Millions Prepare to Ring in New Year (AP). AP - Millions of revelers from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur prepared Wednesday to ring in 2004 with fireworks and parties as authorities tightened security against possible terrorist attacks. [Yahoo! News - Top Stories]

[listening to: La Isla Bonita - Madonna ]
10:31:04 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

I've added a new element to my nav bar - the current terror alert level. It looks something like this:

Pretty cool!

I found it on Wil Weaton's site.    

Who's Wil Weaton you ask -- why he was Wesley Crusher from Star Trek: The Next Generation. His site is pretty cool. I spent a while exploring it.

Wil ROCKS!

[listening to: Kiss Off - Violent Femmes ]
10:16:58 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

For some reason, Sydney likes throwing a big party for new years eve. This year, it's no different. The SMH tells us all about it.   Each year, we talk about heading into the city to be part of the fun, but we never seem to do it. I guess having 4 kids acts as part of the deterrant. I guess we will watch it on the telly

[listening to: It's a Hard Life - Queen ]
10:11:29 AM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Family • TV

Cricinfo has posted the current list of top wicket takers for 2003

Based on all matches up to and including
Test # 1678: Australia v India at Melbourne, 3rd Test, 26/12/2003

[listening to: Another One Bites The Dust - Queen ]
10:31:38 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • My Interests

Cricinfo has posted the current list of top runscorers for 2003

Based on all matches up to and including
Test # 1678: Australia v India at Melbourne, 3rd Test, 26/12/2003

[listening to: It Wasn't Me - Shaggy ]
10:09:46 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • My Interests

Offtopic, but high level of geekness....

Early on Saturday, Melbourne time, mankind will attempt to catch its first pocketful of comet dust. Almost 390 million kilometres away, a NASA space probe, Stardust, will dive deep inside a cloud of dust and gas spewing from a comet called Wild 2. Travelling at 21,000 km/h, it will use a tennis racquet-shaped collector to snare more than 1000 dust particles from the cloud, possibly providing clues to the birth of life on Earth. Canberra's Tidbinbilla tracking station will stay in touch as Stardust zooms 300 kilometres above the comet. [more]

This is cool. Even cooler, the names of all my family are on a microchip embedded on the probe. Over 1 million names were collected and placed on the STARDUST spacecraft. If you look closely, you will see many Arrigo's listed!! (Sorry Bricey you aren't on the chip - but then again, you weren't born when this was launched!).

[listening to: Planet Earth - Duran Duran ]
5:46:07 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Family • My Interests

My kids have been asking me why I never write or post anything about their mum. Good question.

Moira is a shy private person who doesn't like the limelight. Time to change all that!

She's my dear sweet wife, and mother of 4 fantastic kids. She puts up with a lot of stuff (mainly from me), but she is always smiling. Good on ya Moi!

[listening to: Imagination Is a Powerful Deceiver - Elvis Costello ]
4:12:34 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Family

"Big-hitting Matthew Hayden powered Australia to a crushing nine-wicket win against India on the final day of the third Test at the MCG this morning. Hayden clubbed nine boundaries for his unbeaten 53 from 63 balls as Australia, chasing 95 runs to win, raced to 1 for 97 after 100 minutes of batting. Man of the match Ricky Ponting brought up the winning runs when he swept Anil Kumble to the boundary. The win levelled the four-Test series at 1-1, and set up a thrilling final Test when Steve Waugh farewells the international arena in his 168th and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 2." [more]

[listening to: I'm Looking Through You - The Wallflowers ]
2:33:54 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • My Interests

"Australia was poised to level the series with India after day four here today of the third cricket Test at the MCG. India lost 6-33, including the vital wickets of Rahul Dravid and captain Sourav Ganguly, to be all out for 286 in its second innings at stumps. Parthiv Patel finished 27 not out and Australia will have a victory target of 95 for the last day." [more]

[listening to: Frank's 2000" TV - Weird Al Yankovic ]
6:52:48 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • My Interests

Fantastic day of cricket!

"Australia have mimicked their effort in the first innings and destroyed India with the second new ball, bowling them out for 286 as early stumps were pulled on day four of the third Test at the MCG. After cruising at 5 for 253, the tourists lost 6 for 33 in 16 overs, with fast bowler Brad Williams taking career-best figures of 4 for 53 from 22 overs. Australia now has the last day to compile the 95 runs they need to draw level in the four-Test series and force a decider in Sydney." [more]

[listening to: Flash - Queen ]
6:27:46 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • My Interests

"A Ricky Ponting double ton and two late wickets have allowed Australia to take a stranglehold on the third Test against India with two days to play at the MCG. Vice-captain Ponting posted a Test-best 257 on day three to lead his side to 558 all out before the tourists slumped to 2 for 27 at the close of play, still 165 runs behind. Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly (6 not out) shielded the out-of-form Sachin Tendulkar from a rampant home attack by elevating himself to fourth in the batting line-up, and he and Rahul Dravid (6) saw the team through to stumps." [more]

[listening to: Alimony - Weird Al Yankovic ]
6:27:53 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • My Interests

No, this person isnt related to me

Sicily Man Arranges Shooting to Woo Woman (Reuters). Reuters - A man in Sicily asked a friend to shoot him in the groin in the hope of making his ex-girlfriend feel sorry for him, police said on Friday. [Yahoo! News - Oddly Enough]

[listening to: Alternative, Baby - Reel Big Fish ]
3:55:15 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Family

"Australia's captain in waiting Ricky Ponting racked up his second double century in as many matches as his team reached 5 for 461 against India on day three of the third Test at the MCG. Ponting followed his 242 in Adelaide with 200 not out after 122 overs of Australia's first innings in Melbourne, his third double ton this year." [more]

[listening to: Brand New Hero - Reel Big Fish ]
3:42:06 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • My Interests

They're back. They are not banned. And they are sure to take plenty of attention away from our cricketers during the Test and one-dayers in Sydney.

Sounds like a pretty good idea to me - I need one of these at home.

[listening to: I'm Her Man - Reel Big Fish ]
9:28:11 AM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

Kramer Cracks in "Seinfeld" Feud (E! Online). E! Online - Michael Richards, the beloved, wacky star of the much-Emmyd comedy series has broken ranks with costars Jason Alexander and Julia Louis-Dreyfus and decided to participate in an upcoming DVD about the show. [Yahoo! News - Most Viewed]

Fantastic - Seinfeld DVD coming soon!

[listening to: I'm Cool - Reel Big Fish ]
10:31:48 PM    comment []  trackback []     • TV

A much better day for the Aussies.

"In-form batsmen Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting both hammered centuries as Australia raced to 3 for 317 at stumps, 49 runs behind India's first innings total after two days of the third Test at the MCG. Needing to win to have any chance of snaffling the Border-Gavaskar trophy from the tourists' grasp, Australia bowled India out for 366 earlier in the day in a fightback of admirable proportions. The bowlers stepped up with 6 for 16 as India collapsed from their lofty overnight perch of 4 for 329, and then Hayden (136) and Ponting (125 not out) rammed home the advantage. Damien Martyn (7 not out) will resume on day three with Ponting. Hayden and Ponting shared in a 234-run stand for the second wicket, after the early dismissal of Justin Langer (14) had the world champions on the back foot." [more]

[listening to: Cheer Up - Reel Big Fish ]
9:51:40 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • My Interests

Nice article in the SMH about the top 20 movies for the year. I've got most of them on DVD!

Movie and Box office during 2003

1. Finding Nemo ($37 million) *
2. The Matrix Reloaded ($33.5m) *
3. The Two Towers ($30m) *
4. Pirates of the Caribbean ($25m)
5. Bruce Almighty ($20.5m) *
6. Chicago ($19m) *
7. Terminator 3 ($19m) *
8. Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle ($19m) *
9. The Matrix Revolutions ($18m)
10. X-Men 2 ($16.5m)
11. 8 Mile ($16.5m)
12. The Return of the King ($16m est.)
13. Catch Me If You Can ($15m) *
14. Daddy Day Care ($15m) * <