Thursday, October 8, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Almost Attacked on the Street
Kissy and I went out the other night to meet up with some of her coworkers at a local bar and since it's getting chilly here I decided to wear my logger's hat to keep warm. It's a bit silly looking, I'll be the first to admit. But it matches my sweater, the one that Kissy abhors, and it keeps my ears warm with the handy-dandy ear flaps. All in all, I was bundled up and ready to go.
We exited our building and were just crossing the street when a group of seven or so drunken lads approached us. I was justifiably a bit wary of them since they were trashed, looked like hooligans, and were rough housing with one another. As the first guy came past me he took a swing at my face. Luckily I deflected his punch with my arm and luckily he wasn't trying too hard. It was just a, 'Hey, I'm going to act as if I punch you and if I do, what are you going to do about it?' I bumped into the next guy and Kissy yells, 'What the hell?' So he turns around, immediately taking his shirt half-off in the process, 'You got a problem? Are we going to have to solve it?'
I stare at him for a bit and his friends grab the half-undressed drunken slob as I grab Kissy's hand and pull her out of the middle of them.
And we walk away.
The sad part of this is that this instance was merely symptomatic of Sydney and Austalia. There are constant drunken fights with no provocation. They just want to fight. Hooligan style. And people get seriously injured and die here. And its not that uncommon. A gentlemen was waiting at the Central Train Station after having some drinks with coworkers. While he was waiting alone for his train to take him home, two random strangers came up and started hitting him. He fell and hit his head. At the hospital he went into a coma and died. They still have not caught the two guys that did it even though they have them on surveillance cameras and there is a $100,000 reward for their whereabouts.
So, street ruffians looking to punch out random people is a reality here.
As well as heroin junkies by the alley-full that break and enter and steal everything out of your place. Fair Dinkum.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
Martyr's 72 Virgins - Some Problems
"Ibn Warraq has hilariously argued that in the famous promise of seventy-two virgins to every Muslim martyr, 'virgins' is a mistranslation of 'white raisins of crystal clarity'. Now, if only that had been more widely known, how many innocent victims of suicide missions might have been saved? (Ibn Warraq, 'Virgins? What virgins?', Free Inquiry 26: 1, 2006, 45-6.)" -From Richard Dawkins The God Delusion
I've never really understood how Muslims can be fooled into martyrdom by the promise of seventy-two virgins awaiting them in heaven...
First, why kill yourself in the name of Allah. Secondly, why kill others in the name of Allah?! I know, I know, infidels and all that.
Also, suicide bombing? Don't you think that your 'god' would be somewhat more impressed if you killed so-called 'infidels' without sacrificing his 'chosen' ones? Perhaps Allah would be impressed if one were to use remote-control detonations since he, presumably, gave them brains to think with. (But I don't want to give them any more ideas...)
What I've really wondered is what's the draw about 72 virgins awaiting in heaven? Is it that they get to have sex with a virgin (which they probably are as well), which I think it has been proven, virgins aren't very good at sex. Regardless of that, assuming that sex with virgins is still the draw, what happens on the 73rd day in heaven? You've presumably deflowered the 72 virgins in your first 72 days in heaven, if not sooner, and now you're faced with an eternity of your own-seconds (which is unfortunate since your tastes are solely for virgins which is why you martyred yourself in the first place).
And, if Ibn Warraq is right, won't they be quite surprised to find their reward is, instead of 72 virgins, seventy-two white raisins.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Flora by Gucci
Great ad but my favorite part is the voiceover at the end in which the listless girl can't seem to care whatsoever about, 'Flora, the new fragrance from Gucci.' It's like she's a warmed over corpse of a voiceover.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Gaza Strip Gifted with Slingshots by American Company
Gaza Strip Gifted with Slingshots by American Company
By Sasha Vonnegut
Associated Press
In an unprecedented move Acme Toy Company of Trenton, New Jersey has shipped two crates of slingshots to the war-torn region of Palestine known as the Gaza Strip. In what has been called an ‘insensitive’ and ‘outrageous’ act by religious leaders domestically, the toy company delivered upwards of 20,000 Bulls-Eye Sharp Shooter slingshots that it intends to distribute free of charge on the streets of Palestine.
Roberto Sanchez, corporate director of marketing for Acme Toy Company, explained the genesis of the idea, “We were watching the news one day after work at the beginning of Israel’s latest bombardment of the west bank and we saw these kids and adults crouching in the streets and throwing rocks at the Israeli soldiers and their tanks. And it just hit us how ridiculous it was that they’ve been throwing rocks for centuries over there as their main means of defense and offense. The Israelis have helicopters, tanks, missiles, jets, machine guns, and another thing that the Palestinian kids don’t have, shoes. Due to the economic downturn our sales have been pretty slim and shrinking so we were looking for ways to cut costs and we’ve had this excess slingshot inventory that we’re just paying to store so I suggested we unload it.”
Rabbi Samuel Schmielberg of the Center for Jewish Studies in New York City has called for a boycott of the company, an immediate apology, and to attempt to recall every slingshot already on the streets. “The short-sightedness of this publicity stunt on the part of Acme Toy Company is galling. Not only will these boys be targeted by Israeli soldiers due to the increased rock-power of the slingshots but some serious damage could be done with these Bulls-Eye’s to the Israeli forces. I mean, not to be trite, but someone could lose an eye. ‘
The shipment has come at an exceptionally delicate time since the first cease-fire of the Israeli offensive into Hamas territory is only in its third day. People watching the situation point out that the kids normally throwing rocks are not that familiar with cease-fire rules nor are they potentially subject to the punishments for breaking the cease-fire. And they may want to test their new arsenal at the first chance they get. Other conditions are conducive to a full offensive since ammunition for the slingshots is not scarce; most commercial and some residential buildings in the central business district have been reduced to rubble and debris in the last two weeks of Israeli bombardment. Much of the infrastructure has been reconstituted as perfect ammunition for the Bulls-Eye Sharp Shooter slingshot.
“We really just wanted to bring the Palestinians into the 20th century, not even the 21st . People should be thanking us for our generosity and altruism,” argued company president Tom Slenske.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Yurong House on Yurong Street!
"Looks like the perfect place for my ex-wife to reside. And I pity the poor bastard that lives with her. You're wrong this, You're wrong about that..."
Thursday, March 12, 2009
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