That's Not A Uniform Approach, Soldier
I reckon no nudes is good news, but everyone ain't listenin'. An unusual public relations push by Israel's New York consulate is trying to sell the country by showcasing beautiful female ex-soldiers in `Maxim', the US men's magazine. The models were photographed wearing very little in the cause of their country. Headlined ``Women of the Israel Defence Forces,'' the photo shoot was launched during the week at a glitzy event in Manhattan. But Israeli lawmaker and former diplomat Colette Avital said the shoot doesn't help Israel's image. I agree with her. There's no need to flesh out the issue.
FOOTNOTE: They're sitting on defence.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Friday, June 29, 2007
Have A Long Weekend
We Can Streeeeeetch Two Days Into Three
We'll stop time marching on. Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON
You’re wondering how the weekend can last three days? Easy, mate. Thanks to the International Date Line, it sure can. You see, New York is fifteen hours behind Melbourne, and LA is seventeen hours behind. So my weekend begins even before you start work on Friday - and I’m back at work Monday morning while you’re sleeping in Sunday mid-morning.
So now that we’ve grasped the concept of long weekends (okay, so it’s also a stretch of the imagination) let me tell you that I’m going to post a couple of things each weekend to give you a bit of fun - and also to direct some of my readers to your blog/ blogs as well.
The first one will be called Rite Of Reply. I’ll post a simple question. You leave a simple answer as a comment. And at the end of the weekend, I’ll collate the answers and post them, with links to the sites of all those who left replies.
And I’m re-introducing the popular Passing Sentence game. If you’re new to this blog, a couple of months ago I wondered aloud if 15 different sentences - written by different bloggers - could possibly make a cohesive, interesting story. I called it the Passing Sentence Game, because it was literally a case of passing one sentence on to the next person.
I’ll provide the first sentence, the next 13 sentences come from anyone who wants a bit of fun; and the big challenge is for me to wrap it all up with the fifteenth sentence. Then a big name critiques the game and I can reveal that among the judges I’ve lined up are a veteran author and a BBC columnist.
If you want to have a look at a previous Passing Sentence Game and get an idea of how freewheeling they really are, simply go to One Small Steppe For Man.
We'll stop time marching on. Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHONYou’re wondering how the weekend can last three days? Easy, mate. Thanks to the International Date Line, it sure can. You see, New York is fifteen hours behind Melbourne, and LA is seventeen hours behind. So my weekend begins even before you start work on Friday - and I’m back at work Monday morning while you’re sleeping in Sunday mid-morning.
So now that we’ve grasped the concept of long weekends (okay, so it’s also a stretch of the imagination) let me tell you that I’m going to post a couple of things each weekend to give you a bit of fun - and also to direct some of my readers to your blog/ blogs as well.
The first one will be called Rite Of Reply. I’ll post a simple question. You leave a simple answer as a comment. And at the end of the weekend, I’ll collate the answers and post them, with links to the sites of all those who left replies.
And I’m re-introducing the popular Passing Sentence game. If you’re new to this blog, a couple of months ago I wondered aloud if 15 different sentences - written by different bloggers - could possibly make a cohesive, interesting story. I called it the Passing Sentence Game, because it was literally a case of passing one sentence on to the next person.
I’ll provide the first sentence, the next 13 sentences come from anyone who wants a bit of fun; and the big challenge is for me to wrap it all up with the fifteenth sentence. Then a big name critiques the game and I can reveal that among the judges I’ve lined up are a veteran author and a BBC columnist.
If you want to have a look at a previous Passing Sentence Game and get an idea of how freewheeling they really are, simply go to One Small Steppe For Man.
A Dome Away From Home
Wanna Run Away To The Circus?
Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON
This was taken one afternoon last week. I was at a traffic light and shot this through my windscreen in fairly ordinary light conditions, so it loses some sharpness and clarity. But I was fascinated by the conflicting styles here. On the one hand, there was the big top of Cirque Du Soleil; on the other hand, there were the distinctive white curves of the sliding roof above Margaret Court Arena. A couple of days later, when the light was better, I drove past to take another shot - and the circus had gone. No big top, no big nuthin'. I'm so glad I followed my instinct the first day and reached for the camera.
FOOTNOTE: The perfect career for clown princes.
Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHONThis was taken one afternoon last week. I was at a traffic light and shot this through my windscreen in fairly ordinary light conditions, so it loses some sharpness and clarity. But I was fascinated by the conflicting styles here. On the one hand, there was the big top of Cirque Du Soleil; on the other hand, there were the distinctive white curves of the sliding roof above Margaret Court Arena. A couple of days later, when the light was better, I drove past to take another shot - and the circus had gone. No big top, no big nuthin'. I'm so glad I followed my instinct the first day and reached for the camera.
FOOTNOTE: The perfect career for clown princes.
H€adlines & D€adlines
The Purple Rows Of Cairo
Pointing out stories you may have missed: The mummy of an obese woman in her 50s who had rotten teeth and likely suffered from diabetes and liver cancer has been identified as that of Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt's most powerful female pharaoh, according to the country's top archaeologist. Hatshepsut, who ruled Egypt about 3500 years ago, was known for marrying her half-brother, dressing like a man and wearing a false beard. But a single tooth clinched the identification of the mummy, said Zahi Hawass at a news conference co-ordinated by The Discovery Channel. The discovery has been hailed as the most important find in the Valley of the Kings since the discovery of King Tutankhamun.
News source: GlobeAndMail.com.
FOOTNOTE: Mummy’s buoy.
Pointing out stories you may have missed: The mummy of an obese woman in her 50s who had rotten teeth and likely suffered from diabetes and liver cancer has been identified as that of Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt's most powerful female pharaoh, according to the country's top archaeologist. Hatshepsut, who ruled Egypt about 3500 years ago, was known for marrying her half-brother, dressing like a man and wearing a false beard. But a single tooth clinched the identification of the mummy, said Zahi Hawass at a news conference co-ordinated by The Discovery Channel. The discovery has been hailed as the most important find in the Valley of the Kings since the discovery of King Tutankhamun.News source: GlobeAndMail.com.
FOOTNOTE: Mummy’s buoy.
For He's A Brolly Good Fellow
Maybe He's Been Flooded With Stock
Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON
This city shop has the perfect window display, especially at a time when most umbrellas have been destroyed after being blown inside out. We’e gone from drought to severe flooding in less than 48 hours, with the Victorian region of Gippsland hit by the worst floods in almost forty years. The entire town of Newry has been evacuated and across the state, more than 700 volunteers are working round the clock in flood zones.
Melbourne’s water catchments, at their lowest level in recent memory, received 19 billion (yes, billion) litres in a day. But here in the city, unlike the bush, we have been spared the capricious savagery of Mother Nature. There is still no indication of when the water will peak in Gippsland, with flood levels in some areas already surpassing the levels of 1998.
A few hours ago, I watched TV footage of a house being swept down the Mitchell River near Bairnsdale. But this is Australia, and we’re a hardy mob. When television crews found the home’s owner, he was laconic. A home could be rebuilt, he said. And with a touch of the wry humour that characterises the bush, he said his house had been turned into a houseboat.
The segment ended with a reporter asking the homeowner where he thought the floating home would end up. ``Tasmania, maybe,’’ he quipped.
Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHONThis city shop has the perfect window display, especially at a time when most umbrellas have been destroyed after being blown inside out. We’e gone from drought to severe flooding in less than 48 hours, with the Victorian region of Gippsland hit by the worst floods in almost forty years. The entire town of Newry has been evacuated and across the state, more than 700 volunteers are working round the clock in flood zones.
Melbourne’s water catchments, at their lowest level in recent memory, received 19 billion (yes, billion) litres in a day. But here in the city, unlike the bush, we have been spared the capricious savagery of Mother Nature. There is still no indication of when the water will peak in Gippsland, with flood levels in some areas already surpassing the levels of 1998.
A few hours ago, I watched TV footage of a house being swept down the Mitchell River near Bairnsdale. But this is Australia, and we’re a hardy mob. When television crews found the home’s owner, he was laconic. A home could be rebuilt, he said. And with a touch of the wry humour that characterises the bush, he said his house had been turned into a houseboat.
The segment ended with a reporter asking the homeowner where he thought the floating home would end up. ``Tasmania, maybe,’’ he quipped.
Gizmo Machismo :)
IBM Launches The New Number Cruncher
The world's fastest commercial supercomputer has been launched by IBM. Blue Gene/P is three times more potent than the current fastest machine, BlueGene/L, also built by IBM. The latest number-cruncher is capable of operating at so-called ``petaflop'' speeds - the equivalent of a thousand trillion floating point operations a second. Approximately 100,000 times more powerful than a PC, the first machine has been bought by the US Government. It will be installed at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois.
FOOTNOTE: Cut to the quick.
The world's fastest commercial supercomputer has been launched by IBM. Blue Gene/P is three times more potent than the current fastest machine, BlueGene/L, also built by IBM. The latest number-cruncher is capable of operating at so-called ``petaflop'' speeds - the equivalent of a thousand trillion floating point operations a second. Approximately 100,000 times more powerful than a PC, the first machine has been bought by the US Government. It will be installed at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois.FOOTNOTE: Cut to the quick.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Vegetable Burgher
Prince Charles Get The Sack From Sainsbury’s
The heir to Britain's throne certainly knows his onions, but he's in strife because of his carrots. The Prince of Wales has been dropped by Sainsbury's as a supplier because it says his organic vegetables do not meet the right standards. Sainsbury's cited "quality issues" with the carrots from Highgrove. A Clarence House spokeswoman said there were "difficulties relating to packing, distribution and storage".
FOOTNOTE: He might blame Judas’s Carrot.
The heir to Britain's throne certainly knows his onions, but he's in strife because of his carrots. The Prince of Wales has been dropped by Sainsbury's as a supplier because it says his organic vegetables do not meet the right standards. Sainsbury's cited "quality issues" with the carrots from Highgrove. A Clarence House spokeswoman said there were "difficulties relating to packing, distribution and storage".
FOOTNOTE: He might blame Judas’s Carrot.
Beyond A Shadow Of Drought
Just A Fleeting Moment Of Sunshine
Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHONThis was just a lucky shot. It was taken mid-morning today, under a dark grey sky. Okay, so you're paying attention here and you've seen the incongruity? Right? Yes, it was cloudy and stormy - and there's a clearly defined shadow here. There was a break of about 90 seconds when the sun's rays shone brilliantly and dramatically through a minuscule break in the heavy cloud cover. Luckily I always have the camera with me. I only had time to shoot two frames and the sun disappeared completely. Now, the question of the day - what word best describes the colour of that wall? Aubergine, I'm tippping, but I'd like to know what you think.
Weigh To Go
Lookalike Wrestles With The Truth
A Russian armwrestler was disqualified for cheating at a European competition after attempting to move to a lower weight class by sending a lookalike to the weigh-in. Arsen Liliev tried to enter the 154-pound weight class at the European championships being held in Lycksele, northern Sweden, but weighed 4.4 pounds too much. Liliev then sent a "lookalike" to replace him at the weigh-in. The impostor, who was also Russian, passed the weight control, but officials discovered the fraud before the competition started.
FOOTNOTE: It was fairly armless.
A Russian armwrestler was disqualified for cheating at a European competition after attempting to move to a lower weight class by sending a lookalike to the weigh-in. Arsen Liliev tried to enter the 154-pound weight class at the European championships being held in Lycksele, northern Sweden, but weighed 4.4 pounds too much. Liliev then sent a "lookalike" to replace him at the weigh-in. The impostor, who was also Russian, passed the weight control, but officials discovered the fraud before the competition started.
FOOTNOTE: It was fairly armless.
Trivia Pur$uit
The age recorded on the label of a whisky bottle refers to the number of years it was aged before being bottled. Once in the bottle, whisky does not improve.
H€adlines & D€adlines
Classic Vehicle Gets The Pink Vote
Pointing out stories you may have missed: Memorabilia collectors from across the world are gearing up to make a bid for the original Pink Panther car. The custom-made limousine, based on an Oldsmobile Toronado, was the first car of its kind to be produced and will be up for auction on July 14. It was built in 1969 by legendary Californian custom car maker Jay Ohberg and it is thought it could fetch up to 80,000 pounds, or $160,000. Auctioneer Chris Routledge said: ``We're expecting the 23-foot car to fetch somewhere in the region of 75,000 to 80,000 pounds ($150,000-$160,000). There has been interest on the car from all over the world. We've had collectors in America, Europe and Japan. The car is so iconic everybody remembers the Pink Panther car and an awful lot of people want to own it." Admiring crowds were able to catch a pre-auction glimpse at the car which has been on display at the West End Live 2007 event in London's Leicester Square.
To view the car, go to Autocar.
Pointing out stories you may have missed: Memorabilia collectors from across the world are gearing up to make a bid for the original Pink Panther car. The custom-made limousine, based on an Oldsmobile Toronado, was the first car of its kind to be produced and will be up for auction on July 14. It was built in 1969 by legendary Californian custom car maker Jay Ohberg and it is thought it could fetch up to 80,000 pounds, or $160,000. Auctioneer Chris Routledge said: ``We're expecting the 23-foot car to fetch somewhere in the region of 75,000 to 80,000 pounds ($150,000-$160,000). There has been interest on the car from all over the world. We've had collectors in America, Europe and Japan. The car is so iconic everybody remembers the Pink Panther car and an awful lot of people want to own it." Admiring crowds were able to catch a pre-auction glimpse at the car which has been on display at the West End Live 2007 event in London's Leicester Square.To view the car, go to Autocar.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Raining Champion
At Last, The Dams Are Beginning To Fill Up
Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON
What better way to give you a Melbourne weather update than to give it to you visually? I took this shot around lunchtime today, as raindrops chased each other down windows and glass doorways. We've had rain all day and with it, gusting wind as well. The Mount Dandenong Tourist Road is closed, because of fallen trees and power lines, and at least one of the coastal roads is flooded as well.
In The Long Run
Fund-Raisers Are Not Tired, Just Groggy
Only in Wisconsin do beer and exercise mix. Several hundred people laced up for a 2km charity race in which suds were the refresher of choice. Competitors in the 19th annual Beer Belly Two might not be considered athletes, but they know how to have a good time. Event veteran Mike Marin said this is one workout he can really get into. The race has raised more than $350,000 for local charities since its inception.
FOOTNOTE: Everyone gets into the, er, spirit of it.
Only in Wisconsin do beer and exercise mix. Several hundred people laced up for a 2km charity race in which suds were the refresher of choice. Competitors in the 19th annual Beer Belly Two might not be considered athletes, but they know how to have a good time. Event veteran Mike Marin said this is one workout he can really get into. The race has raised more than $350,000 for local charities since its inception.
FOOTNOTE: Everyone gets into the, er, spirit of it.
Munster’s Bawl
Card Scam Gives Herman Too Much Credit
Who will they think of next? Big Bird perhaps? It seems Herman Munster could be the latest victim of identity theft. Cyber crooks in an underground chat room have offered to sell Munster's credit card number. Of course, Herman Munster was a fictional, Frankenstein-like character from the 1960s sitcom `The Munsters’, starring Fred Gwynne. The personal data even included his television-program address, 1313 Mocking Bird Lane.
FOOTNOTE: Forget MasterCard, this is MunsterCard.
Who will they think of next? Big Bird perhaps? It seems Herman Munster could be the latest victim of identity theft. Cyber crooks in an underground chat room have offered to sell Munster's credit card number. Of course, Herman Munster was a fictional, Frankenstein-like character from the 1960s sitcom `The Munsters’, starring Fred Gwynne. The personal data even included his television-program address, 1313 Mocking Bird Lane.
FOOTNOTE: Forget MasterCard, this is MunsterCard.
A Special Tribute In Normandy
Poignant Moment For A Pilot's Family
Thanks to the power of the internet, the relatives of a World War II fighter pilot finally paid their respects at his grave in a tiny town in Normandy, France, this month. Late last year it was my very great privilege to piece together the story of `Tiger' Rajan, the RAF Typhoon pilot whose grave is uniquely marked in three languages - English, French and Hindi. It all began with in an exchange of emails between the webmaster of Bharat Rakshak and the French-based Association pour le Souvenir des Ailes de la Victoire de Normandie (ASAVN).
On 17 November I posted Elegy In a Country Churchyard on my blog and on 20 November I followed it up with a post titled Pilot Project.
Then, earlier this month, thanks to the reach of the internet, the long-lost pilot's relatives stood beside his final resting place, half a world away. The photograph above, of the official commemoration ceremony of a plaque in honour of the pilot, was sent to me by one of his relatives who travelled to France.
She and other family members sent me some wonderful emails last week. One email, from Dr Shobha Varthaman, acknowledged the fact that ``The West still remembers those who sacrificed their lives to bring peace to their land.''
Another email, from Farida Singh, said: ``The story both of you have opened up for us is truly amazing. So much so that my son, on a business visit from the US, was almost late for an important meeting: he wanted to read and see everything related to this. What is a country's legacy, if not to inspire the young? And in this case, a toast to those Frenchmen who realised what it would mean to the family and, a great many more interested Indians! Thank you both for taking the trouble!''
To view the whole story of Tiger Rajan, go to my full-length feature article at Anglo-Indian Portal.
The ceremony to honour RAF pilot`Tiger' Rajan in Normandy this month.
Thanks to the power of the internet, the relatives of a World War II fighter pilot finally paid their respects at his grave in a tiny town in Normandy, France, this month. Late last year it was my very great privilege to piece together the story of `Tiger' Rajan, the RAF Typhoon pilot whose grave is uniquely marked in three languages - English, French and Hindi. It all began with in an exchange of emails between the webmaster of Bharat Rakshak and the French-based Association pour le Souvenir des Ailes de la Victoire de Normandie (ASAVN).
On 17 November I posted Elegy In a Country Churchyard on my blog and on 20 November I followed it up with a post titled Pilot Project.
Then, earlier this month, thanks to the reach of the internet, the long-lost pilot's relatives stood beside his final resting place, half a world away. The photograph above, of the official commemoration ceremony of a plaque in honour of the pilot, was sent to me by one of his relatives who travelled to France.
She and other family members sent me some wonderful emails last week. One email, from Dr Shobha Varthaman, acknowledged the fact that ``The West still remembers those who sacrificed their lives to bring peace to their land.''
Another email, from Farida Singh, said: ``The story both of you have opened up for us is truly amazing. So much so that my son, on a business visit from the US, was almost late for an important meeting: he wanted to read and see everything related to this. What is a country's legacy, if not to inspire the young? And in this case, a toast to those Frenchmen who realised what it would mean to the family and, a great many more interested Indians! Thank you both for taking the trouble!''
To view the whole story of Tiger Rajan, go to my full-length feature article at Anglo-Indian Portal.
Trivia Pur$uit
In the 1982 blockbuster film `ET, The Extra-Terrestrial', Harrison Ford was cast as the school principal, but his only scene was cut. Director Steven Spielberg decided his presence in the film would be too distracting.
Flying Sorcerer
Lawsuit Isn't Alien In This Case
A lawyer who landed an out-of-this-world job defending people who have suffered at the hands of aliens has started his first major case. Jens Lorek announced last year he would defend those whose close encounters with outer space visitors left them physically and mentally shattered. Now he has his first client - hotel chef Paul Hoffmann, 23, who claims he was kidnapped by aliens and has never been the same since. Hoffmann said: "About two years ago a cross-shaped space ship sucked me up and took me to space. When I came around, it was daylight again." He does not remember the aliens' looks, but only that he had been "manipulated" and was sent back to earth as an "apprentice shaman". When police caught him naked on a bike, he was sent to the psychiatric ward of a local hospital. Lorek thinks that police acted wrongly and is demanding his client's release.
A lawyer who landed an out-of-this-world job defending people who have suffered at the hands of aliens has started his first major case. Jens Lorek announced last year he would defend those whose close encounters with outer space visitors left them physically and mentally shattered. Now he has his first client - hotel chef Paul Hoffmann, 23, who claims he was kidnapped by aliens and has never been the same since. Hoffmann said: "About two years ago a cross-shaped space ship sucked me up and took me to space. When I came around, it was daylight again." He does not remember the aliens' looks, but only that he had been "manipulated" and was sent back to earth as an "apprentice shaman". When police caught him naked on a bike, he was sent to the psychiatric ward of a local hospital. Lorek thinks that police acted wrongly and is demanding his client's release.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Stand Up Routine
This Must Be The Dummy Bidder
Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON
These two pictures were shot beside the New Market in Calcutta. At first glance, it looks like the bloke is catching the latest headlines before he gets into his car. Right? Nope. Wrong. Completely wrong. Now have a look at the picture below. The guy is actually a dummy. Yes, yes, I know you think most blokes are dummies anyway, but he's just a mannequin. The clothes are real. And the newspaper's real. And because I'm a stickler for detail, I even went and checked on the dateline on the newspaper. It was the edition of the day, so I'm guessing someone replaces the newspaper every day and places the current edition in his waxy hands.
Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHONThese two pictures were shot beside the New Market in Calcutta. At first glance, it looks like the bloke is catching the latest headlines before he gets into his car. Right? Nope. Wrong. Completely wrong. Now have a look at the picture below. The guy is actually a dummy. Yes, yes, I know you think most blokes are dummies anyway, but he's just a mannequin. The clothes are real. And the newspaper's real. And because I'm a stickler for detail, I even went and checked on the dateline on the newspaper. It was the edition of the day, so I'm guessing someone replaces the newspaper every day and places the current edition in his waxy hands.
Here, There And Everywhere
We're Taking The Patient Approach
Many of you are probably wondering a) why I haven't been visiting your blogs every day and b) why I haven't been leaving comments on your posts and c) why I haven't been replying promptly (as I normally do) to the wonderful comments you leave here. Well, I haven't forgotten you - I would never do that. Nor have I turned my back on you - I wouldn't do that either. A family member has been in hospital after major surgery on Friday, so I've been a bit busier than normal. All is well, however, and the doctors are happy with progress being made, despite a few unforeseen hiccups. So don't worry. I'm here. You just can't see me!
Many of you are probably wondering a) why I haven't been visiting your blogs every day and b) why I haven't been leaving comments on your posts and c) why I haven't been replying promptly (as I normally do) to the wonderful comments you leave here. Well, I haven't forgotten you - I would never do that. Nor have I turned my back on you - I wouldn't do that either. A family member has been in hospital after major surgery on Friday, so I've been a bit busier than normal. All is well, however, and the doctors are happy with progress being made, despite a few unforeseen hiccups. So don't worry. I'm here. You just can't see me!
Hurry, Krishna
Yum, It's The True Taste Of Justice
Okay, so this story's been around since the weekend and I was late to react, but it's a ripper. Inmates of an Indian prison are reportedly refusing to apply for bail - because the food is so good. Parappana Agrahara prison in Bangalore is crowded with 4700 inmates, more than twice its capacity. But criminals are refusing to apply for bail to get out while juvenile offenders are lying about their age to get in, reports the Bangalore Mirror. The paper says the reason is healthy food being served by ISKCON, or the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, a Hindu evangelist organisation. ISKCON, commonly known as the Hare Krishna movement, started serving its pure-vegetarian fare in the jail in May.
FOOTNOTE: Obviously not a case of unjust desserts.
Okay, so this story's been around since the weekend and I was late to react, but it's a ripper. Inmates of an Indian prison are reportedly refusing to apply for bail - because the food is so good. Parappana Agrahara prison in Bangalore is crowded with 4700 inmates, more than twice its capacity. But criminals are refusing to apply for bail to get out while juvenile offenders are lying about their age to get in, reports the Bangalore Mirror. The paper says the reason is healthy food being served by ISKCON, or the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, a Hindu evangelist organisation. ISKCON, commonly known as the Hare Krishna movement, started serving its pure-vegetarian fare in the jail in May.
FOOTNOTE: Obviously not a case of unjust desserts.
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