Aleatz Hates Australia (Movie)

Eh, this is definitely a sarcastic one. Because I enjoyed the movie tremendously. Despite the fact that I know it's one big tourism ad for Australia. We all have to bite our tongues sometimes in this world, because money just has such a big part to play that you need to be a bit immune to it (otherwise you become a pessimist who hates everything).

I hated the fact that David Wenham (known for his role as Faramir in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy) got to be the villain, overloaded with a ton of cliched dialogue. That made me sad, because he's a great actor. All of my friends and I in the back row laughed everytime he stopped after one of his lines with a long, dramatic pause. We were the only ones who did.

And move over Bindi Irwin! Brandon Walters, who plays 'Nullah' (an aboriginal boy half-cast boy), is the new child face of Australia. He was frigging adorable. Plus it was his first film, and he had no acting experience before Baz decided he wanted him (can you blame ol' Baz?). And he apparently had never heard of Hugh Jackman or Nicole Kidman before. Ha ha... Hilarious!


Brandon Walters riding a horse. Aren't they adorable?
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200704/r138534_473231.jpg

After the first half of the movie (which could be a movie in it's own right) Hugh and Nicole don't really have any dialogue together anymore. All they do is pash, have awkward silences and do the occasional sex scene. It was pretty lame.

Final comments? This was basically the Australian version of the Titanic. A lot of money was spent on this long film, and although it is 'epic' it really is that cliched kind of epic we've seen too many times before. There are a lot of funny moments, exciting moments and all of that, but they back it up with so much predictable things, lame dialogue and Hollywood-style backdrops. If you can tolerate that kind of thing I think you'll find it to be a good movie.

Aleatz Hates Exams (but loves when they're over)

Don't be fooled by the title. This entry is filler! To all of you who are new to email list, bitch to me if you want to be off it. I won't hesitate to remove your ungrateful face off it.

So my last exam was today. Tomorrow I'm going to see Australia. The movie, not the country (that was a running joke at work tonight. You don't have to laugh just because they did). So, I might end up writing an entry on how I hated it (or sarcastically saying I hate it when I actually love it. I do that a lot). Truth be told I've never seen a Baz film that I've adored. I thought they were all pretty average. Of course, all of us are amateur critics, so none of us really have the right to talk unless we're being paid. Ha ha...

I suppose I should say something about exams now, seeing as that's the title. Um, 2 were shit? 2 were good. 1 was average. I figure if I end up breaking even I'll be all set! Three of them were on three days in a row, which was shocking, seeing as the two shit ones were on right after the other. Everyone is jealous of me because I finished my exams early in the week, but no one realises how much I died in the Monday exam. Apparently the biology exam got cancelled half-way through because the fire alarm went off and the building got evacuated. Now they have to do it next Tuesday. Sucks to be them!

So, two of my exams were about geology. The first one (which was shit) involved a massive section where you identified rocks and named their characteristics. I was tempted to write 'This rock is harder than the steel nail, so it'd be good for throwing at someone I don't like', but I decided against it since I needed every mark I could find. Other temptations included 'This rock is porous, so it'll be good for sticking up someone's nose to stop bleeding' and 'This rock is shiny!'

On another note, I'm going to Tamworth in the country next week to look at MORE rocks! It's almost as if my uni break was striving to be shitastic all on it's lonesome! People in my classes are apparently smuggling some alcohol up there, but I don't see much point in drinking on a uni course. All it'll do is make you crap for the mornings when they want you to get up at 6am so you don't miss the rocks.

Some plutonic rocks go into hibernation after 7am, didn't you know? ...Don't lie and say you did.

Aleatz Hates Fillers (#2)

Note to all of you who receive emails: I'm altering the email list soon. If you enjoy getting email updates please email me and tell me to continue sending them to you. If not, well... Your loss!

I just feel like a random rant right now. I can't really justify why. I suppose I have time to 'spare' (a.k.a. no assignment due tomorrow), but I'm tired after today so I can't stay on one topic.

Regular visitors of the interwebz would be familiar with commenting (such as on blogs, HMM??) and I couldn't help but get ticked off by the numerous people who, being the first to comment, write 'Zomg first comment!' then nothing after it... It has got to be the dumbest thing I've ever seen in my life. Do people not get the point of commenting? You're supposed to talk about the thing the comment box is under, not say how you're the first to comment as if it's some amazing accomplishment that no moron could do. Oh, and then doing a second post with the comment. Haha... Weren't you supposed to say 'ZOMG 2ND COMMENT!!!11!'? Because there's no point in breaking a moronic trend. It makes it less funny for the rest of us.

Anyway, I did my Isys practical exam today. Which I aced. I'm not usually that confident for an exam, infact I usually come out of them thinking I've failed. But this was simple 'how i typ in word?' crap. Then when someone in the room said 'What do they mean by "Print Screen"?' I thought 'Yep, it's in the bag'. Although, print screen is a legitimate thing not to know about. If you're not into computers then it makes sense that you wouldn't use it. Kind of like 'Find...', eh Dom?

Anyway, FINALS NEXT WEEK! Holy shit this year went fast! I can't believe it. Even though I went to Europe and worked and had uni... It all just disappeared. It doesn't feel like I've learnt all that much either. I know a bit about rocks now... But that doesn't feel all too significant. I'm enjoying my non-geology courses, like Global Studies and Information Systems, because they're a change of pace, you know? Global Studies has been my absolute favourite, even though there's a lot of essays involved.

[/filler]

Aleatz Hates Stupid Ideologies

Source: I don't fucking know. It was sent to me by Plague and I can't remember the URL, so if you're really keen on finding it then go and hunt for it.

I know by now many people are either celebrating or complaining about Obama's victory in the US presidential election right now. If you read this entire blog entry you probably won't need me to tell you how I feel about it, since I'll make my stance pretty obvious. While doing my fabulous geology assignment (because rocks are boring) I felt the urge to explore a particular ideology that was discussed leading up to the election, but still slightly baffles me. The idea that socialism is evil.

Now please, don't jump the gun on me. I wouldn't describe myself as a 'socialist'. However I'm really unsure what to describe myself as. Socialism seems to be where I lean most, along with my liberal ideals. But still I feel that socialism is a strategy which should be used in certain circumstances, and shouldn't become a universal policy. I feel much the same way about capitalism and communism. They all have their pros and cons, but it's up to people to recognise these and understand what situations they should be applied to.

John McCain used 'Joe the Plumber' as a representation of the 'American Dream', which relies on the concept of capitalism to insure a person has the freedom to choose the role they serve in society and what they can spend their income on. Upon hearing that Obama wanted to 'spread the wealth around', McCain supporters booed and jeered, while I sat it my seat thinking 'that doesn't sound like a bad idea'.

So, what is wrong with spreading the wealth? Well, it's very much a case of forced charity, where someone unwillingly (because of the law) gives someone a fraction of their wealth without the other person 'earning' it. In Walter Williams' article (see below) he compares social security to thievery, and believes God would oppose such forced acts of charity. His argument is that people should have the right to choose whether or not to give their hard earned dollars to another person, or more specifically who that person might be.

I can see the logic... To a degree. However, humans are greedy, selfish creatures. Even those 'under' God. What we can't see or feel we rarely ever care about, unless it is emotionally pushed upon us by a charity ad or a Salvation Army officer. That's why I believe we need a system which acts as a Robin Hood-type character... Evenly distributing wealth to those people who never got the same opportunities as those with wealth. No singular person can determine where money is needed most, and most people have no clue about many problems which impact society. A government; a collection of people elected to create cohesion, is a far better option in creating equality.

In R. G. Price's rebuttle to Williams' article he jokes about the idea that socialism is damaging to a prosperious economy, and instead argues that it has helped create the middle-class; a class many people take pride in being in because it symbolises prosperity and equality, but not gluttony.

Another opinion pressed by Raphael Kaplinsky in one of his articles is that globalisation and capitalism are unsustainable practises and the cause of great inequality and environmental degradation in this world. I must admit I can see the link here. Personally I believe that while people have the option of consuming more they will often take that option. Again, this links back to greed and simple human desires. We'd rather a Ferrari than a Toyota because it's better, not because the Toyota prevents us from getting to A to B and the Ferrari doesn't.

If we want change we will have to impliment slow changes to limit consumption of not just fuels, but food and materials. Fast changes will cause outroar for all those who live a stable or high-end lifestyle and wish to keep it. Currently the technologies are not readily available to create sustainable development right around the world.

Is socialism evil? Is socialised health care the work of the devil? Is a country one step away from communism if they support socialism? I doubt it. I think people can get paranoid about just about anything, and when someone's threatening to apply a higher tax to someone who can afford it more than the starving man, any excuse will do.

Wanna read some opinions? Of course you do:

Socialism is Evil (#1) ~ Walter E. Williams
http://www.gmu.edu/departments/economics/wew/articles/04/socialism.html
Socialism is Evil (#2) ~ Walter E. Williams
http://www.gmu.edu/departments/economics/wew/articles/04/socialism2.html


Rebuttal to Walter Williams' "Socialism is Evil" ~ R. G. Price
http://rationalrevolution.net/articles/rebuttal_to_walter_williams.htm

Globalization, Poverty and Inequality ~ Raphael Kaplinsky
http://www.polity.co.uk/book.asp?ref=9780745635538


P.S. Sorry this wasn't my usual comedic rant. Not that I should apologise since no one reads these things anyway! (Except that shitty Sasuke entry...)