Pranks

Set your 'friends' up with a prank news item at..... for good or bad! at http://tubenow.net/prank/

Wasting time in front of your PC?

Check out CAMPAPER where various worldwide street CCTV's will show you what happens every 5mins..... currently mine is set to Mathew St, Liverpool. Since I am in Australia I get to see the happenings from 2amish to 7amish last night. Its great to see the wildlife of Liverpool.

To cut out the middleman you can go straight to http://www.mathew.st/webcam.php

Star Trek - Beginnings; no spoilers!

well as a trekker... Yes I have seen TOS, TNG, VOY, DS9 and ENT, even been to the convention in LV. I know the characters and the actors. Some I love and some you learn to despise a bit (Robert Beltran bites the hand that feeds him!).

so I think I am qualified to comment on the movie... Young star trek. We have Kirks youth here, and Spocks - which has previously been covered in many of the books about the series (Spocks World etc). so here we get it all acted out for us. We know Kirk and Spock, we know how they should react in situations, of course in their youth that would be different.... Or would it?

so here we are, Kirk, Spock, Scotty, Uhura and Bones and someone in a red shirt (Yes that old chestnut was given the nod too!) all good strong characters.... McCoy is brilliantly realised by Karl Urban, Spook is surprisingly well played by Zachary Quinto (I did not like the guy in 'Heros'. But Kirk was something of a disappointment, good acting but not enough of a young William Shatner to be convincing!!

next - the ship - Enterprise,in the series of the same name, was dark - like a submarine interior..... (BTW was a show This ship has the coloring of the original series though with a lot more pipes and struts onshow - large cargo holds not corridors.... sigh and the uniforms... oh yes exactly as the originals would recall - Uhura in a short frock and the Boys all in tight black pants.

Taken out of the series, movies and books 'historical' context what are we left with? A ripping good story though one sadly heavy on special effects but will that be to encourage a new generation of fans? Or a sop to us oldies who loved TOS and lived through Janaway and Major Kira and all the other strong characters and motivational stories that ST has given us.

Footy

Or Aussie Rules.... which is actually Victoria (State) rules.... as NSW follow the rugby - which they call footy.... and you think that's complicated; wait til you try following a game that has more in common with netball (OK basketball) with some judo thrown in. Or Aussie Rules.... which is actually Victoria (state) rules...... as NSW like Rugby!and call it footy too! My favorite bit is still the fumbles when it looks like two teams in a cat chasing competition though.

So I won't go into the rules.... there are other sites for that (try AFL). Just to say that I now barrack (that's Aussie for 'cheer on/or support' St Kilda... who are not only unbeaten this season but now top of the - needless to say - quite short league.

Which brings me to my main point - there are 16 teams in the league..... all but 6 teams are in Victoria and actually are Melbourne suburbs/teams....well they ALL are but some have been banished to Sydney, Adelaide and Freemantle... to make it Aussie vs Victorian Football League. Odd they could not send a team to Darwin.....

Computer fairs

Well one of the great things here in the land of the 'early adopters' are the Sunday computer fairs. Every week there are two or three to choose from in and around Melbourne - to see what new gadgets are out (plug in car mp3 players with SD slots for $25), just browse for components or be seduced by flashy screens, latest netbooks and wireless gizmos.

I love them!