Word-whore. I write 'em. I talk 'em. Information, politics, media, and the cybers. I drink. I use bad words. All publication is a political act. All communication is propaganda. All art is pornography. All business is personal. All hail Eris! Vive les poissons rouges sauvages!
Alaskan Doug Tweedie has found moderately hilarious material which purports to be from Qantas “gripe sheets” — problem reports filed by pilots at the end of each flight, which are then reviewed by the maintenance engineers.
Pilot: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
Engineer: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.
On a Sunday morning, I’m especially pleased to discover that beer is good for you.
According to New Scientist magazine (so it must be true), beer may be as good for your health as red wine and green tea. Apparently it dampens down arterial inflammation that leads to heart disease.
But even better!
In a strange coincidence, my previous post about Australia’s intelligence services is appearing the same day we found a curious billboard here in Enmore.
People should not be afraid of their governments.
Governments should be afraid of their people.
Mind you, we’ll probably find out it’s part of an advertising campaign for beer…
The Australian government’s habit of playing fast and loose with the truth increases the risk of our spooks becoming traitors, warns a former intelligence officer.
Why do people even bother with lame excuses like “I didn’t receive the invoice” or “The cheque was mailed yesterday”? Wouldn’t telling the truth help build a stronger relationship? Or do they actually think people believe this stuff?
Can you imagine Microsoft making something as sexy as Apple’s iPod?
I didn’t think so.
And neither does the creator of this parody video showing what Apple’s sleek, minimalist iPod packaging might look like if it were redesigned by Microsoft. And the version I’ve shown in the thumbnail image (right) is just the start — watch the video and you’ll see what I mean.
Humour aside, this is a beautiful illustration of how two very different companies approach the task of packaging — one with class, the other with all the grace and style of a drunken hippopotamus.