My Breakup

Yesterday I broke up with my girlfriend.

Well, according to Facebook we broke up. I've found Facebook to be pretty fascinating, and amusing. And recently I've noticed how much attention people are paying to the newsfeed on Facebook, and the subtleties of 'status changes'. Like last week when my sister listed ‘is wrecked’ as her status. I immediately sent her a message asking 'sick or tired'. 'Both' was the response I got. And when a friend removed the line 'In a relationship' (not changed it to otherwise, just removed it) I got curious. And when my girl listed that she was 'sick of stuffing up' our friends asked he what she'd done. I got curious about the power of these little changes, and of the significance of that one little line in the Facebook News feed, and decided to conduct an experiment. And it worked, not only with friends on Facebook, but also those that aren't.

So yesterday we broke up. I dropped down that menu and changed my status from 'in a relationship with...' to 'single' and for good measure, I checked the box to indicate I was looking for something new. About half an hour after I did, my younger sister sent me a message “Are you okay? Is there anything I can do?” That’s more communication and care shown than when we lived-in the same house and saw each other face to face. “Sorry to worry you. Just a social experiment.” When my mother got home from work, she asked me concerned “is there anything I can do” My younger sister (Facebook user) called my older sister (non-user) who called my mother. Who then took about ten minutes of convincing that I really hadn’t been dumped, that it was just a fake break-up. My girlfriend (or ex-girlfriend) experienced similar – her brother, concerned , rushed downstairs to tell her mother (smart girl, though had had the foresight to tell her mum about it).

On the phone to a non Facebook mate later that night, he broached the subject “there's no easy way to say this – I heard you guys broke up.” He then offered to come round once he got off work, if I needed to talk, vent, play some football. About an hour later another mate called up – also non Facebook. He'd heard as well. A little later an email from a Facebook mate – “You want to catch up? I've got the week free if you need someone to spend time with.”

It was strange in a way. I expected her friends would rally around her in that time, but it seemed the boys were better at looking after me than the girls were for her. It was nice though, to know how much my friends and family actually cared. In the eight hours that we were split the word spread quickly, not just across the world of Facebook and my 219 friends, but spilled out into the real world too. With no clear word from her or myself, just a change of information in a little box and one line of text with blue highlights. Welcome to the social network that is Facebook.

Powderfinger gives 'the man' the finger

I bought the new Powderfinger album two weeks ago. Despite what I wrote a little before that about the censorship= of the song ‘Black Tears’ it appears to not have happened. I came home, and put the album on and was loving my way through it. And when track ten came on, sure enough, I heard the words that supposedly were to be removed. 'Island watchhouse bed, a black man lying dead'. Bravo Powderfinger for sticking by it. Incidentally, the court case in question was last week. The officer charged with the murder finally conceded that he may have ‘accidentally’ injured the prisoner, but was still found not guilty.

Great Album though, with that touch of powderfinger politicalness, and some good rocking songs. Head in the clouds leads us in to it nice and gently, the guitar riding over the top of Don't Remember has a really memorable riff, as we look back ona relationship. Lost and running seems to be a bit deeper. Not lyrically deeper. Just the singing. I'll need to listen more (or check the liner notes) and see if it is Bernard Fanning singing. Who really cares (featuring the sound of insanity): well, forget about the song - it has a guiatr effect they call the sound o insanity - does it say something that I like the sound?. Okay, let's not forget the song. It's good. Great lyrics, nice piano, cool guitar effect. Long way to go is a great song, and the final track, drifting further away is a sweet finish, the closest thing on this album t a ballad. Long, drawn out vocals, the guitar singing. It reminds me of Powderfinger 3 or 4 years ago.

Dream Days at the Hotel Existence is definitely a great Finger album. Fanninf has come back from his solo work with an album that sist alongside Internationalist as a great album to sit back in the shade on a Summer Aussie afternoon, drink a few beers and chill out to.

Gotta go back in time

I love Back to the future. I bought the box-set the other day. Cruising around in the 50’s? a blast. So the other night, I asked my girlfriend to dress ‘like Sandy from Grease’, got out my Jeans, jacket and loafers, and we took a night back in time. It was so much fun, starting out at the 50’s diner Soda Rock in South Yarra. Burgers, Fries and sodas were tasty, the music was in even better taste. We were playing songs from the jukebox which had a cool little thing on the table that let us choose the songs from there. We then headed to an AMF for a little Bowling action. She nearly beat me. I still suspect she let me win. I didn’t even break 100. Close, but not there. We finished off the night at the Drive in, in Coburg, where we got to see the end of one movie, the whole of another, and then an awesome lightning storm come in across Melbourne.

It was pretty cool fun, doing the whole ‘theme date’. I did borrow the idea from a mate (Thanks Jim), but yeah, dressing up, listening to the music, and getting into something not so conventional – a pretty nice night out.

Mac Beats PC: Die Hard 4.0

Last (Thursday) night I pleasure of Die Hard 4.0 (Which should still have been called Live Free or Die Hard, like it was in America).

John McLain was back at his best, the NYPD detective who never gives up. In this 4th instalment of the Die Hard series, they have cleaned up his image a little – he was neither hung over or on suspension. Just a senior detective for the NYPD out harassing his daughter’s boyfriend.

The basics. Cyber terrorist Gabriel wants to tear down the US social structure and send it into the Dark Angel era (and, just like :with a vengeance, rob a bank or two while everyone is distracted) . He hires hackers to do the codewriting, then has them all killed off. He shuts down U.S. computer networks: transport, finance, power. A ‘fire sale’.

Mclain is called in by the FBI to transport one of the hackers to Washington. Now here’s the fun – the hacker, Farrell, is played by Justin Long, who we know from Ed, Dodgeball, and of course, he’s the laid back and cool ‘Mac’ from the Mac and PC ads. When the FBI snub their noses at Farrell, it stirs something deep inside McLain’s heart. Actually, it just stirs his disdain for authority, and he makes it his mission to protect Farrell from further assassinations, teach him a thing or two about being a hero, and kill as many henchman as he can with his usual style and wit.

All in all, it was great. Not a shred believable. That’s not what Die Hard is about. One slightly gruff hero. A ‘I shouldn’t be here’ sidekick. And lot’s of unbelievable shootings and explosions. He kills a guy with a fire extinguisher. And with a fire hydrant. A helicopter with a car. He drives a car though a computer lab at a power plant. And then down an elevator shaft. He outruns an F-35 jet with Semi (and its not Optimus Prime). There’s at least ten explosions. Mclain kills at least ten bad guys. And he makes at least ten wisecracks.

Oh, and it’s the beast Kevin Smith appearance since Silent Bob threw a guy off a train. Warlock, an overweight, Star Wars loving geek who has a fortress in his basement? Life imitates art.

It is also great watching Mac learning to be a hero. And proving for once and for all, that he can beat PC.

If you like big explosions, ridiculous overkill (emphasis on the kill), see this movie.

Mitcham Raiders 2007 Part I

Well, we are a few weeks into the soccer season now, and the Mitcham Raiders are back again. As always, we seem to have the same core of defence, and once again a newish midfield and forward line. Lazy as we are, we kind of didn’t bother about training. Or a pre-season. Most of us met at our first practice game. Some guys joined the team two weeks into the season. Our first few weeks we just couldn’t quite pull all of it together. Four games, three 1 goal losses and a draw. Funnily, it was in a big part due to our ‘trusty’ old defence, making a few silly mistakes (although our starting keeper is traipsing around Europe idolising Billy Corgan). We scored goals in all of our games, however, and things have balanced out. Sure, we lost to fellow Mitcham team Benitiez by a bit, but since then, we’ve pulled ourselves together. We’re two wins in a row now, and starting to look tidy. Our keeper, the Red Bull will be back, and hopefully the next two thirds of the season leave me plenty to boast about.

Insured.

So this week I was reading my insurance contract. RACV has an 80 page book that explains in fine detail what they do and don’t cover. I started flicking through it, but actually found it to be an amusing read.

Apparently, they will not cover loss or damage:
Caused intentionally by you, or a person acting with your express or implied consent. (Fair enough)
If a person legally seizes your vehicle or contents (understandable)
Caused by, or arising from any hostilities, rebellion, riot, civil commotion or war – whether war has been formally declared or not (err, what?)
Caused by, or arising from the use, existence, or escape of any nuclear or radioactive material (err, what what?!?)
Caused by or arising from any act of terrorism that involves biological, chemical or nuclear pollution or contamination. (yeah, sure)
Arising from failure to secure your vehicle, or leave it safe after it broke down, suffered accidental damage or was stolen and then found. (so somewhere between purposeful damage, and not locking my car, is war, nuclear meltdown and biological terrorism?

And come on, what is an undeclared war? How long could you drop bombs on someone before the lights flicked on in their brains that it was an act of war, rather than friendly neighbourhood shelling. What would constitute an undeclared war? Or a declared war, at that? Is it war if we get into a fight with Berwick mid soccer game? Or is it only war when shooting starts? I’m confused, somebody please help me.

Rockin' the suburbs (Just like Mike and Brian did)

So last night I was treading the sticky carpet, as I have been quite a bit lately (i.e., going to gigs in pubs!) I headed out to the Tote in Fitzroy to see Silence Dead Silence. These guys are old school, it was great. I was feeling shades of Smashing Pumpkins and loving it. It was also pretty cool to hear Stevee pull out some old Rogue Two music. I knew it was worth keeping that stuff on my iTunes for seven years, to finally hear it live last night. Last week I caught Artinem with Jess at the Laundry and Aerobleu with the gang at the Brunswick Hotel. Artinem were great - a quieter gig than usual - no mad fans on their feet, just a bunch of us on couches loving the funky bass, the smiling happy drummer, and Sam's amazing guitar work. I do prefer them when they've got a crowd that are into it, but these guys love performing so much that it doesnt change the intensity of their work. It was still notched up. Aeroblue - well, they were pretty darn fun, especially with some trumpet and keys. But points off for a shameless but unfulfilling Pink Floyd take off. A good gig, and I hope it's not the only time we see them in Melbourne. So while I was there last night I was checking out the Street Press, and found this review of an old Christian favourite.

Relient K
Must have done something right
College Rock Didnt used to mean this - this Fountains of Smashmouth pop-punk bubble music ready made for the next Shrek soundtrack. It's cute, it is. But REM were actually on about something. Also, these guys are Christians and they won a Grammy in 2003 for best Rock Gospel album. Now I'm not saying you should dismiss Relient K because they believe in the tooth fairy, but surely their fickle abandonment of the gospel genre does not speak well of their moral fibre. guess the church music wasn't getting them laid.

Now keep in mind I havent heard their new album so can't personally comment (please feel free to inform, folks) I found this review quite funny. First time Ive heard God likened to the tooth fairy - and as far as I know they havent abandoned Gospel. I'm pretty sure the only difference between the two is where the record sales come from. As soon as you start selling in stores other than Koorong (and whatever the seps have instead of it, you are mainstream. I assumed that Relient K have pulled out an album comparable to the old standards of Two Lefts, but it just hasnt managed to make an impression on the mainstream because of it's Christian leaning. Of course, I could be wrong and the new album could suck.