Friday, June 26, 2009

Michael Jackson Dead In LA

LOS ANGELES- Pop singer and recluse Michael Jackson died today of heart failure after collapsing at his home and being rushed to LA’s St Elsewhere Hospital.
The County Coroner’s office reports that Mr Jackson’s death was 'unlikely' to have been accidental. Police are following up several leads, but it is believed that sunshine, moonlight and good times have been ruled out as suspects at this stage. Detective Superintendant Ron Pfarch told press that: “Until further investigations can be made and evidence of it’s innocence is uncovered, we will continue to blame it on the boogie.”
Jackson was famously reclusive in later years due to allegations of child abuse and a long-running paternity claim by alleged former lover Billy-Jean.
Jackson is survived by his sister Janet and her boyfriend Willis, a train wreck named LaToya and a small rat named Ben.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Saturday, June 13, 2009

The Contest Continues

The Botswanan Chucks didn't really work out. To their credit they were the longest-lasting non-Converse Chuck i've owned to date, coming in at a staggering month and a half (45 days) of wear before they developed a hole in the fabric above the left heel instep. This seems to be the achilles heel of most Chuck knockoffs, with both the Levi Horse and K-mart pairs going in the same spot.
The most annoying aspect of the Botswanan Chucks (apart from the price, being more expensive than normal chucks) was their apalling ergonomics. Don't get me wrong, i'm for anything that gives Botswanan people an income and prevents them from sitting around all day chewing qat, but they really do need to have some sort of inkling as to what shoes are for. the seam over the knuckle of my left toe (mentioned in a previous post) never wore away, which meant that for the last two weeks wearing them was an agony and the right side of my big toe was permanently numb.
So the Botswanan Chucks from Etiko are out, consigned to the dustbin of history, and they have been replaced by a serious contender for the crown. This is, however, something of an upset. Readers will remember my scathing remarks regarding the Chucks from Rivers earlier this year. I wore them to Melbourne for the Grand Prix and threw them away after 3 days due to extremely poor ergonomics, crapy construction and poor cloth choice. Well, I ventured into Rivers the other day to discover that they have changed the design. I bought a new pair straight away and they have performed exemplary service ever since. They are hardier then the K-mart knockoffs and could very well end up breaking the actual Chuck record of two months. At the present sole wear is looking likely to be an issue (very soft rubber) but only time will tell. In the heady game of Chuck Taylor knockoffs anything can happen, and probably will.

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

In Which An Explanation Is Requested.

Recently I trotted down to the fdlicks to see the new Terminator movie, Terminator: Salvation. I've been a big fan of the series throughout it's lifespan, but I must admit that this time around, the new movie DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!!!!!! I've read several reviews and no-one has mentioned this fact yet. Tsk tsk, the sorry state of journalism today etc.

Consider:
1. In the first Terminator movie Kyle Reese is about 30. This immediately dates the moment that he travelled back in time to at least 10, probably closer to 12 years later than when we see him in Terminator: Salvation. T:S is set in 2018, making the point from which Kyle and the T-800 were sent back from about 2030.

2. No-one except Kyle (before he died), Sarah Connor and John Connor knew that Kyle Reese was John's father. I will allow here the possibility that Skynet, having seen him go back in time after the T-800, *may* have put 2 and 2 together, but boy is that ever a leap.

3. There was no time travelling in T:S.

Putting 1, 2 and 3 together, why did Skynet in 2018 want to kill Kyle Reese? Why did they put his name on the list, and why did they go to such lengths to track him down? Until 2030 Skynet should have been completely unaware of his existance.

I'd like some answers, please. Someone is responsible for this. I can't sleep.

Friday, June 05, 2009

I've Had It Up To Here With You People

I was taken to task on Monday night. Yes, me. Yes, taken to task.

Why, I hear you ask, was this colossus of industry treated in such a derogatory fashion? Why, for marking my page by folding the corner over in a book. Aparrently this enrages some book owners even (and i'd like to make this point quite clear) when the book belongs to me in the first fucking place.

According to these OCD suffering, niggling pedants, books are not there to be used in any fashion but are to remain pristine and, I assume, unread. To do anything more than place them in a bookshelf sullies them, or somesuch tommyrot.

Well let me tell you something, bucko. I read. Constantly. And you know what? I fucking well read books however I please. If I want to *shock! horror!* bend the odd corner over, I will. If I want to keep it in my bag and read it in my lunch break and get a bit of mustard or whatever on it, I will. I paid for it and if I want to use it to wipe my arse on, I will. Thankfully I no longer read Kevin J Anderson so this last step is rarely necessary.

Furthermore, I like my books with character. I remember reading the first of the Lensman Series (Triplanetary) and every pages was dogeared and yellow from age. Fantastic! There was a book that had been well-read and loved. It hadn't spent it's life taking up space on some arsehole's holy sterile bookshelf, watching him force people to use coasters, take their shoes off before entering the house and sit on the plastic-covered couch.

There. That's you fucking telt.