adelaide United even bothered? I've watched half of both games and I can't see why they bothered. They're not good enough to defeat Gamba Osaka, they're not even close to being good enough. Stick to the A-League for now would be my advice, perhaps give the Asian Champions League another go in a few years when they're a bit more experienced.

And I could tell you a fishing joke, but I think they've all reeled you in so far, so I'll avoid it.

Regards,
Samuel Gordon-Stewart
Canberra

2 comments November 12th, 2008 at 10:00pm

Baz Luhrmann has 24 hours to finish ‘Australia’

Or what? 20th Century Fox will cancel the movie and ban Luhrmann from ever having anything to do with any movie ever again? Well, it would be nice, but I don’t suppose that particular dream will come true. I reserve the right to hope though.

That said, the sooner that he finishes it, releases it, and it goes away, the better.

If I am ever forced to sit through his “interpretation” of Romeo and Juliet again, then The Powers That Be should prepare a padded room for me, because they won’t get any sense out of me at my trial.

Samuel

2 comments November 12th, 2008 at 07:06pm

Kwik-E-Mart Invades Caltex Woolworths Weston

This is a receipt (minus EFTPOS details):
Caltex Woolworths Receipt

There’s nothing particularly special about it…after all it is the same as just about every other receipt which I have received from there, which makes me wonder why I have never noticed the bottom line before:
Caltex Woolworths Receipt

Ah yes, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon has invaded the point of sale systems at Caltex Woolworths Weston and ensuring that everyone receives his famous complimentary farewell.

I think this calls for a song.

Samuel

November 12th, 2008 at 03:38pm

Breakfast over a complaint or two or three or four of five or…

One day last week I was having breakfast at a cafe in Woden and had the rather amusing (and unavoidable without earplugs) pleasure of eavesdropping on the people at the table behind me. Whilst I say “people”, it’s probably fairer to say “one of the people” as the conversation was very one-sided, to the point of having one woman talking, and the other one intermittently grunting sympathetically.

I picked up on the conversation when this particular woman was complaining about the 2IC in her workplace who is apparently a very diligent worker and does half of the complainers work because she doesn’t really manage to get around to it, but wants to take the rostered days off to which she is entitled. I couldn’t quite work out the logic behind this complaint, except that, perhaps, if the 2IC had the day off, the complainer might actually have to do some work. Oh the horror of the notion.

The next complaint was downright bizarre. It took a very very long time for her to rant about this one, but the basic summary is that her daughter failed a driving assessment because, to be blunt, her driving skills don’t exist. Apparently the fact that the government wouldn’t let her have a licence was an absolute outrage…and to make matters worse, she has to book in for another assessment (without gaining some skills, apparently) at a time which, *gasp*, the government have an available timeslot, not at a time dictated by the complainer.

Just to give her yet another reason to complain, she arranged all of the rosters at her work on the assumption that the government would read her mind and have a spare slot for her daughter on the day when her workplace’s schedule prefers. Not surprisingly, when she rang the government to book an appointment at her preferred time, they “typically” couldn’t accommodate her, which forced her to accept a time two days later and rearrange those rosters…which prompted complaints from her staff who had been promised particular shifts or days off. If only those staff would understand…

She also found something else to complain about, not that I remember what it was.

This morning I had breakfast in the same place and unfortunately ran in to the same complainer…and she was still complaining. Her staff still want time off (“despicable”), and apparently she went to exchange some Australian Dollars for US Dollars yesterday, but the exchange place wouldn’t give her as many US dollars as she wanted (“something to do with some exchange rate or some other nonsense”).

I was hoping that people like this were fictional…unfortunately my faint hope has been eroded. Oh well.

Samuel

2 comments November 12th, 2008 at 10:24am

Only a world leader would ban the Internet

Today: The Great Firewall of China comes to Australia

Tomorrow: Australia follows China’s lead and declares Internet Addiction a disorder

The next day: Kevin Rudd translates those “The Internets can be of harmful to healths” stickers from Mandarin to English…unfortunately needing to use the Google Translator because he doesn’t actually speak Mandarin.

Sometime next week: Internet access is outlawed simultaneously in Australia and China due to the “potential harmful effects of greenhouse gases emitted by routers and data centres”.

The next day: Cigarettes and alcohol are banned as well, the double standard was just too big too ignore.

It’s not entirely inconceivable is it? And surely both bans would work just as well as each other. We know that prohibition is always a wonderful success. I wonder what happened to the Internet being a crucial part of our economy? Wasn’t that one of Kevin Rudd’s pre-election mantras?

Samuel

4 comments November 12th, 2008 at 08:03am


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