Dreaming of Daniel Johns

Photograph of Daniel Johns

Weird. Last night I dreamed that I met Daniel Johns of Silverchair and The Dissociatives fame. It was immediately after he’d performed on stage, and he was energised but very sweaty — and was, um, “extremely friendly”.

This is an unlikely dream. I rarely remember my dreams. I haven’t ever thought Mr Johns was particularly “my type” — though I don’t think he’s ugly or anything. I’ve just not thought about him in that way. And besides, he’s married. And it’s not like he was in Supernaut… or even alive at the time.

What does it mean?

Bonological Semiotics

Found on Facebook: a group dedicated to the study of Bonological Semiotics:

A cooperative (but edited) attempt to make sense of the modern world with a new lexicon of misunderstanding… a time where language has been degraded to the point of BONOPHONICS (words that sound as if they carry meaning, but really just take up valuable space).

Some examples:

Bonologue: One know-it-all telling everyone else in the world what to do. Submitted by Sabian Wilde.

Bonoculture: A phrase coined by political conservationists in the early 21st Century to describe their fear of living in a homogenized, politically correct world. Submitted by Sabian Wilde.

Bonophilia: For the love of Bono, usually the practice of self-loving. Submitted by Sabian Wilde.

Bonolith: A structure, usually the world’s largest television screen, placed at the most prominent and visible point of the bonstrosity, to display an image of Bono. Submitted by David Paris.

Bonoholic: A medical condition wherein the patient is addicted to being drunk on their own delusions of grandeur. Submitted by Rewi Lyall.

I think I have Bonophobia…

“Billionaire denies building secret sex lair”

Yep, that’s got to be the headline of the day, and I don’t understand why the Snarky Platypus didn’t find it first.

America’s 160th richest person, a billionaire who made his money from the 1990s hi-tech boom, has been accused of planning to build a “secret and convenient lair” underneath his California mansion dedicated to drug-taking and sex with prostitutes

Kenji Kato worked for Mr [Henry] Nicholas as an assistant for seven years and alleges the tycoon ordered him to provide balloons filled with the laughing gas nitrous oxide for guests at parties held by the businessman. Guests’ drinks would be spiked with powdered ecstasy pills, he alleges.

Well, there goes my plan to write a couple of serious essays today… Thanks to Marc Andreessen for the tip.

What’s so special about the Workplace Authority?

Those TV ads for the Workplace Authority don’t work, do they? They’re another “official government reassurance” — so of course we don’t believe them.

“You can call (the) Ombudsman but you have already lost a house, your job… You are living on the street with your kids,” one respondent said. “Six years later you may get a reply.”

And who are the people in the ad? Barbara Bennett strides around comfortably — apparently she’s a public servant who’s risen quickly through the ranks. But key jobs like “General Manager Contact Centre” and “Chief Financial Officer” were only advertised in the papers on the weekend.

And why is the General Manager Contact Centre, who oversees just 180 staff, being offered $220k per annum, when this survey of call centre salaries (44k PDF) shows that the current range is $70k to $160k, with a median of $120k?

Weekly Poll: How do you feel about Supernaut re-forming?

Supernaut: click to watch video

Three polls in a row about Australian politics is enough. There are more important issues than defending the constitution or the PM blaming an interest rate rise on state debt when there is no state debt — and then spending taxpayer’s money to advertise the lie.

No, what concerns us this week is the news that Supernaut has reformed for the Countdown Spectacular 2

I’ve written about Supernaut before. But for readers younger than… well, for younger readers, here’s a quick refresher.

Supernaut was one of the finest musical acts of the 1970s. Watch the video of their number 1 hit I Like It Both Ways and you’ll agree. You’ll naturally want to see She’s Too Hot to Touch and Kids Art Out Tonight as well.

Tonight on the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Debate, the sublime Paul McDermott recalled that I Like It Both Ways was his favourite song as a child.

“I like it both ways.” I was 7 years old at the time. I didn’t know what it was about…! It was 3 years before I found out what it meant. And even then I would have preferred it was from someone my own age, rather than a 45-year-old postal worker with tight, tight shorts who went by the name of Saddle Face.

As I say, Supernaut has reformed. Please, go to the website, vote, and tell me how you feel about that. And do add your comments…

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