If I happen to have been a bit slow in responding to the world yesterday and today, this odd Japanese video explains all. Do watch all the way through, because there’s an OMFG moment at the half-way mark.
Weekly Poll: Merry Bloody Christmas!
Yes, it’s that time of year again, when a celebration of the birth of social radical Joshua bar Joseph is turned into a retail extravaganza.
How do you feel about Christmas? Personally, I get annoyed with the “compulsory cheerfulness” and the pointless mob behaviour. As the old saying goes, you can’t pick your families, and Christmas forces them together regardless — though reports that the suicide rate peaks at Christmas is an urban legend.
Yes, how do you feel about Christmas? Go to the website to vote, or add your comments here.
[poll id=”15″]
[Yes, that is me in the photograph. I made the antlers for the Snarky Platypus, who should be wearing them on Friday, and ’Pong took the photo using my Nokia N80.]
Damaged tail
Since the Weekly Poll was clearly in favour of publishing the “disturbing image”, here’s a photograph of Artemis’ tail injury. Yes, you have to follow the link since some people thought that “appropriate”.
The basic deal is that our beautiful cat was probably hit by a car. She ran, but the car’s tyre caught the hair on her tail and scalped a 20cm section. The photo shows what it looked like after the vet had shaved it back for inspection.
Since then, Artemis “failed to re-gain tail functionality”. The tail has been amputated. So, as I explain to friends, we now have 1.95 cats. Apparently this is quite a common injury for urban cats.
Artemis is coping remarkably well, and it was a neat piece of surgery (thanks Katherine!). The main trauma was that it all happened while ’Pong and I were in Bangkok. Thanks to the Snarky Platypus and my office manager Virginia Bridger for helping out while we were away.
Not the cheapest
A client just told me, “You’re not the cheapest, but I like the way you work and I know I’ll always get a good result.” Chuffed. And yes, “cheapest” usually doesn’t mean “best”. “Cutting corners” or “skimping” is not the same as “value for money”.
Paul Hamon’s birthday party
’Pong has just published another photo essay from Bangkok, this time some “happy snaps” of a birthday party for Paul Hamon. Paul used to work with me in Adelaide on The Core magazine and has been a rave promoter ever since. He now lives in Bangkok.
Senator Penny Wong
Annabel Crabb has written a superb profile of Senator Penny Wong, Australia’s new Minister for Climate Change and Water. Alas, this was not the best way for me to discover that the death of her younger brother, my very good mate Toby Wong, was a suicide. I miss you, you crazy man.