Sunday Morning (ok, afternoon) Coming Down.

Mutterings continued.

The Pliocene Pussy Cat Theory, or Or How the Common Cat Has Shaped the Evolution of Human Ancestors Version 3.0. This is very, very funny - particularly Chapter 4, the Static Cling Theory.

MST3K tonight, yay!!! Leece and Rob's latest DVD has four, a whole FOUR, eps on it, which will keep us going for a while. Apparently they're from series 8 and beyond, after TV's Frank has left (and Crow gets a new voice).

Saturday's Child

Mutterings continued.

A flock of Carnabys, or possibly Baudins, cockatoos has been wheeling overhead. Great to watch but I wonder where they're going. It's not nesting season so they're probably not headed to the wheatbelt - perhaps it's just a nice day for flying around and making a noise.

I had a really annoying trip to the supermarket this morning. A good (or bad) third of the shelves in Newmart, Garden City were empty. Very little fruit and vegies, and what was there was of poor quality and overpriced, no fish in the deli section, a lot of tinned goods missing. I had to go to Coles afterwards to get the rest of the stuff on my list, something I hate doing because it's soooo crowded.

I think one of these days I going to snap and start screaming, "Get out of my f*&îng way!!"

The Gaffes of the Ring - Newsweek interview with Peter Jackson re all the gaffes picked up and reported on moviemistakes.com. What a good sport he is!

Friday on My Mind

Mutterings continued.

So, tickets for ROTK have gone on sale. We're wanting to see it at Innaloo Gold but their box office doesn't open until Dec. 11. Bum.

Another MST3K DVD has arrived in the waiting hands of Leece (whose birthday it is, BTW) and Rob and we'll be watching it on Sunday. We have movie sign!! Yay!!!! I think we're also planning to watch the last 2 eps of The Prisoner.

Oh lord! I've just seen the Rex the Run DVD on dvdsoon for CA$37.98 and free shipping.

And now, the news.

"SELLERS JR SLAMS PINK PANTHER REMAKE

Legendary comedian PETER SELLERS' son has dubbed plans to remake movie THE
PINK PANTHER with actor STEVE MARTIN a "terrible idea"."

He ain't the only one. While I like Steve Martin a lot, I can't see why Hollywood has to remake something that relied so much on the actor's interpretation.

Like a Summer Thursday

Mutterings continued.

Things I've discovered thanks to rock music:

1. Eric Satie. On the self titled Blood, Sweat and Tears album are a couple of short tracks entitled Variations on a Theme by Eric Satie, one of which closes side two. It's a short flute piece which ends with the sound of footsteps and a closing door and is just gorgeous. So it's thanks to B,S & T that I discovered the sublime Trois Gymnopedie suite that has become one of my favourite pieces of music.

2. Herman Hesse. On the Santana Abraxas album cover (back in the days when there were album covers, is a quote from Hesse's Demien. Being a huge Santana fan (still am) this sparked my interest in the books of Hesse. And being a teenager in the 70's and into that sort of thing, I got hooked on Siddhartha, Steppenwolf (especially Steppenwolf!), the Glass Bead Game, etc etc.

3. Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. I have the Emerson, Lake and Palmer version. And that's as much as I'm going to say.

"Granny says 'nothing wrong' with Timberlake's penis

Justin Timberlake's grandmother says Britney Spears was wrong to suggest he's got a tiny penis." Now, that is just plain wrong on so many levels! (Whenever I see a photo of Mr Timberlake, I think it's Orlando Bloom. Ditto Elijah Wood and that guy in Spiderman.)

"A billionaire media baron has taken a step to demonstrate his belief that women should run the world because men have "mucked it up" with too much warfare and military spending." Which just adds to the theory that Margaret Thatcher is really a man in drag.

Happy birthday, John Alderton and happy anniversary Will and Anne Shakespeare.

"The Earl and Countess of Wessex have named their daughter Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary Mountbatten-Windsor." Knew there would be an Elizabeth in there somewhere. Poor kid has the initials LAEM Mountbatten-Windsor. Good thing it wasn't Mary Elizabeth.

And this one I'll quote in full, cos it made me laugh:

"American tourists want to hunt haggis

A third of all American visitors to Scotland believe haggis is an animal.

Researchers have found almost one in four of those questioned said they had come to Scotland under the belief they could hunt it.

US tour operators are even selling haggis hunting tours.

Some 1,000 Americans took part in the survey, which was launched in the summer when haggis maker Hall's teamed up with a US tourism association website.

Hall's, which is based in Broxburn, West Lothian, asked Americans considering a trip to Scotland why they wanted to come and what they expected to see.

One American tourist believed that haggis was a wild beast of the Highlands, no bigger than a grouse, which only came out at night.

Another claimed haggis was a creature that sometimes ventured into the cities and was similar to a fox.

Anna Finlay, of Hall's, said: "It's amazing in this day and age that the myth of the haggis roaming the glens continues to resonate with overseas visitors."

The recipe for haggis varies but it can be made using a sheep's stomach bag filled with a mix of sheep's liver, heart and lung, oatmeal, suet, stock, onions and spices."

I remember seeing a doco on Americans travelling in the UK - some of them were complaining that Stonehenge wasn't next to the ocean "like it is in the brochures".

"Waiting for Wednesday"

Mutterings continued.

Things I want:
Simpsons Stephen Hawking Action Figure
Radio Command Dalek
LOTR: Return of the King LE soundtrack.

I watched half of the newly arrived DVD of the RSC's Othello last night and have decided that Ian McKellen makes a very sexy Iago. As an aside, I was driving to Hamlet rehearsals one night behind a car with a numberplate that read 1AGO. I thought an Iago number would be very cool. Othello was filmed at The Other Place in Stratford to wonderful effect and the DVD has a commentary by Trevor Nunn, director, and Ian McKellen, star.

Interesting website I stumbled across on Scifi.com - Science Fiction and Fantasy scripts. They claim to have the "greatest and not so greatest sci fi and fantasy movie scripts". Some people have gone to an awful lot of trouble to transcribe these things!

Now, without wanting to insult Eliot McCann, I give you this:

"Gig cancelled after bassist saws himself out of tree

British Sea Power had to cancel a gig in High Wycombe after the bass player hurt himself falling out of a tree.

Hamilton was collecting branches to decorate the stage when he inadvertently sawed through the branch he was holding on to, reports NME.com."

"Scientists discover a 17 million year old hamster nest

Scientists in Germany have discovered a 17 million-year-old hamster nest they claim is the oldest ever found." That's one bloody ancient hamster.

The email spam continues apace and it looks as though most of the bastards have got hold of random word generators, as the names they are sending their junk under are really bizarre! They're not names so much as objects and nouns.

And finally,

"Darkness Xmas single is a 'gift to fans'

Justin Hawkins says The Darkness's Christmas single is a gift to fans and not an anthem for "gluttony, consumerism or bloated, flatulent post-dinner snoozing". " And I thought that's exactly what Christmas was all about.

Ruby Tuesday

Mutterings continued.

From the "It should happen more often" file -

"Ku Klux Klan own goal

A bullet fired in the air during a Ku Klux Klan initiation ceremony came down and struck a participant in the head, critically injuring him.

Gregory Allen Freeman, 45, has been charged with aggravated assault and reckless endangerment for wounding Jeffery Murr, 24, in Johnson City, Tennessee.

About 10 people, including two children, had gathered for the white supremacist group's ceremony.

The man who was being initiated was blindfolded, tied with a noose to a tree and shot with paintball guns as Freeman fired a pistol in the air to provide the sound of real gunfire, Sheriff Fred Phillips said.

A bullet struck Murr on the top of the head and exited at the bottom of his skull, authorities said.

Freeman fled the ceremony but was arrested near his home, authorities said."

Taken from Ananova.

Also amusing, and on Ananova, this -

"Waterman offers £1m bet over Pop Idol contestant's future.

Pop Idol judge Pete Waterman says he's willing to bet £1million contestant Michelle McManus will be unknown in a year's time." Ditto any Pop Idol winners.

I saw the strangest fence on Berwick Street the other day - it looked as though someone had tried to recreate the Pinnacles on the top of a sandstone fence. Most bizarre. Ditto the garden that is all yellow sand with a few pot plants a few houses down from the corner of Berwick and Kent Sts.

And now for the Perth Metropolitan forecast:

Fine, though cloudy at times. Fresh SW/S'ly winds, tending SE for a period in
the morning.

TEMPERATURES: Minimum: 14 Maximum: 24
UV INDEX: 10 [VERY HIGH] decreasing to 7 [HIGH] under cloud

FIRE DANGER: Coastal Plain: MODERATE
Hills: MODERATE

The overnight minimum was 16 at 0552 hours
Today's maximum was 22.8 at 1322hours

Thank you BOM. Friends in England have told me that the weather there is turning very cold indeed, barely into double digits.

And finally, the Degree Confluence page, the goal of which "is to visit each of the latitude and longitude integer degree intersections in the world, and to take pictures at each location".

The Google Ad today

Mutterings continued.

is about getting a blog. And the related ads are for Kenneth Branagh and Ian Paisley. What the? Maybe it relates to my Gods and Monsters comment.

More Dr Who news:

"Row may rule Daleks out of new Dr Who

Daleks may not feature in the new Doctor Who because of a row between their creator and the BBC.

The BBC jointly owns the rights to the Daleks with inventor Terry Nation, who died in 1997.

While the beeb wants the robotic killing machines in the new series, the executors of Mr Nation's estate are reportedly saying no.

A television insider said: "No one knows exactly why, but Terry fell out with the BBC at some point.

"He told the executors never to let the BBC use the Daleks again. Fans want to see the Daleks return, but they may be disappointed."

The new series will be screened in 2005 and is being written by Queer as Folk creator Russell T Davies.

A BBC spokesman said there were on-going discussions between the Corporation and the executors, reports The Sun."

Oh dear.

I've finally been talked into being ASM for The Tempest next year. Dean S and Kerri H used their ultimate weapon - flattery. It's on at the New Fortune so there won't be any curtains to haul up and down (meaning I won't be putting my shoulders out again).

We've booked tickets for the Dec. 6 performance of the Panto at Curtin. Last year's was booked out so we missed it, but the panto the year before was great. It's a lot of fun acting like a kid in the theatre - yelling at the actors and interjecting. Should be more of it. And that's just from the crew. I can just see the scene in Hamlet as Hambo talks to his mother while Polony listens behind the arras. "He's behind you!" yells the audience to Hambo.

Or Richard III - "Now is the winter of our discontent..." "Oh, no it isn't!" "Oh yes it is!!"

Who'll Start the Rain..

Mutterings continued.

The skies are grey and the R and I Tower is shrouded in what could be mist (or could be smog).

I checked the letterbox this morning and it was EMPTY. Very odd. I usually get a bundle of stuff on a Saturday or a Sunday. I have had a ton of spam in my email, however. The latest seems to be from people trying to offer me warranties for my car. As Freddie Ford is over 13 years old, I can't see what kind of warranty they could possibly give me. They also want to help me get money out of the government. I haven't read far enough through the message to determine which government.

Blake's 7 stuff.

And on a related note, apparently the Daleks make an appearance in the live/animated Looney Tunes movie with Brendan Fraser (who was never better than in Gods and Monsters).

I should be doing the housework tonight....

Mutterings continued.

but bugger it! I've got a bottle of red, given to me by John Milsen, I've got crisps and chocolate and I've got the super duper extended version of the Two Towers.

I had to check the junk mail very carefully this afternoon to make sure there weren't any real letters trapped inside. There were. You can tell when Xmas is coming by the way the junk mail explodes (not literally, though that would be funny to watch).

I don't mind junk mail. Most of the store cattledogs are useful as are the video store discount vouchers, however I am sick of real estate agents begging me to sell my unit - as I rent it I don't think the owners would appreciate it if I did.

Starring.....

Mutterings continued.

Interesting thread over at aus.dvd - which actor features most prominently in your DVD collection? TV and movie series count as 1 only.

I've just checked my meagre collection and it's a tie between Sir Ian Mc and Sir Derek J - four each. For Sir I it's the two LOTRs (which count as one), the 2 X Men (ditto), Richard III and Othello. And for Sir D it's Gladiator, Gosford Park, the I Clavdivs and Henry V.

Kenneth Branagh and Tom Hollander tie for #2 - Harry Potter 2, Hank V and Loves Labours Lost for the former and Cambridge Spies, Enigma and Gosford Park for the latter.

Now if you counted videos, then Sir Derek would def. win. Lord but I've got some obscure stuff of his! I'd like to get Dead Again on DVD but it's too expensive - I'll just have to put up with the video. Hmm, just looked on ezydvd.com.au and it's only $25. Oh dear.

A quick blog before I forget.....

Mutterings continued.

To mark the 40th anniversary of Dr Who, the Radio Times in the UK is celebrating with a special edition. While we may not get the magazine here in Oz, their website has some items that may be of interest. There's even a life sized Dalek to win (but only if you live in the UK)!

Blimey it's Windy!!

Mutterings continued.

It's like winter out there. Lovely. 8-)

It's been a good day, postage wise. Nice large parcel in the letter box from visitbritain.com with maps, cd rom, tourist guides, etc, and a parcel on the door mat full of the goodies I'd ordered from the RSC. McKellen's Iago is due from Blackstar any day. And I still haven't bought TTT EE.

More internet bumperstickers:







I heard a lovely piece of music on Classic FM on Sunday morning - Garbarek's "We are the Stars" from his "Rites" album. He's a Norwegian saxophonist.

Patting oneself on the back time - last night my French teacher gave me the "hard" homework and gave nearly everybody else the easy homework.

And to finish, one of my favourite websites - Engrish.

LOTR:TTT EE out tomorrow.

Mutterings continued.

Will I race to Target after work tomorrow to buy it or will I be sensible and shop around? Wadda you reckon?! I would have contemplated going to see if Target had it today (as apparently some shops do) but I've got French classes.

I had a quick look at the animated Dr Who during lunch. I've got a 56k Modem at home and watching streaming anything is a real pain. Didn't get to Derek Jacobi's part - is he a baddie?

Sticky, innit?

Mutterings continued.

I've been looking forward to the promised thunderstorm for 2 days. My mum isn't - she's a hiding under the bed with her fingers in her ears kind of person when it comes to thunder and lightening. 8)

Last night's ep of The Prisoner was fascinating - Girl Who Was Death. It was also very funny - I love McGoohan's dead pan take.

We also watched the last half hour of Volcano High (such a fun movie) and ep 2 of Neverwhere. In Leece's words, I'm a place dropper - I point out places in movies and tv eps I've been (the Houses of Parliament in the opening credits of The Prisoner, for example). The ep we watched of Neverwhere was "Knightsbridge", and I had to say "Haven't been there." as I've never been Harrods. Next episode is "Earl's Court" and I'm afraid I'm going to have to say "Been there.", many, many times. I suspect I'll never see it again in the same light after watching Neverwhere.

I drove past Carousel today and the car park was full. There are usually a lot of cars outside Fast Eddies, etc but this is the first Sunday I've seen the carparks all the way round to Myers full as well. What have I missed??

Something Awful Love the octopus hat.

Silly joke

Mutterings continued.

stolen from r.a.t.u.c.s. -

A piece of tarmac was sat drinking in a pub. A second piece of tarmac came in and ordered a pint. As the barman was serving it, the first piece said "Where are you from?"

"I'm from the M6" said the second piece of tarmac.

The first piece of tarmac got stroppy. "I'm from the M25 and I don't like Norveners. Get out!" So the M25 chucked the M6 out of the pub.

The barman said nothing.

A few minutes later, another piece of tarmac walked in and ordered a pint. Again, the M25 asked where it was from.

"I'm from the A1" said the new piece of tarmac.

"Get out!" yelled the M25. "I don't drink with A roads!" The A1 was unceremoniously ejected from the pub.

The barman said nothing.

A further few minutes later, yet another piece of tarmac came in, ordered a drink and sat down. The M25 kept quiet.

The barman went over to the M25 and questioned him. "Why did you throw the other pieces of tarmac out, but you are ignoring him?"

The M25 answered, "I'm not messing with him. He's a bloody cyclepath!"

Busy day today.

Mutterings continued.

Just back from the weekly shopping and buying a birthday present for one of my nieces. How dare she be born so close to Xmas - it means I'll have to come up with more ideas for Xmas pressies. Then I'm going out to treat myself to a facial (when you get to my age, you need all the help you can get. Pass those sheep placentas!!), then back home again to prepare dinner for Leece and Rob. Spinach and ginger soup and chicken rice noodles. Thai food is lovely but the preparation is a right bugger!

More Prisoner tonight and hopefully the end of Volcano High.

I've just paid off my credit card. Today I received an email from Blackstar stating that the DVD of Othello I'd ordered has been shipped and my credit card debited. And the books I'd ordered were waiting for me on the doorstep when I got home from shopping, and my credit card has been debited. *sigh*

Pacman! courtesy of Marcus Brigstocke, aka David Oxley, BA Hons. "We are History" was on last night after Paradise Heights (another addition to the David Troughton collection) - this ep was about the Iron Age. "I'm going to hold my breath until you vote me Chief!" He "recreated" an Iron Age farm, complete with Wicker Man, courtesy of the local garden centre (bucket for head, trellis for arms and legs) and dressed the participants in authentic clothing, ie what hippies would wear.

And Friday's Blog.

Mutterings continued.

****SPOILERS FOR RETURN OF THE KING*****






Seems it is true about Christopher Lee ending up on the cutting room floor. Interesting perspective from The One Ring.

Also from TOR website - "TTT:EE Easter Egg
11/12/03, 10:24 pm EST - maegwen

Ringer Spy Sheepy666 writes: You prolly already know this, but hidden on the 1st disc of TTT:EE (U.S. region 1) is Gollum's amusing award aceptance speech taken from MTV. Access it by going into the chapter select, pressing up once, and then down once (a golden ring appears)."

I have the Gollum acceptance speech on tape and it's a classic. Very funny, and foul mouthed, indeed.

A little time waster -
Fishy

Thursday’s Blog - It’s cooler!

Mutterings continued.

Hurrah! I managed to walk down the hill from my office to the café for lunch without turning in a puddle of melted public servant.

I finally met the other inhabitant of my office today. For quite a while ‘something’ has been leaving its calling cards on the walls of my office. Sounds horrible I know but when you work in a zoo you get used to anything. I figured it was an insect of some kind and was happy to let it be, however my asthma has been particularly bad the last few weeks so I finally told the boss. He put his investigating ex-zookeeper hat on and nearly had me running screaming from the building by saying that he thought it could be a large spider. Somebody else had a look and announced it could have been a spider but was probably a gecko.

And so it is. I moved my monitor this morning and a large and very beautiful Marbled Velvet Gecko ran up the wall and into the beam in the ceiling. I’m perfectly happy sharing my room with a gecko, just wish he was office trained.

***SPOILERS FOR RETURN OF THE KING***







I hope this isn’t true and is just scurrilous internet gossip – “Christopher Lee has been dropped from the new Lord of the Rings film.” http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_837893.html?menu=news.latestheadlines

Last Friday, as a ten minute filler between Paradise Heights and The Glass House, the ABC screened the very funny We Are History, presented by comedian Marcus Brigstocke as a celeb historian (a kind of dodgy Simon Shama). Last week’s ep was about the Industrial Revolution and David Oxley, BA Hons, the presenter, attempted to recreate what it would be like working in a 19th century factory by forcing an ordinary family to work in a call centre. I’d caught another ep last year about Richard III – who wasn’t the evil person portrayed by Shakespeare and history but was just misunderstood. He didn’t kill his nephews, he was playing hide and seek with them and forgot where they were. There was a laugh out loud scene of Richard III talking to a builder about putting a new wall in and blocking up a room – one prince high and two princes wide. I’m hoping it’s on again this week but it doesn’t appear on the ABC tv guide page.

Lunchtime mutterings

Mutterings continued.

Tasty sarnies for lunch today - ham, cheese, Roma tomato, lettuce from a lettuce tree that R and L gave me and wholegrain mustard. MMmmm.

I've been working on the Zoo's collection plan for the last few days - it's the annual list of what we've got, what we want and what we plan to do with them. I've come across some very cool sounding names of critters - Chameleon Dragon is one of my favourites as I rather like the sound of a large flying, fire breathing beastie that can blend into the background. The Latin name for the New Calidonean Imperial Pigeon is Ducula goliath - a scary thought.

I saw an ad on telly last night for "this year's most anticipated film" - something or other with Meg Ryan. Now, I would have thought that 'this year's most anticipated film' would have been one of the Matrices or Return of the King. But maybe I'm wrong.

The thunderstorm last night was great but it didn't bring much relief. I had hoped that the rain would cool things down but I think it's just made it more humid. The wind was very violent and very hot, not a nice combination. Milo and I slept with the fan on all night.

It's a good thing this blog isn't read by the wider community as I suspect I would be hunted down and stoned by fan girls (and boys) for saying this but, is it just me or is Orlando Bloom's acting a little.....wooden? He's Still the Prettiest (thank you, The Very Secret Diaries) but he doesn't have much range. I only ask because understand Pirates of the Caribbean 2 is in the offing and I've just read an article on scifi.com about OB presenting an award to Sir Ian Mc.

And from the same source: "James Marsden, who played Scott Summers/Cyclops in X-Men and X2, told SCI FI Wire that X3 is in the works and that the producers have expressed interest in his reprising the character. "I know that there's an outline, a treatment out there, for the third one," Marsden said in an interview. "I don't know what's in it or what the story is." " Whoo hoo! I want to know what happens next to Magneto.

Odd that the blog spellchecker doesn't recognise 'blog'. It also read 'wholegrain' as 'hologram'.

Even hotter!

Mutterings continued.

So, I wonder what hideous name the latest royal sprog will be lumbered with. And will the name Elizabeth be in there somewhere?

Today's Google ad is about the Endangered Species Act - I guess a mention of Koalas and platypus has done that. And the related searches are 'marsupials' and 'Australian food', which is a bit of a worry.

Added to my calico shopping bag collection today - the Silvery Gibbon Project is selling them for only $5 each, so I bought 2. I also have a trunk painted elephant bag and a hand painted orang bag.

Oooog! Hot.

Mutterings continued.

Off sick today, didn't sleep well last night (in spite of the medication), woke up with a shocking headache at 5am. The plumber turned up at 9 to fix the plumbing and finally left after midday after making a hell of a mess on the floor.

Off to French tonight, hope I can concentrate.

Watched The Prisoner (the odd Western episode - funny but rather freaky) and most of a Korean kung fu movie called Volcano High school. There was nothing on the disk to indicate what it was called or what it was about. It was very funny, obviously drawn from anime and manga and had some great effects. Lots of Matrix style slow motion fighting that was lovely to look at and very funny in parts.

Benign Dictatorships.

Mutterings continued.

Bugger democracy, says I, a benign dictatorship would be so much easier and efficient.

So, until I become your Overlord, here are a few rules and regulations to be going on with:

1. Utes will not sold to anyone who doesn't intend carrying around at least one bag of cement and a dog in the tray.
2. Off road vehicles will not be sold to anyone who doesn't go off road. They will NOT be sold to people who use them as oversized, overpriced shopping trolleys.
3. People who go to the cinema and talk during the movie will be taken out and tagged. All cinemas will be fitted with sensors that will go off when a tagged individual attempts to enter.
4. Nutritionists will acknowledge that a pizza from Pizza With Attitude (Kensington) contains all the major food groups and is therefore A Good Thing.
5. Beer and whisky will replace Grains as a major food group.
6. Everybody will have a cat, especially old people who can have as many as they like and someone to help look after them.
7. The temperature in spring/summer/autumn will not go above 25c. And we will get snow in winter in the city. Occasionally.
8. Anyone who wants can spend a week's holiday, free, on the international space station. When it's finished.
9. International tourists will receive education before they get here that not all Australian marsupials like being cuddled and that koalas, platypus and Tasmanian devils are not endemic to WA.
10. Any spider more than a micron in size will be taken away, far away, and put somewhere safe where I can't see them.

That's enough for now.

Leece and Rob are coming for dinner - I'm making cold Thai avocado soup (avocados, onion, garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, vegetable stock, mint and coriander - bung it all in the blender and refrigerate) and potato stir fry.

Lovely sea breeze

Mutterings continued.

Nice westerly coming through the window and hitting me in the face.

More news:

"A man attempting to walk naked from Land's End to John O'Groats has been found guilty of breach of the peace." And being very silly.


Mc Bards, anyone?

Mutterings continued.

Anybody else think it's spooky that the new leader of the Tories is called Howard? How would the rest of the world cope if he won the next election and there were two Prime Minister Howards out there?

Yet another Friday.

Mutterings continued.

The Google ads today are for flower delivery in the UK and a hotel in Auckland. The former I can understand, but the latter?

And now, the news.

"Women activists in an Indian town have started attacking men who booze in illegal drinking dens with brooms." First they're drinking with brooms, then...who knows?

"Spending more time in the pub could be good for your brain." Hurray!!

"Researchers are claiming many people secretly enjoy boring friends with their holiday photographs." Wonder what they say about people who create blogs with their holiday photos.....

EzyDVD are taking pre orders for Pirates of the Carribean - I was thinking that maybe it was being released next month, but no, it's March!! That's four whole months away.

Special Features: (To Be Confirmed)

* Audio Commentaries
* Making Of
* Deleted Scenes
* "Moonlight" Scene Progression
* Image Gallery
* Blooper Reel
* Below Deck: An Interactive History Of Pirates.

Arrrrr!!

Joke

Mutterings continued.

A man walks into a doctor's surgery complaining of a strange compulsion to
burst into song.

"What sort of songs?" inquires the doctor.

"Oh, things like 'The Green, Green Grass of Home' and 'Delilah'" replies the
man.

"Ah," says the doctor. "You are suffering from TJS - Tom Jones Syndrome."

"Tom Jones Syndrome?" says the man, puzzled. "I've never heard of that. Is
it rare?"

"Well," replies the doctor. "It's not unusual."

--

Voyager is so cool.

Mutterings continued.

And I don't mean the ST franchise. NASA

Barrels.

Mutterings continued.

This is Alistair with his enrichment barrel.


And this Manzi saying, "He won't give it back!!"

The first time the blue barrel was put in the lion enclosure, Alistair grabbed it and refused to let it go. In the end, Manzi and Mafuta used their sexual wiles to tempt him away from it. Then they grabbed it. Both pics belong to Perth Zoo, so no nicking them without permission.

Diverse email addresses - as an experiment, I've opened 3 different email accounts, just to see how long before the spam started. With Yahoo it was almost straight away; with Hotmail it took a couple of months, but I've obviously joined one too many MSN groups as the junk has started; and nothing yet with Netscape, but it's only been a couple of days.

Saw a great video clip the other day, I think it was on Ten. Or Two. Anyway, it was riffing the theme music from Robin's Nest and featured a library with some ladies dressed in 50's middle class housewife gear (gloves, hats, etc). It ended with two young things walking in and saying, "We're from Perth." It was very funny and as you can tell the name of the song and the group really made an impression.

Actually, I have a theory, which is mine, that the human brain can only take in so much information, especially when it comes to faces and names. After a certain point, it just goes, "Nuh. Don't even bother trying to remember their name." Which probably explains why I never remember anyone I've met since 2001.

Disaster #3

Mutterings continued.

I knew there was another mishap yesterday....I'd forgotten to put the outlet hose from the washing machine back in the trough and managed to flood the bathroom while doing a load of washing. Gus thought it was very interesting and sat in the shower watching the soapy water run down the plug 'ole.

Today I was dragging people into my office and demanding to know if they could smell burning. They could but damned if we could work out where it was coming from. I got the electrician in but he couldn't smell it. And the network printer keeps chucking wobblies, resulting in people at my door whining, "Paaaammmm....the printer's not working....."

Ah well, it's been a week of minor irritations, nothing to get hung up about.

Mmm, the gardener/handyman chappie has just mown the lawn and put the reticulation on and it smells lovely.

Oh dear, looks like I'll have to wash the kitchen floor again - Milo is dragging his meat onto the carpet rather than have to stand on the sticky, icky floor.

Today's ear worm - God Only Knows, by the Beach Boys. Lovely but rather depressing.

And speaking of music, a pop quiz. Got these from the 60's music ng - there are 27 questions but these are the only ones I can get. Anybody else?


We're after the same rainbow's end


I've got a love so true
And yet I'm sad and blue


And after all the loves of my life
Oh, after all the loves of my life
I'll be thinking of you
And wondering why
(cue groovy dance break)

Oh, my friend, we're older but no wiser
For in our hearts the dreams are still the same


Give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home

Lunch time blogging

Mutterings continued.

Well, that was a boring lunch! Tuna, crackers, yoghurt and a banana. At least morning tea was interesting - two slices of toasted raisin bread. I had some yesterday and was gloating to the curators who share the building and have to put up with the smell of raisin toast toasting - of course I burnt it. And set off the smoke detector. They weren't at all sympathetic.

Last night I was opening a bottle of lemon and soda water and dropped it on the kitchen floor. Unfortunately the lid was half off and the bottle went off like a fire cracker - spewing sticky liquid in all directions. I managed to get it to the sink but not before I'd covered the floor, the cupboards and myself. I washed the floor but it was still a little sticky, much to Milo's disgust who then tried to walk across it. He stopped half way with one paw in the air and a look of "Ick! Ick!!" on his face as he tried to work out how to cross the rest of the way without having to touch the sticky stuff.

Spoiler for Alias fans.......



From the Radio Times - "OFFICE OUTING FOR GERVAIS
Ricky Gervais is to play a "juicy, horrible, evil" villain in the cult American show Alias. Gervais, better known as David Brent in The Office, will film his Alias appearance in early 2004. He told US magazine TV Guide, "[Alias creator] JJ Abrams is a fan and offered to write me a part." Abrams added: "A good bad guy doesn't have to be arch, over-the-top, moustache-twirly. But he does need to be smart. And certainly Ricky is smart."

The job comes as the comic's profile soars in the USA through the screening of The Office on BBC America. Work is also well under way on a US version of the hit sitcom, with Gervais not starring but working as a consultant."

Oh joy, an American version of The Office - will it go the same way as Red Dwarf and Ab Fab?

Some horse race or other....

Mutterings continued.

Mmmm... fish and brandy flavour!!

I had to book a taxi for some of our staff who were attending a conference this afternoon. Both Swan and B and W were either engaged or stuck me on hold for about 2 hours this morning. Finally got through to Swan, who told me they wouldn't take a booking and we'd just have to chance it later in the day when we wanted the taxi.

Went to Hollywood Hospital to pick up some X rays and discovered where all the taxis were - parked outside the hospital!

The Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics site. Being a total blockhead when it comes to physics, I understand little of this site - but it's a hoot.

I've just read on the aus.tv newsgroup that Channel 7 are screening Reeves and Mortimer's Randall and Hopkirk (Decd.) - hope I get to see the Derek Jacobi episode before it disappears into FTA oblivion.

Made me laugh.

Mutterings continued.

The Foxtel guide has the following as the synopsis for Star Trek: The Movie -

A giant head of alien power is heading towards Earth, destoying everything in its path.


Now, I now Willam Shatner played the Big Giant Head in Third Rock, but I don't think that's what ST:TMP is really all about.....

Comedy tonight!

Mutterings continued.

Not quite. It's my second French lesson after...mumble...years. I was listening to Classic FM on Sat morning and they played A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum - the very first play I got involved in when I was 16. And the play that was responsible for my life long love of theatre and all things backstage. I found the whole staging of it fascinating. It was directed by Geoff Gibbs at Claremont Teachers College.

I don't suppose anyone out there knows where the out takes easter egg is on X Men 2? In the movie commentary, Bryan Singer keeps referring to out takes on the DVD but I haven't been able to find it. Annoying if it only refers to R1.

The ear worm today was the Beach Boys' Sail On Sailor, a def. improvement on yesterday's. I was watching the All Star Tribute to Brian Wilson and SOS was one of the songs featured - I just love it. After nigh on 40 years, his songs still sounds great.

I'll Be Back Upon my Feet...

Mutterings continued.

What does it mean when you wake up to find an obscure Monkees' song stuck in your brain? It's not one of their better songs but as ear worms go, it could be worse.

Great night with Leece and Rob last night - The Prisoner (we've just started disk 4. Eek! Not many to go now!!), ep 1 of Neverwhere (with commentary by Neil Gaiman), The Young One's Cash and a game of City of Chaos, an RPG/board game hybrid that's a lot of fun. I was a 2nd level Mage who was nearly killed by rabid dogs, Inquisitors who doused me in oil and threw me into the fire, and a dragon. I was last seen tottering into the Houses of Healing with only 4 health points left.

The Prisoner ep, Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling, was another good 'un - apparently Patrick McG was away filming Ice Station Zebra at the time, which explains his very limited appearance in the episode.

Today's ponderings.

Mutterings continued.

What does " pushing the envelope" mean?? How does the ability to move about a paper container for letters, cards and bills imply inventiveness?

When did the ute become the vehicle of choice for hoons with tiny penises and smaller brains?

Why, if there are two empty parking bays, one in front of the other, don't some drivers park in the front one, so they just have to drive out, instead of parking in the rear one, and having to back out if someone parks in front of them?

Should I have bought the block mounted poster of Legolas at Garden City this morning for $20? And where would I have put it if I did?? I already have framed posters of Othello, Dead Again, In God's Name and In the Bleak Midwinter on the floor, resting against the wall because I don't have space for them.

And speaking of Garden City.... I made the observation a few months ago, in another place, that Douglas Adams was wrong - the world will not be over run by shoe shops, but by mobile phone shops. Another has opened at Garden City, a few feet from the other FIVE in the mall. The new one is "Crazy John's", a trustworthy name if ever there was one.

I bought the X Men 2 DVD this morning. I had to - K Mart were selling it for $29.62, and that's not that much dearer than the version being released in a few weeks. Really.


Milo and Gus. About time they got their furry faces in this blog.

Kishen Haiden (sp?) is the name of the very first anime I saw at John Samuel's place. I was talking about it on another forum and couldn't remember the name. Leece and Rob managed to determine which one it was from my description of there being a big train.