I was both horrified and amused by this latest spam offering.

The email goes something like this:

"...Dear (name blanked out),
As a past supporter of President Bush, I would like to invite you to learn more about the George W. Bush Presidential Center. The center is committed to advancing the the four principles - Freedom, Opportunity, Responsibility, and Compassion - that guided his presidency and remain the focus of his and Mrs Bush's ongoing work..."


























Polite but firm Query, Mr Spam Person:...

AS A PAST SUPPORTER OF GEORGE W. BUSH?!?!?

Spammers don't do much research, do they?


Mistake #1. I am an Australian so I don't tend to vote in US presidential elections.

Mistake #2. If I did get the opportunity to vote in the US presidential elections, I would vote for the Democrats

Mistake #3. Perhaps "past supporter" is a broad term. Perhaps throwing beer cans and yelling expletives at G.W. Bush on the telly counts as supporting.


Yay. Go democracy...

Die spammers...

technorati tags: George Bush, George W, George W Bush, Spam, Email

The news has been reporting a number of assaults and robberies at Melbourne train stations - particularly those located on the Frankston/Pakenham/Werribee/Cranbourne lines, plus the city stations. I have observed an interesting (and I think effective) way of driving away the criminal element that seems to be having an effect on gangs of teenagers who like to hang out at train stations.  

I witnessed it first at Glen Waverley station - it's quite simple:

The most hideous musak you have ever heard in your entire life blasted through the loudspeakers. No loitering groups seem to want to listen to the latest musak version of "Tie A Yellow Ribbon" for the tenth time in a row.

Now this is no laughing matter, train stations have become quite dangerous of late and there seems to be a lack of ideas on how to protect the innocent people who just need to catch a train.

The muck-up antics of hundreds of kids were not deterred by this musak onslaught. Probably because the din from hundreds of excited year 12s would drown anything out, even "Reggie Dixon's Tango Treats".

This is a tactic that can be applied at other high risk stations to basically drive people away using the power of uncoolness. This doesn't solve the problem, it's only part of the solution.
Other measures could include extra bright lighting at all stations (not just "premium" stations), effective CCTV coverage. CCTV coverage is no good if there is nobody around to help those in danger. CCTV captures video bytes for the news - the important part is deploying the police, using station masters, ticket inspectors and various other security personnel. These tactics could be used in the loop and inner-city stations to usher people in and out of the city quickly.

The idea of blasting musak acts as a kind of repellant dog whistle to those who would not wish to be associated with "Blame it on the Bossa Nova" or any other other related songs. I noted that Taylor Dane seems to drive people away, and I have observed Anastacia to work just as well. The people at Connex have clearly done their homework because they never seem to play anything like The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac or any other artists likely to be appreciated by all.

I suggest Connex implements this policy throughout other stations in Melbourne, along with the vitally important policing and monitoring measures to ensure that crime at Melbourne train stations is kept to a minimum.

technorati tags: dangerous Melbourne train stations, Connex, Melbourne train, crime Melbournetrain, crime prevention, gangs, security

You may have noticed this - you go to the supermarket or grocer and the price for fresh raspberries is rather prohibitive.

In fact, the price of gold and raspberries seem to following a similar trend. And given the choice, I would probably choose the gold.

However, I have found a little loophole that ensures you can have raspberries all year round without taking out a second mortgage.
Check your local grocer or supermarket for frozen bulk raspberries. Bulk? I hear you gasp. Don't be afraid. I have found that for $8, I can get a large pack of individually frozen raspberries that last for months, all at the same price as a small punnet of fresh raspberries.

If you have the room and the resources, growing your own raspberries is another great option.


Here's a great drink idea I discovered while experimenting...
Ingredients:
Soda water
Freshly squeezed lime juice
1 nectarine, cut into segments
4-5 frozen raspberries

Combine all ingredients and pour in the soda water. Refreshing!!
You can substitute the nectarine with peaches, pineapple or any other fruit you can think of.
The beauty of frozen raspberries is that they act as ice cubes and keep the drink icy. After the drink is finished, the raspberries are ready to eat.

Be sure to check out more juicer recipes, and tips on fruit and healthy eating.

Other ways to up your raspberry intake include drinking Raspberry Leaf Tea, getting your own Raspberry Seeds, and cultivate your green thumb by learning how to Grow Your Own.

technorati tags: raspberries, find cheap raspberries, get cheap rasperries, expensive raspberries, drink, recipe

For the elderly and movement impaired, a Medical Alert system can literally be a lifeline. For most of us, there are people we care about - parents, grandparents who are perhaps living alone without the aid of a carer. Despite our best efforts, we can't always be there. I'll present two scenarios:

1. A man/woman is at home, has had a fall and is not able to push a button. In this case a device named "fall alert" contains a fall detector. This device is worn on the person and when a fall is detected, will call the 24 hour monitoring service which in turn alerts relatives and medical personnel. The alerts continue until someone is dispatched to the residence.

2. A man/woman, perhaps suffering from Alzheimer's wanders into a strange neighbourhood and cannot find their way back home. In this case a GPS tracking bracelet featuring a two-way speakerphone. This Medical Alert device can be used by the wearer as one would use a mobile phone to call for help. Similarly, the GPS device will send an alert if the person has wandered off and can't be contacted.

Other products include smoke alarms, intruder alarms, inactivity detectors and panic buttons for peace of mind and security.

"I've never won down here, so now I have won on every continent, except for Antarctica" - Tiger Woods, Kingston Heath 2009.

At Victorian sandbelt course Kingston Heath on Sunday 15th November, the final round began in a sweltering, dusty and thirsty environment. My partner and I perched upon a not-so-grassy knoll at the 1st hole to witness the tee shot of the world's number 1 golfer, Tiger Woods.

The day began with an accidental breach of security - my partner and I wandered past three security guards and almost stumbled on to Tiger's range session. It was only when I caught a glimpse of the famous final day red shirt and a security guard asked us did we have our IDs, that I realised that we were on the other side of the fence and in player's territory.

The excitement was building even before we reached the course itself. On the shuttle bus we downed a 2 litre bottle of water to ensure the proper hydration for the day. During a quiet moment a man with one of the loudest voices I've ever heard yelled:
"Do you know what time it is?"
Curious people turned to look.
"IT'S TIGER TIME!!!" The whole bus broke into laughter and in a moment of comic relief we realised just how excited we were to be seeing Tiger on the final day.

After following the field for a time, we grabbed some (incredibly overpriced) lunch and proceeded to the 6th hole where we were ready to shade ourselves for a while. Then we looked towards the 5th at what appeared to be a million colourful ants headed our way.
"What are those crowds doing?"
"Oh sh!t! He's here already." We scrambled into position as the hordes mustered in.
A young boy sat at our feet and kept voicing that he wanted to say something to Tiger.

When Tiger walked past, only a couple of feet away, the boy worked up the courage and said "You're a Gun Tiger!"
Tiger stopped for a moment, turned around, smiled and said "Thank You" before making his way to the tee. This is the type of memory that will remain long after the tournament is over.

Greg Chalmers (AUS), Francois Delamontagne (FRA) Jason Dufner (USA) and James Nitties (AUS) were snapping at Tiger's heels for a large part of the tournament. At the 14th, Chalmers was set to take the lead. We revelled in the brilliant display of skill and accuracy by these incredible players, and cheered them on - if Tiger was to be beaten, it would be fitting for an Australian to do it.

We began to get slightly sunburned - making our way to the 16th we were rewarded with both shade and solitude. From our perfect vantage point we watched a parade of golfers, Adam Scott, Rod Pampling, Stuart Appleby, and after checking the scoreboard, we saw that Tiger was -14 and looking good for the win. When Tiger appeared, the galleries were bursting with people, yet we had the perfect view and very little crowd around us. We were close enough to see Tiger brush away a fly, re-compose himself and hit one of the most awesome shots I have seen in my life. The ball landed on the green so perfectly it nearly went in the hole. It was awe-inspiring. Needless to say, we made some noise.

When we gathered round the green to watch the putt, a little boy sitting on his mother's shoulders stared at the players, open mouthed in awe and wonderment. He kept repeating the same thing over and over. "Tiiiger Wooods." The crowd started to giggle after a while as the boy repeated it for the 10th time. Then he got a quizzical look on his face as Tiger stalked the putt and lined it up from every angle.
"Is he gonna hit the ball?" The setup phase was obviously getting to him.

It was not until the very last hole that Tiger could relax. As we know, anything can happen in golf. Woods approached the 18th, made a 2 putt and sealed the tournament win to yet another colossal roar from the crowd. We witnessed the gold jacket and trophy presentation, surrounded by thousands of people. Last year we watched Rod Pampling receive the same accolades to a largely empty stand. It is expected that the new surge of enthusiasm for Australian golf spurned by the worldwide publicity will lead to larger galleries at all Australian golf tournaments. Players such as Rod Pampling, Robert Allenby, Karrie Webb and many other noteworthy Australian golfers deserve more publicity and greater accolades in their home country - perhaps this will be the start of a new era in Australian golf.
















For some, this was their first experience of a golf tournament, the spectacle of Tiger Woods and curiosity taking them into new territory. The tournament was a great promotional tool for Victoria, for Melbourne, and for Australian Golf. It is easy to forget that throughout the ages Kingston Heath has been host to a number of legends, including Greg Norman, Severiano Ballesteros, Sam Snead, Gene Sarazen, Jack Nicklaus, Walter Hagen, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Gary Player. It would be a magical touch to begin a tradition of hosting the Australian Masters at Kingston Heath every year, as they do with the US Masters in Augusta.


Tiger won with a final score of -14, followed by Greg Chalmers at -12 and Francois Delamontagne at -10.
















Putting To Win - Tour Pro Reveals Easiest Way To Lower Scores. The Culmination Of Seven Years Work, This E-book Is Packed With Information, For Anyone Who Seriously Wants To Improve Their Golf Scores.

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