I had some things to pick up from the supermarket, so I went to the local QFC

As I was crusing the aisles, some things just called out to be photographed.

FRIED PORK SKINS

OBERTO BEEF JERKY - America's #1 Beef Snack

SCARY KOALA

12:36:33 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

One of the things I miss from living in Seattle was KNDD 1077 The End.

It is a local radio station which plays most of the music I like.

Right now, I'm listening to Resurrection Flashback Sunday, and the feature artist of the week are The B52's

Yes, I am a tragic

They have a live stream online, maybe I should tune into it when I get back home.

11:43:19 AM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Geek • Random

I awoke from my sleep, feeling a bit jetlagged and a bit congested. Good thing I took that Codral.

While I slept, the Saints played Collingwood in the 2006 Pre-Season NAB Cup. My kids promised to record this for me while I was away.

So, with anticipation, I flipped open my tablet and surfed over to the AFL site.

This is a snap shot of what I saw.

OMG!!

The Saints lost by one point.

In Extra Time.

And the score is the same as the 1966 grand final (74 to 73), except this time it's reversed and the Magpies won by 1 point.

Collingwood 2.8.8 (74) def. St Kilda 1.9.10 (73)

Round up of News

Saints downed in extra time

COLLINGWOOD d ST KILDA
Magpies shine in extra time
Collingwood's one-point defeat of St Kilda contains more drama than an entire series of Desperate Housewives. more

Triumphant Pies put in little bit extra
Australian - 4 hours ago
THE first round of the pre-season is always a novelty act. There are the new draftees to induct. The old faces in new jumpers to get used to.
Magpies shine in extra time The Age
Magpies lead Saints at halftime Melbourne Herald Sun
FOX SPORTS - AFL - ABC Regional Online - sportal.com.au - all 34 related »

10:21:55 AM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • My Hobbies • TV

I'm over in Seattle at the moment, attending a bunch of meetings. I'm based at The Willows Lodge

The trip over was long and tiring.

On the Sydney to Los Angeles leg (14.5 hours), I got to watch 3 movies:

1. 40 Year Old Virgin
   I really enjoyed this movie. Sure, the language was crude but it felt authentic.  Steve Carell was great, and I find Catherine Keener really hot. I've had a thing for her since Being John Malkovich. Don't know why.
2. Capote
   All I can say is "WOW". This is a pretty intense movie. Philip Seymour Hoffman *WAS* Truman Capote. By co-incidence, this also had  Catherine Keener in the movie playing Nelle Harper Lee, the author of "To Kill A Mockingbird", one of my all time favourite book & movie.
3. Walk The Line
   Another BioPic, and another "WOW". Joaquin Phoenix  *WAS* Johnny Cash. The music was wonderful. I really got into that Johnny Cash vibe. It's inspired me to go and find the soundtrack

Time to rest....

7:45:17 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • My Interests

Very funny reaction to the current tv ad with the slogan - .Where the bloody hell are you?"

It's a bloody good ad, if you ask me.

Sydney Morning Herald

'Bloody' tourism ad campaign rattles some MPs ABC Online - 14 hours ago Several Federal Government backbenchers have taken issue with the new advertising campaign for Australian tourism that uses the slogan, "So where the bloody hell are you? Face of Australia Daily Telegraph Where the hell are you, Australia asks Germans Expatica The Age - Australian - New Zealand Herald - Times Online - all 95 related

11:05:11 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • TV

The AFL pre-season competition for 2006 kicks off this weekend.

My beloved Saints play Collingwood on Sunday.

The game is live on Fox Footy, but I wont be around to watch. I'll be in Seattle for the week. Double Whammy!

9:32:42 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • My Hobbies • TV

Further to yesterday's post about my LinkedIn network, there was a flurry of LinkedIn requests, and my network grew a little bit more.

My Network of Trusted Professionals

You are at the center of your network. Your connections can introduce you to 1,074,100+ professionals — here’s how your network breaks down:

	Your Connections Your trusted friends and colleagues	159
	Two degrees away Friends of friends; each is connected to one of your connections	42,000+
	Three degrees away Reach these users through a friend and one of their friends	1,031,800+
Total users you can contact through an Introduction:		1,074,100+

8:22:05 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Geek • My Interests

I got a LinkedIn request this evening, which made me look at my stats

Last time I posted about LinkedIn was last year in May, and my network has grown a fair bit since then.

11:03:20 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Geek • My Interests

I was feeling curious today, and looked down at my Windows Desktop Search Indexing Status

Yikes!

How many items left to scan???

Geoff Appleby had ten top trivia things about himself, so I had to find out some trivia about me

12:33:12 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Geek

Another day, another silly quiz. Not surprisingly, I do like lightning.

You Are Lightning

Beautiful yet dangerous People will stop and watch you when you appear Even though you're capable of random violence You are best known for: your power Your dominant state: performing

10:04:16 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Geek • Random

Great 3rd final of the VB Series.

Sri Lanka played well and set a good score of 256/9 after 50 overs.

The Aussies reply wsa simply amazing, 267/1 (45.3 ov), led by Adam Gilchrist's incredible inninga of  122 in 91 balls.

Just look at the scoring chart. Very entertaining cricket

Full Scorecard

10:00:09 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • My Interests • TV

Scoble is doing a test, and he needs our help

So, here’s the brrreeeport report. You can participate. Just add the word “brrreeeport” to your blog. Or, even better, do that and then give it a tag too. So, anyway, it’s 7:57 p.m. Pacific Time so let’s look at what the search engines have found so far.

Tags: The brrreeeport report, brrreeeport, Scoble

9:43:51 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Geek

Bricey was telling his mum a story about godzilla.

He used the line "godzilla got pissed".

Intrigued. Moira did a search on "godzilla got pissed" and found the lyrics to a song called The Ultimate Showdown.

She clicked a bit and found "The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny", which is "a musical tale of the greatest battle to ever occur ever".

and it's very very funny.

Bricey had seen his brothers looking at this clip earlier and remember the classic line "godzilla got pissed".

He's now telling me about Chuck Norris kicking someone in the crotch and wants to show me....

7:38:54 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Family

I got home, turned on the telly and the little fella started talking. What a champ. Molly, looks lie you were right, he needed a signal to wakeu

time (aest)	Talking Boony Said...
4:30pm	show us a replay of that
5:30pm	where's me beer
7:25pm	oh its a good pill, a very good pill
5:30pm	looked out from here ump
7:30pm	got any nachos. i love nachos
8:45pm	ill drink to that
9:15pm	shot
9:50pm	boring
9:55pm	quack quack quack

Tag : talking boony

7:17:05 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Geek • TV

Hmmm - Boony hasn't spoken yet

The game has started and not a word. Maybe Boonie didn't expect the game would go to 3 finals.

Tag : talking boony

2:52:21 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Geek • TV

I finally got around to looking up the value of this blog. I wont be retiring to become a pro-blogger anytime soon

10:37:51 AM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Geek

I got a call on Friday from a very excited Emma Arrigo

She had just been elected Computer Captain for her class. She was voted in by aher classmates

I was able to get a photo of here with her badge today.

She doesn't know what it means yet, as she hasn't had her computer class. BUT she is very excited and I am very proud

8:40:00 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Family

I took the quiz, because I love taking quizzes.

Your results:
You are Spock

Spock 80% Leonard McCoy (Bones) 80% Chekov 80% Geordi LaForge 60% Data 50% James T. Kirk (Captain) 40% Jean-Luc Picard 40% Beverly Crusher 40% Will Riker 40% Deanna Troi 40% An Expendable Character (Redshirt) 40% Mr. Scott 20% Uhura 20% Mr. Sulu 20% Worf 20%

You are skilled in knowledge and logic. You believe that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

10:10:09 AM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Geek • Random

I just noticed a little milestone was passed - my 1000th post

I started this particular little blog in May 23, 2003

Quick summary of posts over the years:

I need to write a tool to extract my comments and trackback totals so that I can work out my C.I.!

5:03:56 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

Got this email overnight. The class action suit against SONYBMG and their ROOTKIT spreads far and wide, and even to my inbox .

More info at EFF

----- Original Message -----

From: <class.settlement@sonybmg.com>

To: Frank Arrigo

Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2006 12:36 PM

Subject: Class Action Settlement/Software Update Notice

***IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICE/SOFTWARE UPDATE NOTICE***PLEASE READ*** (Please do not respond to this email.  Responses will not be read.)

If You Bought, Received or Used a SONY BMG Music Entertainment CD Containing Either XCP or Media Max Content Protection Software, Your Rights May Be Affected By a Class Action Settlement, And You Should Download Updates For That Software.

What is this about?

A settlement has been proposed in a lawsuit brought against SONY BMG Music Entertainment, Inc., SunnComm International Inc., and First 4 Internet, Ltd. ("Defendants").  The lawsuit, In re SONY BMG CD Technologies Litigation, Case No. 1:05-cv-09575-NRB, is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and relates to XCP and MediaMax content protection software installed on certain SONY BMG music CDs.

The Settlement resolves claims that the Defendants manufactured and sold CDs containing XCP and MediaMax software without adequately disclosing the limitations the software imposes on the use of the CDs and the security vulnerabilities it creates.  The Defendants have denied that they did anything wrong.

Who Is Included, And What Does The Settlement Provide?

The settlement provides relief for persons who bought, received or used SONY BMG CDs with either XCP or MediaMax software.  Under the settlement, any person in possession of an XCP CD can exchange it for a replacement CD, an MP3 download of the same album, and either (a) cash payment of $7.50 and one (1) free album download from a list of 200 albums, or (b) three (3) free album downloads from that list.
Purchasers of CDs containing MediaMax 5.0 software will receive a free
MP3 download of the same album and one (1) additional free album download.  Purchasers of CDs containing MediaMax 3.0 software will receive a free MP3 download of the same album.

The settlement also requires the Defendants to stop manufacturing SONY BMG CDs with XCP or MediaMax 3.0 and 5.0 software and, until 2008: (1) make available updates to fix all known security vulnerabilities caused by XCP and MediaMax software; (2) provide software programs to uninstall XCP and MediaMax software safely; (3) fix any future security vulnerabilities discovered in MediaMax and any other content protection software placed on SONY BMG CDs; (4) provide independent verification that personal information about users of SONY BMG CDs has not and will not be collected through XCP or MediaMax; (5) waive certain provisions of the end user license agreements for XCP and MediaMax software; and
(6) ensure that any other content protection software will be clearly disclosed, independently tested and readily uninstalled.

At 9:15a.m. on May 22, 2006, the Court will hold a hearing at the United States District Court, Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse, 500 Pearl Street, Courtroom 21A, New York, New York 10007-1312, to decide whether to approve the settlement and the class attorneys' fees and costs.

How Do I Participate In The Settlement?
If you bought or received a SONY BMG Music CD containing XCP or MediaMax software and want to receive the relief you may be eligible for under the settlement, you must submit an online claim form at www.sonybmgcdtechsettlement.com, or mail a claim form to:

SONY BMG CD Technologies Settlement
P.O. Box 1804, Faribault, MN 55021-1804

All claim forms must be submitted by December 31, 2006.

What Are My Other Options?

If you bought, received or used a SONY BMG Music CD containing XCP or MediaMax software, and you do not want to be legally bound by the settlement or receive a replacement CD, cash, free downloads or other relief, you must exclude yourself by May 1, 2006.  If you do not exclude yourself, certain of your claims against the Defendants that were or could have been asserted in the lawsuit will be released, meaning you may not be able to sue the Defendants for those claims.
To view the detailed legal Notice of Proposed Class Action Settlement, Motion for Attorneys' Fees and Settlement Fairness Hearing and to download the software updates, visit www.sonybmgcdtechsettlement.com.
You may obtain further information by contacting the claims administrator at the address above or by calling toll free 1-800-242-7610.

4:00:13 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

What a surprise. Australia lost the first final to Sri Lanka. The Aussies now have to win both finals, otherwise it will be their first VB series loss in 13 years.

Boony is anticipating a good game too.

time (aest)	Talking Boony Said...
1:30pm	grab a VB the crickets about to start
3:00pm	nice shot
4:00pm	when's the dtinks break
4:20pm	i feel like some watermelon
4:45pm	i'll drink to that
5:00pm	we're going to the pub
5:10pm	oh that's a good pill a very good pill
5:15pm	got any nachos. i love nachos
6:15pm	hey give me a vb, the crickets about to start
6:55pm	looked out from here ump
6:55pm	shot
7:25pm	oh it's a good pill, it's a good pill
9:15pm	anyone seen me thongs

Tag : talking boony

3:47:34 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Geek • TV

I read this SMH article today, entitled " Hit shows plundered".

It starts with how Australia is the world's second biggest market for pirated TV shows after Britain.

Hmmm, I remember reading simlar stories 12 months ago, like UK, Australia top TV piracy list and Impatient TV viewers turn to BitTorrent

The article also has some comments from Mark Pesce, who had the Piracy is Good speech from last year.

What I find amusing is the networks execs living in denial

Seven director of corporate development Simon Francis said he was not concerned.

"The vast majority watch television . . . the ratings for the shows show no erosion - you look at the figures for Lost and Desperate Housewives, there is no audience loss," he said.

and

But Ten's David Mott isn't convinced that pirate TV viewers create buzz for shows. "We don't condone piracy and we support the US networks' efforts to prevent it," he said.

Wake up and smell the coffee. Bits are moving freely and people are watching downloaded TV Shows. There are sites like Kangaroo TV springing up with how to instructions for the everyman. It's happening and will accelerate in the coming months.  The networks in the US are starting to adapt (CBS Cuts Out Download Middleman), and even the UK, with the Channel 4 Geek Sitcom  "The IT Crowd", which offers the epsiode online.

1:36:36 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Geek • TV

Moira was reading the latest North Shore Times and found an article about Camelot, the house we went to look at last week.

PAKASTANI-born Nausheen Qureshi  had little trouble adapting to the Australian way of life when she migrated here as a young bride 22 years ago.

``We went to Canberra, which is remarkably similar to Islamabad,'' Nausheen said.

She said the architects of modern Islamabad had drawn heavily on the design principles used by Walter Burley Griffin in Canberra.

``So it all felt quite familiar . . . I had no trouble settling down.''

Six years ago, Nausheen and husband Zia  bought a large character house in Pymble.

The luxury four-bedroom home has many unusual features including a turret room, banquet dining room, home gym, inground pool and fish pond with footbridge.

``We get lots of family visitors, so the house is absolutely perfect from that point of view,'' Nausheen said.

``It's so spacious that it can easily cope with the extra numbers.''

The house is always filled with the friends of Nausheen and Zia's two children  Usman, 18, and Amna, 17.

``This house seems to attract young people  they'll watch a movie in the home theatre or swim in the pool, which is gas-heated and warm all year round,'' Nausheen said.

The property at 96 Livingstone Ave will be auctioned on March 1 through Century 21 Cordeau Marshall's Paula Hellstern on 0418 415 033.

So now we know more about the family selling the house. So, the owner is CEO of a local company. The photo on the website has the dude standing in the living room at his house. He was the charman of the Australian Chapter for the  International Association of Outsourcing Professionals, as well as an Honorary Investment Counsellor for the Government of Pakistan (#21),  A dude with the same name was also involved in some dodgy money deals resulting in missing millions. I don't know if it's all related but it makes for some interesting reading.

All from going to visit an open house

1:08:35 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

We're watching the 2006 Winter Olympic Opening Ceremony, and Emma asks me how many people live in each of the different countries marching into the stadium.

Quick as a flash, I jump to wikipedia and voila the top 10

Rank	Country	Population	Density (people/ km2)
—	World	6,446,000,000	43
1	China	1,306,313,812	136
2	India	1,103,600,000	328
3	United States	297,800,000	30
4	Indonesia	241,973,879	126
5	Brazil	186,112,794	21
6	Pakistan	162,419,946	202
7	Bangladesh	144,319,628	1,002
8	Russia	143,420,309	8
9	Nigeria	128,771,988	139
10	Japan	127,417,244	337

Australia is #52 in the big list

10:46:19 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Family • Geek • TV

The finals have begun. Australia plays Sri Lanka in Adelaide

I left my little fellow at home today *AGAIN*, so i relied on the kidness of my family to record his sayings.

time (aest)	Talking Boony Said...
1:30pm	turn on the TV the crickets about to start
3:00pm	duckie duckie duckie
5:25pm	when's the drinks break
5:45pm	got any nachos? I love nachos
7:40om	when are we going to the pub
8:55pm	where's me beer
9:25pm	nice
10:00pm	i feel like playing table tennis

Tag : talking boony

10:10:12 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Family • Geek • TV

Yesterday (Feb 9 2006), was our 15th Wedding Anniversary.

15 years ago, Moira and I were married at a little ceremony in Canberra, surrounded by our friends and families, after having moved there from Melbourne.

Now, 15 years and 4 kids later, with moves from Canberra to Seattle and then finally settling into Sydney, our journey continues.

Here's to you Moira!

The traditional gift for a 15 Year Anniversary is Crystal. Moira's mum is from Waterford, Ireland so perhaps a gift of Waterford Crystal is in order.

As reminder for me in future, here's the Traditional Wedding Anniversary Gift List

Anniv.	Gift
1st	Paper
2nd	Cotton
3rd	Leather
4th	Fruit, flowers
5th	Wood
6th	Sugar
7th	Copper, wool
8th	Bronze, pottery
9th	Pottery, willow
10th	Tin
11th	Steel
12th	Silk, linen
13th	Lace
14th	Ivory
15th	Crystal
20th	China
25th	Silver
30th	Pearl
35th	Coral
40th	Ruby
45th	Sapphire
50th	Gold
55th	Emerald
60th	Diamond

[listening to: Push - Madonna ]
11:33:17 AM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Family

Wow, I haven't looked at Orkut since September 2005.

I got a bunch of people asking me to invite them to join the network, so I logged back on again today.

My stats continue to grow.

I am now connected to 13,060,485 people through 109 friends, with 18 fans & 17 scraps.

Not much growth in terms of friends, but a massive growth in connections.

I wonder how this particular service is doing overall?   It seems pretty tired, certainly not wired.

5:35:29 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Geek

The following is doing the rounds in the office at the moment. I couldn't resist. I am also trying to think what I would do........

HOW TO RECRUIT THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB

Put about 100 bricks in some particular order in a closed room with an open window.
Then send 2 or 3 candidates in the room and close the doo