A Face staring at me!

So I look up at my booksheld yesterday and... OMG there is a face staring at me! Can you see it. Freaked me out, though it is disappearing a bit.

So, as I thought, a good centrist am I! You are a Social Liberal (61% permissive) and an... Economic Moderate (41% permissive) You are best described as a: Centrist Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid

Russian Presidential Perks

That lucky Vladimir Putin. First he becomes Russian Premier, then Russian President, and now I find out he has an Orchestra. Just one of the perks of being an iron-fisted ruling, I suppose!

Next he will be wanting an ice-castle like President Niyazov Turkmenbashi of Turkmenistan.

Man builds up 30,000 volts of static electricity

This is quite amazing!

Victorian authorities believe a man built up at least 30,000 volts of static electricity in his jacket simply by walking around the western Victorian city of Warrnambool yesterday.

Who Runs Your World BBC

This is quite fun, everyone have a go!

Which leading man are you?

I took this test. Who is William Powell?

William Powell You scored 9% Tough, 47% Roguish, 9% Friendly, and 33% Charming!

You are the classic rogue, a stylish rake with the devil of a wit and a flair for mischief, and you shake your martinis to waltz time. You are charming and debonair, but slightly untrustworthy, and women should be on their guard. If married, you are simply a bit of a flirt, even if it's just with your own wife...but if you're single, watch out. You usually rein yourself in to concentrate on one lovely beauty at a time, but with you, we never know. You're an inviting partner, but there's a playful devil behind your eyes, and those trying to get close to you should know they're playing with fire. You're stylish and fun, but you follow your own course, which may or may not include a steady gal. Co-stars include Myrna Loy and Carole Lombard, classy ladies with an adventurous streak. Find out what kind of classic dame you'd make by taking the Classic Dames Test.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 7% on Tough You scored higher than 98% on Roguish You scored higher than 7% on Friendly You scored higher than 63% on Charming

Link: The Classic Leading Man Test written by gidgetgoes on Ok Cupid

Royal Botanic Garden Melbourne

As part of my research for Environmental History I have been to the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne and Cranbourne this week. It's been a long time since I went to the Melbourne Gardens, and it was my first trip to Cranbourne - who knew that there was a Botanic Gardens out there? I even got a special tour of the construction site of the Australian Garden at Cranbourne, due to be opened next year.


The central 'arid' section of the Australia Garden. A beautiful expanse of red sand, which will eventually be planted, intended to depict the non-existence of water in many parts of the Australian landscape.
The uber-coolest fountain/water feature ever! (And it is a call I am willing to make!) The water goes on and off from a roaring stream to a silent trickle. Intending to display the fickle and erratic nature of water in the Australian landscape.

A view across the Ornamental lake at RBG Melbourne. It was a beautiful day, the lake glistened, and the grass was beautifully green.

A look down to Alexandra Parade from the Temple of Winds.

Crackpot Leaders of TPLACs

Stories abound about how crazy some dictators and despots are. Idi Amin for example would have large scale meetings with a room of dead ministers, or would consult a severed head that he kept in a freezer.

However, former President Mobuto of Zaire, it seems, is a bit nutty himself. This BBC Report has some interested things in it.

This is the most interesting part:

In his last hours in the city, President Mobutu had the remains of an old friend disinterred from their grave at Camp Chachi and cremated so that he could take them into exile with him.

They were the remains of the late president of Rwanda, Juvenal Habyarimana, who was assassinated on 6 April, 1994.

His death immediately triggered the genocide in which up to a million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were murdered.

The genocidal regime lost the war and fled to eastern Zaire and the protection of Mobutu Sese Seko. It has come full circle.

Pres. Mobuto might not come to Idi Amin's level of schizophrenia, but hey, disintering a friend and cremating him so they can be close... that's just sweet

Wattle Day

So it turns out that today is Wattle Day. May I say, when did this become a day of national celebration?

Check out what the ABC says.