I present the Anzac flapjack. It was about 4mm thick and spread across the entire baking tray. Tasted OK though..
Friday, April 25, 2008
Anzac Flapjack
So we had ANZAC day here recently and I though I'd do the right thing and make some ANZAC biscuits. Unfortunately I misread the recipe and used too much bicarb of soda. Now bicarb of soda (or Sodium Bicarbonate if you prefer) is used to make the biscuits rise and expand. Guess what happens if you use too much..
I present the Anzac flapjack. It was about 4mm thick and spread across the entire baking tray. Tasted OK though..
I present the Anzac flapjack. It was about 4mm thick and spread across the entire baking tray. Tasted OK though..
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Earth Hour
So tonight is Earth Hour and we are all encouraged to turn off our lights for the hour.
Well heres a thought for you. Most Foxtel boxes draw close to 90w at all times. So if you want to really make a difference tonight turn off your pc and unplug it. And your foxtel box, although I will miss the way it warms the tv cabinet.
Well heres a thought for you. Most Foxtel boxes draw close to 90w at all times. So if you want to really make a difference tonight turn off your pc and unplug it. And your foxtel box, although I will miss the way it warms the tv cabinet.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Driving me mad !
So I had a bit of an 'incident' with my bloved Honda CR-V a few weeks ago. The clutch basically decided to screw with the gear box and poped a linkage in the engine. I am not very car minded, so it could just be what the mechanics tell you so they can charge $1500 to fix it.
Anyway I got a loaner CR-v (Luckily not one of the new ones which are butt ugly and look like a nightmare to reverse park.)
Thing is the loaner was an automatic. Nice relaxing drive to work, but a couple of times I had the feeling that the car was not really under my control. As a Manual driver I will often change down early and use engine braking to control speed.
Can't do that in a Auto.
It is very easy to become a bad driver in a Auto. I wonder if they do Camrys in manual?? Nah, must all be autos..
(Ha ha interesting note that the spell checker wants to change Camrys to aneurysm - is that a sign?)
Anyway I got a loaner CR-v (Luckily not one of the new ones which are butt ugly and look like a nightmare to reverse park.)
Thing is the loaner was an automatic. Nice relaxing drive to work, but a couple of times I had the feeling that the car was not really under my control. As a Manual driver I will often change down early and use engine braking to control speed.
Can't do that in a Auto.
It is very easy to become a bad driver in a Auto. I wonder if they do Camrys in manual?? Nah, must all be autos..
(Ha ha interesting note that the spell checker wants to change Camrys to aneurysm - is that a sign?)
Oh the irony
So I had to pop down to Coles for some bread (no really...)
I was perusing the Soy and Linseed section when a couple of young things wandered past and stopped at the health and alternative stuff section which happened to be opposite the bread section.
"Oh my god they only have two types" I heard, so I turned round to see them looking at the weight loss pack things as they both stuffed their faces with take away chips.
I was so tempted to say something, but let it go...
I was perusing the Soy and Linseed section when a couple of young things wandered past and stopped at the health and alternative stuff section which happened to be opposite the bread section.
"Oh my god they only have two types" I heard, so I turned round to see them looking at the weight loss pack things as they both stuffed their faces with take away chips.
I was so tempted to say something, but let it go...
Friday, March 7, 2008
Sounds of the suburbs
As you should have worked out by now I am a pretty tolerant person, but when something pushes my buttons I tend to snap.
This week its my neighbours dogs. A nice young couple moved in next to us about 6 months ago, but they have these two cattle dog things. During the day they will lock the dogs in the backyard while they are at work, and at night they will stick them out the back.
Problem is the dogs get bored - there is not much excitement in a 6 x 10m back yard for a couple of dogs. So they like to jump and bark. A favourite trick is to sit at the gate that goes down the side of the house (next to our bedroom) and bark at people passing in the street. Sometimes (3 -4 times a day) the two dogs will start barking at each other and then howling.
For christmas I got the wife an ultrasonic dog scarer which we use to make them shutup. Works quite well through the fence, but I don't see why I should need to do that at all hours to get some peace and quiet.
I was working late in the shed the other night and could hear one of the dogs walking up and down the fence line growling and trying to dig out under the fence. It would then also whack the fence with its tail which makes the whole fence vibrate and clatter.
Weird thing is these people never take the dogs out for a walk. I have never seen the dogs outside the house or backyard. When they moved in we had to get the fence repaired as they were worried that the dog could jump the fence (2.4m high colourbond) - apparently they had done it before. They also bricked up the little gap at the bottom of the fence.
I think its not only cruel, but if I have to spend an hour getting the baby back to sleep beacuse of those stupid dogs howling at each other one more time I am going to snap. I also now have a 4 year old who is scared of dogs as she thinks they will attack her.
Luckily Mrs neighbour is now up the duff so we will see how much she likes it when the stupid dogs wake up her kid 3 times a day..
Other option I though of was to work the dogs into a frenzy one day and call the RSPCA - but that would be cruel...
This week its my neighbours dogs. A nice young couple moved in next to us about 6 months ago, but they have these two cattle dog things. During the day they will lock the dogs in the backyard while they are at work, and at night they will stick them out the back.
Problem is the dogs get bored - there is not much excitement in a 6 x 10m back yard for a couple of dogs. So they like to jump and bark. A favourite trick is to sit at the gate that goes down the side of the house (next to our bedroom) and bark at people passing in the street. Sometimes (3 -4 times a day) the two dogs will start barking at each other and then howling.
For christmas I got the wife an ultrasonic dog scarer which we use to make them shutup. Works quite well through the fence, but I don't see why I should need to do that at all hours to get some peace and quiet.
I was working late in the shed the other night and could hear one of the dogs walking up and down the fence line growling and trying to dig out under the fence. It would then also whack the fence with its tail which makes the whole fence vibrate and clatter.
Weird thing is these people never take the dogs out for a walk. I have never seen the dogs outside the house or backyard. When they moved in we had to get the fence repaired as they were worried that the dog could jump the fence (2.4m high colourbond) - apparently they had done it before. They also bricked up the little gap at the bottom of the fence.
I think its not only cruel, but if I have to spend an hour getting the baby back to sleep beacuse of those stupid dogs howling at each other one more time I am going to snap. I also now have a 4 year old who is scared of dogs as she thinks they will attack her.
Luckily Mrs neighbour is now up the duff so we will see how much she likes it when the stupid dogs wake up her kid 3 times a day..
Other option I though of was to work the dogs into a frenzy one day and call the RSPCA - but that would be cruel...
Thursday, February 21, 2008
American Idle
So I was watching the US version of Idol on cable tonight. Let me tell you this - it is the most boring looking show in the world. bland bland blannnd.
At least the Australian version has some depth and layers to the lighting design. The US version has no leds or big effects lights like the local one with the High End Shotguns they had last season. They did however have some flashing neon.
For a country of so many people you would thing they could find someone with enough imagination to make it look good.
At least the Australian version has some depth and layers to the lighting design. The US version has no leds or big effects lights like the local one with the High End Shotguns they had last season. They did however have some flashing neon.
For a country of so many people you would thing they could find someone with enough imagination to make it look good.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Modern communication
I work in an office and use all kinds of technologies to keep in touch - mobile, sms, skype and email.
Sometimes I'll ping people in the office a quick Skype message to ask how they are going or for a quick clarification on something.
Sometimes I use it to have a conversation that might be too awkward to have face to face. I did that this morning when I noticed a collegue who seemed a bit down, but I knew if I asked him face to face in an office he would probably just go - 'yeah I'm ok'. So I sent the message and got nothing back. So now how do I talk to him without mentioning it ?
Do we both ignore it and pretent it didn't happen, or do I wait till he goes somewhere and ambush him ? Hmmm, not really confortable with that.
Maybe I should just mind my own buisness, but as a friend I want to know if I could do anything to help. Sometimes I thing how great it would be to work in an office in the 60s where there were no faxes or emails or even phones. I could spent my day writing letters and reading mail people sent. Life must have been so much slower and more controlled instead of the constant blast of data and communications we are under now.
There was a promo on TV recently that stated that a child by the age of 8 had been exposed to more information that our great grandparents were exposed to in their entire lives. Thats a scary thought.
Sometimes I'll ping people in the office a quick Skype message to ask how they are going or for a quick clarification on something.
Sometimes I use it to have a conversation that might be too awkward to have face to face. I did that this morning when I noticed a collegue who seemed a bit down, but I knew if I asked him face to face in an office he would probably just go - 'yeah I'm ok'. So I sent the message and got nothing back. So now how do I talk to him without mentioning it ?
Do we both ignore it and pretent it didn't happen, or do I wait till he goes somewhere and ambush him ? Hmmm, not really confortable with that.
Maybe I should just mind my own buisness, but as a friend I want to know if I could do anything to help. Sometimes I thing how great it would be to work in an office in the 60s where there were no faxes or emails or even phones. I could spent my day writing letters and reading mail people sent. Life must have been so much slower and more controlled instead of the constant blast of data and communications we are under now.
There was a promo on TV recently that stated that a child by the age of 8 had been exposed to more information that our great grandparents were exposed to in their entire lives. Thats a scary thought.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Starbucks on the decline
I was reading the paper the other day (well the online version) when I noticed an article about the declining fortunes of Starbucks.
In the US you can sit in a Starbucks branch and look out the windows and see another branch. Seems they have over saturated the market and are now paying the price. and the coffee is crap and over priced.
I was discussing this with a coffee conisour friend and he was telling me they roast the crap out of the beans so that even the 12 year old 'barista' behind the counter can pour a 'good' coffee.
I hate to name drop, but it reminds me of a story Britney Spears sound engineer once told me. In the US he would drink Starbucks coffee, not because it was good, but because it was consistent.
One of the things the article brought up was that places like MacDonalds are now raising their game in the coffee market and people no longer need to go to starbucks and pay a fortune for a decent cup of coffee.
I was in the airport this morning for a little domestic jaunt and noticed the massive queue at Maccas. Most of these people were getting coffees even though there are perfectly good and not to expensive coffee outlets all around them.
Its interesting to see what we consider to be the big fast food joints branching out in to other directions such as the McCafe concept or the Gloria Jeans of the world who basically copied the Starbucks model but customised it to fit with the Australian cafe culture.
I guess if nothing else Startbucks made everyone lift their game and raised the standard of cofffee in these more traditional outlets where it was only ever an add on and was mostly a drip-o-lator that had sat for too long and boiled itself into a bitter mud.
In the US you can sit in a Starbucks branch and look out the windows and see another branch. Seems they have over saturated the market and are now paying the price. and the coffee is crap and over priced.
I was discussing this with a coffee conisour friend and he was telling me they roast the crap out of the beans so that even the 12 year old 'barista' behind the counter can pour a 'good' coffee.
I hate to name drop, but it reminds me of a story Britney Spears sound engineer once told me. In the US he would drink Starbucks coffee, not because it was good, but because it was consistent.
One of the things the article brought up was that places like MacDonalds are now raising their game in the coffee market and people no longer need to go to starbucks and pay a fortune for a decent cup of coffee.
I was in the airport this morning for a little domestic jaunt and noticed the massive queue at Maccas. Most of these people were getting coffees even though there are perfectly good and not to expensive coffee outlets all around them.
Its interesting to see what we consider to be the big fast food joints branching out in to other directions such as the McCafe concept or the Gloria Jeans of the world who basically copied the Starbucks model but customised it to fit with the Australian cafe culture.
I guess if nothing else Startbucks made everyone lift their game and raised the standard of cofffee in these more traditional outlets where it was only ever an add on and was mostly a drip-o-lator that had sat for too long and boiled itself into a bitter mud.
Energy Saving Part 2
Just logged in to do another post and read what I have written about that hotael room before.
Forgot to add that it also turned off the outside light in front of the room, so if you came home after a few beers it was relativly difficult to get your key into the slot.
Forgot to add that it also turned off the outside light in front of the room, so if you came home after a few beers it was relativly difficult to get your key into the slot.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Energy Saving at what cost ??
I am currently in Melbourne for reasons that are far to messy to go in to.
I am in a lovely hotel room in Mornington (more about the room shortly), but it has one of the wierdest setups I have ever seen.
It has one of those 'put your room key in the slot to turn the lights on' things on the wall. Cool I'm fine with that.
But I also discovered that the rocket scientists who put it in wired the Alarm Clock to the same circuit, so when you leave the room the clock goes off, and when you come back you have to reset the time and alarm time on the clock....
There are also some bollard lights in the garden that seem to be on 24/7. So they make up for all the power saved by turning the clocks in the rooms off.
Very Odd.
I am in a lovely hotel room in Mornington (more about the room shortly), but it has one of the wierdest setups I have ever seen.
It has one of those 'put your room key in the slot to turn the lights on' things on the wall. Cool I'm fine with that.
But I also discovered that the rocket scientists who put it in wired the Alarm Clock to the same circuit, so when you leave the room the clock goes off, and when you come back you have to reset the time and alarm time on the clock....
There are also some bollard lights in the garden that seem to be on 24/7. So they make up for all the power saved by turning the clocks in the rooms off.
Very Odd.
Friday, January 11, 2008
We can laugh about it now
While at the hardware store yesterday I noticed they had a selection of knick-knacks for sale in the little office bit. Now I love a bit of hardware, so had a quick look about. There I saw the best example of point of sale signage i had seem for some time:
Box Cutters - as featured in 9/11 - $3.50 each.
Laugh - I thought I was going to cack my pants !!
Box Cutters - as featured in 9/11 - $3.50 each.
Laugh - I thought I was going to cack my pants !!
Joy of GPS 2 - the revenge
So having had a successful run with the GPS I had to go into the city with a work chum to look at some hardware.
She had a map from Whereis.com that failed to mention the right turn you have to make across the City West Link is not only illegal, but also suicidal.
So after a bit of swearing and creative driving I whipped out the GPS and punched in the address. It seems the address we were going to is in every suburb in Sydney. I though I had the right one in Liechart, but it seems not. Much embarrassment as we pull up outside some block of flats expecting a industrial unit. Quick change of direction and - boom - there we were.
So I guess the moral is if you are going to use the GPS you need to know where your going...
She had a map from Whereis.com that failed to mention the right turn you have to make across the City West Link is not only illegal, but also suicidal.
So after a bit of swearing and creative driving I whipped out the GPS and punched in the address. It seems the address we were going to is in every suburb in Sydney. I though I had the right one in Liechart, but it seems not. Much embarrassment as we pull up outside some block of flats expecting a industrial unit. Quick change of direction and - boom - there we were.
So I guess the moral is if you are going to use the GPS you need to know where your going...
Joys of GPS
I was driving to work the other day with my phone in the charger thingy in the car. I though it might be fun to play my favourite game - Turn on the GPS and ignore what it tells you.
I love the way it dynamically re-works the route. I also think it would be cool if instead of telling you to turn around or take the next left it told you that you are a bad driver and don't listen to instructions.
Anyhoo, yesterday I did something weird and actually went where it told me to go. I am a creature of habit when it comes to driving to work. I have a route an ethnic friend showed me that winds through back streets. If anyone knows a short cut its a crazy Macedonian...
So puting my faith in the unit the GPS took me in another direction completely, but strangely enough I got to work 5 mins quicker. I choose to believe it is due to it still being school holidays and the league of 4WD mothers or Camry driving oldies are not out and about yet.
I took the same route this morning and it does feel quicker. I might keep going this way and see if I can shave 5 mins off my travel time.
Its sad I know, but its the little things in life that keep me going.
I love the way it dynamically re-works the route. I also think it would be cool if instead of telling you to turn around or take the next left it told you that you are a bad driver and don't listen to instructions.
Anyhoo, yesterday I did something weird and actually went where it told me to go. I am a creature of habit when it comes to driving to work. I have a route an ethnic friend showed me that winds through back streets. If anyone knows a short cut its a crazy Macedonian...
So puting my faith in the unit the GPS took me in another direction completely, but strangely enough I got to work 5 mins quicker. I choose to believe it is due to it still being school holidays and the league of 4WD mothers or Camry driving oldies are not out and about yet.
I took the same route this morning and it does feel quicker. I might keep going this way and see if I can shave 5 mins off my travel time.
Its sad I know, but its the little things in life that keep me going.
Crazy Microsoft Templates
I was just sitting down to write a report, so i went to see what Templates Office 2007 had that might sex it up. here are the default templates in Excel now -
Billing Statement - Makes sense for business types
Expense Report - Yup I can see a use for that one
Loan Amortization - OK if you do finance stuff
Sales Report - of course
Time Card - yeah whatever
Personal monthly Budget - lets work out how much we could buy if we got a pay rise
Blood Pressure Tracker - WTF???
I think it says a lot about the modern workplace if they have a handy dandy template to track you stress level and predict when you are going to explode or die.
Billing Statement - Makes sense for business types
Expense Report - Yup I can see a use for that one
Loan Amortization - OK if you do finance stuff
Sales Report - of course
Time Card - yeah whatever
Personal monthly Budget - lets work out how much we could buy if we got a pay rise
Blood Pressure Tracker - WTF???
I think it says a lot about the modern workplace if they have a handy dandy template to track you stress level and predict when you are going to explode or die.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
More Gen Y trashing
Whilst still trauling Wikipedia I found this re Gen Ys
Business owners in Australia feel that members of Generation Y were found to be "demanding, impatient and bad at communicating," according to a 2007 survey.
The survey found that almost 70% of those surveyed found their Generation Y workers to be dissatisfying, with poor spelling and grammar and no understanding of appropriate corporate behaviors.
However, the survey also showed most employers praised the energy and charisma of their Generation Y workers.
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