#melbourne strip shows

[sky-strippers]

Melbourne Strip Shows: A Fun and Entertaining Night Out

Melbourne is a city that is known for its vibrant nightlife, and one of the most popular forms of entertainment for adults is strip shows. Melbourne is home to a variety of strip clubs and shows that offer a fun and exciting night out for those looking for something different.

Strip shows in Melbourne are a popular form of entertainment for both men and women. They offer a chance to let loose and enjoy the sensual and erotic performances of skilled performers. The shows usually feature a variety of performers, including male and female strippers, and can include dance routines, costumes, and even fire performances.

In addition to the entertainment value, strip shows in Melbourne also provide a safe and controlled environment for exploring your sexuality and desires. It's an opportunity to let go of inhibitions and enjoy the fantasy of being desired by attractive and skilled performers.

If you're interested in checking out strip shows in Melbourne, there are many clubs and venues to choose from. Some of the most popular venues include The Men's Gallery, Spearmint Rhino, and Centrefold Lounge. These clubs offer a range of options for entertainment, including private shows and VIP rooms.

It's important to note that while strip shows can be a fun and exciting night out, it's important to approach them with respect and dignity. The performers are professionals who deserve to be treated with respect and appreciation for their skills and talent.

In conclusion, Melbourne strip shows offer a fun and entertaining night out for those looking for something different. Whether you're looking for a fun night out with friends or an opportunity to explore your sexuality, strip shows in Melbourne are sure to provide a memorable experience. So why not check out a show today and enjoy the ultimate entertainment experience!

[watermonkeystuff]

Strip The Dog live.

[reasonsforhope]

Humans are so cute. They think they can outsmart birds. They place nasty metal spikes on rooftops and ledges to prevent birds from nesting there.

It’s a classic human trick known in urban design as “evil architecture”: designing a place in a way that’s meant to deter others. Think of the city benches you see segmented by bars to stop homeless people sleeping there.

But birds are genius rebels. Not only are they undeterred by evil architecture, they actually use it to their advantage, according to a new Dutch study published in the journal Deinsea.

Crows and magpies, it turns out, are learning to rip strips of anti-bird spikes off of buildings and use them to build their nests. It’s an incredible addition to the growing body of evidence about the intelligence of birds, so wrongly maligned as stupid that “bird-brained” is still commonly used as an insult...

Magpies also use anti-bird spikes for their nests. In 2021, a hospital patient in Antwerp, Belgium, looked out the window and noticed a huge magpie’s nest in a tree in the courtyard. Biologist Auke-Florian Hiemstra of Leiden-based Naturalis Biodiversity Center, one of the study’s authors, went to collect the nest and found that it was made out of 50 meters of anti-bird strips, containing no fewer than 1,500 metal spikes.

Hiemstra describes the magpie nest as “an impregnable fortress.”

Pictured: A huge magpie nest made out of 1,500 metal spikes.

Magpies are known to build roofs over their nests to prevent other birds from stealing their eggs and young. Usually, they scrounge around in nature for thorny plants or spiky branches to form the roof. But city birds don’t need to search for the perfect branch — they can just use the anti-bird spikes that humans have so kindly put at their disposal.

“The magpies appear to be using the pins exactly the same way we do: to keep other birds away from their nest,” Hiemstra said.

Another urban magpie nest, this one from Scotland, really shows off the roof-building tactic:

Pictured: A nest from Scotland shows how urban magpies are using anti-bird spikes to construct a roof meant to protect their young and eggs from predators.

Birds had already been spotted using upward-pointing anti-bird spikes as foundations for nests. In 2016, the so-called Parkdale Pigeon became Twitter-famous for refusing to give up when humans removed her first nest and installed spikes on her chosen nesting site, the top of an LCD monitor on a subway platform in Melbourne. The avian architect rebelled and built an even better home there, using the spikes as a foundation to hold her nest more securely in place.

...Hiemstra’s study is the first to show that birds, adapting to city life, are learning to seek out and use our anti-bird spikes as their nesting material. Pretty badass, right?

The genius of birds — and other animals we underestimate

It’s a well-established fact that many bird species are highly intelligent. Members of the corvid family, which includes crows and magpies, are especially renowned for their smarts. Crows can solve complex puzzles, while magpies can pass the “mirror test” — the classic test that scientists use to determine if a species is self-aware.

Studies show that some birds have evolved cognitive skills similar to our own: They have amazing memories, remembering for months the thousands of different hiding places where they’ve stashed seeds, and they use their own experiences to predict the behavior of other birds, suggesting they’ve got some theory of mind.

And, as author Jennifer Ackerman details in The Genius of Birds, birds are brilliant at using tools. Black palm cockatoos use twigs as drumsticks, tapping out a beat on a tree trunk to get a female’s attention. Jays use sticks as spears to attack other birds...

Birds have also been known to use human tools to their advantage. When carrion crows want to crack a walnut, for example, they position the nut on a busy road, wait for a passing car to crush the shell, then swoop down to collect the nut and eat it. This behavior has been recorded several times in Japanese crows.

But what’s unique about Hiemstra’s study is that it shows birds using human tools, specifically designed to thwart birds’ plans, in order to thwart our plans instead. We humans try to keep birds away with spikes, and the birds — ingenious rebels that they are — retort: Thanks, humans!

-via Vox, July 26, 2023

[mariacallous]

On Boxing Day pro-Palestine demonstrators met customers at the Zara sale in the Westfield shopping centre, in Stratford, east London. They were not there to wish them the compliments of the season.

‘Bombs are dropping while you’re shopping,’ they chanted, as police stood by to make sure the protests did not turn violent. ‘Zara is enabling genocide,’ their placards read.

Quite what they wanted bargain hunters to do about the Israeli forces bombing the Gaza Strip, they never said. Lobby their MPs? Politicians are on their Christmas holidays. Join the Palestinian armed struggle?  It was unclear whether the shopping centre had a Hamas recruitment office.

But on one point the demonstrators were certain: no one should be buying from Zara. Even though the fashion chain has not encouraged Israel’s war against Hamas, earned income from it, or supported Israel in any material way, it was nevertheless “exploiting a genocide and commodifying Palestine's pain for profit”.

Zara, in short, has become the object of a paranoid fantasy: a QAnon conspiracy theory for the postcolonial left.

The Zara conspiracy is an entirely modern phenomenon. It has no original author. Antisemitic Russians sat down and wrote the Protocols of the Elders of Zion in the early 20th century. There was an actual “Q” behind the QAnon conspiracy: a far-right activist who first appeared on 4chan message boards in 2017 to claim that a cabal of child abusers was conspiring against Donald Trump.

The Zara conspiracy was mass produced by social media users: an example of the madness of crowds rather than their supposed wisdom. The cause of the descent into hysteria was bizarre.

In early December Zara launched an advertising campaign featuring the model Kristen McMenamy wearing its latest collection in a sculptor’s studio. It clearly was a studio, by the way, and not a war zone in southern Israel or Gaza. McMenamy carried a mannequin wrapped in white fabric. The cry went up that the Spanish company was exploiting the suffering of Palestinians and that the mannequin was meant to represent a victim of Israeli aggression wrapped in a shroud.

The accusation was insane. No one in the photo shoot resembled a soldier or a casualty of war. Anyone who thought for 30 seconds before resorting to social media would have known that global brands plan their advertising campaigns months in advance.

Zara said the campaign presented “a series of images of unfinished sculptures in a sculptor’s studio and was created with the sole purpose of showcasing craft-made garments in an artistic context”. The idea for the studio setting was conceived in July. The photo shoot was in September, weeks before the Hamas assault on Israel on 7 October.

No one cared. Melanie Elturk, the CEO of fashion brand Haute Hijab, said of the campaign, ‘this is sick. What kind of sick, twisted, and sadistic images am I looking at?’ #BoycottZara trended on Twitter, as users said that Zara was ‘utterly shameful and disgraceful”’.

To justify their condemnations, activists developed ever-weirder theories. A piece of cardboard in the photoshoot was meant to be a map of Israel/Palestine turned upside down. Because a Zara executive had once invited an extreme right-wing Israeli politician to a meeting, the whole company was damned.

Astonishingly, or maybe not so astonishingly to anyone who follows online manias, the fake accusations worked. Zara stores in Glasgow, Toronto. Hanover, Melbourne and Amsterdam were targeted.

What on earth could Zara do? PR specialists normally say that the worst type of apology is the non-apology apology, when a public figure or institution shows no remorse, but instead says that they are sorry that people are offended. Yet Zara had not sought to trivialize or profit from the war so what else could it do but offer a non-apology apology? The company duly said it was sorry that people were upset.

“Unfortunately, some customers felt offended by these images, which have now been removed, and saw in them something far from what was intended when they were created,” it said on 13 December, and pulled the advertising campaign

That was two-weeks ago and yet still the protests in Zara stores continue. On 23 December activists targeted Zara on Oxford Street chanting , 'Zara, Zara, you can't hide, stop supporting genocide', even though Zara was not, in fact,  supporting genocide. On Boxing Day, they were at the Stratford shopping centre.

Zara has apologised for an offence it did not commit. There is no way that any serious person can believe the charges against it. And yet believe them the protestors do. Or at the very least they pretend to believe for the sake of keeping in with their allies.

Maybe nothing will come of the protests. One could have argued in 2017, after all, that QAnon was essentially simple-minded people living out their fantasies online. Certainly, every sane American knew that there was no clique of paedophiles running the Democrat party, but where was the harm in the conspiracy theory?

Then QAnon supporters stormed the US capitol in January 2021. Will the same story play out from the Gaza protests? As far as I can tell, no one on the left is challenging the paranoia. I have yet to see the fact-checkers of the BBC and Channel 4 warning about the fake news on the left with anything like the gusto with which they treat its counterparts on the right.

To be fair, the scale of disinformation around the Gaza war is off the charts, and it is impossible to chase down every lie. But when fake news goes from online fantasies to real world protests, from 4chan to the Capitol, from Twitter to the Westfield shopping centre, it’s worth taking notice.

Sensible supporters of a Palestinian state ought to be the most concerned. No one apart from fascists, Islamists and far leftists believes that Israel should not defend itself. And yet the scale of its military action in Gaza is outraging world opinion. Mainstream politicians, who might one day put pressure on Israel, remain very wary about reflecting the anger on the streets.

They look at the insane conspiracy theories on the western left and see them as no different from the insane conspiracy theories that motivate Hamas, and they back away.

The Palestinians need many things: an end to the Netanyahu government, and an end to Hamas. But they could also use allies in the West who do not discredit their cause with dark, gibbering fantasies.

[edutainer2022]

@janetm74, I did a little thing for this prompt:

"I'll come quietly. Just don't hurt them."

***

Scott didn't know about coding and cybersecurity nowhere nearly as much as John or Brains did (or Alan, for that matter), but he knew enough to understand John didn't know about these files. The folder miraculously slipped past Eos, John approved and Kayo vetted firewalls, and materialized on the desktop in his private study. He used it far less frequently than Dad's desk or even Dad's old office, but sometimes insomnia struck when his batteries were running low and going down to get some work done was too much effort.

That meant he couldn't really know how long the folder had been there, which made his insides run cold. What made his hands numb, to boot, were the latest photos in the unnamed folder - pictures of his brothers on the latest rescue. Up close and from a distance. The pictures were not scrambled by their tech. Another batch were from Alan’s recent school trip to Melbourne. From Virgil and Gordon's night on the town. Maybe most unnerving of all - from INSIDE Five and a training hangar on Gran Roca. 

Scott swallowed hard, though his throat went instantly dry, and clicked on the last file - a candid photo of himself in the Tracy Tower penthouse, tying a tie, smiling at a hologram off screen, likely talking to a brother before a day of meetings. The file was uncharacteristically heavy so, just as he suspected, there was a hidden attachment, riding on it. Several more files popped up. Realistically, he should have gotten Kayo and John on the case by then, middle of the night or not, but Scott was frozen in place by the sheer magnitude of morbid implications.

One of the files featured four DNA sequences, neatly labeled Virgil through Allie. Nothing more, nothing less. Scott's vision swam. The threat was as conspicuous as it was cruel - spanning anything from customized targeted neurotoxins or viruses, nanobots masked in a bloodstream, carrying explosives to heart or brain, to a smart bullet, programmed to follow the target DNA like a bloodhound.

Their family had access to almost unlimited research resources and brainpower to counter even something that sophisticated, but Scott wouldn't ever take a chance the assault on his brothers wouldn't have an instant lethal effect. Since his own DNA was not on the list of targets, Scott had a pretty good idea what could be in the next file. It wasn't a sum - of course it wouldn't be that easy. When was it ever! It wasn't even a list of Tracy Industries or IR tech they wanted specs for. It was an instruction he needed to follow on his way. The destination he'd receive upon confirmation of being... cooperative. Whoever they were - wanted him to show up in person.

The next file was a cloaked, heavily encrypted chatbot where Scott typed in his response. Kayo would have his head for going through with it, heavily backed up by John and Penelope, but he couldn't risk his... everything. The only life he would willingly ever give up was his own. He typed in a quick message.

The response, likely pregenerated and tracable, biped almost immediately. No sarcastic niceties or eery foreboding of the consequences of Scott sharing any details of this arrangement with anyone, least of all his family or the GDF. Just a geotag. Scott had to catch himself from slumping sideways on the edge of the desk, as his vision went black for a moment.

The next thing he did after getting his breathing under control and passably certain not to keel over in the middle of his bedroom, was a beeline to his walk-in closet, the palm print activated safe in the far nook of it. His fingers hovered briefly over the cold shape of the gun he kept there, but moved on. Weapons, comms and trackers would be the first things stripped off of him, before he'd be moved to a different location, no doubt. He reached for a secure, strictly offline tablet, stashed in the safe. It held his will - updated frequently to include the ever expanding assets and charities he personally oversaw, in his line of work and lifestyle he left little to chance. He wouldn't have his family go through the same legal hoops Dad's unforeseen demise put himself through. Joint guardianship documents for Alan and Gordon. Gordie was turning 20 in several months, but Allie was still firmly a minor in any jurisdiction, and Grandma wasn't getting any younger since they had to do it the first time around. The consensus, Scott knew nobody wanted to think about ever since the first draft of his will after IR went operational again, was to name Virgil as Alan’s next-in-line guardian. Virgil, his trusted SIC and deputy biggest brother  - Allie would be taken care of. They all would. Scott could see deep brown eyes darken with pain and betrayal in the shadows of the closet - Scott trusted Virgil with his life and with absolutely everything important in his life, but not with THIS. He couldn't.

The tablet also hosted security codes and off the books protocols for IR operations and the island. That was for John. Some of them Casey, Lord Hugh and Kyrano read him into, no other family members present, after the search for Dad had been called off. Some were on an encrypted thumb drive kept in an indefinitely rented deposit box in the bowels of a Swiss bank, with instructions from Dad to transfer to him exclusively or to destroy. The instructions were clearly devised to be put in action decades later than they were and it hurt like hell to touch that thought. Some of the directives not even John knew about by now. That was about to change, soon. If Scott knew his ginger brother, he could be sure at least Virgil or the Tinies would never know.

His whole being ached to make one last round of the villa and check up on his loved ones - he harbored no illusions of ever seeing them again. But he couldn't risk missing the window of John's sleep cycle and not slipping out at least somewhat undetected. Eos and Kayo's sensors would flag him leaving the island in a private jet, not One, but he knew enough to not raise alarm and cover his tracks with a bogus errand in Warsaw at one of TI recent acquisitions. That was as far as he could take the traceable jet. But with Brains' reinforced engines, hopefully, he'd touch down and be on his way, before his absence would be noticed around Gordon's morning swim. As late as breakfast on the island, if he were lucky and they thought he were working some issues out on a long run.

***

A ring of lights changed from default white to orange - something John had come to recognize as a perplexed frown. A hurricane he had been keeping tabs on shifted from yellow to red and the alert woke him up earlier than he estimated. But the hurricane wasn't the source of confusion for his protégé.

"What is it, Eos?"

"I'm detecting a discrepancy in Scott Tracy's schedule and itinerary. He hadn't been due at any of the Tracy Industries subsidiaries this week or the next."

It was John's turn to frown. Scott business meetings and engagements schedule was guarded with what John was sure his PA's life and strictly need to know with any on site security teams. Unbeknownst to Scott himself, since his recent loosing round with exhaustion, hypoglycemia and dehydration, about two thirds of the "matters that urgently required Mr. Tracy's attention", be it Tracy Industries or GDF, hell or high water, were rerouted through Five and screened first by John himself, then Virgil, Grandma or Kayo, depending on the occasion. An ad hoc meeting at a new, fairly minor, Eastern European subsidiary would certainly NEVER slip past the carefully erected firewall around their favorite overworked idiot. Yet the lit up line on the holomap clearly outlined the flight path of Tracy S - Scott's personal jet, almost as fast as Shadow, but rarely taken out for a spin these past years.

John moved to enhance the map and shuddered. He'd probably faint if he were not in zero G already - the destination dot flashed over an abandoned airfield in Poland, in the grey zone now, 5 miles of a forest track shy of the Bereznik border.

A red alert clackson blared over the still sleepy island...

TBC?

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

New SpaceTime out Wednesday

SpaceTime 20241002 Series 27 Episode 119

The Australian crater that could offer fresh insight into Earth’s history

A probable crater stretching more than 600 kilometres, across the heart of the Australian outback could reshape sciences understanding of planet Earth’s geological history.

Perseverance rover spots unusual striped rock on Mars

NASA’s Mars Perseverance Rover has discovered an unusual black and white stripped rock unlike anything ever seen on Mars before.

New Glenn second stage completes a successful hot fire test

Blue Origin's new heavy lift rocket the New Glenn has successfully completed a hot fire test of its second stage booster.

The Science Report

Have scientists finally discovered the cradle of life

A new study has compared what people say in public to what they really think in private.

Scientists have isolated the personality traits associated with self control skills.

Alex on Tech Orion augmented reality glasses.

SpaceTime covers the latest news in astronomy & space sciences.

The show is available every Monday, Wednesday and Friday through Apple Podcasts (itunes), Stitcher, Google Podcast, Pocketcasts, SoundCloud, Bitez.com, YouTube, your favourite podcast download provider, and from www.spacetimewithstuartgary.com

SpaceTime is also broadcast through the National Science Foundation on Science Zone Radio and on both i-heart Radio and Tune-In Radio.

SpaceTime daily news blog: http://spacetimewithstuartgary.tumblr.com/

SpaceTime facebook: www.facebook.com/spacetimewithstuartgary

SpaceTime Instagram @spacetimewithstuartgary

SpaceTime twitter feed @stuartgary

SpaceTime YouTube: @SpaceTimewithStuartGary

SpaceTime -- A brief history

SpaceTime is Australia’s most popular and respected astronomy and space science news program – averaging over two million downloads every year. We’re also number five in the United States.  The show reports on the latest stories and discoveries making news in astronomy, space flight, and science.  SpaceTime features weekly interviews with leading Australian scientists about their research.  The show began life in 1995 as ‘StarStuff’ on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) NewsRadio network.  Award winning investigative reporter Stuart Gary created the program during more than fifteen years as NewsRadio’s evening anchor and Science Editor.  Gary’s always loved science. He studied astronomy at university and was invited to undertake a PHD in astrophysics, but instead focused on his career in journalism and radio broadcasting. Gary’s radio career stretches back some 34 years including 26 at the ABC. He worked as an announcer and music DJ in commercial radio, before becoming a journalist and eventually joining ABC News and Current Affairs. He was part of the team that set up ABC NewsRadio and became one of its first on air presenters. When asked to put his science background to use, Gary developed StarStuff which he wrote, produced and hosted, consistently achieving 9 per cent of the national Australian radio audience based on the ABC’s Nielsen ratings survey figures for the five major Australian metro markets: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth.  The StarStuff podcast was published on line by ABC Science -- achieving over 1.3 million downloads annually.  However, after some 20 years, the show finally wrapped up in December 2015 following ABC funding cuts, and a redirection of available finances to increase sports and horse racing coverage.  Rather than continue with the ABC, Gary resigned so that he could keep the show going independently.  StarStuff was rebranded as “SpaceTime”, with the first episode being broadcast in February 2016.  Over the years, SpaceTime has grown, more than doubling its former ABC audience numbers and expanding to include new segments such as the Science Report -- which provides a wrap of general science news, weekly skeptical science features, special reports looking at the latest computer and technology news, and Skywatch – which provides a monthly guide to the night skies. The show is published three times weekly (every Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and available from the United States National Science Foundation on Science Zone Radio, and through both i-heart Radio and Tune-In Radio.

[bumblebeeappletree]

Jane visits a garden which is immediately recognisable as the home of an ardent Australian native plant lover. This intriguing garden has hundreds of native plants thriving on 1/4-acre block at the foothills of Melbourne’s Dandenong Ranges.

Bev Fox has planted natives in every space available, including the verge. She grows Isotoma from seed and has a very rare white-flowering one. “They're just potluck what colour comes up. I got a surprise when I saw that one.” Dotted throughout the garden is brilliantly blue Veronia which Bev propagates by cuttings in autumn. Paper daisies and a broad mix of other colourful flowers make a lovely entrance to the home.

Flowering mugga ironbark and peppermint gums tower over the garden and are loved by the birds. They are the only original plantings from when Bev began re-designing in 2003. “Apart from the trees, it’s all new... It was a bare palate,” says Bev. The new garden is designed to attract wildlife to the property, but also provides Bev with solace of her own. “I lost my husband in 2000, my brother in 2001 and my mother in 2002. In between all those my two dogs died, and I just thought I need something new in my life. I decided a new garden would be helpful and that's what keeps me really happy all the time.... You get into your own happy place in a garden, I love it. Even when the birds are noisy.”

It's easy to appreciate the bushland that Bev has created. The variety and repetition of species in her garden gives it a natural feel, which Bev hopes recreates the ambience of the Australian bush. The back garden is shaded and there are enticing curved paths made of gravel with large gums casting cool shade over the many shrubs and pots. It's a very spacious backyard but it’s filled with plants. Bev says she’s achieved this through layering. “I’ve got very small things right along all the edges, then (the next layer is) up to about a metre high, and then (the next layer) a bit higher. The big tree at the back, I’ve cut the lower branches off to give these room to grow and keep it nice and bushy looking.” The layering lets light in and creates interest all year.

Bev says, “I think it's a stroll garden. It’s a garden to be in, not to sit back and look at.” Her favourite plants to visit include the native mint family Prostanthera and oak-leaved Thomasia. Being an avid plant collector, Bev likes to propagate through seeds and cuttings to fill up her garden.

To strike a cutting of Westringea ‘Violet Skies’, Bev says, “It’s easy.”

1. Choose firm healthy stems to take your cutting from.

2. Strip the bottom half of the leaves off the stem and pinch out the soft tip. Eliminating leaf material helps the stem focus on root growth.

3. Ensure the base of the stem has a clean cut, then dip into a rooting hormone.

4. Fill a small clean pot with propagation mix. Buy in stores or mix 1/3 perlite: 2/3 peat.

5. Tap soil firmly and create a hole for the cutting to go into.

6. Place the cutting in, press down. Keep moist and warm in a greenhouse for several weeks.

This garden really celebrates the diversity of Australian native plants and shows what can be done when devoted to experimenting. Bev says, “Going out and seeing these plants in the wild is one of the greatest things to do – and I think, ooh, I can grow that at home. It’s lovely.”

Featured Plants:

SHOWY ISOTOME - Isotoma axillaris

PAPER DAISY - Xerochrysum bracteatum cv.

MUGGA IRONBARK - Eucalyptus sp.

- Veronica arenaria

[prettybirdy979]

Neil Gaiman & FourPlay String Quartet (in Sydney)

So last night I was SUPER fortunate and got to go see Neil Gaiman and the FourPlay String Quartet at the Sydney Opera House. It was an amazing night, a two and a bit hour show that is a little hard to sum up as a show. 

So I’ve got some thoughts under the cut (Spoilers for anyone going to the Melbourne show, which will likely be the same or at least very similar). I’ve remembered as best I can but well, only human and there was a lot in a fairly long show

Before that though, some general non-spoilery thoughts:

The things the Quartet could make their instruments do was almost miraculous. Neil described them as a string quartet who is also a rock band and I fully saw that. They all had talent and it was an honour to see them perform live. I hadn’t realised that wasn’t a didgeridoo in one of the songs until I saw the cello perform. 

As you can see in the pics of the stage (none of Neil or the group since we weren’t allowed to take them and I wasn’t gonna break that rule) I was extremely close. Close enough I hear the seal on Neil’s water crack at the start. But they were set up to be visible to all. The show was also sold out

Neil himself was captivating. Everyone shut up to listen when he spoke, regardless of what he was saying. We also had a couple of hecklers but one was helping and the other handled with a sigh and moving on

Nearly every song that they performed, Neil explained how it had come to be either something they had written or something they performed. It was an interesting look into the songwriting process and even the processes of performing (and how much you can learn in thirty minutes

The way it was performed, most of the time Neil was reading words to music or having music performed while he read but at one point he did provide backing vocals for a song and actually sung four of them as the main vocalist

Neil said we were brave for coming, since he struggled to explain it and we all took a chance on coming. If you do ever get the chance to attend one of these shows, I recommend taking it. It was so worth it, i enjoyed every moment of it

The show was professionally recorded! So maybe one day we’ll get to see bits of it (or all of it) for people who couldn’t attend

Now for more specific (and possibly spoilery) thoughts:

They started the show with Clock, which Neil mentioned as one of the few songs they’d be performing tonight that he didn’t write (his exact words a little bit in was that the words were “nicked from Bill” as it’s Shakespeare’s Sonnet 12). Something I noted for a lot of the performance and specifically this song was how he kept his hands always gripped behind his back except when he was talking with them. 

Then talked about how the band met (at the Opera House fourteen years ago) and became friends. He then mentioned the poem he read on 26th January 2011 at the Opera House, which was backed in Tasmania by didgeridoo, which the cellist said he could copy. And thus they came full circle with the song Poem first read on January 26th 2011 at the Sydney Opera House. As mentioned above, the cellist was right

Next song was Mobius strip. Not much to say about this one except that it’s one of my favourites from the album and very gesture filled

So both Neil and the band did something solo, starting with the band. They performed Neverwhere, a song they wrote but named for a Neil novel (with his input) since they believed it belonged on the album

Bloody Sunrise was next, which if you’ve not seen the music video for you should. It’s the one Neil was backing vocals for and they had a vampire come out to play the glockenspiel and 'harrass' Neil for his blood (jokingly). I think the vampire in the show was the same person as the video but if not, she was a very close match. The vocalist for this is Lara Goodridge, from FourString and her voice is amazing 

Next up was a Batman poem which had Neil detail his relationship to Batman through the years while the band possibly improvised music? They mentioned having no safety net for it (which prompted a comment from one of them about Batman not having a safety net) so it was at least one of the lesser rehearsed pieces. The poem was very touching and ended on a note that made me shiver

Song of the song was next; I’m struggling to recall many thoughts about it other than I liked it and it was great to see live

Ended the first half on Psycho by Leon Payne, which Neil sung. Backstory of this one was that they hadn’t had an encore during their first tour so they’d learnt this in a hurry as the encore for Carnegie Hall. The song was great and violin managed to make truly upsetting sounding cords and it was awesome!

This song also prompted Neil to mention the well known joke about Carnegie Hall, which a heckler set up for him (How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice). Then one of the band members (Peter I think? I’m terrible with names) also made the joke about them having proved the joke wrong since their encore for it wasn't really practised but learnt in half an hour at lunch before the show. It’s a running theme

In the first half there was also a running joke performing at the Opera House then going to Tasmania (as you do, Neil said one time) because apparently Neil has done that multiple times

Second half opened with Neil’s solo thing, the reading of his short story Click-clack, The Rattle Bag which was apparently written while he was in Australia 10 years ago staying at someone's house. Partway through the story, as it got spooky, click clack noises were made and it ended on a hell of a note

The Wreckers followed. Neil mentioned it was a poem he’d written for someone very sad

Before the next song Neil mentioned liking our weather, which was miserable that day, because all the rain that falls in his home right now is soft and fluffy. This prompted the next song which he called Umbrella, which had him reading words to the music and had the band sing a chorus he also spoke. Not sure where the words are from but it was a good song

The second sung by Neil song of the night was one he said was written to be a 3am torch song, that used to sung to a bartender. But it’s updated for the modern era so it was called I Google You (which is what you do now when you're heartbroken)

After that was a song they said had never been performed before, only rehearsed. As backstory Neil mentioned the tale of two men (whose names I forget) who’d published a dictionary of well, rude slang in the late 1800s/early 1900s. Neil had gotten his hands on 2 volumes of it to begin with then a 10 volume version and the song, "To suck the sugar sick or up-tails-all" (I think, the second part of the title did not stick in my mind that well), was just various euphemisms for sleeping together used by the Victorians read to music. Including the two in the title! Lara did the vocals for those euphemisms related to women

Next two songs were Signs of a life, and then In Transit as the 'last song'  

Which of course it wasn't. They came out for an encore, with the words “Two songs and we all get to go home, that's the rule” (prompting a heckler to ask “To your home?”. Neil just sighed)

First encore was a song I didn’t recognise but is apparently Makin' Whoopee and was sung by Neil. Apparently not well rehearsed since Neil jumped the gun on the lyrics at one point and said 'clearly we need to rehearse more'

Ended with The Problem with Saints, which is a song he said he wrote during a session where they were trying for eight songs in eight hours and managed six in twelve. Neil implied this one was written at 4am and the only reason he’s the one who sung on whatever first album it's on it is because it was 4am when it was written and he didn't protest

And that was the show! It was a long night (not helped by public transport being its usual trackwork happy self) but an amazing one. Well worth seeing and I hope I’ve passed on some of the bits to you.

[i-wanna-see-the-milky-way]

JLPT N3 — Advice for Brisbane Test-takers and My Experience

Hey guys, it’s been a while since I’ve posted (and my first time posting this). During that time, I’ve been up to a lot of things. Like taking the N3 exam in Brisbane because I couldn’t book the Melbourne test site when maximum capacity reached within a minute the registration site opened.

But I digress.

I’m here to tell you all about how to avoid major mishaps when I took the JLPT N3!

◯ What should I bring? (Most to least important)

・Passport or Driver’s Licence and Test voucher (received by email)

・Water bottle

・Food (e.g., granola, apples, sandwiches)

・Pencils (HB), erasers, and pencil sharpeners

That being said, even if you do forget your trusty graphite-holding tool, the exam proctors are happy to provide you with some, plus an eraser. They also used examclock.eu on the whiteboard projector to keep track of the time, of which, there are two projectors for a better viewing experience™️.

◯ What does the test site look like?

For this year, the N3 test site was located at N78- Sir Samuel Griffith Centre (image shown on the left).

The image on the right shows Room 0.11 (look closely to find a water fountain to your right), the lecture theatre that I took the exam in. It has the desks that’s connected to the chairs. They are at a very uncomfortable height, too, so if you’re close to 181cm/5’11”, you might find yourself with quite a sore neck by the end of the test.

◯ What was the day like? Were there a lot of people?

The day went mostly like this:

・12:30 pm, Check-in

・1:00pm start

・30-min Language Knowledge

・20-minute break

・70-minute Reading and Grammar

・20-minute break

・40-minute Listening

What really surprised me was the number of people that were older than me who also showed up to the exams! Not just uni students, but people who were in their 40s and 50s were also there. Not a lot of people, but it was enough to fill the left side of the room provided they skipped every second row.

During the Listening exam, the audio was clear and of good quality. We did not experience any issues with the speakers at all.

◯ What does the exam look like?

For first time JLPT examinees, the cover (what’s in blue and yellow) of every exam looks like this:

※ A, Yellow

at the left is the front cover of the officially released questions for the Listening section published in 2012. Only the Listening section will have the instructions typed in Kanji.

※ B, Blue

This will be the design behind the front cover and will also serve as the design on the back of the question booklets.

※ C, Purple

This is the sheet that you will mark your answers on. It comes in a perforated booklet with all three exam components. Please tear off the strip of paper connected to the three sheets, and make sure to also fill in the せいねんがっぴ and Examinee Number that is not shown on the Sample Exam.

◯ 最後に

Overall, the process will go very smoothly provided you make sure that you are familiar with everything mentioned above! Good luck with your exams in July and December 2024! もし分からないところがあれば、コメント欄に教えてください。

来年もよろしくお願いします。

From galaxy.

[leodanbrock]

just finished melting my brain at the sydney opera house for 2 weeks as per yearly tradition, had such a wonderful time! some rambles under the cut about everything i went to!

ethel cain’s first ever australian show in the drama theatre, so intimate. was absolutely blown away with how her songs (and voice!!!) sounded so stripped back and raw live. really understand the american football influences now.

thundercat melted my brain the most of anyone i’d seen. i really was not prepared for what i was about to see. a shame it was seated because he really wanted the crowd up and dancing. it was also a 4pm vibe, i have a feeling the 8pm show later would’ve been rowdier to match his energy. nevertheless, so glad there was an additional show because i would have been gutted to have a gig clash.

posh isolation nights 1 and 2 were so good. yl hooi, croatian amor (!! can’t believe this !!), lust for youth and htrk. then dx, lowlife and iceage the following night. beautiful example of love in curation and chosen family.

i am so fucking tired and have no time to sleep before i rush to the airport in 3 hours for a 6am flight back home, but what a really awesome time. my heart is full...i well and truly never thought i would ever get the chance to see lust for youth AND croatian amor in my home country...let alone at the same event. very keen for to see some of these again in melbourne for the rising.

[sunset-telepath]

....

I'm sure he's an expert on the current attitude towards trans and gay people in Gaza.

Correction:

Mr. Anwar is an openly-out Palestinian (ethnically, I guess) trans man (who does not live in Gaza nor the West Bank). His fellow (ethnically) Palestinians (who must also live in Melbourne Australia because that's where he lives) have never shown him hatred.

I should emphatically state that I am not an expert on the status of gay or trans people in Palestine. But this actually interests me now so let's do a cursory google search

This chart below is from the "LGBT Rights in the State of Palestine" wikipedia page (here) (yeah I don't really like Wikipedia either but I'm not being paid for this so...)

Now I'm honestly very confused by the part explaining same-sex sexual activity legality because it seems to be going off de jure law rather than de facto law but I digress.

As you can see, in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip, same-sex marriages are illegal. There is also no legal recognition of same-sex couples. So, Mr. Anwar can't be married to a man in Gaza (which makes sense, as he lives in Melbourne, where gay marriage is legal).

Also, there is no right to change your legal gender in West Bank or Gaza. So he musn't be living as an open trans man in Gaza either (at least, in the eyes of the law).

But that's just de jure law. I'm sure his claim that de facto, at least, his fellow Palestinians would never show him hatred or vitriol is totally true.

(Data from Equaldex.com)

...

Oh. Guess not.

Guys I'm begging you not to trust random people who say shit on Twitter. PLEASE do basic fact checking before you reblog anything.

TLDR: Mr. Anwar's a liar who lives in Melbourne, Australia

PS: If anyone who's actually an expert on the status of queer people in Palestine would like to correct me, please do. This was the result of a 30 minute google search I'm sure there's so many more people out here more qualified than me to talk about this issue. I just couldn't stand by while Mr. Anwar's boldfaced lies were spread around.

[squeakycleancarpet1]

Carpet Cleaning in Melbourne: Advice, Methods, and Advantages

Frequent carpet cleaning in Melbourne prolongs the life of your carpets, creates a healthier atmosphere, and improves the look of your room. Because of their warmth, comfort, and visual appeal, carpets are a common flooring option in many Melbourne homes and businesses. However, maintaining their cleanliness can be difficult, particularly in light of Melbourne's erratic weather, which can introduce dampness, dust, and filth.

For homeowners and business owners who want to bring back the aesthetic appeal and practicality of their flooring, carpet repair in Melbourne is a wise choice. If your carpet has been ruined by a spill, a rip, or normal wear and tear, expert restoration services may help you revitalise it without needing expensive replacement.

Expert Carpet Repair Services in Melbourne

While some little problems may be resolved with do-it-yourself solutions, it's always preferable to depend on expert carpet repair services to guarantee the job is done correctly. Poor installation, moisture, or foot activity can cause carpets to become loose or wrinkle over time. Re-stretching involves pulling the carpet taut and reattaching it to its tack strips. By doing this, future problems are avoided, and the carpet is returned to its natural, smooth state.

Carpet Cleaning: Carpet That is Loose or Buckled

Over time, foot activity, moisture, or poor installation can cause the carpet to become loose. In addition to being ugly, buckling or wrinkles can present a trip hazard. For a clean, flat appearance, professional re-stretching may eliminate wrinkles and re-secure the carpet. Stairs, doorways, and corridors that get a lot of traffic at your house or place of business may eventually start to show wear. The fibres may fray or flatten, giving the appearance of wear and tear.

Techniques like patching, re-tufting, or re-weaving can frequently be used to restore these regions. Melbourne carpet cleaning is an investment in the durability and well-being of your house or place of business, not merely a cosmetic requirement. Regular care will keep your room clean, comfy, and fresh whether you decide to hire a professional or clean your carpets yourself. Your carpets will look fantastic and last for many years if you choose the correct cleaning provider and stick to a regular care schedule.

Source: https://ses-cleaning-services.blogspot.com/2025/01/carpet-cleaning-in-melbourne-advice.html

[globalnews1]

Australian police have released footage of two suspected arsonists who allegedly tried to set a fast-food outlet on fire in Melbourne. The security videos show one of the suspects accidentally setting their own trousers alight before stripping off clothes and fleeing the scene.

[marilynjohnson67]

Expert Paint Removal in Melbourne: Restore Your Surfaces with Precision

Professional paint removal services use advanced techniques to carefully strip paint, preserving the integrity of surfaces. The process ensures a smooth, clean finish, restoring surfaces to their original condition with precision. Visit to know more: https://www.easyzoom.com/imageaccess/6376ac4485db4759ac34ea1a695b61bb?show-annotations=false

[hotelcolling]

How To Make Your Function Room Hire A Memorable Experience?

Planning an event can feel like trying to solve a Rubik's Cube—just when you think you have it figured out, another twist throws you off course! But fear not, dear event planner; I’m here to help you navigate the maze of function room hire Melbourne options and create an unforgettable experience for you and your guests. 

Whether it's a wedding, corporate event, or birthday bash, the right function room can set the tone and make your gathering special. Let’s dive into some creative tips to ensure your event is one for the books!

Choose the Perfect Ambiance

The first step in making your event memorable is to select a function room that resonates with your theme and vision. Function room hire Melbourne offers a variety of spaces, each with its own unique vibe.

Lighting: Soft, ambient lighting can create an intimate atmosphere, while vibrant, colourful lights can energise a party. Add fairy lights, candles, or LED strips to enhance the mood.

Decor: Don’t underestimate the power of decor! Whether you opt for elegant floral arrangements or quirky, themed decorations, ensure they align with your event's purpose. A well-decorated space will leave a lasting impression.

Personalise the Experience

A touch of personalisation can elevate your event from ordinary to extraordinary.

Welcome Signage: Greet your guests with a personalised welcome sign that reflects your event’s theme. This small detail can make everyone feel special right from the start.

Customised Favors: Consider providing personalised favours that guests can take home. This could be anything from monogrammed goodies to photo booths with instant prints. Not only do they serve as keepsakes, but they also encourage guests to share their experiences on social media.

Engage Your Guests

Keeping your guests entertained is key to a memorable event. After all, what’s an event without some fun?

Interactive Activities: Incorporate activities like games, photo booths, or live demonstrations to encourage guest participation. For instance, if you’re hosting a wedding, a dance-off or a DIY cocktail station can break the ice and get everyone mingling.

Quality Entertainment: Hire a talented band, DJ, or magician to entertain your guests. Quality entertainment can significantly impact the overall vibe of your event, making it something attendees will rave about long after it’s over.

Delightful Culinary Experience

Food is often the highlight of any event, so make sure it’s memorable!

Menu Selection: Collaborate with the venue to curate a menu that excites guests. Consider dietary restrictions and offer various options, from appetisers to desserts. A unique twist on traditional dishes can make your event stand out.

Themed Refreshments: Tailor your drinks and food to match your event’s theme. For example, refreshing cocktails and light bites will keep guests cool and happy if it's a summer garden party.

Capture the Moments

In this digital age, everyone loves snapping photos, so why not create opportunities for great shots?

Photo Opportunities: Set up creative backdrops or designated photo areas and encourage guests to take pictures. A fun theme or unique props can add to the excitement and create Instagram-worthy moments.

Professional Photographer: Hire a professional photographer to capture all the special moments. After the event, you’ll have stunning images to reflect on and share with your guests.

Thoughtful Follow-Up

The final touch in making your event memorable comes after it’s over.

Thank You Notes: Personalised thank-you notes sent to guests can go a long way toward showing appreciation. Mention a memorable moment from the event to make it feel extra special.

Feedback: Consider gathering feedback to improve future events. Not only does this show you value your guests’ opinions, but it also helps make your next function room hire Melbourne experience even better.

In Conclusion

Making your function room hire a memorable experience doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With a little creativity, personalisation, and attention to detail, you can create an event that your guests will cherish. 

So, take a deep breath, embrace the planning process, and prepare to host an unforgettable gathering in your chosen function room hire in Melbourne.