Posts

Showing posts from 2006

The Weekend Starts Here #3

Image
Actors Donnelly Rhodes and Ian Tracey discussing cloning or perhaps just remembering the good times. So La Weekend has arrived and here I lie in a loose foetal position with no plans and no coherent thoughts. Let, me share them with you, Zeitgesiters. White Christmas As you know, Mr Trivia’s Tract is 100% behind Prince Edward Island (PEI), the Canadian Province famed for its natural beauty and for being the home of the fictional Ann of Green Gables. And although some seem to think I am a covert Canadophile, I have never been there, my knowledge is limited to seeing the occasional episode of DaVINCI’s INQUEST, and that has Donnelly Rhodes in it, so case closed, people. One of the RSS feeds over to the RHS of this page brings us headlines from PEI. I scan it regularly and was alarmed to see this SNOWMOBILE PERMIT SALES DOWN. Turns out that “A lack of snow this year and last is leading to financial troubles for the P.E.I. Snowmobile Association.” Two words. Global Freakin’

Is It Just Me? #3

Image
One of the many looks Mr Voight could assay - if certain things happen. Zeitgeisters, You know how everyone’s with the international calls through the computer and the VOIP ? Sure you do. Cheap calls through your PC. Voice Over Internet Protocol fits in there somehow. Is it me or wouldn’t it be a fantastic opportunity for actor Jon Voight to hook up with some SKYPE -esque company and for a large sum of money, refer to himself as Jon VOIP for the duration of 2007? You know who I mean, the excellent Jon Voight of MIDNIGHT COWBOY (1969), THE CHAMP (1975) RUNAWAY TRAIN (1985) and ZOOLANDER (2001)? Okay, it IS just me…thought so. Elevate the Insignificant, Mr Trivia

Naming Rights

Image
Volkswagen Tiguan - Tiger plus Iguana. Zeitgeisters, it’s well known that car-names are getting zanier. After more than half a century of mass-produced vehicles with snappy ‘handles’, automobile manufacturers have been left scraping for attractive and engaging names. In Australia, Ford is the most sober of the players with the Focus as the only slightly poetic and evocative entry in the Fird range. Misubishi has the Triton and the Grandis . At first these two seem to work on Jerry Seinfeld’s theory that car companies make-up words that sound like real ones – a la the Integra . However Triton is a moon of Neptune (yeah, me either) and Grandis is Latin for big, so, some of these made-up words turn out to be gaps in my education. Holden, or GM to you outside of Oz, has a great roster of pointless names. Although Caprice is a sudden impulse and Viva means live; Tigra , Ventra , Vectra and Adventra all come off as half-baked. Adventra ? Come on, Holden! I guess it’s not

Merry Zeitgeist

Image
The charismatic Trump proving that money and power have nothing whatever to do with his popularity. (Kidding!) Hi Zeitgeisters, XMS TXTNG It’s Christmas here in our part of the Southern Hemisphere. For the first time, rather than Christmas cards, I have received a number of Yuletide SMSs on the telephone. I’d rather have a Merry Acknowledgement than not have one – and a tree doesn’t have to die when you text message – but it’ll take some adjusting to. SHUT-IN For various reasons that I don’t want to go into here, I’ve spent a lot of time glued to the small screen in the last three days. I’ve seen a whole bunch of old movies on disc in that time – everything from TWO TICKETS TO BROADWAY (1951) to LOCAL HERO (1983). Mainly, I was avoiding Christmas television, however in between DVD changes I did catch this gem during a Carols-By-Candlelight- type of show from Channel 10's Sandra Sully, “You know, famous writer Aldous Huxley once said : After silence, the closest thing

You’re Not Fired!

Image
Heh, that headline came a little too easily. ('Cos its crud.) Check on-line, I’ll bet we’re all using it for this particular story - which is why they call it the zeitgeist, Zeitgeisters! For those of us not interested in actual news there’s been a little controversy lately over current Miss USA, Tara Conner. Apparently the 21 year-old has been accused of partying a little too hard. She’s been accused of a lot of stuff actually, but will only admit to the heavy drinking which occurred while she was under the age of 21. Anyhoo, there has been lots of loose talk about Miss USA losing her crown, but co-owner of the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageant, Donald “The Donald” Trump has announced that this will not happen. Instead, Conner will be entering re-hab. The wire stories say she’s been competing in pageants since she was 4. There is probably no link between this and the heavy drinking.

Still Not Barry Bostwick

Image
Hi Zeitgeisters, As you know, there are some who have speculated that this blog is the work of American actor Barry Bostwick. I revealed this to be false some time ago. I am not guilty of being Barry Bostwick, however, in the style of the trashiest Murdoch-style tabloids let us imagine for a moment that I am not Mr Trivia. If I were Barry Bostwick, how would I spend today? I wake in my fabulous mansion on the shores of lake Como. Sure I’m 60, but I still have a commanding presence like Ronn Moss or Ron Jeremy or someone called Ron. Except that I am Barry. I resolve to check the Internet to see if I am the most famous and charismatic of the Barrys on the www. I am on the computer and I click TV.com . Pah! Television, what a waste of time. Except for my career-defining role as Mayor Winston in SPIN CITY and the time I spent in pervy Euro-Trash sci-fi series THE LEXX , most of the time spent on the small screen is merely an exercise in paying the bills. I sit in my study and si

Is It Just Me? #2

Image
Image courtesy of NASA Is It Just Me, Zeitgeisters, Or are you a little disappointed by the latest news from the International Space Station? I was sussing out the ABC Science News in the right hand column of this here blog when I read “Astronauts Begin To Extend Space Station”. It wasn’t what I had hoped. Two Discovery astronauts have stepped out into space for the first of three spacewalks to install a new metal structure to the International Space Station (ISS). A NASA spokesman says Robert Curbeam and Sweden's first astronaut, Christer Fuglesang, are expected to spend about six hours in space. The two will bolt the two-tonne truss segment, called P5 spacer, to the ISS, bringing its total length to 120 metres. A truss segment? I was thinking a billards room, a jacuzzi, possibly a dedicated area for the hard-core gamers to dehydrate whilst playing World of Warcraft. And why is it a two-tonne truss segment? Christer Fuglesang is a Swede, surely he could have nego

The Curmudgeon Replies

Image
Hey Zeitgeisters, Carla replied to the last post “What Noise Annoys A Curmudgeon” thusly: You speak the truth, Mr Trivia. But I'd wager neither you or anyone else stood up and walked on over to those slobs and told them what was what.You're a member of a passive-aggressive cult to the Individual. Carla has met me and props to her on her analysis, but she is missing one part of my case history. About seven years ago, I started to find that whenever people talked near me in the cinema during a movie I would be moved to shoosh them. And if they were teenage guys I could be quite aggro about it; figuring that a disproportionate amount of vehemence would discourage any further attempts at talking. One day I was sitting in the cinema with my then-partner and three guys behind us were adding comments to all the dialogue and stopping me from enjoying the film, so I turned around and said, “I paid to see this, so you keep your mouths shut.” If you know me, this is out of cha

What Noise Annoys A Curmudgeon?

Image
Hail Zeigeisters, Had dinner with a friend (The Artist Formerly Known As Itchy Shoes) in North Perth today. We had schnapper and freedom fires at the upscale (geddit) chippery, PHISH, on the corner of Kadina Street and Charles Street in North Perth. Since Western Australia is back in Daylight Savings Time for the first time in years, everyone seems to be lingering and doing the alfresco dining thing all over the Perth; we always do in summer, but with sunset effectively around 8.30 at present, there’s a lot more pre-Christmas sloth and hedonism to be crammed into those precious 60 minutes at the end of the day. So Itchy and I were waiting for our food and could not help but notice that some bogan in a silver Toyota who thought that being parked ten feet away and blaring out ACDC’s BACK IN BLACK from his stereo was acceptable behaviour. Did these people never get asked to keep it down as they were growing up? Why do some folks feel it’s okay to live in a flat and play their mu

Polymer Put the Kettle On

Image
Hi Zeitgeisters, www.plastics.com is a site for all of us, because unfortunately, we’re not born knowing about plastics. In Leominster, Massachusetts, USA, and within “easy driving distance from anywhere in central Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire” is the National Plastics Center. We’ll let them explain the next bit. “The National Plastics Center is a non-profit institution dedicated to preserving the past, addressing the present and promoting the future of plastics through public education and awareness. The educational staff has supported this mission throughout the years by conducting hands-on science programming for schools, organizations and the plastics community.” The future of plastics has looked increasingly bleak since… hmm, I’ll have to get back to you on that one, but if you have a child in elementary, middle or high school in Massachusetts then think about calling the National Plastics Center and they’ll send around the Plastivan TM for a very reasonable

Future Shocking

Image
Hi Zeitgeisters, Just watched the end of BACK TO THE FUTURE (1985) on telly. A film franchise much-loved by many, but here at The Tract all the films of Robert Zemeckis with the possible exception of CONTACT (1997) rate half a star out of 5. Why? Well, to explain will require me to boot up the Curmudgeon circuit, and I don’t have the energy. We will do the Why-Zemeckis-Films-Are-Crap Tirade in a future blog. For now let me leave you with the last moments of BACK TO THE FUTURE when the ‘Doc’ returns from the future with an urgent message for Marty and Jennifer. Doc : Marty you gotta come back with me. Marty : Where? Doc : Back to the future. Marty : Wait a minute, what are you doing, Doc? Doc : I need fuel. Go ahead, quick, get in the car. Marty : No no no, Doc, I just got here, okay, Jennifer's here, we're gonna take the new truck for a spin. Doc : Well, bring her along. This concerns her too. Marty : Wait a minute, Doc. What are you talking about? Wha

The Internet is Heaps Fun

Image
Hey Kids! (Of All Ages!) Run out of fun stuff to do on the Internet this weekend? Why not check out these boffo sites? For The People www.communism.com - has extensive stuff on communism for all those who wanted to know about the subject but were too bourgeois to ask. It gives a scientific definition of communism and contrasts it with what the site calls a “bullshit definition” i.e.: “Rule of society by a single party which maintains a monopoly of political power and suppresses all opposition. Control of the economy via centralized bureaucratic planning.” There’s plenty that will annoy and stimulate you in this text-y yet colourful site. There’s an FAQ and a poll, which asks among other questions: "Is communism a monstrous system of slavery or the inevitable peaceful and abundant future of humankind?" For all those missing the feel of a poli-sci debate at an undergraduate level. For The Folk www.folkdancing .com - from its plain black text on white backgro

Another Lap Around the Sun

Image
November 15th is Anni-Frid's Birthday. Hope you've bought some kind of cake or pastry to celebrate this particular celebrity anniversary. Your area may not be replete with Swedish cakes, but a danish isn't really an appropriate substitute for this occassion. So, Happy Birthday to Anni-Frid Lyngstad. Hooray! Mr Trivia p.s. Anni-Frid was in a Swedish musical group called ABBA. You may have heard of them.

Is It Just Me? # 1

Image
Is it Just Me... Or is According to Jim the laziest sitcom ever made, with the least charismatic star? Maybe it's just me. Mr Trivia ABOVE : Courtney Thorne Smith joins the US sitcom conspiracy to convince pudgy, emotionally-distant men, that it is these very qualities that attract hot babes (see King of Queens as further example).

The Weekend Starts Here #2

Image
Hey Zeitgeisters, If you scroll down or click here you will discover The Weekend Starts Here #1. This is number two in this occasional series where I just make with the chat on a Friday because I really have nothing to say. “So what else is new?” I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. * * * * * Letter to McDonald's Firstly, I did get a reply from McDonald’s South Africa about which about which of their stores was closest to my house in Perth Western Australia. Dear Mr Trivia, Apologies for the late reply. Thank you very much for the compliments on the website! The restaurant locator is for the McDonald's restaurants in South Africa, but I'm sure if you contact McDonald's in Australia they will assist you in finding your closest store. Nice though this is, it unfortunately doesn’t resolve the matter and I have forwarded my enquiry to McDonald’s Australia. I will let you know when they reply in earnest. * * * * * Lee Meriwether Above is a video capt

Rocktober 2006 Ends

Image
Zeitgeisters, Rocktober is almost done, so now is the time to complete the celebrations. It has been a pleasure sharing with you the vibes, the grooves and the love that is Rocktober - the most Rockin’ of seasons. A number of you pinged back a Rock T-shirt photo and you can find the link to these just below. You all looked magnificent. There were many reasons why you chose a particular shirt, but one of you, wrote in some detail the history of his shirt. Read this below - after the links. ROCKTOBER LINKS Wear A Rock T-Shirt: The 2006 photos are sitting here on Flickr. Ask Mr Trivia: A reader with a pressing Rock question writes here . Mr Trivia’s Budget Webcomic: Low Rez Accomodation responds to Rocktober Rocktober Poetry: Lep Loney attempts a poem for the Rockin’ tenth month. Rocktober Report: Consultants, Kane and Kane explain the Rocktober rollout. MARK'S ROCK SAGA In Honor of Rocktober - a true tale of Rock and Roll. "The crowd got angry, and this one man, He was

The Weekend Starts Here #1

Image
So Zeitgesiters, It’s Friday and I’m kicking back. I have nothing particular to say except the following pithy – nah dammit - petty observations. There’s an NBC show that’s just started called Heroes about ordinary people discovering they have extraordinary powers – so it’s an X-Men , Tomorrow People thing. Maybe not The Tomorrow People - for those of us who remember that particularly cheapjack '70s kids sci-fi series from the UK, nothing will ever really come close to its budget thrills. None of which is my point, I stoop to conquer and draw your attention to the NBC website of this new show. In particular the bios of one of the actors, a child called Noah Gray-Cabey, It says: “A trained classical pianist by the age of three, Gray-Cabey is the youngest person ever to perform at the Sydney Opera Hall.” Ah yes, the world famous Sydney Opera Hall which visitors can enjoy along with the world-famous Sydney Harbour Pontoon. * * * * * * * * * * On an unrelated note, I was at the

My Secret is Out

Image
Zeitgeisters, If it ain’t broke – don’t fix it I say! So, I’m on dial –up... I’ve always been on dial-up. I am one of perhaps only a dozen or so, world-wide, left on this wind-blasted, cold, forsaken island that I call D’Isle-Up. Sure, faster access to the www would be nice. And I hear the ‘net is in colour, now. And I sure wish that I could get moving pictures off of that there YouTube . But maybe I got somethin’ better…Maybe I got moxie, stick-to-it-tiveness and good old-fashioned loyalty. And maybe I’m just cheap. But while you’re all over there enjoying yourself on the MySpace ; having cybersex with each other’s avatars on the Second Life ; downloading episodes of According to Jim on the BitTorrent ; I’m back here like flippin’ Prospero in the Tempest or perhaps The Professor on Gilligan’s Island , doing what I do, with an endurance and stoicism not seen since Rush Limbaugh’s fight with prescription painkiller abuse. My name is Mr Trivia. And I’m on dial-up. Elevate the Insignif

Blurred With Age

Image
Gesundheit Zeitgeisters, I’ve had a lovely cold for the last 72 hours. I’ve been watching television and sleeping, and I am now in a weird trance-like state. There are two noteworthy moments of telly that I would like to share with ye. One of these was during Channel 9’s THE NRL FOOTY SHOW which was entertaining, as always. Thing is, I’m not into League - AFL is my code and I want the West Coast Eagles to win the flag this weekend. However, THE AFL FOOTY SHOW is crap. Why? Briefly; Sam Newman is a thug. THE AFL FOOTY SHOW seems happy to run with Sam verbally attacking the less mentally-agile; whether they are players or fans on the streets of Melbourne. THE NRL FOOTY SHOW has a really strong on-camera team of Fatty, Sterlo, Matty Johns and The Chief. They actually know how to work together and the whole thing just clicks. THE AFL FOOTY SHOW has Gary Lyons and Jamie Bradshaw constantly telling Sam to move on. He is essentially not a team player. Sure, people tu

War Footing

Image
Zeitgeisters, Yesterday morning I was watching Network Ten’s 9am with David and Kath (Kim Watkins is in Borneo). The Federal Justice Minister Chris Ellison was answering questions about the upsurge of crystal meth abuse in Australia. Obviously it’s a huge problem; Ellison was good on stats and sounded passionate about his subject. Unfortunately he kept using the phrase “The War on Drugs”. Does this American phrase work in an Australian context? Should we be using it at all when you consider its history? Former US president Nixon coined it when he called for a War on Drugs in 1971. That War continues to this day. In 1964 Lyndon Johnson declared a War on Poverty and in 2001 George W. Bush declared a War on Terror . Perhaps at first the term “The War on…” was created to give an impression of decisive action with the hope for a swift conclusion. So far nothing termed “The War on…” has reached a satisfactory end. Maybe it’s time this phrase was dropped from the political a

What's with George Eads' Hair?

Image
DailyCeleb.com & David Edwards Hey Zeitgeisters, Bet you thought this blog would never top “ What’s with Bradley Whitford’s Hair? ” For those of you who weren’t part of that historical blog entry, it was the glittering moment where I wondered what’s with West Wing star Bradley Whitford’s hair. Good times. However, tonight, while watching the current series (in Australia) of CSI :Original Recipe , I was forced to witness the unpleasantness of George Eads’ new(ish) 'do and I felt compelled to blog on’t. George plays the part of Nick Stokes and has spent some 5 or 6 seasons with a haircut “you could set your watch to,” as Grandpa Simpson might say. It was always short; it always had that US Marine Corps vibe; it was always as dependable as the ebbing and flowing of the tides. Now in something of an El Nino effect, I note that someone in Jerry Bruckheimer’s organization has decided to mess with the length of George’s crowning glory. Although I chiefly watch CSI wa

Not Barry Bostwick

Image
Mr Bostwick looks a little like this if you squint. Zeitgeisters, just time to say a couple of things. It has become clear to you, I’m sure, that I am a Gen X-er - and and one of the older ones. But I keep the fiction of never giving away my actual age, name or visual appearance because many of you like to imagine what Mr Trivia might look like. Or envision an identity for him. You’re only human, after all. There are even a number of you who believe that I am baby boomer Barry Bostwick, actor, born 1945 and famous for the role of Brad in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. This, too is wrong. Would the real Barry Bostwick bother to note that on the Google/ Firefox page it says: “Love Firefox? So do millions of others. Help us spread the word!” No. he would be too busy dealing with fan letters and movie offers. He wouldn’t have time to be part of some viral marketing that was thinly-disguised as social networking. And he couldn’t spare a moment for the following statem

What, No Interrobang?!

Image
Zeitgeisters, We live, I think you’ll agree, in an increasingly puzzling world. As children we are led to believe that we will improve our lifeskills and become better at doing things – whether these things are physical, verbal, mathematical, linguistic or other skills. And for a time, this seems to be true. Then one day, usually after 35, we discover there is a drop-off point. We don’t improve necessarily. If we continue to improve in any area it is only with a massive amount of study, labour, exercise – you name it. More importantly for my current argument-slash-rant, our understanding of the world we live in, doesn’t improve or become more acute. We spend all our years from say – six – onward, believing that someday we’re going to get it . Understanding will be ours. This, I think, is utter horseshit. Before youse all reach for your keyboards to tell me about your Truth, allow me to prepare the way. One day, I might just surrender to the Big Mystery and suddenly em

Wear A Rock T-Shirt

Image
Hi Zeitgeisters, Why should we wear a rock t-shirt on Rocktober 4th? So that Keira Knightley doesn't have to. Don't let some Hollywood starlet move into our domain. It's not like we're going to be elbowing her aside on the red carpet any time soon. Wear your Rock t-shirt on Wednesday Rocktober the 4th. Further details here . Rock on! Mr Trivia

Shameless Cross-Promotion #2

Image
Lep Loney is a friend of this blog and he writes poetry ripped from today's headlines. Or sometimes pulled from the advertising leaflets you find stuffed in your letterbox. Enjoy his latest brilliant poetic work Fung's Kitchen and then check the comments section where he then critiques his own work without fear or favour. Genius is an overused word and happily it does not apply here. Elevate! Mr Trivia

Self Belief

Image
In a media-landscape dominated by so-called talent shows and alleged documentaries about bands getting together, I thought there was no way standards could drop any lower. Then I saw Girlband on Channel freakin’ Ten. Yep, I know Australia’s Network 10 is the home of such crud. Readers of this blog will know that I watched Big Brother 2006 on this very network - although in my defence, I couldn’t make it to the end, your honour. The idea of all the various Idol and Pop-Star shows is that we want to watch young hopefuls become recording stars. It’s a product-driven, minutely managed process that mimics the struggle of an unsigned musical act to “make it”. We know its ersatz, but the soap opera of egocentric hotties fighting for the spotlight has its own compelling drama. However, even my lowered standards were not prepared for the drivel that of this show. I could attempt to describe the melted cheesiness purporting to be entertainment, but Girlband’s website does it so m

Rocktober Rules

Image
Many of you know where I work. For those who don’t, it may or may not be CLONE PRINTS a 60 minute photocopying house in the Perth suburb of Nedlands. Or perhaps it’s THE CLASS MENAGERIE an up-scale pet shop in Leeming. The hypotheticals are endless, so let’s move on. For the last two years, at my work place, we have resurrected the term Rocktober to describe the tenth month. Why? Because Rocktober was the name radio DJs used – without irony – in the 1970s. Because October is just a little too far away from Christmas and New Year to be of any use. (Halloween? – Whateverrr…) So if a month has to ROCK it should be Rocktober. The name of the game is simple. For the entire month of Rocktober, find ways to use the following terms in conversation: Rockin’ That Rocks (You Rock etc.) Rocked up to Rock out Rock my World Rock on You get the picture. The other important feature of Rocktober is the Wearing of the Shirt. The Rock t-shirt was a popular item of clothing in the 1970s and 1980s. Its

Gorbys' Last Stand

Image
Gorby's back in the day, rockin' hard at the 2006 Million Paws March, St James Mitchell Park, South Perth. Or maybe not. Zeitgeisters, I’m afraid the rumours are true. My band, Dancing With Gorbachev (DWG) have split, owing to irreconcilable indifference on the part of Society. Was our rock too confronting? Was our truth too hard to bear? Were our harmonies just too sweet? The best review we ever got was this: “Youse guys are 100% uncompromising, four on the floor, straight down the line, meat and potatoes, balls to the wall, pedal to the metal, rock and f**king roll.” That was our drummer Vik Suprotik’s gran. Thanks for that! Let me leave you with the lyrics to a song that Pedrag, Zlatko and I wrote. It’s in the style of Cheap Trick’s “Dream Police”. It’s called “Depthy”. It’s time to put out the garbage. It’s time to put out the trash. Say goodbye to yesteryear. And flick off the cigarette’s ash. Goodbye you losers, We’re so dep-thy! Goodbye kind friends, W

VEXDTT Results

Image
Hi Zeitgeisters, Recently, Mr Trivia ran a contest off-site amongst his email contact list. It was the Very Easy Extremely Difficult Trivia Test (VEXDTT). The winner of the comp was Bon , he receives a bottle of Goundrey Unwooded Chardonnay. Congratulations to Bon and to all who entered the contest. VEXDTT Answers 1. Who sang the following and in what song? a. The pink filet mignon looks black on the negs Godley and Crème – Englishman in New York b. Baby I would climb the Andes solely Forever and Ever - Shakira c. Khmer Rhouge, and genocide qua If I Could Talk I’d Tell You - The Lemonheads d. I'm a peeping-tom techie with x-ray eyes The Future’s So Bright I go to Wear Shades - Timbuk 3 e. If your status ain't hood, I ain't checkin' for him Soldier by Destiny’s Child 2. Which of the following were not food products in Australia? a. Fonzies cheese snacks b. Star Wars gum with trading cards c. Smurfs breakfast cereal d. Transformers Instant Noodle

The 2006 Curmudgeon Awards

Image
Hail the 'Muddies The world is full of superfluous awards and here is yet another. Earlier this month, Mr Trivia, who is now referring to himself in the third person, put out calls for nominations for the inaugural Curmudgeon Awards aka The 'Muddies . A “curmudgeon” is usually defined as an ill-tempered old man. And let’s face it,lately we have had a lot to be curmudgeonly about. For those who regularly read this blog (hi, you two!) this process occurred in a parallel universe known as Mr Trivia’s email contact list. Sorry ‘bout that. We’ll do it differently next year. Mr Trivia and his crack team of Zeitgeist Consultants have compiled the results and responses. Here now are the five nomination categories and the results. Judges decisions are final and any attempt to quibble will bring down upon the complainer the wrath of Woden, Thor or Mr Kelly from Hey Dad! 'Muddie Winners Most insultingly presented news event of the last 12 months. The Tomkat story. Most irritating so