Eddie is dead

Moose, otherwise known as Eddie from the popular US TV show Frasier is dead.

The 16 year old Jack Russell died peacefully in the home of his trainer in LA.

Moose retired in 2004 after 10 years on Frasier. He also starred as Skip in the 2000 kid's flick "My Dog Skip".

He is survived by his son Enzo, who took over from Moose to play Eddie until the end of Frasier last year.

How i found Buddha through an English plumbers son

When I first read the The Saffron Robe and The Third Eye by T (Tuesday) Lobsang Rampa I had no idea at all about the controversy relating to his writings, his claims to being a Lama, and even his claim that he was Tibetan.

Rampa wrote The Third Eye in 1955 and it became a bestseller. I was given a first edition print for my 21st Birthday and it has been a treasured keepsake ever since. I later read The Saffron Robe, as I had been so moved by the plight of the Tibetan people, and the intimate insights into the day to day life of a Lama as described by Rampa.

The book, like the later work The Saffron Robe is written as if from the viewpoint of a young Lama. Spiritual and physical teachings carried out in secret in the high altitude Buddhist Lamaseries of Tibet are described in loving detail.

The books introduced Tibetan life to audiences who had not before had access to such detail.

Before him, the Hungarian Alexander Csoma de Kőrös had lived in Tibet and compiled the first English Tibetan Dictionary, and his story too was fascinating. The hardships he went through and the hospitality of the Tibetan people were extraordinary to say the least. Rampa though, seemed to come from the perspective of a Tibetan Lama, and was a convincing first hand account.

Imagine my surprise then, when I found out accidentally, that T Lobsang Rampa was also Cyril Henry Hoskins, the son of a plumber who had been born in Plympton in Devon, Also, he had never been to Tibet, and spoke no Tibetan.

The claim he made was that his spirit had transmigrated from Tibet into the body of Cyril Hoskins after a concussion caused by a fall.

The fact remains that he wrote many spiritual works that moved many people, and inexplicably (aside from his explanation) told of intimate details of the life of a Lama.

It should be noted that one of the books, Living With The Lama, was claimed to have been dictated telepathically to Rampa by his pet cat, Mrs. Fifi Greywhiskers.

The very heart of a spiritual belief in most cases, is to believe that supernatural things can happen for reasons that benefit or teach man. Buddhism accepts transmigration, astral planes, and reincarnation, so in many ways Rampa’s story was consistent with a spiritual supernatural event or a miracle. His books brought much information to the people of the west that they previously may never have thought to pursue.

If religion and spirituality ask only one thing, it is to suspend disbelief and have faith that, at least sometimes, the extraordinary can happen.

US betrayal - who is the terrorist?

Staying true to their tradition of indefinite detention without trial, Howard crony and Foreign Affairs minister Alexander "Mummy's Boy" Downer announced that the government supports the UK’s decision not to plea for the freedom of Guantanamo Bay hostage David Hicks.

Although the UK have now granted Hicks citizenship, they say that there are no plans to plea with the US for his repatriation to the UK, as has been obtained for all other British citizens held in the American outpost in Cuba, known for its cruelty, its mortality rate and its undisciplined staff.

Guantanamo Bay is in a no man’s land, and the so-called prisoners therein have been allowed none of the rights due to prisoners of war or crime, as they have not been properly defined as either.

The US has labelled the hostages in the Guantanamo Bay facility detainees. A non-committal term neither relating to war or acts of crime. The Geneva Convention means nothing to the US, nor does the International War Crimes Tribunal, and nor, for that matter, do the hard won laws and constitutional rights upheld by the US judicial system.

Many claim that the incompetence the US has so far in bringing charges against detainees is because they acted too quickly, rounding up everyone they could, proof of ill will or not. Hick’s was initially captured by a Warlord of the Northern Alliance who many say was simply trying to curry favour with the coalition forces.

The US has switched allegiances so many times in this region that the Northern Alliance obviously felt a need to win as many points as they could. Their previous encounter with US forces in the 90s was on the other side, fighting alongside Soviet forces. That conflict resulted in the US assisting the Taliban into power. It really doesn’t seem too long ago.

How can anyone trust the US?

Saddam Hussein must also be reeling after his association with previous US administrations amounted to nothing in the 90s, when the US suddenly decided to take notice of the Kurdish situation when it seemed likely to blow out and affect Oil.

And what about poor old CIA trained Osama bin Laden? Not only did he receive arms and training from Bush senior’s gang, he was also a business associate and family friend to the Bushs.

Talk about betrayal and dishonesty.

Nobody is saying that Hicks or any of the others are guilt free, but justice has to be served to be real. If there is a case against them, bring them to trial. If not, send them home.

Rumsfeld gets deep on death and war.

"Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war."

Donald Rumsfeld - the 21st United States Secretary of Defense

God told me to become an IM (Instant Messenger) terrorist

I like to think I use Instant Messenger technology a little differently to many out there. When I'm online I get the sex fiends, the innocents, the lonely and the plain boring. I have a IDs for Skype, ICQ, AIM, Yahoo and Microsoft MSN. MSN and Yahoo are totally overrated and full of idiots and kids, but I urge the argumentative or angry people out there to try ICQ and Skype.

On both of these Instant Messenger communities, you can search (and be found) based on profiles set up by the user. Many people share far more than you would think. You can search, then pick a fight with a likely candidate of your choosing.

Last night I was found by a 27 year old girl, one of those innocent virginal freaks, living with her parents, devoutly religious and waiting for Mr. Right (actually, praying to find him).

I started off nice, but led into a discussion on Catholic corruption and the paradoxes between Catholic doctrine and the literal Bible.

As is so often the case with people who try to peddle God, she was a rote learner, and couldn’t construct a valid or cohesive argument. We also discussed marriage, divorce and annulments. She was incensed that I thought annulment and divorce amounted to the same thing.

I am not a religious man, but I believe that religion plays an important role in the world, as it always has. My gall is raised when people cannot tell you what they believe with any detail or complexity.

I told this girl that using the words “belief” and “faith” simply acknowledges that what you have is a theory, and not a fact. And with this being the case, there is room for other theories.

She said that she respects other people’s opinions and views, so I asked if the fact that I don’t accept the story of Jesus was ok.

She eventually admitted that she thinks that all people who do not believe in Jesus are wrong, and will suffer eternally come Judgement Day. The only way to salvation was to receive and accept Jesus.

I reminded her that her book and her church encouraged people not to be judgemental.

It really went on and on like this. She got confused, and had obviously not read all of the bible. She got angry and indignant then pulled out old faithful “until you accept god, you won’t understand”.

It’s a shame for religion that parishioners do not take more care and responsibility. Whilst religion is a personal experience, it is also a communal undertaking in most cases, and the religious person has a responsibility to the church, becoming an ambassador. The more naive and one eyed the person, the worse the church looks to outsiders.

A boy named Sue (and Mimi and Merlyn...)

I know the world cup is on at the moment, and it is consuming the world with a fever pitch unlike anything else, but please gentle soccer hooligan, spare a thought for those of us with a more gentle constitution.

What are we to watch, whilst the Football dominates all else?

Well, it just so happens that I have found something.

This past weekend, Miss Waria Indonesia was chosen in Jakarta. Waria is a cross between the Indonesian words for Man and Woman.
Right now, countries around the world are in the process of choosing their representatives for the 3rd annual Miss International Queen, a worldwide competition to be hosted this year by Thailand.

Last year, American contestant Mimi Marks, then 34, took out the coveted trophy.

It appears to be a glamorous and entertaining competition, and it includes contestants from all over the globe, so why don’t we hear anything about it here?

I saw a brief fluff piece in MX on the train on the way home the piqued my interest. It contained a picture and that was it. I searched online and found very little relevant information except for the official site and an article from last year in a Pakistani paper (above).

This smacks of Eurovision, the worlds greatest entertainment competition. It will be relegated to the fluff pages of the newspapers, and maybe SBS will do a short piece, but aside from that perhaps as a country we are becoming too sensitive, too old, and too right wing.

Last years competition in Indonesia was marred by vocal religious protests. The objection was that Transgender/Transvestites should not be acknowledged, and should not be made into role models. I guess violent religious extremists are much better role models.

Americans speaking intelligently about America....

ABC Radio National has some really fascinating programming aired at the most bizarre times. I was awake late on Saturday night/Sunday morning and had RN on in the background.

The program was called New Dimensions, and the topic was Turning America On.

Of course, it has happened before. American's can be intelligent, insightful, and even critical of their government's policies. Noam Chomsky springs to mind. Michael Moore does too, but I'm not sure if he is an entertainer or a satirist. New Dimensions just seemed more topical, less intellectual (than Chomsky anyway), but not "dumb".

This week's guest was Steve Bhaerman, a kind of political satirist and commentator, though he is hard to define. He was witty, frank and scathing of the US administartion. It's really worth a listen, as it is not a rant, a rave, or an unwarranted attack, instead it comes a ccross as thoughtful and reasonable and quite entertaining.

"People need to wake up. This is not a matter of Democrats and Republicans. It's a matter of there's been a huge brainwashing in this country. We're up to deprogramming. That's what this is all about."

The program is aired out of California and re-broadcast on Radio National.

Listen to and watch your ABC. It belongs to us all, and tends to be a lot more informative and entertaining than its in-bred commercial cousins. Next time you listen to "Grubby and Dee Dee" or watch "Big Brother" and you notice that your brain has begun to switch off, change stations. That is, unless you like living in a coma.

Welcome!

I am just an opinionated wanker with a rant about everything.

At the top of my list is a cold shiver down the spine type of dislike for American Colonialism and Cultural Dyslexia.

What can I do about it?: Not a lot, but it doesn't mean I have to shut my gob.

Hate is a very strong word, and damages the hater more than the hated, so I won't say I hate the US, nor do I hate the citizens of the US. They don't even try to foo themselves anymore that they control which Administration is in power, and which rich kid of an oil wealthy sanctioned criminal family, with ties to every despot of note in the world today.

Forget about TV, Krispy Kreme is the latest fad, so I really don't like them today.

As if we weren't fat enough already, bring on the piles of fried fat, sugar and dough, put em in a cool box, sell them at airports full of rushing commuters. Next step, open some franchises in poorer areas, where people already have the lard addiction, and won't be able to resist. They have less money than others, but it all seems to go on shit: alcohol, cigarettes, other drugs and fast food. Whats one more addiction?

Krispy Kreme, go home, fuck off, and take KFC with you.

80s Video Clips

Kids of the 80s, take a trip down Memory Lane.

Did you sit up to watch Rock Arena, Countdown, Rage, that one with Donnie Sutherland and all of the other music shows that came and went?

Then you NEED to check this out.

80s Video Clips including New Order, Climie Fisher, Yello, Violent Femmes.... the list is long.

80s Video clips are fine examples of the medium. Much better than what we have now.

It's Benalla, in country Victoria. Things there just haven't taken off.

Collins Street

Door Etiquette 101

I am a public transport user, a door user and a lift user. I think I have it down now.

If someone is exiting a door, train, tram or lift, and you want to get in, you wait, stand back, and let people get out. It makes more room for you when you do get on, but also, I think perhaps that this is common courtesy.

A simple, unwritten rule that any intelligent person should know instinctively is the correct way to behave. Correct? Well, apparently there is a lot of confusion out there.

I see people every day barging onto trains, into lifts and through doors of all descriptions. My favourites are the slightly overweight suit wearing guy who pushes through the crowd of vacating commuters on a train to then sit and take up a whole disabled seat.

Or the lift user who is obviously afraid of the door taking off a limb. As soon as the door opens they dive in, colliding with anyone hoping to get off. Often it is the same person who decides to stay in the doorway facing inwards, impeding others from also boarding the lift.

I have thought seriously about starting a Door User Group, with a helpdesk. Maybe the number can be displayed on particularly tricky doors, like those on trains.

A typical Door User Group helpdesk call......

Operator - "Helpdesk, please state your question clearly"

Door User - "ah, yes, is it acceptable to push old ladies back into the train whilst i scramble for a disabled seat?"

Operator - "I get this one all the time.. the answer is NO YOU FAT SLOB. Anything else?"

The beauty of public transport

doesn't it remind you of a torture scene from 1984 or 12 Monkeys?

ooooooo! spooky

Body-piercing has dangers and is uncool for Christian teens

Apparently God is like my old wired uncle. He has a problem with homosexuals, non-anglo saxons, women, and now people who modify their bodies. Or at least according to this site.

Of course hose of us who are not into judging other for their appearance, and reading things in context, know that people can express themselves through "free will", a god given faculty. We also know that the bible, particularly Leviticus, frowns upon pagan rituals of cutting and scarring as an act of worship to unsavoury deities.

Apparently pierced people are discriminated against too. Maybe if they are completely covered in metal and determined to work for a conservative accounting firm, but people need to consider where it is they want to work, and how tolerant their chosen industry really is.

I am HR manager for a consulting company, and i have hired pierced and tattood people. No facial tatts, no giant piercings, but also no-one with these applied.

ladies, stand up and be counted, but don't forget to shake

I accidentally came across an old press release for the p-mate recently.

Why did it never take off?

Finally women were given the opportunity to pee with the boys, and only a few scruffys took it up. I know all sorts of women, ladies, sheilas, birds and girls, and none that I know of have tried it.

It looks a bit like a freaky shoe (pic attached).

Invented by a Dutch woman, the P-mate is said to be a convenient and hygienic way to get around those massive lines to the ladies room.

We all know that half the traffic going that way is to straighten hair, drop a pill, vomit food, or talk about which guy, so the women who just want a piss can head off to a urinal or basin, or duck out to the carpark to relieve themselves.