Coincidence?

Sunday, March 22, 2009 | 0 Comments

I just finished watching Australia, I mean the credits were still rolling, when SSB asks if I got his email yet. I start to log into my email, and as always I check out the headlines on the main page before heading into my inbox. I see "Biker Brawl in Airport Leaves 1 Dead". Weird. So of course I must clicky. And then I am reading this:

Bikers brawl through Australian airport; 1 dead

SYDNEY — Warring bikers brawled through Australia's largest airport Sunday, beating one suspected gang member to death and brandishing metal poles "like swords" as they rampaged through the main domestic terminal in front of terrified travelers.

Police said a group of suspected gang members was ambushed as they disembarked from an airplane.

"A fight ensued, the fight moved through various parts of the terminal," said Police Detective Inspector Peter Williams. He said 15 men were involved in the violence, which rampaged from the ground floor up one level to the departures hall before most of the men fled.

Williams said one man died in a hospital from head injuries after the brawl, which appeared to bear out warnings of an impending biker war in Sydney.

"They came running through picking up the big metal barrier poles and swinging them like swords at each other," witness Naomi Constantine told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

"I saw one of the men lying on the ground and another man came up with a pole and just started smashing it into his head," she said.

Four men were arrested, Williams said. The others escaped, some of them by hailing taxis, local media reported. No charges were immediately laid.

Police did not identify the gangs suspected in the violence.

Authorities fear a gang war is brewing in Sydney following string of drive-by shootings and an explosion last month outside a fortified Hell's Angel's clubhouse.

Well, it seems that not much has changed in Australia.

(Here is the email that SSB sent me, speaking of interesting news stories.)

5 comments:

Lyvvie said...

I'm sending this to Malcolm....

Sylvana said...

Lyvvie, I was thinking about you guys when I was reading it. It just seems like something you might see in a Guy Ritchie film. Weird, a little scary and definitely funny.

Hope Malcolm is up on his sword fighting :)

lindsaylobe said...

Sylvana – the biker wars which have surfaced anew will finally be met with a policy of zero tolerance _ new state laws to more effectively deal with this ongoing national problem.
Best wishes

Sylvana said...

Lindsay, I hadn't heard of this war until this article, but it sounds similar to our gang wars.

Michael Manning said...

Sylvana: Just today here in Scottsdale, Arizona where I live we had Biker Celebration Day. Quite a different event. But we have this problem in select cities as well! Very sad, indeed.

All New Look

Monday, March 16, 2009 | 0 Comments

I was really getting sick of my old template, so I have been working on new one. This is a tweaked freebie from a template site - it had an integrated title header that I had to change in a photo editor to the title of my own blog. That only took a few hours! First I had to figure out the photo editor since it was new to me - another web freebie: GIMP 2. Thanks SSB, it is AWESOME! Well, once you get it figured out that is.

I will be working over the next week to get the other bugs worked out of it and add back in some more personalized things. Until then, bear with me and let me know if there are any problems that you notice so that I can add them to my list.

In any event, I think it will be great!

9 comments:

Mrs. Loquacious said...

I love the new souped-up template! :) It's feminine and clean, making it very easy to read. Great pick!!

Sylvana said...

Mrs.L, thanks! It was hard finding one that fit me and this blog, and didn't have a bunch of problems.

sideshow bob said...

Bring out the Gimp!

Shannon said...

Love it!!

Sylvana said...

SSB, thank you! I have so many projects to work on!

Shannon, every time I see it I like it more and more.

Michael Manning said...

Sylvana! It was nice to see you over at my site! Hey, this is a nice template; I looked around. Time to get caught up with your recent posts here too. Have a great weekend! :D)

Sylvana said...

Michael Manning, thanks, I will. I'm grilling!

Heather said...

The new look is completely fab! I love it!!

Sylvana said...

Heather, thanks. I've always been a fan of your blog design.

Movie Marathon

Sunday, March 01, 2009 | 0 Comments

I've gotten a little bit of time to do some fun stuff - like watch some movies.

Wall-e -- ADORABLE!! It is a farily tight plot with a little social warning thrown in.

Ratatouille -- LOVED IT! A movie about being a foodie. And Janeane Garofalo? Never would have guessed it was her, even though I thought I recognized the voice.

The Butterfly and the Diving Bell -- extremely interesting. I love true stories and ones that are done from unusual perspectives. This is now my favorite movie about strokes. (My favorite movie about cancer is Wit)

X-files: I Want to Believe -- I am a big X-Files fan. I once drove through an ice storm to get home in time to watch the X-Files. This was like a long episode, so if you like X-Files, you'll like this.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop -- it was as it would seem, a goofy comedy with not much substance. Paul James is funny, I always like watching him in action.

Slumdog Millionaire -- there is a reason it won awards. It is a very good movie. I would recommend it to my friends. I love the fearlessness and smart-assedness of the main character; and how it prevails throughout everything that happens.

How To Lose Friends and Alienate People -- very good movie, smart and funny. I LOVE Simon Pegg, and this one even had Kirsten Dunst. Simon usually plays a loser in love with a great girl and the lengths he'll go through to win her back after blowing it.

Hamlet 2 -- a very strange, fun movie. And how could you not want to see how they come to a song called "Rock Me Sexy Jesus"?

Coraline 3D-- I now can't hear or say this title without starting to sing "Sweet Caroline" as "Sweet Coraline" thanks to Shannon. Loved this movie. Loved the story. And I just found out today that Neil Gaiman lives nearby here in Western Wisconsin. I was wondering why there would be rumors of Tori Amos looking for property in this area. Why the hell would she want to live in Western Wisconsin? I mean I love Wisconsin -- but not necessarily the most inspiring place to live. But then, Neil made Coraline and it was fabulous. Must see in 3D.

W -- Josh Brolin IS GW Bush, unfortunately for him. Although to hear him describe his character, you'd swear he thought he was making a comedy. It was very hard to watch. It was like re-living the last 8 years, feeling like the makers of the movie could have changed things, made things better, stopped it all from happening. It's a good movie though, if you can stomach it.

2 comments:

sideshow bob said...

Max Payne!!!

Michael Manning said...

The last movie I saw was Gran Torino with Clint Eastwood. It's rumored to be his last as an actor. It was quite good, very heart-rendering! I think he'll just direct now.

The Economy Finally Hits Me

Sunday, February 22, 2009 | 0 Comments

I know that the economy is crap, has been crap, is getting crappier by the day -- but to tell you the truth I didn't feel it until today.

Cost Plus is closing all the World Markets in Minnesota!! AHhhh!!

I almost cried. But, then it would be too hard to find the things that I'd like to get 40%+ off. I will let the comfort of my savings and acquisition of all these goodies console my grief.

I have been meaning to get the blue rimmed goblets and the stovetop espresso maker for some time - no time like 60% off time. The espresso maker works great too.

The green mortar and pestle and the infusion tea cup were 60% off. The carved stone appetizer service forks and the stainless steel dip cups were 70% off. And the beautiful glass candle stick holders were 75% off.

All these great savings and I can barely enjoy it.
Well, at least the ones in Wisconsin haven't closed. The nearest one, Madison, is on the way to my sister's house; so looks like I will be visiting my sister more often!

3 comments:

sideshow bob said...

Sucks!

Double sucks!!!

Shannon said...

My heart would break if all the Cost Plusses (?) closed in Vegas. It would be sad day- you have my sympathies.

Michael Manning said...

Hang on, though! My friends at ASU tell me by the 3rd Quarter we will start to rebound!

18 Years

Thursday, February 12, 2009 | 0 Comments

WOW! SSB and I have been together a whole 18 years!! In some ways it seems like we have been together forever, but in a good way.

We had made plans to have a fun-packed weekend -- but we will be dog-sitting instead. Our older dog had a tumor removed on Wednesday and we are on chew-watch. He's far too nervous a dog for the "lampshade", a his vet calls it. I got a peek at his chart and in the "Warning" box was written "Caution: NERVOUS!"


Happy Valentine's Day!

4 comments:

Lyvvie said...

Congratulations!!

Sylvana said...

Lyvvie, thanks. And we're keeping up our anniversary tradition -- we can't go out and celebrate. Zero needs watching and just to be sure, I got a stomach virus. Blah!!

Shannon said...

Congratulations! I hope you guys make it out to celebrate at some point, and your dog gets better.

Sylvana said...

Shannon, we still haven't celebrated yet, but our dog is much better. Benign granuloma.

4 comments:

Lyvvie said...

You could freeze some, with heavy cream and have egg nog ice cream for the next three-six months!

Heather said...

Mmm...egg nog....{drooling like Homer}

Sylvana said...

Lyvvie, frozen nog is good as well, but nothing beats fresh nog!

Heather, noggy goodness!

Neil Patrick Harris

Tuesday, January 06, 2009 | 0 Comments


I was over on Heather's blog Matted Spam reading her list of songs that get stuck in her head, when I read the fascinating words - Neil.Patrick.Harris.

Neil Patrick Harris in a song list? What the hell does Neil Patrick Harris sing? At first I thought, perhaps there is another Neil Patrick Harris? Maybe there is a band that named themselves Neil Patrick Harris? It's totally plausible. I could see NPH totally digging that.

But NO! It's the real deal! The real NEIL effin PATRICK HARRIS!
SINGING!!!!
And it gets better. It's a whole wonderful, magical, hilarious operetta!
Thank you Heather!!



Note: This take a bit to load and is a 45 minute show, BUT IT SOOOO WORTH IT!!

4 comments:

Heather said...

It thrills me when I turn people on to Dr. Horrible!! YAY!! I'm glad you liked it! I think it's amazing! We made my family watch it on Christmas Eve and they were lukewarm in their reception of it. Don't understand how I ended up being related to them!! ha! Hope you have a great 2009!!

Sylvana said...

OMG Heather! This really started off my new year right!

I emailed it to my family and friends.

Michael Manning said...

Sylvana: Sending you all the best for your weekend! :D)

Sylvana said...

Michael, thanks Michael!

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