A Not-So-Lazy Sunday Afternoon

We did a couple of the fun touristy things around Canberra this Sunday. First, the high-tech - we went to the Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex (DPSCC), where NASA and the Australians communicate with various things in outer space, including Voyager I and Voyager II, now cruising through space beyond the solar system.

The main feature are an array of five satellite dishes, one of them massive. It was a bit strange, driving thru a very rural part of the Australian Capital Territory past farms and campgrounds, then turning off, passing over a ridge, and seeing these huge high-tech satellite dishes plopped down into a pleasant valley.

The visitor's center had the usual nifty displays - descriptions of the Apollo program, food that astronauts ate back in the 1960s, a model of the Lunar Module and the Mars Rover. And a real-live hunk of moon rock.

{{It didn't have anything however about the alien base on the Dark Side of the Moon that destroyed the original NASA and Russian spacecraft that orbited the moon and replaced them with alien clones. Once again, the international conspiracy to keep us in the dark about our Alien Overlords continues. I'll reveal the truth one day, I swear.}}

{{Back to our regularly scheduled blogging.}}

We then went a bit further to the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. By the time we got there, it was early afternoon and it was HOT - about 90F. So we're strolling along a wide path and we're wondering, "where are the kangaroos?"

Then we saw them - they were all lying in the shade, under the low wide trees scattered about. I counted at least 25 in a mob under a clump of trees. A smaller group of six or so let us get to within about 50 feet. I didn't try to get closer - they aren't meat eaters and they don't have rabies, but a kangaroo's claws will open your belly up real good. (Dying thought/cold consolation after being attacked by a 'roo - "at least I won't get rabies"?)

At this point, after a drive thru some other parts of the park, we split up (a bit disappointed at not having seen any emu) and one car returned home by the north. We turned south instead, to complete the Tidbinbilla tourist drive, and not two minutes down the road found a pair of emu standing near the fence in the middle of a meadow, eating and walking and pooping like emus do.

The Year's WORST Movies

A funny article here (and here) about some of the very very worst movies of 2007.

Now, I didn't see even ONE of these movies in 2007. Impressed by my incredible discretion and taste in movies? You shouldn't be, I only saw about two 2007 releases the entire year (the Brad Pitt Jesse James flick and the hilarious English buddy cop comedy "Hot Fuzz").

As you look at the list below, ask yourself, "how many of these movies did I see?" If none, congratulate yourself. If one, chalk it up to bad luck. If two, you may want to consider finding the review section of the local newspaper before you drop your hard-earned cash on seeing a flick.

If three or more, you are probably a teenager with far too much money and time on your hands. Or you're a Hollywood producer and you actually thought these dogs were good.

The list:

1. "Because I Said So" (Diane Keeton)
2. "The Number 23" (Jim Carrey)
3. "Premonition" (some horror flick)
4. "The Reaping" (some other horror flick I think)
5. "Good Luck Chuck" (Dana Cook gets bitten by a penguin)
6. "Perfect Stranger" (a confused suspense movie)
7. "License to Wed" (just bad)
8. "Norbit" (Eddie Murphy may have just killed his career)
9. "Daddy Day Camp" (proof that Cuba Gooding's career should
be euthanized)
10. "Happily N'Ever After" (happy to not see it)

On a Different Scale

The Canberra paper has an article about a young couple who were robbed. Thieves broke into their house in a nice Canberra neighborhood a couple of days before Christmas and made off with the Christmas shopping the young couple had done.

Now, these people clearly do Christmas on a different scale than me. They lost (US)$8700 worth of stuff. Camera equipment. Louis Vitton luggage. Mobile phones.

I feel bad for them of course for being robbed, but they are the Spirit of Christmas Present. Buy buy buy buy buy.

Check Out This List

I really like end of year lists; it's one of the good things about dividing our lives up into years.

Here's an interesting variation on the theme - the year's worst album covers, courtesy of the music snobs at Pitchfork.

They're pretty well on target - these are some cheesy album covers.

Pitchfork also did a list of the top 200 songs of the 1960s. I went through and calculated that I have about 47 of them. There were a lot of songs I don't own but are fine music, lots of great Motown, girl-groups, country, etc.

Number one? "God Only Knows" by the Beach Boys. It's a good song, but I don't even think it's the best song off of that album. Still, you can't expect the Pitchfork people to pick something obvious like, say the Beatles "A Day in the Life" (#5) or Aretha Franklin's RESPECT (not in the top 200). But they gave lots of props to the Kinks, so it isn't all bad.

Australian Vocubalary Lessons (VI)

Yet another installment in this award-winning segment of lessons in Australia's unique version of English. I've heard all of these words in daily conversation and/or on TV and radio. Hit the links for the real answers, and try them on your friends and neighbors.

Ackadacka: a) the affectionate nickname among blue-collar fans for the rocking Aussie band AC/DC; b) the death-rattle induced in somebody who has been bitten by the lethal Tasmanian Yellow-Teat Jumping Spider; c) the yellow-tinged gunk that comes out of your nose when you have a bad sinus infection caused by Australia's pervasive red dust.

Muso: a) The yellow-tinged gunk that comes out of your nose when you have a bad sinus infection caused by Australia's pervasive red dust; b) a musician; c) an Australian soup popular in the bush made of wattle leaves, milk, and Bundaberg rum.

Tilba Tilba: a) The name for the young offspring of the duck-billed platypus; b) the yellow-tinged gunk that comes out of your nose when you have a bad sinus infection caused by Australia's pervasive red dust; c) a pretty small hill town in southern New South Wales.

An Aussie Jingle Bells

Find it right here - quite amusing...

(oh, a "rusty Holden ute" is basically a "rusty Chevy pick-up"...)

Wishing I Could Have Been There

Led Zeppelin put in a great performance the other night in London, playing at a charity benefit to benefit a foundation in the name of the late, long-time Atlantic Records frontman Ahmet Ertegun.

I would have flown there from Australia if I had won one of the tickets on the lottery. And it sounds like it was a great show.