Happy Birthday Ethernet!!!!

September 30: Independence Day in Botswana (1966)

• 1399 - The Duke of Lancaster deposed Richard II to become Henry IV of England, merging the Duchy of Lancaster with the crown.
• 1939 - World War II: General W³adys³aw Sikorski (pictured) became Prime Minister of the Polish government in exile.
• 1966 - Seretse Khama became the first President of Botswana when the Bechuanaland Protectorate gained independence from the United Kingdom.
• 1980 - Ethernet specifications were first published by Xerox, Intel and Digital Equipment Corporation.
• 1991 - Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was overthrown in a coup d'état and replaced by General Raoul Cédras. A large-scale exodus of boat people ensued.

[listening to: Joker & The Thief - Wolfmother ]
10:02:25 AM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

I had a little piece published in the September edition of the Global Corporate Challenge Newsletter

It's from my adventures at the PLC Garden Day last week

Saturday 23rd September, 2006

6.45am: Pedometer reading 0. The kids get me out of bed. Today is the PLC garden day and my wife needs to get there early to help setup the book stall.

8.45am: Pedometer reading: 1088. Car loaded, breakfast done, kids washed and dressed. I surprise myself with the pedometer reading. I think I went up and down the stairs about 10 times.

9.45am: Pedometer reading: 1506. I deliberately parked far away from the event. A round trip to the car is going to be about 1000 steps and I reckon I will do this trip a few times.

10.55am: Pedometer reading: 2134. Been at Kiddy Korner for almost an hour. Brice (my 6 year old) has been on all the rides. I buy tickets one at a time, so that I have to walk to the ticket seller. It's not far, but every little bit helps.

11.15am: Pedometer reading: 3130: Have to go back to the car to get a blanket. My cunning plan of parking far away will help drive up those steps.

11.30am: Pedometer reading: 3333. Quick rest stop and Devonshire Tea. The Year 11 girls are serving tea and scones. We have to do our part to help with the fundraising.

11.55am: Pedometer reading: 4326. Back to the car. Drop off some of the stuff the kids have bought and I no longer want to carry. I'd rather walk it back, than lug it around.

12.25pm: Pedometer reading: 5097. The girls want to look at the jewellery stalls, but Brice wants to buy something at the Black Rhino stall. These things are at the opposite end of the venue. Another opportunity for a walk across the school grounds.

12.55pm: Pedometer reading: 6100. The boys have had enough so we walk back to the car again and head home for a bit of a rest.

2.15pm: Pedometer reading: 9205. Brice wants to have a light sabre battle. I convince him to go for a walk around the block *WHILE* we have a battle. Imagine what the neighbours must think as we walk past trying to wack each other with these things.

5.30pm: Pedometer reading: 10012. Moira arrived exhausted from the garden day and delegates the dinner preparation to me. Oh Joy!

7.30pm: Pedometer reading: 10347. Get the little ones ready for bed. I agree to carry Brice up the stairs.

9.30pm: Pedometer reading: 19012. I get onto the treadmill and spend an hour or so walking before settling down for the night. Check team watch stats and discover we are the top team in the company and beating those guys from Readify. I can sleep soundly tonight!

[listening to: Come Around Again - Jet ]
4:35:00 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Family • Random

You Are Best Described By...

Impression, Sunrise By Claude Monet

5:11:59 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

Ace

You Belong in Australia

Ace! Sunny, upbeat, and cute You make the perfect surf bum Now stop hogging the vegemite!

[listening to: Jenny Was a Friend of Mine - The Killers ]
11:58:20 AM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

It's a hot and windy day today in Sydney.

State braced for bushfires
A total fire ban is in place across large parts of NSW, amid forecasts of soaring temperatures and strong winds.

What's really worrying is that the whole state is so dry means we could be in for a hot hot summer

[listening to: Let It Be - Nick Cave ]
11:22:33 AM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

September 22: Rosh Hashanah, 5767 begins at sunset (Judaism, 2006); Independence Day in Bulgaria (1908) and Mali (1960); Car Free Day in Europe & Canada.

• 1776 - Captain Nathan Hale, an American Revolutionary spy from the Continental Army, was hanged by British forces.
• 1792 - France adopted the Republican Calendar.
• 1869 - Das Rheingold, the first of four operas in Der Ring des Nibelungen by German composer Richard Wagner (pictured), was first performed in Munich.
• 1980 - Iraq launched an invasion of Iran, starting the Iran-Iraq War.

[listening to: Everything Will Be Alright - The Killers ]
6:31:05 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

Hey Geoff : Snap!

You Are Incredibly Logical

Move over Spock - you're the new master of logic You think rationally, clearly, and quickly. A seasoned problem solver, your mind is like a computer!

9:02:42 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

September 20:

• 1378 - Papal Schism: Unhappy with Pope Urban VI (pictured), a group of cardinals elected a rival papacy in Antipope Clement VII, throwing the Roman Catholic Church into a turmoil.
• 1854 - The Crimean War began with a Franco-British victory over Russian forces in the Battle of Alma.
• 1870 - The Bersaglieri entered Rome, ending the temporal power of the Pope and completing the unification of Italy.
• 1906 - The ocean liner RMS Mauretania, the largest and fastest ship in the world at the time, was launched in Newcastle, England.
• 1973 - Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in straight sets before 30,492 spectators at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas in an internationally televised tennis match dubbed the "Battle of the Sexes".

[listening to: All These Things That I've Done - The Killers ]
8:45:29 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

It's not just Talk Like A Pirate Day

September 19: Independence Day in Saint Kitts and Nevis (1983), Armed Forces Day in Chile, International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

• 1356 - Hundred Years' War: Despite a shortage of arrows, English and Welsh forces led by Edward the Black Prince decisively won the Battle of Poitiers and captured King Jean II of France.
• 1692 - Giles Corey, who had refused to enter a plea, was pressed to his death during the Salem witch trials.
• 1893 - New Zealand became the first country to introduce universal suffrage, following the women's suffrage movement led by Kate Sheppard.
• 1982 - ":-)" and ":-(" were first proposed by Scott Fahlman for use as emoticons .
• 1995 - The Manifesto of "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski (police sketch pictured) was published in The Washington Post and The New York Times, almost three months after it was submitted.

[listening to: Sunset Borderline - Sandi Thom ]
4:13:13 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Geek • Random

Tomorrow's the day

In anticipation, here's the top 10 pickup lines

10 . Avast, me proud beauty! Wanna know why my Roger is so Jolly?

9. Have ya ever met a man with a real yardarm?

8. Come on up and see me urchins.

7. Yes, that is a hornpipe in my pocket and I am happy to see you.

6. I'd love to drop anchor in your lagoon.

5. Pardon me, but would ya mind if fired me cannon through your porthole?

4. How'd you like to scrape the barnacles off of me rudder?

3. Ya know, darlin’, I’m 97 percent chum free.

2. Well blow me down?

And the number one pickup line for use on International Talk Like a Pirate Day is …

1. Prepare to be boarded.

8:04:45 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

September 17: Constitution Day and Citizenship Day in the United States.

• 1787 - The text of the United States Constitution was finalized in Philadelphia.
• 1809 - The Treaty of Fredrikshamn concluded the Finnish War between Russia and Sweden, with Finland becoming an autonomous Grand Duchy under Czar Alexander I.
• 1894 - The Imperial Japanese Navy and the Beiyang Fleet of Qing China clashed in the Battle of Yalu River, the largest naval engagement of the First Sino-Japanese War.
• 1916 - World War I: "The Red Baron", a flying ace of the German Luftstreitkräfte, won his first aerial combat near Cambrai, France.
• 1978 - President Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel signed the Camp David Accords after twelve days of secret negotiations at Camp David (pictured).

[listening to: On Top - The Killers ]
1:00:39 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

Pretty disappointed with this attempt, but good enough

You Scored 80% Correct

You are an 80s expert You never confuse New Order with the Pet Shop Boys You know which classical musician Falco rocked When it comes to 80s music, you Just Can't Get Enough!

[listening to: 11 Hells Bells - AcDc ]
8:38:51 AM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

September 14:

• 786 - Harun al-Rashid (pictured) became the Abbasid caliph upon the death of his brother al-Hadi.
• 1752 - The British Empire adopted the Gregorian calendar, skipping eleven days (September 2 was followed directly by September 14).
• 1812 - Napoleon's invasion of Russia: Napoleon and his Grande Armée captured Moscow, only to find the city deserted and burning.
• 1959 - The Soviet spacecraft Luna 2 crashed onto and became the first man-made object to reach the Moon.
• 1960 - The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was founded by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.

[listening to: Sonnet - The Verve ]
6:16:26 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

No Comment Needed

You Are 46% Feminine, 54% Masculine

You are in touch with both your feminine and masculine sides. You're sensitive at the right times, but you don't let your emotions overwhelm you. You're not a eunuch, just the best of both genders.

[listening to: Castles - Sandi Thom ]
8:05:02 AM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

September 13

• 533 - Belisarius and his legions defeated Gelimer and the Vandals at the Battle of Ad Decimum near Carthage, and began the "Reconquest of the West" under Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I.
• 1814 - The bombardment of Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner," which later became the national anthem of the United States.
• 1847 - Mexican-American War: Six teenagers known as Los Niños Héroes fought to their death defending the military academy at Castillo de Chapultepec in Mexico City during the Battle of Chapultepec.
• 1987 - Goiânia accident: A radioactive item was stolen from an abandoned hospital in Goiânia, Brazil, contaminating hundreds of people.
• 1993 - After rounds of secret negotiations in Norway, PLO leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin (pictured with U.S. President Bill Clinton) formally signed the Oslo Peace Accords.

[listening to: 16 - R.E.M - (Don`T Back To) Rockvil - R.E.M ]
4:58:37 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

Should I be concerned?

You Are 79% Angry

You're a pretty angry person, although you might not describe yourself that way. But if you think about it, you probably feel annoyed, frustrated, and disappointed often. All of the emotions above are classic signs of anger. And if these angry feelings are controlling your life, you may need help.

4:31:35 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

September 11: New Year's Day in the Coptic and the Ethiopian calendars, National Day of Catalonia, Teacher's Day in parts of Latin America.

• 1297 - Scots under William Wallace defeated English troops in the Battle of Stirling Bridge.
• 1857 - Paiutes and Mormon militias killed about 120 California-bound pioneers in a wagon train in the Mountain Meadows massacre.
• 1922 - The British Mandate of Palestine began.
• 1973 - A military coup in Chile headed by Augusto Pinochet overthrew the government of President Salvador Allende.
• 2001 - September 11 Attacks: Three passenger airliners were hijacked to destroy the World Trade Center in New York City (pictured) and part of The Pentagon in Washington, D.C.; a fourth aircraft crashed in Pennsylvania. In total, almost 3,000 people were killed.

[listening to: Castles - Sandi Thom ]
1:57:36 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Geek • Random

Yes, it's what it looks like

[listening to: Lonely Girl - Sandi Thom ]
6:06:52 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

September 9: Republic Day in North Korea (1948), Independence Day in Tajikistan (1991).

• 1000 - King Olaf I of Norway fell overboard during the Battle of Svolder and disappeared in the Baltic Sea.
• 1513 - King James IV of Scotland (pictured right) was killed at the Battle of Flodden Field in Northumberland while leading an invasion of England.
• 1850 - As part of the Compromise of 1850, California was admitted into the United States as a free state.
• 2004 - A car bomb exploded outside the Australian embassy, killing at least 9 people and injuring 140 others in the Jakarta embassy bombing.

3:15:39 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

I used to be snarky, so things are changing

You Are a Link Blogger!

Your blog is more about cool links than thougtful posts. Better to be entertaining and brief than longwinded and boring!

[listening to: Smile Like You Mean It - The Killers ]
3:25:19 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

September 4: Labor Day in the United States and Labour Day in Canada (2006)

• 476 - Romulus Augustus, the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, was deposed.
• 1260 - Florence and Siena fought in the Battle of Montaperti, as part of the conflict between the Guelphs and Ghibellines.
• 1886 - After years of fighting against the U.S. Army and the armed forces of Mexico, Geronimo (pictured) of the Chiricahua Apache surrendered in Arizona.
• 1956 - The IBM RAMAC 305, the first commercial computer that used magnetic disk storage, was introduced.
• 1972 - Mark Spitz won his seventh swimming gold medal at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany, becoming the first Olympian to win seven gold medals at the same Olympic games.

[listening to: Kiss - Prince & the Revolution ]
9:07:38 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Geek • Random

Unbelievable!

The Crocodile Hunter killed while doing what he loves

As he would say - Crikey!

[listening to: Chicken Payback - The Bees ]
5:20:08 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random

September 1: Start of the Liturgical year in the Eastern Orthodox Church; Constitution Day in Slovakia; Independence Day in Uzbekistan.

• 1715 - Louis XIV of France (pictured), the "Sun King", died after a reign of 72 years, longer than any other French or other major European monarch.
• 1923 - The Great Kanto earthquake devastated Tokyo and Yokohama, killing about 100,000 people.
• 1939 - Germany launched the Polish Campaign and attacked Poland at Wieluñ and Westerplatte, starting World War II.
• 1951 - Australia, New Zealand and the United States signed a mutual defence pact known as the ANZUS Treaty.
• 1983 - The civilian airliner Korean Air Flight 007, carrying 246 passengers and 23 crew, was shot down by Soviet fighter aircraft near Sakhalin island.

6:34:56 PM    comment []  trackback []  G!   • Random