"It's A Snap"

I've never wanted to go to a technical school so badly.  From Australia's Central Institute of Technology.



Why don't you see commercials like this during Maury?

The Epitome Of Trolling

The protesters of Occupy Melbourne are not allowed to set up tents in Flagstaff Gardens, the park where they have been demonstrating for the last few weeks.  Every time they attempt to, Melbourne police immediately come in and force them to take them down.  Watch what happened Saturday afternoon.  It's mayhem at it's best.

Photo: Coolest. Weatherman. Ever.

This photo is not altered. It is of Australian Channel 7 weatherman, Jonathan Pollock.  His "non-traditional" appearance is causing a stir in the local community that he serves.  I have comments from, "disgustingly revolting", to "and you lot let him in the door", to even that "he looks scabied (sic) and pustulous".

I love the guy.  It nice to see a weatherman that doesn't look like an 80's era game show host.

Tweet Of The Day

From Australia's Census office:

The Australian government:  Damn right, it's better than yours.

Man Attacks Helicopter With Ax, 'Fulfilling Bible Prophecy'?

In "I couldn't make this up if I tried" news, an Australian man was arrested yesterday, after attacking an Army helicopter with an ax at a Queensland airport.  The helicopter, described as a Tiger helicopter, sustained damage after the barrage.

57 year old Bryan Law is currently in custody on charges of willful damage, trespassing and possession of a garden ax and bolt cutters.  He is reportedly part of a group that opposes a joint Australian-U.S. military exercise being conducted in the area.  

In regards to the attack, Law said, "In a new and symbolic way, I was fulfilling the ancient prophecy of Isaiah: 'They will beat their swords into ploughshares; their spears into pruning hooks."

I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy didn't involve beating the shit out of a helicopter with an ax.

When Did The World Become Such Crybaby Pussies?

Americans have long had a tradition of being spineless jellyfish, when it comes to ridiculous laws that have been placed on the books in the name of "safety".  Officials tend to have the best of intentions and take things a bit too far.  Last week, it seems, the city council in Whitehorse, Australia, has taken a page out of the "How To Make Ludicrous Laws That Make Toddlers Cry" handbook from the Americans.

The local city council has deemed these children as "vandals".  That's right, "vandals".  They draw little fishes and stick figures out of chalk in front of the local Nunawading Cafe in the mornings.  It's not like Banksy is doing stencil work on the walls outside, or anything.

Sally White, the owner of the Cafe, said that an inspector had visited them, saying that they had received a complaint, and that the artwork had to stop.  The issue centers on a council law that deems it an offense to "destroy, damage, foul, interfere or deface anything located in or on the municipal place or road".  They said it also breached local anti-graffiti laws.


The mayor visited the Cafe last week after mounting pressure, saying that he would like to reverse the council's decision, but in the end, it was a safety issue.  WHA?  A safety issue?  According to White, 

"The mayor said they would like to issue us a permit but can't because it raises health and safety issues, in case somebody fell over a child on the footpath or into the street," she said.

The mayor is legitimately afraid that an adult, an adult, will not see a three or four year old on the sidewalk, trip over them, fall into the street, and get hit by an oncoming vehicle.  Then again, the city council of Whitehorse, Australia, is not aware that sidewalk chalk can be removed by simply applying a water hose to the offending fishies.

What have we come to as a world?  Have we really become such pussies that we're afraid of sidewalk chalk and toddlers?  Are those kids threatening to you?  Do you see in any way how they could pose a danger to the community?

I don't fucking get it.  I really don't.

 

Watch: Minister With Tourette's - Fascinating

When the media focuses on people with Tourette's Syndrome, they often show children with the condition, because children are the ones that frequently exhibit the most severe tics.  It's rare to find someone of my age (35), or even in their late 30s or 40s with moderate to severe tics.  This is because Tourette's is commonly diagnosed in adolescence, and by the time someone has reached that age, the condition has been managed for many years with medication.  Many times, by then, the person has learned how to disguise their tics.  They have turned something that was a vocal tic, into what is now a sniffle or a clearing of the throat.  And for some people, Tourette's has simply just gone away with adulthood.

Below are a couple of videos of Matt Ford, a minister from Australia.  He has Tourette's Syndrome, and, at his age, it's one of the most severe cases I have seen in a while.  I wanted to post these videos of Matt, not for his message, but just to show another side of the condition.



The second video is of Matt giving a sermon in front of a crowd.  There are two things that I found interesting.  First, he has the same condition I do, in that he repeats himself over and over again with certain words.  It felt awkward watching someone else do that.  Secondly, I noticed how he disguises his tics.  He pretends to speak in tongues, which I find deplorable.  He's using a neurological condition that his parishioners do not fully understand, and is acting like it's "god's holy spirit" speaking through him.  Unless you really understood Tourette's Syndrome, you would never know.  You would be a believer.  I also want to have you pay attention to around the 7 minute mark of the clip.  At that point, he becomes weak, disoriented, and very fatigued.  It's almost as if he's drunk.  He's not acting.  His Tourette's tics have taken so much energy out of him, it's taken so much energy to try to remain focused on what he was doing, that he is literally collapsing from exhaustion.  I have been there many times.  It takes that much out of you.



You may not like what he does for a living (I don't), or what he has to say (I don't either), but you have to admire his dedication.