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It's been a big week for the chrome-domes. Apparently James Blundell can still pull chicks twenty years younger than him despite looking like this:
But more exciting than that, fellow chrome-domer Kochie has been named Australian Father of the Year. Apparently, he was as stunned as I. This what he had to say about his big win:
"When I first discovered I had been nominated, I was hesitant - after all, I don't consider myself a perfect father. But when the Father's Day Council explained that they were looking for someone who was just a normal bloke, but proud of being a dad, I thought 'that's me' and I'm delighted to have a role in promoting fatherhood in Australia."
What a tool.
Obviously the fact that Koch(ie) has passed on a deficient gene pool on to his kids didn't weigh heavily on the minds of the Father's Day Council judges. People have been known to die for family honour, but I can't see that being a huge issue in the Koch(ie) household.
Breaking news: Hitler was right.
The latest news from researchers claims that blue-eyed people are better achievers and more academically successful than brown-eyed people:
People with lighter eyes 'more likely to achieve.'
PEOPLE with blue eyes are likely to achieve more in life than those with brown, say US scientists.
Scientists who conducted the tests said brown-eyed people performed better at reaction time, but those with lighter eyes appeared to be better strategic thinkers, the Daily Mail reported.
Brown-eyed people succeeded in activities such as football and hockey, but lighter-eyed participants proved to be more successful in activities that required skills in time structuring and planning such as golf, cross-country running and studying for exams, the scientists said.
Louisville University professor Joanna Rowe, who conducted the tests, said the results suggested an unexplored link between eye colour and academic achievement.
"It is just observed, rather than explained," she said.
"There's no scientific answer yet."
Bedfordshire University senior psychology lecturer Dr Tony Fallone, who has also studied eye colour, believed it should be taken more seriously as an indicator of personality and ability, the Daily Mail reported.
Kate has often mused about the crap that's paraded as research; for example, this. But this latest bit of "research" is far more serious than that, because the whole idea that a person's ability and personality can be inferred by their eye colour is just so racist that I'm choking on my own rage.
It angers me that that the simple publication of this shit somehow seems to validate it. There is no rational explanation for this and the researcher, Joanna Rowe, virtually says as much in her words: "It is just observed, rather that explained." I've observed plenty and that's why I publish my thoughts in a blog. Everyone knows it's the ramblings of a mad woman and they give it suitable credence as a result. But when studies like these, with no scientific validation, are printed in reputable publications, they are given more credibility than they deserve.
What good can possibly come from this? Free blue contact lenses for a few billion Asians? Will that make us all better strategic thinkers?
Apparently the organisers of the Powderfinger and Silverchair concerts are having trouble getting approval to hold it at Claremont Showgrounds. Basically, there are noise restrictions and the Claremont Council has decided (by vote) that the concerts shouldn't go ahead at that venue.
In truth, the issue doesn't affect me directly because I couldn't give a toss about Powderchair, but I'm more concerned with how this is a perfect example of what's wrong with Perth. It's stuck with a insular, small-town mentality when it's clearly a city.
The whole anti-progress, anti-fun mentality in this city is sucking the life out of people aged 18-30. There is simply NOTHING to do here and the general attitude of people who aren't in this age group is "If you don't like it then fuck off."
And that's exactly what's happening. It's commonly referred to as the "brain drain," but the number of people aged 18-30 who are leaving Perth for better opportunities in work and fun is far more serious than that. It represents a good percentage of the lifeblood of this city looking elsewhere for basic life opportunities that a city the size of Perth should easily provide.
That's why I find it unsurprising that Perth has the highest rate of amphetamine use in Australia. There's no doubt that we're riding this economic boom for all that it's worth and that we're cashed up beyond belief. But the simple truth is, once the house and car have been purchased, what else is there to spend our money on? A West Coast Eagles or Fremantle Dockers membership? Because a game of footy is practically the only thing we can do on a Sunday afternoon in Perth.
To me, the solution is to this problem starts with a few basic steps. Extend the retail trading hours, build a decent sports stadium, invest serious money in the arts, develop the foreshore around the Bell Tower and sink the railway line between Northbridge and the city.
And we need to think with a big city mentality. If Perth is going to be more than a place where people come to die then we need to start doing something about it now.
I see that Delta Goodrem is sexing up her image in preparation for the release of her latest single (help me Jesus). Here is the result:
It worked a treat for Nicki Webster so Delta Goodrem shouldn't have any trouble whatsoever.
I wonder, what are the odds that her new song is:
(a) a power ballad;
(b) about overcoming adversity; and
(c) a hit on Mix 94.5?
I'm officially a fully-fledged Facebook addict, having spent many happy hours prowling profiles like the weirdo perv that I am. Who I've been prowling would have remained a closely guarded secret, except that this blog entry is about Facebook and Kevin Rudd, so you do the math.
I've read in various publications that KRudd is a bit of a hit on Myspace and Facebook. For example, he has more online friends than John Howard (and I) (combined).
Now whether Facebook KRudd (Face-KRudd) is actually the online persona of a public relations shyster who's handy with Google and the search terms "18-25 year old, popular television" remains to be seen but there are several clues pointing to it.
For example, Face-KRudd's favourite TV shows are: The Simpsons, Family Guy and The Chaser's War on Everything. Likewise, Face-KRudd's favourite movies include Muriel's Wedding and The Castle (READ: Aussie Battler).
The tactics seem to be working though. I thought I'd bestow the honour of being my online friend upon Face-KRudd . Sadly, my non-sexual advances were rejected because he has has exceed the 5000 friend limit.
It looks like my half-arsed efforts to ingratiate myself with The Labor Party will have to wait a while...
There's been a lot of talk lately about the escalating cost of houses and rent. Basically, those of us who were too lazy or a few years shy of getting our arses into gear to buy a house have been left behind. And because houses are so bloody expensive, the people who do have a few lazy million to buy them are looking elsewhere for more profitable investments; so the cost of rent is getting ridiculous too.
I've been largely protected from all these goings on because I'm in a cozy rental agreement (thanks Mum). But it's seriously depressing to think that I'm going to be left behind entirely. A new report suggests that you need a combined household income of about $100K to buy a median priced house in anywhere in Australia... READ: if you're on a single income or in a single income family you're screwed.
Of course I'm kicking myself NOW that I didn't get into the market earlier. But spending my money was fun at the time, and who would have thought prices would jump 50 percent in a year?
And to all those fogeys who say young people expect too much for their first house: shut your piehole. If you're on the median wage of $55K a year you're barely able to afford a one bedroom flat in Perth, let alone a four by two.
To the landless underclass, I offer a solution: move back in with your parents and refuse to buy property of any sort. Demand will drop, prices will fall and then we can pick over the remains like the happy little vultures we are. Failing that, find yourself a partner, cross your fingers and bump up your combined salary to $100K a year (and don't ever get pregnant or sick).
