This joke does the rounds a bit too often: It doesn't work. In the show, because Walter White is a salaried professional, his insurance covers the same procedures that national healthcare insurance schemes generally cover in the sensible world. The nature of the extremely expensive experimental cancer treatment for which he needs the money isn't … Continue reading The Dorkiest Fun-Spoilingest Thing Ever Written About Breaking Bad
Category: Foreignery
I an a civilised gentleman with a fine reputation; my father has a reputation as a smart bastard who stirs up shit. He also introduced me to the delightful and amazing Kirstie MacColl and by proxy, Johnny Marr. I feel the need to stick up my dad's Trayvon commentary, because it needs a home. This … Continue reading Bands of distinctions
Eurovision is massive in Australia, probably more so than it is in much of Europe - despite the fact that there aren't any Australian participants, we don't get to vote, and it's shown on time-delay. Which is odd. Of course, its importance is symbolic. Eurovision was first shown in Australia in 1983, which was exactly … Continue reading Quick and unoriginal Eurovision thought
The first jetliner was Boeing's square-windowed 707; it was grounded after a few months following tragic incidents which wiped out a fair proportion of elite Americans. The money flowing to De Havilland to create a civilian airliner progamme to promote their non-murderous plane trumped nationalist concerns. Despite the fact that the 707 is a finer … Continue reading The Boeing Comet is still on sale
Inspired by the "send a letter to the Government of Ecuador" left-meme, here's my letter to the Government of Ecuador: Dear the Government of Ecuador. You've got a slightly disturbing Cuba-light personality cult going, and Julian Assange is an autistic pervert who I wouldn't let within a hundred yards of any female friends or relations. … Continue reading All open letters are pathetic in the same way
List of significant winter sports and the teams who play them seriously who are from English-speaking countries American Football (USA) Australian Football (AUS) Ice Hockey (CAN, USA) Rugby League (AUS, GB[ENG],NZ) Rugby Union (GB [ENG, IRE, SCO, WAL], NZ) Soccer (GB [ENG,SCO,WAL,NI], IRE) List of significant winter sports and the serious teams who play them … Continue reading If we had the same sports, we might properly fight
"[Great Blasket] island was inhabited until 1953, when the Irish government decided that it could no longer guarantee the safety of the remaining population. It was the home of three noted Irish writers: Tomás Ó Criomhthain, Peig Sayers and Muiris Ó Súilleabháin" - some slightly ropy web slideshow. It's a fair call. There is absolutely no … Continue reading A man of genius makes no mistakes
I wrote this piece about British national terms after my Cross-Cultural Communication lecturer asked me about the differences between different UK-ish groups. Anyone/everyone disagree? The most important bit, and by far the most offensive to get wrong, is recognising that the non-English nations within the UK can never be called ‘England’. England, Scotland and Wales … Continue reading Poms, Paddies, Jocks & Taffs
I've always found halal slaughter less unpleasant than regular industrial animal slaughter. As anyone who's ever cut themselves with a properly sharp blade knows, cutting yourself with a sharp blade doesn't hurt at all until about a minute after the event, by which point the animal is already distinctly dead. You might prefer your animals … Continue reading Secularists Go Silly On Halal
Aussie blogger Melinda Tankard Reist has a rather misguided post on Hindustan Unilever's