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28 February 2006 The Muslim lobby have gotten so much benefit from pig-squealing over the last two decades, that they don't know how to do anything else. Like a spoiled child who learns that the best strategy to get their way is to immediately throw themselves on the floor and wail. Even when it stops working, they keep doing it because they don't know anything else. It's quite funny. - Strawman
Occasionally, I venture into the world of "serious" literature, just to see if I'm really missing out on something. I tried it once with James Joyce's Ulysses, which turned out to be slightly preferable to being raped with a belt sander. The same goes for JG Ballard's monumentally dull Crash, Umberto Eco's unreadable Foucault's Pendulum, Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, Albert Camus' The Stranger and Hunter S. Thompson's mind-boggingly godawful Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. So this time, I decided to try out Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow. It's supposed to be some non-linear story based around WW2 and rockets. Fans of the book wank on about all sorts of ooga-booga relating to identity, spacial narratives and all the other ass-leakage that academic nerds with no friends generally talk about. And like all the books listed above, it's a heap of unreadable, headache-inducing crap. Sorry literati people, but spending 800 pages to say what you could say in 50 isn't talent, it's masturbation. Ugh. Avoid like the plague.
I spent Sunday afternoon at the CIS food festival in Mittagong. Some great grub, fine vino, a lovely property (gotta love a guy with his own jetcopter) and every non-lefty opinion columnist in the country was there. Also had a chat to former leftish social-researcher-political-strategist-TV-talking-head Malcolm McGregor, who decided working among politicians and media was for retards and decided to join the military. He's now a Lt Col in the Army, and mentioned his political views had undergone somewhat of a 'conversion' (now there's the understatement of the century). Anyway, a great bloke. ...as was Greg Lindsay, who for some reason invited me to this function, despite the fact I'm not a member of the CIS and was the only person in the place who couldn't possibly be of the slightest benefit to his organisation. Many thanks to him, and if he's reading this, feel free to invite me to any future event. Oh yeah, everybody loved my t-shirt.
I took Vespa's new flagship scooter for a test ride last week.
You'd buy a GT250 for three reasons: 1: you like the benefits of scootering (low fuel & maintenence costs, and free parking everywhere), 2: you want a bit of Italian style, 3: you want a scooter that will easily deal with fast traffic. The ergonomics are great, plenty of leg room, easy-to-use switchgear and a reasonably comfy seat (well, for around town anyway). The GT250 handles much better than older Vespas, thanks to the vastly improved stability brought on by the larger 12-inch wheels. It corners well, and the brakes are fantastic. The motor is a ripper for traffic duties, offering a quick getaway from the lights. The top speed is disappointing for a 250, but the acceleration and torque are top-notch, which is what you need from a machine like this. Price aside, the GT250 is a mixed bag from a 'scooter practicality' point of view. There's no room under the seat for your helmet, so a topbox is a must which is a big minus for such an expensive scooter. The footwell isn't flat, which makes placing bags between your feet awkward. Luckily there is a luggage hook from which to hang your grocery bags. Oh yeah, Vespas - with their one piece metal frame - are very expensive to repair after an accident. The GT250 is a hoot. Sexy, quick, classy and comfy. Personally, there's no way I'd spend so much money on a scoot, not when there are scooters equally as good for just over half the price. You buy a Vespa because you want a Vespa. And this Vespa wouldn't disappoint.
Advice requested from bicycle nerds So, what's the best lighting system for bike/trike? I want to see, not just be seen. What I'm looking for is headlight recommendations. LED? Halogen? Battery? Dynamo?
Pizza - the ultimate proof of God's existence
Dear readers: I want to know your thoughts on pizza. My e-mail address is tex<at>whackingday<dot>com Write to me, and give me all your thoughts on pizza. Write five words or 50000 pages. Home-made? Purchased from Dominos? Gourmet pizza in a restaurant? A whole pizza or by the slice? Thin crust? Thick crust? What sauce? What kinda oven? What toppings? How much cheese? So many questions. I want to hear your thoughts on pizza. What makes good pizza? What makes bad pizza? What are your favourite permutations of pizza? What do you like to drink with your pizza? Do you eat anything else with your pizza? What countries or locales have the best pizza? Is there anything in the world better than pizza? What's the best pizza you've ever had? What's the worst pizza you've ever had? Do communists like pizza? Can communists make pizza? Are eggs and/or pineapple on pizza the work of the anti-christ, or a delicacy enjoyed by higher beings? Why are pizzas better than hippies? These are just some questions. Feel free to invent your own. Come on, I want to hear from you: give me your pizza thoughts NOW.
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Vespa's biggest models have always occupied a weird place in the automotive world. At a whopping $9500 on the road, you could buy a decent 2nd-hand car for the cost of one. It kinda kills the point of buying one as an economy trip.
