tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101515052011-10-21T11:47:06.293+10:00Guaranteed to produce uncomfortable silences and provoke thought where it's least wanted. Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.comBlogger511100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1149075703551632082006-05-31T21:23:00.000+10:002006-05-31T21:41:43.570+10:00

I haven't been too active on the blog front lately, but the following article caught my eye. Very interesting speculation about the possibility of a false flag terror attack at the World Cup:About a week ago, I started to wonder why those governments with most to gain from the "war on terror" - American, British and Israeli - had not been making a lot of noise (via their media lackeys) about the

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1143991584445736682006-04-03T00:32:00.000+10:002006-04-03T22:20:42.236+10:00

Just got back from watching the Watchowski's latest production "V for Vendetta", and my general impression is:BRILLIANT!I'll admit to knowing absolutely nothing about the comic on which the movie is based so I had no real expectations of the film, although I have a great deal of respect for Hugo Weaving's acting skills. In that regard, I was not let down in the slightest. Despite the fact that "V

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1143123430021219642006-03-23T22:38:00.000+10:002006-03-24T23:19:54.060+10:00

A while ago I posted about an interesting encounter between the signs-of-the-times.org and abovetopsecret.com websites, as reported by Laura Knight-Jadczyk in her blog. Now it appears that a lawyer acting on behalf of ATS tried to get the Signs of the Times server shut down by using strong arm intimidation tactics. And this from a so-called "conspiracy site" with the motto of "Deny Ignorance"!

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1142593747984994542006-03-17T20:33:00.000+10:002006-03-17T21:38:04.546+10:00

Every so often an article surfaces which peels back the "shiny happy nation" generally promoted by the US and mainstream media, and a glimpse of the hellish reality of Iraq blasts through. For the sake of clarity, I've separated the article into two halves - one which show the US-based comments, and one which shows the Iraqi version. Here's the US version:The U.S. military said two women and a

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1142057661369013072006-03-11T15:32:00.000+10:002006-03-11T16:14:21.403+10:00

Occasionally you discover one of those articles which leaves you with that sickening sensation in your stomach. I must admit, the more stuff like this I read, the more I find it difficult to justify bringing any child into the world in this day and age.Little Manchurian Candidates By Matt James "One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them,One ring to bring them all, and

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1140945326785023162006-02-26T19:00:00.000+10:002006-02-26T19:15:27.333+10:00

Just when I thought I'd heard everything. (Well, not really. I expect this is just a test run for some big whopping lies to come in the lead up to the next Crusade against Iran).Al-Qaeda, being responsible for the bombing of Islamic shrines in Iraq (according to our war-pimping leaders), are apparently not so much "Islamic fundamentalist" anymore, as they are "Nihilist.It seems that Osama's anger

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1140879851491982712006-02-26T01:01:00.000+10:002006-02-26T01:04:11.513+10:00

Reckon you can tell a serial killer from a programming language inventor?You can't always tell a book by its cover, that's for sure.

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1139713690932722682006-02-12T12:18:00.000+10:002006-02-12T13:08:11.030+10:00

Get a load of this absolute joke of a propaganda piece in the Sydney Morning Herald:Mary ignores Muslim riot threatsBy Holly ByrnesFebruary 12, 2006DENMARK'S Crown Princess Mary returned to work as a fashion patron last week, in glamorous contrast to the ugly protests that followed the publication of images of Muhammad.As Danish officials issued travel warnings to its citizens, in the wake of

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1139399176762640222006-02-08T21:28:00.000+10:002006-02-09T23:02:58.646+10:00

Unless you're living under a rock, you will no doubt have heard about the latest outbreak of violence by muslims in various parts of the world in response to derogatory cartoons lampooning Islam. But have you also heard that the Danish newspaper involved also refused to run cartoons critical of Christianity a while ago because they would "provoke an outcry"?Here in Australia I have heard much

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1139218366910747502006-02-06T19:25:00.000+10:002006-02-06T19:32:46.930+10:00

Signs of the Times would have to be one of the most dynamic, creative alternative news sites on the net. Not to rest on their laurels with their awesome podcasts, they've completely redesigned the daily page in a much friendlier way, and have opened up a Signs of the Times forum. If you want a more objective picture of the world today, check it out!

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1137497278126759942006-01-22T21:14:00.000+10:002006-01-22T23:58:50.486+10:00

A good article at OpEdNews.com that I read recently, began with an excellent quote by William O. Douglas."As nightfall does not come at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there's a twilight where everything remains seemingly unchanged, and it is in such twilight that we must be aware of change in the air, however slight, lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness."I feel that

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1134835434468740142006-01-15T13:56:00.000+10:002006-01-16T01:33:22.236+10:00

Since I wrote Part I, the price of gold has continued to reach new highs - surpassing US$545 to break 25 year records. Such rapid appreciation of this commodity is quite unusual to say the least, but it seems that we are in unusual times (or "interesting" as the Chinese might call them!).There has been much financial chatter in the last quarter over the cooling of the housing market. US new home

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1136737383355231712006-01-09T01:43:00.000+10:002006-01-09T02:40:33.083+10:00

Or so it may appear, according to a new blog entry by Laura Knight-Jadczyk. I must admit that I've paid ATS a few visits, but I always stopped short of registering to post. I'm not sure why... it seems like a popular forum active in many subjects I find interesting, yet I always found the attitude of the moderators a little "off". I can't really put my finger on what it was, but it was enough to

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1134783770318254582005-12-17T10:50:00.000+10:002006-01-11T21:49:44.523+10:00

As we head into the season of goodwill, it seems that there is that rarest of things lately: some good news. Unfortunately none of it concerns Australia (which seems to have a first-class seat reserved in the proverbial handbasket to hell lately - riots and the accompanying media bullshit, sedition laws, gutting of worker rights despite massive protests, more police powers etc), but let's keep

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1132726994471965302005-11-23T16:22:00.000+10:002005-11-25T12:12:05.546+10:00

Every so often the MSM publishes a story that leaves you rubbing your eyes at the sheer laughable propaganda value. This time, it's Hypno-Terrorists:Amid fears that Indonesia's most wanted terrorist will strike again, some police have a new theory: Noordin Top is using hypnotism to elude capture and recruit more suicide bombers.The senior Jemaah Islamiah operative - blamed for both Bali bombings

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1132667469953078752005-11-22T23:11:00.000+10:002005-11-23T15:55:36.780+10:00

It seems that the signs are becoming more obvious that the global economy is headed for a serious downturn. One of the key indicators here is sentiment regarding gold. For decades now, gold has been marginalised as an investment strategy and indeed derided as an "ancient relic" that no longer has any real place in the advancing neo-liberal economy of the Brave New World. However, certain groups

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1132320956287171832005-11-18T23:20:00.000+10:002005-11-18T23:35:56.296+10:00

A friend recently brought an interesting blog to my attention: In Defense of the Innocent. This looks as though it will be a very interesting blog. The subject matter is not for the fainthearted, but the more people who know about these sick, twisted crimes and the perverts that perpetrate them, the better a chance we'll have at creating a world where this type of exploitation is but a memory of

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1132150425865263382005-11-16T23:00:00.000+10:002005-11-17T00:36:20.773+10:00

I was recently pointed towards a TV mini-trailer on the site what-is-the-secret.com. According to the presentation, a "Worldwide Television Event" will take place soon which will reveal a great secret to the general public; something which has helped all sorts of powerful businessmen and brilliant scientists leave their mark in history. With such claims being made, I can't help being a little

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1131531355047293652005-11-09T20:00:00.000+10:002005-11-09T20:15:55.140+10:00

Things have been looking pretty grim lately, and I was happy to read an uplifting story on the BBC news website about Palestinian parents who donated their murdered child's organs to Israelis awaiting transplants. The parents of a Palestinian boy killed by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank have donated his organs for use in Israel, in the hope of promoting peace.Twelve-year-old Ahmed Ismail

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1131529336173928052005-11-09T17:42:00.000+10:002005-11-09T19:42:16.206+10:00

Well, just how about that? After the recent "surprise" terror threats, a couple of days elapse and then raids take place which would seem to vindicate John Howard completely. From the SMH: They were detained after security agencies swooped on properties in Sydney and Melbourne early today, charging 16 people with terror offences just a week after federal parliament passed an urgent amendment to

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1130942767365707102005-11-02T23:51:00.000+10:002005-11-03T08:45:27.853+10:00

Today, in one of the most blatant scare campaigns ever, John Howard is attempting to fast-track the Australian terror legislation via a suspiciously-well-timed terrorist attack alert. All the usual excuses are in full swing... "We have specific details which we can't tell you"... "It's just a coincidence that this is happening now", "The government is between a rock and a hard place on this", bla

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1130323383044624442005-10-26T19:14:00.000+10:002005-10-26T21:50:59.966+10:00

It never ceases to amaze me how many armchair experts will prattle away at how healthy the economy is, without taking a look at the bigger picture. Massive foreign trade deficits seem to be the signature of Western economies, yet this is somehow taken as a "good thing". Take Australia for instance. From ABC Radio:STEPHEN LONG: The mines are working round the clock. The terms of trade are the best

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1130084804253162342005-10-23T22:38:00.000+10:002005-10-24T02:26:44.296+10:00

If you asked me what the MSM's favourite topic was during the month of October to date, "bird flu" would have to be a major contender. Check out Sunday's website offerings from Fairfax and News Limited respectively:And some people claim the media are sensationalist! Surely not! I particularly like the subheadlines in the Australian - "NSW considers flu lockdown plan" and "Bird flu risk here '

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1129959157551416472005-10-22T14:47:00.000+10:002005-10-22T15:32:37.560+10:00

Yesterday I posted about news from the last two months, and one of the most striking articles IMO was the British being caught faking terror attacks. Well, guess what? Iran is now claiming it has proof that the poms are doing it in Iran, too. Of course, the Blair government completely rejected these claims. But then, we also have this report from a Russian site which claims that two Americans

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1129593492311870432005-10-18T09:28:00.000+10:002005-10-21T19:48:26.463+10:00

Well, I'm back in Australia after a two-month backpacking trip around Europe, and it seems that Howard, Bush and the usual suspects have all been very busy indeed. It also looks like other, more "planetary", events are gathering steam as well. I was actually kind of alarmed to see just how much stuff was going on when I put it together. Let's take the period 01 Aug - 01 October. To begin with,

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1127930784064452362005-09-29T04:00:00.000+10:002005-09-29T04:06:25.756+10:00

If any readers are curious as to what's been happening, I've been travelling for the last 6 weeks and haven't had much time to blog. It's said that "Travel broadens the mind"... boy, does it ever! More details soon.

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1123075204996775702005-08-03T22:56:00.000+10:002005-09-23T03:35:49.930+10:00

What kind of country am I living in?Is fear really the lowest common denominator of Australian society?Two-thirds of Australians, including half of Coalition voters, believe Australia is more at risk of terrorist attack because of the Iraq war, and are willing to sacrifice privacy and civil liberties for protection from it.The results of the latest Herald Poll come as the Federal Government is

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1123073041092800982005-08-03T21:47:00.000+10:002005-08-03T22:44:01.123+10:00

It was pointed out to me a little while ago that Senator Andrew Bartlett has a blog. Finally got around to reading it. It's interesting to see more progressive politicians adopting blogging as a way to interact with the voting public. This can only be a good thing I reckon. Perhaps it'll catch on with others?Then I stumbled across mention of some kind of new progressive group, "GetUp!", in this

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1122804009850696692005-07-31T18:54:00.000+10:002005-07-31T20:00:09.946+10:00

Seems that alternative news site Signs of the Times has started up a weekly PodCast, in which they summarise world news and events of import from their unique perspective. It would be great if other alternative news aggregators provided a similar service. The concept is pretty interesting - a bunch of independent researchers chatting around the kitchen table and presenting their ideas and

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1122799496796673032005-07-31T16:29:00.000+10:002005-07-31T18:51:30.973+10:00

Douglas Adams fans will no doubt get the reference; I'm talking about the discovery of a tenth planet in the solar system. The delightfully hospitable planet is thought to be a frozen ball of methane approximately the same size as Pluto.And in other space news, the lightsaber owned by Luke Skywalker (or rather, the prop that was used by Mark Hamil during the filming of the first three "Star Wars"

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1122651299116624172005-07-30T00:58:00.000+10:002005-07-30T01:34:59.130+10:00

I must admit I enjoy reading the work of John Kaminski. I don't agree with everything he has to say, but he writes passionately, logically, and pulls no punches or makes any apologies for his work. Here's a snippet from his latest essay:Here’s a variation on the initial question. What would you do if you got information that you really believed and trusted that World War Three was about to start

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1122520122679771602005-07-28T13:08:00.000+10:002005-07-29T00:20:40.970+10:00

Hatemonger Bill O'Reilly has just upped the ante again in his war on rational thought. Get a load of this.Bill O'Reilly announced tonight that he will be exposing and naming all the people and organizations he considers to be helping the terrorists on his show each night. He then offered all the accused a chance to come on to defend themselves because he realizes that it's a serious charge.

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1122471635305464612005-07-27T22:50:00.000+10:002005-07-27T23:40:35.313+10:00

Geez, there's been so much stuff going on lately that I've neglected my blog. But I felt like commenting on this little gem regarding our PM John Howard:Prime Minister John Howard has denied that Australia could at greater risk of terrorist attacks because of its close ties with the United States.A report released in Britain by the Royal Institute of International Affairs said the invasion of

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1121690543797786192005-07-18T21:56:00.000+10:002005-09-23T03:22:41.676+10:00

You know, I'm starting to get real sick of hearing the "word" Islamofascism being used more and more in political discussions. The most recent observation was when I was reading one of the latest articles in the SMH WebDiary, and I came across the first comment made about the incisive and well-written piece: There were hundreds of thousands of people murdered by Saddam but you don't seem

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1121432453159525802005-07-15T23:00:00.000+10:002005-09-23T03:04:14.843+10:00

Time for a crack at another National ID card scheme, eh Johnny? I wonder if the Australian public would embrace the scheme this time, given the media-fuelled frenzy about terrorists attacking Western "freedoms" and way of life?

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1120658518842728742005-07-06T23:25:00.000+10:002005-07-29T00:32:21.540+10:00

A couple of days ago I went down to the bank during lunchtime and bumped into a Street Hawker. For some reason, my encounters with the various peddlers, activists, charity workers and advertisers one finds on street corners during the day will 90% of the time provide an experience for me to reflect over for the remainder of the day. This time was no exception. I was walking back from the bank

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1120648425680681192005-07-06T20:15:00.000+10:002005-07-06T22:07:00.096+10:00

One of the common Aussie attitudes is that with enough hard work, you can do anything. From the outback to the pub to the office, the saying goes that anyone is capable of making it in the "lucky country" if they put their nose to the grindstone. It's quite similar to the notion of the American Dream which has encouraged the world (at least in years past) to consider America as the "Promised Land

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1118759835275637632005-05-29T00:01:00.000+10:002005-06-15T01:28:01.593+10:00

Haven't posted about the economic situation for a while, so here's an excerpt from the late May edition of a newsletter I subscribe to called The Privateer:The EU And Russia:Russia and the European Union announced a breakthrough agreement on political and economic relations on May 10, aimed at defusing years of tension that accompanied the bloc's expansion to Russian frontiers. A statement from

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1116158676307724842005-05-15T20:51:00.000+10:002005-06-15T00:46:46.706+10:00

Recently I read an article that sickened me to my stomach. A pregnant woman stopped for a speeding ticket was tasered by Seattle police ostensibly for "resisting arrest".Pregnant woman 'Tasered' by police is convictedBy HECTOR CASTROSEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTERShe was rushing her son to school. She was eight months pregnant. And she was about to get a speeding ticket she didn't think she

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1115296232274461452005-05-05T21:39:00.000+10:002005-05-05T23:12:32.980+10:00

Some very interesting articles of late regarding the increasing marginalisation of thoughts that challenge the status quo. Firstly, Antony Loewenstein writes an excellent piece regarding the two-faced attitude of Fairfax over John Pilger's recently released book "Tell Me No Lies: Investigative Journalism and its Triumphs ". Antony sums up at the end: I have published the above correspondence and

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1115010058308118012005-05-02T15:00:00.000+10:002005-05-05T00:11:36.106+10:00

I saw this movie the other night.I have always loved Douglas Adams' work. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy was the first sci-fi book I ever read, and I found it to be entertaining and thought-provoking in a way quite unlike any other "hard" sci-fi story. Despite the clever social commentary, the philosophical ponderings and the wide emotional spectrum of scenes, everything in the Hitchhiker's

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1114771844581181572005-04-29T20:20:00.000+10:002005-05-03T00:02:49.396+10:00

I was recently involved in a discussion about an article in the Sydney Morning Herald to do with the comments of a local Muslim cleric regarding rape by Australia's Ann Coulter wannabe, Miranda Devine. Here's an excerpt from the article: The Sun-Herald has a recording of the March 18 speech in which Sheik Faiz said: "A victim of rape every minute somewhere in the world. Why? No one to blame but

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1114422762094126382005-04-25T18:49:00.000+10:002005-04-25T21:36:18.553+10:00

Just read this interesting article today in the Asia Times - "The New American Militarism" by Andrew J. Bacevich.His depiction of the US Military Machine is pointedly underscored by the statistics: Since the end of the Cold War, having come to value military power for its own sake, the United States has abandoned this principle and is committed as a matter of policy to maintaining military

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1114271036602090072005-04-24T01:29:00.000+10:002005-04-24T01:43:56.603+10:00

Just read an awesome blog entry by Catalytic Converter regarding COINTELPRO and the 9-11 Truth Movement. I haven't discussed 9-11 on my blog yet, so rather than quickly put anything half-assed together on this most important event, I'll just encourage you to read his post. I noticed that he quotes from Perfect Infidel's Blog - another excellent read as well.Suffice it to say, it looks pretty

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1113148187174138952005-04-09T17:38:00.000+10:002005-04-24T01:09:15.673+10:00

Whoa (Keanuspeak). More than a month since I've posted something. Where do people find the time for daily blogging? Well, I thought I'd make this entry a little more introspective. If reading about self-examination isn't your thing then feel free to check out this cool little flash game about making it home after a big night out.Being a typical white male, it seems that anger is something I have

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1107585075236502192005-02-21T00:36:00.000+10:002005-03-25T22:08:05.200+10:00

I mentioned in a previous entry about the alternative news site "Signs of the Times". I was pondering that name the other day. What is it about "these times" that they have "signs" associated with them? Etymology reference site etymonline.com documents the word sign as:c.1225, "gesture or motion of the hand," from O.Fr. signe "sign, mark, signature," from L. signum "mark, token, indication,

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1108301449037165122005-02-13T23:03:00.000+10:002005-02-20T23:18:39.443+10:00

I remember once reading one of those "Demotivational" posters - parodies of those "Motivational" posters that somehow became a popular craze for offices everywhere around the world - about the subject of procrastination. The quirky punchline was: "Hard work often pays off after time, but laziness always pays off now."Despite having a good chuckle at the time, the more I ponder that phrase, the

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1107063722809555472005-01-30T13:31:00.000+10:002005-02-05T13:23:12.240+10:00

Ever get into one of those discussions where, despite an intense volley of back-and-forth points, the conversation usually ends with, "Look, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. Let's just agree to disagree". Or, you get people who insist that, "Truth is relative. That's your truth, not my truth". Polarisation is something that most people can understand pretty easily. Black vs White,

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1106455854456308252005-01-23T13:11:00.000+10:002005-01-30T12:58:41.700+10:00

Uh oh. Eyes are beginning to shift; carefully scanning the area for any other kind of subject matter to focus the attention on. That's right folks - we're going to talk politics. I can see the mental version of the tea-cozy slipping over a few brains already. Well, guess what? THIS AFFECTS YOU. How, you may ask? It's quite simple - the US economy is near breaking point. "Oh God NO! Not

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1105855685308351162005-01-16T13:00:00.000+10:002005-01-16T16:08:05.310+10:00

So what really lies behind this idea of BBQ-stopping? Perhaps it's the theory of Cognitive Dissonance? This is a pretty cool theory coined by a guy named Leon Festinger back in '57. In a nutshell, it basically means that when someone has an opinion (say, for instance, that John Howard - current Prime Minister of Australia - is a good and noble leader) and they come into contact with facts that

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10151505.post-1105712457111205312005-01-14T23:02:00.000+10:002005-01-15T00:20:57.110+10:00

Well, I don't. Sometimes it just kind of happens that way though. Before I go any further, I should explain exactly just what the phrase "BBQ Stopper" actually means. It's Australian slang for a social incident or inappropriate comment that causes everyone at the BBQ to stop talking and look at you in a half-embarrassed, half-accusing kind of way. So you don't know what a BBQ is either? Try

Mr Whippyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05588256299475415736noreply@blogger.com1