Frank Arrigo: Random

On This Day : Jan 17

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 10:35:46 GMT

January 17:

1893 - The Citizens' Committee of Public Safety led by Lorrin A. Thurston overthrew the government of Queen Liliʻuokalani (pictured) of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
1929 - Popeye the Sailor, a cartoon character created by E. C. Segar, first appeared in newspaper comic strips.
1946 - The United Nations Security Council held its first meeting at Church House in London.
1977 - Convicted murderer Gary Gilmore was executed by a firing squad in Utah, ending a four-year moratorium on the death penalty in the United States.
1995 - The Great Hanshin Earthquake struck near Kobe, Japan, killing over 6,000 people and causing over ten trillion yen in damage.

On This Day : Jan 5

Fri, 05 Jan 2007 12:18:54 GMT

January 5: Twelfth Night (Western Christianity)

1477 - Charles the Bold (pictured) died at the Battle of Nancy, leading to the annexation of Burgundy by France.
1527 - Felix Manz, a leader of the Anabaptist congregation in Zürich, was executed by drowning.
1968 - Alexander Dubèek came to power in Czechoslovakia, beginning a political reform known as "Socialism with a human face".
2005 - Eris, the largest known dwarf planet in the Solar System, was discovered by the team of Michael E. Brown, Chad Trujillo, and David L. Rabinowitz using images originally taken in 2003 at the Palomar Observatory.

Weird Al is coming downunder

Thu, 04 Jan 2007 11:25:23 GMT

Weird Al is touring

Date:	Location:	Venue:

Mar 10	Auckland, New Zealand	St. James Theatre
Mar 12	Sydney, Australia	Enmore Theatre
Mar 14	Wollongong, Australia	Win Entertainment Centre
Mar 16	Adelaide, Australia	Thebarton Theatre
Mar 17	Perth, Australia	Burswood Theatre
Mar 19	Hobart, Australia	Wrest Point Entertainment Centre
Mar 21	Gold Coast, Australia	Twin Towns Services Club
Mar 22	Newcastle, Australia	Civic Theatre
Mar 23	Melbourne, Australia	Hamer Hall
Mar 24	Canberra, Australia	Canberra Theatre

On This Day : Jan 3

Wed, 03 Jan 2007 10:50:44 GMT

January 3:

1521 - Pope Leo X (pictured) excommunicated Martin Luther from the Roman Catholic Church after Luther refused to retract 41 of his 95 theses.
1749 - Benning Wentworth began to issue the New Hampshire Grants on land which was also claimed by New York, and is now Vermont.
1958 - Ten former British colonies in the Caribbean joined to form a new self-governing West Indies Federation.
1973 - George Steinbrenner and a group of investors bought the New York Yankees for US$8.7 million.
1990 - United States invasion of Panama: General Manuel Noriega, the deposed "strongman of Panama", surrendered.

On This Day : Jan 1

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 04:12:18 GMT

January 1: New Year's Day.

1801 - The Kingdom of Ireland merged with the Kingdom of Great Britain, adding St. Patrick's saltire to the Union Flag.
1818 - Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus, a novel by Mary Shelley (pictured), was first published in London.
1901 - The British colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia federated as the Commonwealth of Australia.
1959 - Cuban Revolution: President Fulgencio Batista of Cuba fled to the Dominican Republic as forces under Fidel Castro took control of Havana.
1995 - The World Trade Organization was created to replace the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

On This Day : Dec 31

Sun, 31 Dec 2006 10:19:15 GMT

December 31: New Year's Eve, Eid ul-Adha in Islam (2006), Hogmanay in Scotland.

406 - The Vandals, Alans and Suebians crossed the Rhine River to begin an invasion of Gaul.
1600 - The British East India Company was founded by a Royal Charter of Queen Elizabeth I.
1963 - The Central African Federation officially collapsed, eventually to become Zambia, Malawi and Rhodesia.
1972 - American baseball player Roberto Clemente died in a plane crash en route to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
1999 - Boris Yeltsin (pictured), the first democratically elected President of Russia, resigned and named Vladimir Putin as Acting President.

On This Day : Dec 9

Sat, 09 Dec 2006 12:33:29 GMT

December 9: Independence Day in Tanzania (1961)

1897 - Stage actress, journalist and leading suffragette Marguerite Durand founded the feminist newspaper La Fronde.
1905 - Legislation on the separation of church and state in France was adopted, triggering civil disobedience by French Catholics.
1946 - The Doctors' Trial, the trial for crimes committed in Nazi human experimentation during World War II, began in Nuremberg, Germany.
1958 - The John Birch Society was founded to fight the perceived threat of communism in the United States.
1961 - Tanganyika (flag pictured) gained independence from Britain (Tanganyika would become part of Tanzania three years later).

On This Day : Dec 3

Sun, 03 Dec 2006 08:13:20 GMT

December 3:

1854 - Miners at Eureka Stockade clashed violently with the police and the military in Ballarat, Victoria in Australia.
1904 - The Jovian moon Himalia was discovered by Charles Dillon Perrine at Lick Observatory in San Jose, California.
1937 - Issue 1 of The Dandy, the world's longest running comic, went on sale.
1967 - A team led by Christiaan Barnard at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa performed the first successful human heart transplant on Louis Washkansky.
1999 - The Mars Polar Lander (pictured) reached Mars and disappeared.

Quiz : Are You Immature?

Sat, 02 Dec 2006 09:54:47 GMT

What QUIZ can I find at Blogthings to night?

You Are Somewhat Mature

You definitely act like an adult sometimes, but a big part of you is still a kid at heart.
While your immature side is definitely fun, you're going to have to grow up sooner or later.

Are You Immature?

On This Day : Nov 11

Sat, 11 Nov 2006 11:17:54 GMT

November 11: Independence Day in Poland (1918) and Angola (1975); St. Martin's Day in the Netherlands; Remembrance Day in the Commonwealth, Armistice Day in Europe and Veterans Day in the United States.

1880 - Australian bank robber and bushranger Ned Kelly (pictured) was hanged in Melbourne.
1918 - Germany signs an armistice treaty with the Allies, ending World War I on the Western Front.
1965 - Ian Smith, Premier of the British Crown Colony of Southern Rhodesia, issued the Unilateral Declaration of Independence.
1975 - The Australian constitutional crisis of 1975 came to a head as Prime Minister Gough Whitlam was dismissed from office by Governor-General Sir John Kerr.
1978 - Maumoon Abdul Gayoom began his first term as President of the Maldives.

Ben Elton : Chart Throb

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 10:16:07 GMT

While I was in hospital, I read Ben Elton's new book - Chart Throb, which is described as "A biting social satire of one of the world's most popular cultural phenomena from the bestselling author of FIRST CASUALTY."

It was a real good read, Typical Ben Elton

Ninety five thousand hopefuls. Three judges. Just one winner.

And that's Colin Simms, the genius behind the show.

Colin always wins because Colin writes the rules. But this year, as he sits smugly in judgement upon the mingers, clingers and blingers whom he has pre-selected in his carefully scripted 'search' for a star, he has no idea that the rules are changing. The 'real' is about to be put back into 'reality' television and Colin and his fellow judges (the nation's favourite mum and the other bloke) are about to become ex-factors themselves.

Ben Elton, author of POPCORN and DEAD FAMOUS returns to blistering comic satire with a savagely hilarious deconstruction of the world of modern television talent shows.

CHART THROB. One winner. A whole bunch of losers.

On This Day : Oct 22

Sun, 22 Oct 2006 00:31:59 GMT

October 22: International Stuttering Awareness Day

1383 - In Portugal, a period of civil war and anarchy began when King Ferdinand I died without a male heir to the Portuguese throne.
1844 - Millerites and members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church were greatly disappointed that Jesus did not return as predicted by preacher William Miller (pictured).
1924 - Toastmasters International was founded.
1962 - Cuban Missile Crisis: U.S. President John F. Kennedy announced on television that Soviet nuclear weapons had been discovered in Cuba and that he had ordered a naval "quarantine" of the island nation.
1999 - Vichy France official Maurice Papon was jailed for crimes against humanity committed during World War II.

Loituma Girl : The Spinning Leek Meme

Sat, 21 Oct 2006 01:28:08 GMT

Grab your leek and give it a spin

Or if you prefer live action

Gotta Get A New Passport

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 09:53:18 GMT

I've been jumping through hoops this week to get a new passport.

I went to the website, filled in my details, printed the form, found a person to vouch for me, got new photos printed.

Now I need to have an interview at the local post office.

10 business day guarantee to get it done.

let's hope so. i travel soon

On This Day : Sep 30

Fri, 29 Sep 2006 23:02:25 GMT

Happy Birthday Ethernet!!!!

September 30: Independence Day in Botswana (1966)

1399 - The Duke of Lancaster deposed Richard II to become Henry IV of England, merging the Duchy of Lancaster with the crown.
1939 - World War II: General W³adys³aw Sikorski (pictured) became Prime Minister of the Polish government in exile.
1966 - Seretse Khama became the first President of Botswana when the Bechuanaland Protectorate gained independence from the United Kingdom.
1980 - Ethernet specifications were first published by Xerox, Intel and Digital Equipment Corporation.
1991 - Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was overthrown in a coup d'état and replaced by General Raoul Cédras. A large-scale exodus of boat people ensued.

Quiz :How's Your Taste in Music?

Fri, 29 Sep 2006 10:17:36 GMT

Your Taste in Music:

80's Pop: Highest Influence
90's Rock: Highest Influence
80's Alternative: High Influence
90's Alternative: High Influence
Ska: High Influence

How's Your Taste in Music?

Global Corporate Challenge News

Fri, 29 Sep 2006 05:35:00 GMT

I had a little piece published in the September edition of the Global Corporate Challenge Newsletter

It's from my adventures at the PLC Garden Day last week

Saturday 23rd September, 2006

6.45am: Pedometer reading 0. The kids get me out of bed. Today is the PLC garden day and my wife needs to get there early to help setup the book stall.

8.45am: Pedometer reading: 1088. Car loaded, breakfast done, kids washed and dressed. I surprise myself with the pedometer reading. I think I went up and down the stairs about 10 times.

9.45am: Pedometer reading: 1506. I deliberately parked far away from the event. A round trip to the car is going to be about 1000 steps and I reckon I will do this trip a few times.

10.55am: Pedometer reading: 2134. Been at Kiddy Korner for almost an hour. Brice (my 6 year old) has been on all the rides. I buy tickets one at a time, so that I have to walk to the ticket seller. It's not far, but every little bit helps.

11.15am: Pedometer reading: 3130: Have to go back to the car to get a blanket. My cunning plan of parking far away will help drive up those steps.

11.30am: Pedometer reading: 3333. Quick rest stop and Devonshire Tea. The Year 11 girls are serving tea and scones. We have to do our part to help with the fundraising.

11.55am: Pedometer reading: 4326. Back to the car. Drop off some of the stuff the kids have bought and I no longer want to carry. I'd rather walk it back, than lug it around.

12.25pm: Pedometer reading: 5097. The girls want to look at the jewellery stalls, but Brice wants to buy something at the Black Rhino stall. These things are at the opposite end of the venue. Another opportunity for a walk across the school grounds.

12.55pm: Pedometer reading: 6100. The boys have had enough so we walk back to the car again and head home for a bit of a rest.

2.15pm: Pedometer reading: 9205. Brice wants to have a light sabre battle. I convince him to go for a walk around the block *WHILE* we have a battle. Imagine what the neighbours must think as we walk past trying to wack each other with these things.

5.30pm: Pedometer reading: 10012. Moira arrived exhausted from the garden day and delegates the dinner preparation to me. Oh Joy!

7.30pm: Pedometer reading: 10347. Get the little ones ready for bed. I agree to carry Brice up the stairs.

9.30pm: Pedometer reading: 19012. I get onto the treadmill and spend an hour or so walking before settling down for the night. Check team watch stats and discover we are the top team in the company and beating those guys from Readify. I can sleep soundly tonight!

Quiz: What Famous Work of Art Are You?

Thu, 28 Sep 2006 06:11:59 GMT

You Are Best Described By...

Impression, Sunrise
By Claude Monet

What Famous Work of Art Are You?

Quiz : What Does Your Birth Month Mean?

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 00:47:14 GMT

Your Birth Month is November

Tolerant and inspirational, you are wise beyond your years.
You are universally sympathetic and a great humanitarian.

Your soul reflects: Compassion, friendship, and secret love

Your gemstone: Citrine

Your flower: Chrysanthemum

Your colors: Dark blue, red, and yellow

What Does Your Birth Month Mean?

Quiz : What English Speaking Country Are You?

Sun, 24 Sep 2006 00:58:20 GMT

Ace

You Belong in Australia

Ace!
Sunny, upbeat, and cute
You make the perfect surf bum
Now stop hogging the vegemite!

What English Speaking Country Are You?

Very Blustery Day

Sun, 24 Sep 2006 00:22:33 GMT

It's a hot and windy day today in Sydney.

State braced for bushfires
A total fire ban is in place across large parts of NSW, amid forecasts of soaring temperatures and strong winds.

What's really worrying is that the whole state is so dry means we could be in for a hot hot summer

On This Day : Sep 22

Fri, 22 Sep 2006 07:31:05 GMT

September 22: Rosh Hashanah, 5767 begins at sunset (Judaism, 2006); Independence Day in Bulgaria (1908) and Mali (1960); Car Free Day in Europe & Canada.

1776 - Captain Nathan Hale, an American Revolutionary spy from the Continental Army, was hanged by British forces.
1792 - France adopted the Republican Calendar.
1869 - Das Rheingold, the first of four operas in Der Ring des Nibelungen by German composer Richard Wagner (pictured), was first performed in Munich.
1980 - Iraq launched an invasion of Iran, starting the Iran-Iraq War.

Quiz : How Logical Are You?

Thu, 21 Sep 2006 10:02:42 GMT

Hey Geoff : Snap!

You Are Incredibly Logical

Move over Spock - you're the new master of logic
You think rationally, clearly, and quickly.
A seasoned problem solver, your mind is like a computer!

How Logical Are You?

On This Day : Sep 20

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 09:45:29 GMT

September 20:

1378 - Papal Schism: Unhappy with Pope Urban VI (pictured), a group of cardinals elected a rival papacy in Antipope Clement VII, throwing the Roman Catholic Church into a turmoil.
1854 - The Crimean War began with a Franco-British victory over Russian forces in the Battle of Alma.
1870 - The Bersaglieri entered Rome, ending the temporal power of the Pope and completing the unification of Italy.
1906 - The ocean liner RMS Mauretania, the largest and fastest ship in the world at the time, was launched in Newcastle, England.
1973 - Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in straight sets before 30,492 spectators at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas in an internationally televised tennis match dubbed the "Battle of the Sexes".

On This Day : Sep 19

Tue, 19 Sep 2006 05:13:13 GMT

It's not just Talk Like A Pirate Day

September 19: Independence Day in Saint Kitts and Nevis (1983), Armed Forces Day in Chile, International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

1356 - Hundred Years' War: Despite a shortage of arrows, English and Welsh forces led by Edward the Black Prince decisively won the Battle of Poitiers and captured King Jean II of France.
1692 - Giles Corey, who had refused to enter a plea, was pressed to his death during the Salem witch trials.
1893 - New Zealand became the first country to introduce universal suffrage, following the women's suffrage movement led by Kate Sheppard.
1982 - ":-)" and ":-(" were first proposed by Scott Fahlman for use as emoticons .
1995 - The Manifesto of "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski (police sketch pictured) was published in The Washington Post and The New York Times, almost three months after it was submitted.

I've got my tshirt on today

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 22:20:44 GMT

Shiver Me Timbers

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 09:04:45 GMT

Tomorrow's the day

In anticipation, here's the top 10 pickup lines

10 . Avast, me proud beauty! Wanna know why my Roger is so Jolly?

9. Have ya ever met a man with a real yardarm?

8. Come on up and see me urchins.

7. Yes, that is a hornpipe in my pocket and I am happy to see you.

6. I'd love to drop anchor in your lagoon.

5. Pardon me, but would ya mind if fired me cannon through your porthole?

4. How'd you like to scrape the barnacles off of me rudder?

3. Ya know, darlin’, I’m 97 percent chum free.

2. Well blow me down?

And the number one pickup line for use on International Talk Like a Pirate Day is …

1. Prepare to be boarded.

Quiz: Are You a Slacker?

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 00:50:00 GMT

You Are 72% Slacker

You are pretty much a slacker. Sure you may have a job or car, but only through luck and charm.
So stop slacking! (And stop turning your underwear inside out instead of washing it!)

Are You a Slacker?

On This Day : Sep 17

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 02:00:39 GMT

September 17: Constitution Day and Citizenship Day in the United States.

1787 - The text of the United States Constitution was finalized in Philadelphia.
1809 - The Treaty of Fredrikshamn concluded the Finnish War between Russia and Sweden, with Finland becoming an autonomous Grand Duchy under Czar Alexander I.
1894 - The Imperial Japanese Navy and the Beiyang Fleet of Qing China clashed in the Battle of Yalu River, the largest naval engagement of the First Sino-Japanese War.
1916 - World War I: "The Red Baron", a flying ace of the German Luftstreitkräfte, won his first aerial combat near Cambrai, France.
1978 - President Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel signed the Camp David Accords after twelve days of secret negotiations at Camp David (pictured).

Quiz : How Much Do You Know About 80s Music?

Thu, 14 Sep 2006 21:38:51 GMT

Pretty disappointed with this attempt, but good enough

You Scored 80% Correct

You are an 80s expert
You never confuse New Order with the Pet Shop Boys
You know which classical musician Falco rocked
When it comes to 80s music, you Just Can't Get Enough!

How Much Do You Know About 80s Music?

On This Day : Sep 14

Thu, 14 Sep 2006 07:16:26 GMT

September 14:

786 - Harun al-Rashid (pictured) became the Abbasid caliph upon the death of his brother al-Hadi.
1752 - The British Empire adopted the Gregorian calendar, skipping eleven days (September 2 was followed directly by September 14).
1812 - Napoleon's invasion of Russia: Napoleon and his Grande Armée captured Moscow, only to find the city deserted and burning.
1959 - The Soviet spacecraft Luna 2 crashed onto and became the first man-made object to reach the Moon.
1960 - The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was founded by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.

Quiz : Are You Masculine or Feminine?

Wed, 13 Sep 2006 21:05:02 GMT

No Comment Needed

You Are 46% Feminine, 54% Masculine

You are in touch with both your feminine and masculine sides.
You're sensitive at the right times, but you don't let your emotions overwhelm you.
You're not a eunuch, just the best of both genders.

Are You Masculine or Feminine?

On This Day : Sep 13

Wed, 13 Sep 2006 05:58:37 GMT

September 13

533 - Belisarius and his legions defeated Gelimer and the Vandals at the Battle of Ad Decimum near Carthage, and began the "Reconquest of the West" under Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I.
1814 - The bombardment of Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner," which later became the national anthem of the United States.
1847 - Mexican-American War: Six teenagers known as Los Niños Héroes fought to their death defending the military academy at Castillo de Chapultepec in Mexico City during the Battle of Chapultepec.
1987 - Goiânia accident: A radioactive item was stolen from an abandoned hospital in Goiânia, Brazil, contaminating hundreds of people.
1993 - After rounds of secret negotiations in Norway, PLO leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin (pictured with U.S. President Bill Clinton) formally signed the Oslo Peace Accords.

Quiz : How Angry Are You?

Tue, 12 Sep 2006 05:31:35 GMT

Should I be concerned?

You Are 79% Angry

You're a pretty angry person, although you might not describe yourself that way.
But if you think about it, you probably feel annoyed, frustrated, and disappointed often.
All of the emotions above are classic signs of anger.
And if these angry feelings are controlling your life, you may need help.

How Angry Are You?