Difference of Opinion

Tim Flannery just stated that a 1 degree rise in temperature is large considering that the worlds temp was 13.5 degrees before the Industrial Age. So has Australia’s pre-eminent scientist and Australian of the Year never heard of The Kelvin Scale or is he just dumbing it down for the rest of us?

Smashing Le Cobbles

Yeah thats me you've all seen riding in the gutter, smashing the cobbles of Sector 1: Carlton-Sidney Road.

If anyone missed out on the SBS action, I have it digitally recorded and I can burn yall a copy.

Industry Super Funds

I thought I should post something as the thread is running a bit dry.

So... does anyone know much about Industry Super Funds, its just that those F***ing ads "Industry Super Funds can make a lifetime of difference to your final superannuation payout" etc drive me cRaz!Y. Its just that I don't actually mind paying financial advisers commissions with my Super, assuming that got me the best return... but what I would mind is if my SuperFund spent my money on annoying TV commercials.

Invade Rage Update

I've had an initial stab at boiling the choices down to 20. There's 19 songs here with little blurbs about why I chose them, still a long away from a final twenty however.

Bronski Beat- Small Town Boy

Without doubt my favourite video ever, and not a bad track either.
I’m inspired by Jimmy Somerville for being a gay rights activist at a time when it wasn’t OK to be gay, and for his involvement in Red Wedge and numerous other political campaigns.
The song highlights the feelings of isolation and rejection felt by a gay youth forced into leaving his home town- but I think the meaning carries over to other common situations people find themselves in where they just want to get out- high school springs to mind!

Oasis- Live Forever

I didn’t really follow music all that much until the ‘Britpop’ boom of the mid nineties. Bands like Oasis, Pulp, Elastic and Supergrass really got me into music as a pimply teenager. This track sort of sums up the optimism of that period in British history, I remember being attracted to feelings of a new beginning, and a better future. Plus I love Noel Gallagher because he is a cranky old cvnt!

(either this or Pulp disco 2000)

Billy Bragg- Between the Wars

Billy Bragg is just about my favourite person on the face of the planet. Seeing a live set of him performing at Glastonbury made me fall in love with music again after I had grown tired of cool Britannia and Britbop. I can recall being utterly amazed that this one geezer from Barking with a crappy guitar and practice amp could hold the attentions of a massive festival crowd.
What I love most about Billy Bragg is how he mixes pop and politics, songs about big ideas and the human condition.
I chose this song because Billy no longer performs it live because he thinks it is outdated, but I feel it still has an important message.
Whilst the lyrics are somewhat old fashioned referring as they do to an era of industrialism seemingly long past in western economies, the war in Iraq has shown us that we are still very much living between the wars.
He asks which path are we going to chose, that of the iron fist or the helping hand.

(could do Levi stubbs tears)

Icehouse- Electric Blue

The first cassette I was ever given was Icehouse ‘Man of Colours’, and I was six at the time. I must have driven the family crazy by insisting on Icehouse for all long haul car journeys for about three years. Coincidently I still enjoy driving cover bands mad to this day by requesting Icehouse whenever I get the chance.

Boys Next Door- Shivers

Melbourne old school. Another song that is no longer performed live, in this case by Rowland S Howard. So I just want to see this film clip because Rowland refuses to play it live basically, and I’ve never seen it performed. If there are any ‘emos’ watching, please switch your televisions off at this point.

Morrissey- Suedehead

In terms of the hero worshipping status I place these Billy Bragg and Morrissey are on the top rung for me. I could probably chose 20 Smiths/ Morrissey songs for my top twenty, but that would alienate many people who can’t stand the Smiths and Morrissey. This is the first solo Morrissey film clip, and one of my favourite Smiths/ Morrissey songs. Unfortunately there aren’t more film clips for some of Morrissey and the Smith’s early Songs. ‘I know it’s over’ is probably my favourite song ever, but no such luck.

New Order- Temptation

This is a song that can make me dance like a circus bear- so it must be very special because just about no other song can make me dance, no matter how drunk I am.

(Could do Regret)

Ride- Vapour Trail

I love Manchester and especially the shoe gaze/ dream pop sound. One of my favourite songs.

The Early Years- Say What I want to

I’ve always been a big Joy Division/ post punk fan. These guys are carrying on the post punk sound at the moment.

Idlewild- American English

I love Roddy Woomble’s poetic vocals, and can really relate to feeling ‘young without youth’ and ‘old without knowing anything’s true’.

David Bowie- Heroes

Because I still believe we can all make a difference in our own way and time. There, I’ve said it, call me naïve etc.

The Replacements- Answering Machine

I love the minimalist styling of this film clip. A great song from one of my favourite albums.

The Sundays- Can’t be Sure

Another song that I just adore the lyrics too: ‘Though I can’t be sure what I want anymore, it will come to me someday.’

PIL- Rise

Because I love John Lydon’s fierce intelligence, energy and independent spirit and I think this song really sums up those features of his career.

Interpol- Evil

Basically, I wanted to include one film clip that featured puppets, and I just love the evil looking puppet in Evil by Interpol. Creepy good. Sadly the Muppets rainbow connection couldn’t make the cut.

Public Enemy- Fight the Power

Music with passion, purpose, large clocks and gold teeth. I love Chuck D and Flav, and Fear of a Black Planet is my favourite hip hop album by a mile. I still remember being jealous of one of the older kids at primary school who wore a public enemy shirt almost every day. I used to think he was the coolest guy going around.

(could do 911)

The Jam- That’s Entertainment

The punk era threw up a lot of posers and novelty acts, but these guys were the real deal and this remains one of my favourite tunes and film clips. Also some of the finest haircuts and sharpest threads ever captured on film from memory.

Editors- Bullets

These guys were really big when I was in London in 2005. It reminds me of a happy time, and cruising around on the tube and seeing their flyers posted up literally everywhere. Good times.

Bruce Springsteen- Born to Run

I remember the avalanches DJs ending their set with this at Meredith two years ago- it was massive. A great night. I also used to have this accounting lecturer who would play his favourite Springsteen songs at the start of each lecture to liven up proceedings. The Boss is so kick ass it almost worked (for the first ten minutes anyway, then it was a snoozefest).

Man cuts off penis in restaurant

Funny piece of news:

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/04/24/1177180616327.html?from=top5

And so is this:

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/police-hunt-noxious-sex-attacker/2007/04/24/1177180622750.html

I really like the photofit... I think I will make it my new avatar.

timboy invades rage

I'm trying to put together 20 clips at the moment to 'invade rage'

The deadline is 1 May, so I have cobbled together a shortlist at the moment.

I've gone back through many rage playlists to check that the clips are available- for a lot of bands there are songs I really would like to hear on Rage but I'm not sure if they have film clips for. Joy Division is a classic example- I'm sure everyone is sick to death of hearing Love will tear us apart and atmosphere on Rage. Ah well.

I'm interested if people have any additional thoughts and suggestions.

I'm a bit worried some of these clips have been done to death over the years- one of the criteria is accessability to the Triple J audience- I'm not sure how Shivers by the Boy's Next Door would fit that criteria for instance. Some of my choices are probably a bit too old.

Ah well, all I can do is have a crack.

Here's my initial list:

My bloody Valentine: Swallow, To here knows when, Feed me with your kiss, you made me realise
Jesus and Mary Chain: Just like Honey
The Cure: Pictures of you, Night Like This, Letter to Elise, Just Like Heaven
Idlewild: American English
Longwave: Wake me when it’s over
Billy Bragg: Between The Wars, A New England, Levi Stubbs Tears
The Stranglers: Golden Brown
Echo and The Bunnymen: A promise, The killing moon
PIL: Rise
Sugar cubes: Birthday
The Organ: Brother, Memorize the City
Elastica: Stutter, Connection
The Sundays: Can’t be Sure
Husker Du: Don't want to know if you ar lonely
David Bowie: Heroes
Kraftwerk: Tour De France
Joy Division: Love will tear us apart, Atmosphere
New Order: Temptation, Regret
Lemonheads: If I could Talk I’d Tell you
The replacements: Answering machine
The clash: train in vain
Public Enemy: Fight the Power
Bruce Springsteen: Born to Run
Ride: Vapour trails
Happy Mondays: Lazyitis
Smiths: Still Ill (maybe no clip), how soon is now, There is a Light that Never Goes Out
Morrissey: Suedehead
Rat Cat: Don’t go now
Teenage Fanclub: Sparky’s Dream
The Jam: That’s Entertainment
Bronski Beat: Small Town Boy
Icehouse: Electric Blue
Oasis: Live Forever
Pulp: Common People, Disco 2000
Boys Next Door: Shivers
Sunny Day Real Estate: Seven
Pixies: Where is my mind?
Interpol: Evil
The Muppets: Rainbow connection
Go-Betweens: Bachelor Kisses, Cattle and Cane
Jawbreaker: Fireman
The Early Years: Say What I want to
Editors: bullets, open your arms
Life Without Buildings: PS Exclusive (not sure if there is a video for this)

Monday Politics: pray for rain

Water

Wow, Federal government water policy is going really well at the moment, as Larson _B quoted in his Letter from Canberra earlier this week:

‘Mr Howard called on all Australians to pray for rain "without any sense of irony or any sense of being anything other than totally serious" because the situation for farmers was critical.’

Interesting considering the $10 billion water plan was cobbled together by the Prime Ministers office without consulting treasury, and with very little consultation with the Department of Environment and Water Resources according to Brian Toohey writing for The Monthly. If there has been policy failure in the area of water management- the Prime Minister and his office have been largely to blame due to the centralisation of power that has taken place under the Howard government. Toohey made the following points about Howard’s scheme:

‘Had Howard sought Treasury’s advice, he would probably have been told that there are cheaper ways of increasing water supplies than spending more than $5 billion on engineering works to cut losses from evaporation and seepage.

It is also likely that taxpayers’ money will end up boosting irrigators’ private assets, as the plan contains no commitment to recover costs from irrigators. Michael Keating, and economist who previously headed the prime minister’s department and now runs New South Wales’ water-pricing authority, has said, “The gap between [the] subsidised price and the market price of water for irrigation is effectively a form of economic rent that then accrues to the irrigator, and not to the taxpayer, who pays for these improvements. The subsidy would encourage irrigators to overextend their operationsbeyond what is economically efficient.” The package also allows as much as $3 billion for buying back water licences which were over-allocated to irrigators, allowing unsustainable quantities of water to be taken from the Murray-Darling Basin. That might make environmental sense, but it also means that the National Party could deliver a large windfall to those farmers with licences which were issued free of charge.’

So it would seem that some irrigators at least will be praying for no rain in the short term at least!

American Violence

I hope the thought in every American’s heart this week was ‘When will we turn our back on profiteering from violence.’ How many people have to die before America decides that all the profits from gun sales, and all their economic wars cannot bring peace, security and hapiness to the American people, nor to the rest of the world. America has such great potential to be a guiding light to the rest of the globe by living its values, instead it settles for violence and exploitation. The events in Virginia can be a tipping point for changing attitudes towards weapons and the culture of violence that pervades American society. The left should not be shy of campaigning hard on the issue of violence right now, ‘sensitivity’ to the victims will only prolong a nations suffering. And at the same time as a gunman kills 32 people in a Viriginia College, 200 Iraqi’s die at the hands of insurgents bombs.

Prince William

Lastly there was the whole Kate Middleton/ Prince William bust up. According to Miranda Devine, Middleton has been humiliatingly exposed as the Prince’s ‘practice chick’. Although I am personally in favour of the Oliver Cromwell approach to royal-subject relations, I think she is being a touch hard on the young man. The relationship clearly failed due to the overwhelming amount of public expectations and media interest in their every move. It was just crazy. All the talk that they were going to get married, I mean, how could anybody in the media possibly have known? Then Devine ends with this strange line:
‘If Middleton had really wanted to marry William she never should have set up house with him. Smart girls don't give away marital perks free.’
Hell, I wouldn’t want to be in a creepy transactional relationship with Devine any time soon that’s for sure!

Pray for Rain

"So we should all, literally and without any irony, pray for rain over the next six to eight weeks." -John Howard

You kind of know he isn't including Muslims in this new water initiative.

He also spoke of farming facing economic ruin if we don't act fast, so we should give farmers lots of handouts and steal water from mother nature for them. But I have a problem with this. Farming should only exist where it is economically viable and environmentally viable. Drought is not a new thing to farmers, its happened before and it will happen again. If you can't make money on your farm, you should sell it (& the water rights).

And if I owned a ski-shop on Mt Bulla, will the Government subsidise my business during bad seasons? Of course not.

Refugee Swap Deal

So what does everyone think of the refugee swap deal?

I assume they want to create more of a disincentive for refugees to enter both countries, as we have an established Sri Lankan population and the US have an established Cuban population. Hence a Cuban would be less likely to boat across to the US, as he/she would not feel they could integrate into Australia as smoothly. Do I understand this right???

If this is the case, I think it’s a touch immoral. And from what I understand thusands of Cubans make an illegal jurney to America each year. So how much of a disincentive is this to Cubans? Could it possibly be only to discourage Sri Lankans from trying to reach Australia?

Personally I believe we should not allow boat people to enter Australia, as many boat people die during the journey, and if we didn't admit boatpeople, we could stop this. However, I love immigration and I know Aus would suck to live in if it wasn't for it. So let the poor people in, let them in in droves... but buy them all a plane ticket so they don't have to risk their lives.

Yet I can’t help think the federal governments motives are dark and sinister on this topic, and that the front bench may only like their immigrants if they have a white picket fence, with a Holden Commodore sitting inside it.

If I'm wrong about all this, feel free to comment as I am ignorant on this subject of refugees and immigrants.

My week on wheels

My week on wheels

Saturday: 100kms Mascot ride
Sunday: Glenvale A grade crit. Rode my first A grade crit at Carnegie and raced pretty well only to have to finish the race 10 minutes early due to a flat tyre. 45kms
Monday: Study
Tuesday: Tuesday night ride- man this was fast, the fastest I have been on by a mile! 75 kms
Wednesday: 1 hr tempo + commuting. 65kms
Thursday: track, more fifth place finishes against the gorilla sprinters 20kms
Friday: buggered.

305kms

Not bad considering how busy and tired I am at the moment.

the Murray Darling Crisis, a solution.

there are three hot topics of conversation in the capital at the moment: the first is a vague hope that with global warming, would canberra have a beach. the second concerns this effort and the third reacts to our PM's 'dire warning' , with many emails back and forth expressing concern, &c.

however, i think AJ's post the other day on mt frankling water provides a solution.

lets buy it off coke. it's not as if mt franklin water is any good.


it's not even carbonated.

larson_b.

The Early Years

I reckon these guys will get as big as The Editors- have a listen and decide for yourself.

'Say what I want to' is catchy as hell, and what great sentiments!

Check out their myspace here.

the big question shaking the timboy universe to it's molten core

I need to make a decision about what brand of saddle I will be parking my arse on for the next year.

I've boiled the candidates down to two saddle types- your votes will decid which saddle I ride for the 2007/2008 season, on the road and on the track.

The two contenders

Fizik Arione

San Marco Rolls

I can't decide which one. They are both comfortable to me in different ways.

I like the long nose of the wingflex that allows for three riding positions. But I dislike the extra bit of chaffage cause by the wing flex, and my legs coming into contact with the seatpost bolts.

The rolls is less comfotrable for climbing, and takes a bit longer to wear in (but conversely longer to wear out), but there is no leg chaffage.

both cost about the same, both are pretty comfy.

Aesthetically, I think the Rolls kills the arione which to me looks like the command deck of the starship enterprise or a brickies trowel.

Please help me, it's tearing me appart!

My fortnight on wheels

Saturday: 80km secret k’s around Eltham with AJ, C-mac, and M-VART- bumped into Nick Walker out for a cruise also.
Sunday: sleepy
Monday: still sleepy
Tuesday: 1 hr tempo+ commuting, 70kms
Wednesday: 1 hr tempo+ commuting, 70kms
Thursday: pub
Friday: pub
Saturday: Hell ride: 150kms
Sunday: study
Monday: 1 hr tempo + an easy ride: 80kms
Tuesday: 30 kms commuting
Wednesday: commuting 30kms
Thursday: Track- I’m racing A grade now, and doing about as well as I do in B grade. No results. 20kms
Friday: pub

530kms

Just emerging from illness, and an assignment induced coma.

Looking forward to next week

Coca Cola $2.40 per ML issue.

The Chaser reminded me last night of this stupid story that was in the news a couple of months ago. Basically Coca-Cola was paying $2.40 per ML for bore water somewhere, whilst we pay $1000 per ML. Sounds ridiculous yeah?

Well not if you give the issue at least a tiny bit of thought.

Coca-Cola was paying $2.40 EXTRACTION RIGHTS, whilst we pay $1000 for HOME DELIVERY! The true cost to Coca Cola would be much much higher. I don't know if Coca-Cola is paying too little, maybe they are.

At any rate, the real issue to me is to source water in such a manner that it requires freight transport. It’s environmentally and economically ridiculous when you consider we have high quality water coming out of taps practically for free.

Easter Road Toll Myth

So I am very relieved to get through the Easter period. I took it safe and did not get in a car at all. Now I will be right for the year... the danger has passed!

Or has it?

I decided to take a closer look at the TAC VICTORIAN figures:

Total and average deaths on weekends:

2006: 118 deaths Sat & Sunday, 22 deaths Friday night
2005: 118 deaths Sat & Sunday, 16 deaths Friday night
2004: 113 deaths Sat & Sunday, 22 deaths Friday night, 2407 Serious Injuries
2003: 117 deaths Sat & Sunday, 22 deaths Friday night, 2480 Serious Injuries

Now this data needs to be scaled for a long weekend.

I have multiplied the sat & Sunday deaths by 2. And then added the Friday deaths.

This gives 4.9 deaths and 92 Serious Injuries a 'long weekend'.

Now for the Easter data from over the years:

2007 - Approx. 10 deaths
2006 - 3 deaths
2005 - 6 deaths, 79 serious injuries
2004 - 1 death, 80 serious injuries
2003 - 4 deaths, 95 serious injuries
2002 - 6 deaths, 79 serious injuries
2001 - 6 deaths, 76 serious injuries

Which averages:

5.14 deaths and 81.8 serious injuries over the four day period.

Which is ever so similar to the year long average!?!?

Which leaves me to make my point, driving during Easter is dangerous, yet it’s just as dangerous as driving during any other time of the year! And if we assume that the roads are busier over Easter, and more drivers are driving on unfamiliar roads, then Victorian's drive safer over the Easter break then usual.

So perhaps the media could report that the true tragedy is that the Easter road toll happens each weekend.

Bloc Party High Point

This interesting quote today: Kele Okereke of Bloc today said his career highlight was touring Australia in 2005.

High point: "Touring Australia in 2005. The realisation dawned that on the other side of the world, people were moved by the music we were making, and that was a fantastic feeling."

Yey, I can say I was there :D

At the time I remember him being really surprised that Bloc Party had fans in Australia- he seemed genuinely amazed, and even a bit bemused.

I also remember him saying that they probably wouldn't be back for a long time. I thought at the time that he was being a bit full of himself- ie 'we're going to be so huge that we will never have the time to come back'- But looking back you realise that at that stage they hadn't yet hit the big time in the UK. He was probably thinking more along the lines of 'we're never going to make it, so you probably won't see us again'.

Funny what a difference a little hindsight makes.