NYE 2012
Having a night in.
Just noticed my new year’s resolutions from two years ago — given I’m not really in the mood to write a new set, let’s review these old ones, shall we?
- Teach my kids chess — I did have one go at this, but didn’t push it. Should try again.
- Try to declutter the house — This is an ongoing project. I really couldn’t say if I’ve made a huge amount of progress in the past two years.
- Get Jeremy into his own bedroom — we finally got this done about a month ago.
- Get all of us more exercise — yep; sometime back then I instituted a nightly walk after dinner, and except when it’s pouring with rain, we do it every night.
- Write a computer game (even a simple one) to get more enthused again about programming — Nup, though work has had me doing more coding in the last 18 months.
- Replace the TV with something shiny, flat, and digital — DONE! (I got this done back then, two years ago)
- Have a more regular bedtime — kinda sorta, could do better.
- Plan a Proper Holiday — got two in: Brisbane in 2011, Perth in 2012
- Not let any gift vouchers expire — pretty sure I’ve achieved this since 2010
- Have a birthday party to make up for my lack of a 40th — had a bunch of people for drinks and dinner at a pub; twas a good night
If I can’t think of new resolutions, perhaps in the next year I’ll keep going through this list.
For our family, 2012 brought both joy and sadness. Hope your 2013 brings more of the former than the latter. Happy New Year.
Tags: new year, New Year's Eve
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Halloween approaches
Just after I moved to my current address, I noted that some of the local kids went Trick Or Treating for Halloween. It’s been the same in subsequent years, and I fully expect the same next week.
I’ve decided that while I’m not into cultural imperialism and the adaption of American traditions to Australia, this is something I’m happy enough to support on the basis that it’s a good way to meet some of the neighbours.
In fact I’m seriously considering getting some fake pumpkins from the $2 shop and putting them up in the doorway to flag that we’re joining in. And I’m wondering if my kids want to have a go… perhaps the Dalek costume Jeremy built for my sister’s 40th birthday (theme: Best of British) might get another outing.
What’s the situation in other neighbourhoods?
- About 24 per cent of Australians plan to celebrate Halloween this year, according to McCrindle Research. Social analysts suggest the commercialisation of the event is behind its growing popularity. — The Age today
Tags: Halloween, holidays
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Lest we forget: ANZAC Day 2012
I was passing Bentleigh RSL in early March when I noticed a new sculpture being installed out the front. (The bloke installing looks a tad grumpy…)
Nearby on a truck were some more of the figures, ready for installation.
The completed sculpture nicely captures representations of all the services.
They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
Funny mining spoof video
Very funny mining video spoof…
…so cutting that when Mumbrella re-posted it, they got legal threats from coal company Xstrata. They demand that Mumbrella takes the video off Youtube, to which Mumbrella points out:
Your note suggests you may misunderstand who has published the video to which you refer. Your demand that the video is removed from YouTube is aimed at the wrong organisation.
We were not responsible for uploading the video and have no connection to the YouTube channel “pourouge12″ where it has been uploaded.
In common with several people on social media including Twitter, we were reporting on the video’s existence on YouTube where it appears to have been for the last five days, having already accumulated more than 8,000 views. We have simply made use of of the ability provided by YouTube to embed its content on other sites.
Got a blog of your own? This might be a good video to post on it — see if you get a letter from Xtrata too.
Tags: mining, Mumbrella, Xstrata
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Who “owns” your surname?
Go to Google News (preferably in an anonymous browser window so it’s not skewed towards your usual searches — though it will detect your location/country).
Search for your surname. Who comes up top?
For me it’s Immigration Minister Chris Bowen.
- Related: Google’s top ten Daniels
Tags: fame, Google, news
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Why today is a holiday
It’s Labour Day today in Victoria, marking the reduction in working hours during the 19th century to 8 hours, and the relaxation of working conditions, which in the 1840s were strict:
Conditions of the time were governed by the Master and Servant Act. Employees in Australia in 1840 who left their employment without permission were subject to being hunted down under the Bushrangers Act. As little as one hour’s absence by a free servant without permission could precipitate a punishment of prison or the treadmill.
Thus this monument at the top of Russell Street in Melbourne marks the achievement of 8 hours work, 8 hours recreation and 8 hours rest.
If it were created today, it’d probably be called Work-Life-Balance Day or somesuch.
And it would probably be something more like 7.6 hours work, 2 hours commuting, 6.4 hours housework, babysitting and recreation, and 8 hours rest.
Tags: Labour Day, working life
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How many times does the mayor’s photo appear in the council newsletter?
A few years ago I noted that the Glen Eira News local council newsletter featured six photos of the mayor in twelve pages.
The current mayor is Jamie Hyams, who I’ve met a couple of times, and I’m happy to say has an interest in improving public transport — I believe he was behind Glen Eira joining the Metropolitan Transport Forum to help lobby the state government for better services.
The latest edition of the Glen Eira News just arrived, and Cr Hyams photo features seven times in sixteen pages — a slight reduction in photos per page, from 0.5 to 0.44.
How do other council newsletters rate?
Tags: Glen Eira News, local politics
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Australia Day thoughts
Happy Australia Day.
Some thoughts:
1. Spotted this morning, some glorious Australia Day supermarket multiculturalism:
2. I was a Flag Monitor in grade 6. Along with my mate Mark, we put the flag up on the school flag pole. Apart from a minor hitch on the first day when it went up upside down for a short time, there were no issues, though I’d imagine doing the same job for the Elizabeth Street roundabout would be somewhat more time consuming:
(I’m probably safe in assuming they go up and stay up.)
3. I was pondering, as debate about immigration and asylum seekers rages, if our Federal politicians are familiar with the second verse of our national anthem. (It was originally the third verse. There were originally more in the song, but the national anthem only incorporates the original first and third. We used to sing both in high school, at assemblies and so on.)
Obviously one should be wary about determining policy from lyrics written circa 1901 (much of the song was written before 1878, but this verse was added for Federation), but still, I’d love to hear Ms Gillard and Mr Abbott’s interpretation of them.
Beneath our radiant Southern Cross
We’ll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who’ve come across the seas
We’ve boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To Advance Australia Fair.In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.
