Cricforum Blog

Something really weird happened to me to me yesterday. I went into JB HI-FI (a really obnoxious place. Ask me to tell you about it some time), because my aunt gave me a $15 gift voucher there for xmas (I give her $30 gift vouchers: I thought that was understood. She makes more money than I do. Anyway, at least hers was at a stupid gardening service...), and I'm looking through the DVD's and CD's, and

HOLY GOD - it's a rack of brand new vinyl LP's!!!

Australia is apparently notorious for taking up new technology very quickly, and apparently American and Japanese companies 'test drive' their products here to see if we buy them, before releasing them in America. For example we took up CD's so fast that by the early to mid 90's you literally could not buy new vinyl in Hobart. It was just CDs. I noticed the same thing in 2001 when I was in the USA: in Australia DVD's swamped the market almost instantly. In California I was going to Blockbusters and 3/4 of the store was VHS. Also my Hobart blockbuster card worked. They couldn't believe it. Lucky I didn't have late fees.

Anyway I haven't seen a rack of new vinyl since about 1995 (well, not in Tasmania). Now they've got 'Rubber Soul' re-mastered by the Beatles on LP. Lately I bought 'Revolver' re-mastered on CD, and I'm thinking, God - these great big covers - but wait: I don't have a working turntable. Where do you get one these days, and what stylus and catridge?

Hate to say it, but I'll probably end yp with 'Rubber Soul' on CD.

The other thing - $36 IN CAB FARES into town and back? This is nuts. Last time it was about $11.80 each way. What are our inflation figures based on? And this crap thing I buy from KFC is $9, way too salty, and tastes awful. It's a snack. I don't want to pay $9 for a snack. I remember when hamburgers were 20c (Ok, they weren't elaborate, and involved two slices of bread) but still...

And I paid $92.95 for a book which is so huge that it should come with a Ukranian weightlifter who'd hold it for you while you read it. I remember when Ukranians were cheaper than the book.

Loop

(not checked for spelling errors. Geug it.

From the Herald-Sun

'SENIOR police have described the 140kmh speed of a crash which killed five young men in Melbourne's north overnight as "just crazy".


I wonder what they would have thought of my 200kmh back in about 1995. I remember the car, which had an imported racing engine, starting to vibrate ominously, and thinking "what if there's a cow around the next bend", and it was that moment which slowed me down. Nowadays I don't have a licence: it expired last year and I didn't bother renewing it.

So maybe instead of defensive driving courses, people should be encouraged to drive like lunatics until they scare themselves?

Nah, probably not.

Loop

Technically I am, of course, but I'm on an island which sort of triangulates between Australia, NZ and Antarctica. Or should that be quadratualtes? Send me quadratiltions next Aug 27 maybe.

The thing is, I have severe tinnitus and hyperacusis and can't stand crowd noise, yet only a few miles away Oz is playing Pakistan - but because I live in southern Tasmania, they're not broadcasting into Hobart.

My GF who is over here for the summer (Adelaide just had their hottest day on record, and Melbourne their equal highest overnight minimum) suggest I lie on the bed all day and listen to local radio. Hmmm... could get boring.

BTW, girlfriend hates Ponting, but she hates cricket in general, so I ignore this. After all, she watches 'Judge Judy' and 'Coronation Street'

Loop