Restaurant Review - Ravesis

Corner of Campbell Parade and Hall Street - Bondi Beach

Ravesis is the cornerstone of Bondi Beach social life. Ideally located facing Bondi Beach and in the most popular spot in Bondi Beach it attracts the beautiful people from all over the Sydney. It boasts a trendy bar, restaurant and hotel.

Ravesis is generally packed everynight of the summer and every Sunday all year round. It has a repuatation for being uptight, pretentious and expensive. I would generally have to agree with this supposition.

We decided to try out the restaurant having drank in the bar before. It was a rainy and windy evening and the restaurant was empty and there was a Christmas party taking place in the lounge. When we arrived at the empty restaurant we were told 'we have only two tables left' which was slightly surprising since the place was dead.

My wife ordered a 'spanish pizza' and I ordered a prawn and chilli ravioli. The food arrived relatively quickly and it was absolutely horrbile.

The pizza was cooked on a frozen pizza base and the toppings were cheap store-bought meats with some flimsy rockey thrown on it. My wife (a pizza lover easily satisfied) said 'it was the most disgusting pizza she ever had in her life'. The pasta was no better - the ravioli was obviously cooked from frozen and for some reason they threw in some sun dried tomatoes (not on the menu) and a heap of butter and a couple of cooked prawns which were well cooked. The ravioli had no taste and was no better than something you would receive at a school cafeteria.

Total cost $25 for the pizza, $28 for the ravioli. Biggest rip off in my life. Problem is that they have the best location and view in the area and people believe it is the spot - so that is why they get away with it.

Whatever you do - never, ever, even consider eating there.

Rating: 0.5/5

Thai protests

Recent news has been dominated by the atrocities that have taken place in Mumbai and one has been present in the background of recent news. I am referring to the protest and uprising that has occurred in Thailand.

Essentially the reasons behind the protest are predicated on the fact that the new government is essentially the puppet of their predecessor who was peacefully ousted in 2006 (the current PM is the brother in law of the corrupt Thaskin). The thing that bothers me the most is what is reported in the west. Most headlines read:

Protesters lift Bangkok Airport Siege - Hopes raised for the thousands of travellers stranded in Thailand as seige ends (The Guardian);

Thai flights resume after weeks of protest (CNN);

Mind you these two reports are two days after the government resolved to abolish the current government and remove the PM from power, however, throughout the protests the thing that dominated the airwaves was the plight of the western tourist. Should we not be commending the willingness of the Thai people to peacefully protest and bring about change to a corrupt government. This is a true case where the power of the people has wrought change in a country that has dealt with corruption on a wide scale. This is a true case where a peaceful protest will never find commenserate headline space as that of the violent outbreaks.

As for the 'stranded' travellers - this is in itself a true misnomer. It is true that some passengers were in limbo for approximately 13 hours, however, after the initial take over of the airport they were free to leave the airport without any hassle from the protestors. It seems that the majority of people were happy to stay put and moan and complain about how their governments would not help them. Here is a simple idea: you are in Thailand - enjoy yourself a bit longer and feel relieved that the protestors did not turn to violence. Or take a train ride to KL, Singapore, Phucket, Koh Samui and find yourself a way home another way. Surely, the airlines would be more than happy to offload you from another destination.

The inconveniece imposed on western tourists absorbed the headlines for this event rather than the peaceful protestors who have done something not seen often these days: effect change without resorting to violence.

Numbers Game

Call me old school but I liked the good old days when position hockey players used to wear numbers 2-30 and the goalies wore 1 or 31. The 'strange' numbers were left to the truly special players like Gretzky and Lemieux. Through the years there were a few that dared to wear a 'special' number - Wilf Paiment of Leafs fame wore 99 for a season and there were a few that adopted similarly large numbers.

The year the Sens came into existence is when it all went haywire. Sylvan Turgeon, a mid level player decided to wear '67' for some awful reason (no it was not 1867 Canada's independence) and that opened the floodgates of idiotic numbers for the Sens. Only when the coach was fired and a new one was brought in did he bring the jersey numbers into check.

Hockey seems to be leading the charge in these out of control numbers - Eric Lindros (the self-deposed 'Next One') wore 88 as it was the only non-same double digit not taken at that point in time. Now all the new comers have silly numbers like 87, 71, 91, 85 and so on. I am glad that footballers and even basketballers haven't embraced this way of 'marketing' oneself.

The NFL has rules on what numbers players can wear. If a player wants to wear a number that does not meet the criteria - they need to make a formal application and get league approval to do so. I must admit I LOVE the Rugby method - players are assigned their numbers by position.

Why is socialism a bad word?

This is my first foray into US politics but I feel I need to comment. Recently, people have been accusing Obama of being a socialist - making out like its a bad thing. Call it what you want but the government's 700 bln intervention is completely in line with socialist ideologies. To be honest, the citizens in the US could have done with a little socialism, it would have prevented the crisis they are facing now.

I have lived in a socialist country in Scandinavia and semi-socialist in Canada, and if any person who believes that socialism is a bad thing please consider the below -- as an everyday citizen. These are some of things that socialism brings to the average citizen.

- Taxes are much higher -- yes, its brutal in Denmark (62%) and Canada (50%), but here are some fringe benefits:

- free healthcare - spend weeks in the ICU, have a transplant, get an artificial leg and pay nothing.

- maternity leave AND paternity leave of one year each and only part of it can be taken concurrently. So in essence the baby has parents at home for at least 18 months.

- guaranteed job security post pregnancy for 2 years (yes, people do take advantage of this - I know a story of a woman who had worked 12 months in a 9 year period!)

- free childcare - parents are not burdened by extremely expensive daycare for their children.

- free education - undergrad degrees are paid for by the state. You can also go abroad and go to school and they pay for that as well. Therefore, 'school debt' does not exisit.

- go abroad with a loved one and learn a language and the government pays you a stipend to learn that language and they pay for all schooling

- 25 days paid holiday, as a minimum

- tighter regulations around banking - they cannot make as much money as in the US but I think we all know the benefits of this

- premium elderly care. Old age homes are well run, clean and absolutley an amazing place for the elderly to spend their last days. One thing (and this is totally messed) is that the government in Denmark pays for hookers to satisfy elderly men. Now, I admit that is a little much (but funny nonetheless)

- strong and robust welfare system - again people take advantage of it, but it is fairly well run

- overfunded pensions so citizens are guaranteed a healthy income when they retire.

These are few of the things that 'socialism' brings. I am not saying that socialist countries are not fraught with problems, they obviously are, but the idea that socialism is something to be wary of is completely misguided and i feel its been used as political fodder.

Fast food medicine

When I first started in the job force my friends and I used to joke that our actual jobs were GDEC's (Glorified Data Entry Clerks). This was based on the premise that we were told we worked in finance but in reality we were just re-keying instructions from another party. I have found recently that the family doctor in Australia is no better and should have a sign reading Dr. Joe Blow, GDEC, MD.

I recently had to visit the doctor for a couple small things and found that in the 40 minutes I spent in there she spent no more than 5 minutes actually examining the maladies which brought me there. Most of the time was spent punching away on her computer. If she had been a touch typer I am sure I would have been out in 5 minutes. She sat there with her 'peck and hunt' keyboard skills typing away my family history and the issues I came to see her about. Upon my departure I was treated to a $75 bill for a class 'B' examination (ie >30 mins). My wife had the same thing - she spent an hour (charged a double rate) to see the doctor only to have her spend 40 minutes typing and tell her to shush up so she could type. I don't think this is the doctors fault by any means, I am sure when they took their hypocratic oath, administration was the last thing on their mind.

What happened to the days where they would write everything in their notes and have someone else punch them into the computer afterwards? I have been to the family doctor in the most socialist of countries (Denmark) and the most severe two-tiered medical systems (Australia) and sadly the level of 'bed side manner' is directly proportional to the systems in which they operate. Obviously, a two-tiered system is all about the billing - get as many people in and as many people out as quick as possible in order to bill the most and live the highlife. In Denmark, doctors get paid daily and not by patient - they are incentivised to 'see' to the patient and understand their condition. On the flip side, doctors in Denmark make slightly above average wages.

It is worriesome that the state of the medical system has come to churning out patients and spending the majority of their time taking care of the administration. In the meantime, we just have to grin and bear it.

Babycino - what have we become!

Today at the local coffee shop downstairs I heard the order go out from a thirty-something man accompanied by his wife and young child "one skinny babycino please'. I thought to myself what the f$%k is a babycino and what self respecting parents would subject their young child to the pretentious coffee culture that runs rife through Sydney.

I for one have never been a coffee person and I know there are others out there who literally cannot start their day with out their caffeine fix. I made a conscious effort never to become an addict to anything and coffee is the one that never really appealed to me. I used to work with a guy who would start his day with a quad-expresso then two hours later he would follow up with another quad-expresso. So within 2 hours he would have had 8 hits of coffee - more than most normal coffee drinkers have in a week. He was totally wired and someone had to speak to him about his coffee drinking habits as he was becoming extremely aggressive.

I think something as addictive as coffee should really be left to the individual to decide (most likey at university) and not for young parents to impose on their designer-clad babies. These parents are already breeding a sense of pretentiousness and 'worth' at too young an age merely for their own sake and not the happiness of the child. Give the child a glass of orange juice and call it an 'organic orange fruit extract' if the term "juice" is too low-brow.

Movie Recommendation - 'Cashback'

I don't write film reviews but I recommend that people watch this UK produced film that originally was a 2006 Oscar nominated short.

Its an amazing film, well acted, well directed and with believable dialogue.

I trust you will not be disappointed.

Restaurant Review - Pompei's Pizza

Pompei's Pizza, 126-130 Roscoe Ave, Bondi, Sydney

I can easily say that this is place is now my local pizza joint. I have eaten there numerous times and nothing comes close to their pizza. We've had the pasta and its ok, a little sub-standard to be honest but the pizza is bar-none the best. Toppings include figs, prosciutto, fresh goat cheese, and pumpkin. Pompei's also has a selection of pizzas without cheese.

I go for the Parma - which is covered in beautiful parma ham, a healthy amount of rocket, and parmasean cheese. The flavours are so well balanced and the crust (which is often discounted) is thin, crispy and full of taste.

If you are passing through, stop in and have some. Its located next door to the ever-popular (and over-rated) Hurricane's.

Rating 4/5

Arm Rest-ling

I really hope someone reads this and has the answer. What is the etiquette for shared arm rests?

We encounter them on buses, subway trains and most annoyingly at cinemas and on airplanes. I follow the below rules:

If its a 3 seater - those on the right and left take the right and left armrests, respectively. The person in the middle gets both - as it sucks being in the middle and this should be a small consolation.

Multiple seaters - lean to the right and take either the top or bottom of the shared one...but herein lies the problem - jockeying for that arm rest.

The thing I hate is a person sits there and hogs both arm rests with no regard for the person next to them. I had a guy on a flight just sit there and take up both and encroach on my space. I wanted to punch him.

What is the answer - does anyone know???

Food (Court) for Thought

Food courts in the business district are the same the world over. Sure the food, atmosphere and surroundings are different but people go there to do one thing (besides eat) and that is to bitch, moan and gossip about work and people at work.

I have eaten at food courts in the following cities: Toronto, London (UK), Geneva, Singapore, Los Angeles and Sydney. Every single time I have been there people around me just bitch and moan about work and people they work with. Its a universal. I am sure right now there is someone bitching about someone in some food court in Quito or Cape Town.

I put it down to this - people whom work together generally like one another, but struggle to find things to talk about. So when in doubt just resort to what you have in common: work. I have found that I have had many friendships that revolved around bitching about work. Sure, I was 'good' friends with them, but when we ran out of work things to talk about it got awkward.

Next time you are at a food court, just stop and listen and think of this story.

Restaurant Review - Gazebo Wine Garden

Gazebo Wine Garden, 2 Elizabeth Bay Road, Elizabeth Bay, Sydney

Five of us went here for my birthday on a Saturday night and were thoroughly pleased. The atmosphere was buzzing and the crowd was a mix of the left over crowd from the races (wearing funky hats and all) as well as the regular Saturday night crowd. The restaurant is split into a bar area and a restaurant area with outside seating. They establishment is open plan which really lends to the atmosphere. Fresh flowers adorn the tables and surroundings and care is obviously taken into consideration when decorating.

The food was lovely - simple, full of flavours and loads of taste. I had stuffed chicken breast with potatoes. I worry as most chicken breast can be quite dry. This was not so - it was stuffed with parsley, lemon and white wine which really soaked into the chicken. The other dishes that the rest of my party has were also amazing. Everything ranging from fish and chips to steak. All were happy with the full flavour and taste.

The chocolate browie dessert was sublime and worth every cent. Food was well priced with mains running around $25 -- we paid $5o per person so well worth it.

I will be returning -- for the food and above all else the atmosphere.

Rating 4.5/5

Stanley Cup Playoffs - Cup Captains

I love the Stanley Cup playoffs and as a true Canadian I am still weary that Canadians will not be the best team but still have the best players. Its been 15 years since a Canadian team won the Cup and I have found that I will always cheer for a Canadian team in the playoffs, even if it is the Canadiens (I'm a Leafs fan, sadly).

Last I checked I think Canadians make up about 50% of the league but I think they make up the majority of the captains. Till this day all captains to have hoisted the Cup have been Canadian (except for one - Darien Hatcher - Dallas Stars in 1999). So part of me is still happy that Canadian players still make the best leaders on ice. However, what does it have to say for the other non-Canadian players who have Europeans as captains of their team? Do they not have what it takes to win the cup or is just a coincidence? Honestly, I think its a bit of both.

Either way - I miss watching hockey, the playoffs, triple OT games that run til 2am and of course watching the Cup get hoisted at the end of it all.

Restaurant Review - Gelbison Pizzeria

Gelbison Pizzaeria Ristorante Italiano - 10 Lamrock Avenue, Bondi

Two words to describe this restaurant - f**king awesome.

Six of us went to eat here late on a Friday night but since the cooks know one of my friends we got a table with little hassle. My friend did the ordering for us and having eaten there before we were not fussy about what she ate.

We started off with the garlic prawns in a tomato and chilli sauce and mussels marina. All dishes were amazing - beautifully spiced and packed full of flavour with very little oil. The sauce was easily the best thing - we kept it on the table to mop up with our bread and with our pizzas.

For mains we had two pizzas (I cant remember what they were called) and the Gnocci Gorgonzola. The pizzas were out of this world. Both had thin crust and packed with fresh ingredients which had a lovely balance of flavours. 

The Gnocci has to be the best thing on the menu. Its freshly made gnocci with a gorgonzola butter and cream sauce. The food literally melts in your mouth. Yes, it is a very heavy dish but it is well worth it. I have not tasted anything so good in a restaurant in my life.

The restaurant is small, friendly with little decor - but it is always packed. They have BYO and the entire meal (3 starters, 5 mains) cost $30 each - so it is extremely well priced given the quality of the food. I would eat there every day if I could. If you get a chance do not miss the opportunity to eat at this gem of a restaurant.

Rating 5/5 

Top 10 Sports Films

Below is a list of the Top 10 Sports Films as voted by LoveFilm (I have no idea who they are either). I think this is an interesting bunch of films and I was very (happily) surprised to see Cool Runnings in at number 2.

Possibly due to my North American bias I think that obvious omissions from this list are: Slap Shot, Major League and Rocky IV. I do love a good sports film being the sports fanatic that I am. I love a sports film that feels you inspired as predictably its the under-dog that comes good. I really believe the world needs another hockey-based movie as I don't think that Youngblood, Mystery Alaska, and Miracle do the sport any justice.

LOVEFiLM's top ten sports movies of all time:

1. 'Rocky'
2. 'Cool Runnings'
3. 'Million Dollar Baby'
4. 'Jerry Maguire'
5. 'Raging Bull'
6. 'Field of Dreams'
7. 'White Men Can't Jump'
8. 'Chariots of Fire'
9. 'Escape to Victory'
10. 'Caddyshack'

Searching for work in Sydney - Financial Markets/Finance

This is my educational 'help-piece' to help anyone who stumbles across this if they are looking for work in Sydney or anywhere for that matter.

These are the things that I learned:

1) Speak to friends, friends of friends or any other 'contacts' you may have first. They will be able to get you in the front door so to speak. I have learned not to count on them too much as I have been let down considerably. Generally, people want to help, but the amount of effort they put into help is questionable. So don't rely too much on someone who says 'I can totally help you out'. Pursue those who say 'I'll do the best that I can, but I can't promise anything'. Ask people for the internal job postings as a start.

2) Websites and agencies - mycareer.com.au and efinancialcareers.com.au are an excellent place to look for jobs BUT also to look for recruitment companies. Spend a few days searching through the listings of jobs and see which agencies show up often as well as those who have jobs that are best suited to your skills. 

3) Working with agencies: Once you find a couple agencies that you like. Try and get people's names and phone numbers and call them directly. Try to avoid sending your resume/cv to a generic email address and avoid a general phone number. If you get through to reception - make sure you sell yourself well. For example, say things like 'I am calling in regards to the Account Manager role, I have 10 years experience in a similar role and have full work visa status'. Try to give them as much good information as possible to make it seem foolish for them NOT to call you.

4) Dealing with agencies: Good agents will call you at least twice a week with progress updates. Yes, you need to chase them but if they are not returning your calls....kill it and move on. Some will talk big but remember if they have trouble 'pigeon-holing' you they will have problems placing you as they may not understand the market or your role as a whole. Remember agents are sales people first and foremost. They make money if they get you a job. Some will not put in the effort if they have trouble understanding your previous experience. Most agents are good but some are very bad. Just to give you perspective I was registered with 7 agencies here - of those 3 were good, 1 did not have the 'right' roles, 3 were just plain awful. 

5) Never EVER burn any bridges. Its a small market out there and I already have come across two people that I used to work with in England 9 years ago here in Australia. You never ever know who you'll come across.

I am sure a lot of this is common sense but I thought I would give you some of my thoughts since I have been looking for sometime now.

Restaurant Review - Harry's Cafe de Wheels - Syndey Australia

I was going to fill my 'review space' with film reviews, then I realized that I am actually not very good at it so I figured I would write about something else that I love - food. So here is my first attempt at a food review - I am not a trained chef and can scarcely boast that I am a reasonable cook.

Harry's Cafe de Wheels - Cowper Wharf Road, Woolloomooloo, Australia

This establishment is famous for its meat pies and has been around the naval wharf since 1938. The 'restaurant' is situated on the side of the road in a caravan in the upmarket Woolloomooloo suburb of Sydney along side the wharf. It is visited by celebrities, the cultural elite, and drunken bar goers alike.

This place is famous along the travelers tour and features in all travel books, shows, and also on the TV show The Amazing Race.


I went for the classic 'Tiger' meatpie which is meat pie topped with mashed potatoes, mushy peas and a healthy serving of gravy. The mash potato were of a fine consistency and the mushy peas were non-descript in flavour. The gravy was beef based and very clean tasting and not too salty as one would expect. The pie itself was very nice with a well cooked and fairly thin shell. The filling was chunky steak with a slightly minty yet spicy flavour and a reasonable amount of sauce. The taste was clean and it did not taste like 'C-grade' ingredients were used. Overall it was of good quality and value for $4.50. The food did not blow me away, nor would I make an conscious effort to return. Part of it was for the experience of going.


The major downside was the surroundings - since it is on a wharf and there is a fresh source of food there were rats about. Fighting by the industrial bins and down by the water. The area around the caravan-cum-restaurant was clean and not occupied by any rats so that was a small bonus for this rodent-fearing writer.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Rich Man, Poor Man

Having visited many countries you realize how little people live with compared to us in the west. It led me to think about my Mum's family in South Africa. They live about 45 mins outside of Durban, the 3rd largest city in SA. They generally did not have a lot compared to their cousins in Canada - they were not poor but lived within modest means. I recall as a child that whenever someone would comeback from a visit to the motherland they would always send an enormous package for us. The same could not be said for my fairly well-to-do father's family (not to say they were bad people - just an observation).

It has led me to believe that those who have the least tend to give the most. Someone I met in India said that they way the Indians view themselves among the socio-economical heirarchy is opposite to that in the west. In the West we look to those who have more than us to see what we could have. We strive and often define ourselves by trying to reach that level. 

In India they look to those who have less and see what they actually have and feel fortunate to have more than those less fortunate. I noticed whilst in India it was the poor street vendors who were giving money to the beggars. Those in fancy cars and flash clothes would turn a blind eye to both parties.

The upshot of this diatribe is that we should reflect and consider what we do have and never ever take it for granted.

YouTube Stars Slaughter

I love South Park. When the show first started I did not really watch it as I thought it was a poor man's SImpsons. However, over the years the satire and political commentary layered within its episodes was too funny and clever to ignore. I like the fact that Matt Stone and Trey Parker take shots at everybody - Liberal, Conservative, Gay, Black, White etc.

The below clip is one that I found to be really funny as I am sure many of us have grown tired of the ubiquity of internet stars. Its fairly juvenile but, hey, it makes me laugh.

Planes, Trains, Automobiles and Mobile Phones

Recently I read in the news that mobile/cell phones will be allowed on airplanes for European flights. I was told long ago by an electrical engineer that mobile phones did not interfere with any of the instrumentation and it was purely done to be on the safe side.

Well, now it has been approved to use mobile phones on planes. I for one, am horrified by this. Could you imagine a 5 hour flight next to some punter who will talk incessantly and will leave you exposed to such comments as 'yeah, I'm on the plane, isn't it cool' and 'where am I exactly? I dunno somewhere over France'.

Plane travel can be stressful enough, but to add this element makes it even that more unpalatable. I have often taken 'hungover' refuge in many aircraft and the thought of having someone blabber next to me when I am in this sorry state will most likely lead me to violence.

The article went on to say that the only thing that would prevent wide-spread use is that it is cost prohibitive. So it leads me to believe that it will be those sitting in the front of the aircraft that will be fortunate enough to annoy their neighbouring passengers.

My bro wrote an interesting piece on mobile etiquette which you can read below:

http://itsaninterestingpoint.com/2008/03/28/mobile-phone-etiquette-by-riyad/

Top 5 Movie Moments - Not what you would expect!

Below are my top 5 movie moments which I commented on from itsaninterestingpoint.com I thought I would put there here to share with you all:

1) Godfather
Moments before Michael kills McClusky and Solozzo, the train thunders by - Solozzo’s voice is muted by the sound of Michael’s thoughts and how everything he has done in his life will change after he kills these two men. The darting glances that Michael delivers before he pulls the trigger reflects this perfectly.

2) Shawshank Redemption
Scene where Red tells the tale of Andy escaping from Shawshank. Capped off by his Jesus-like liberation. I love a good montage and this up there with the best.

3) Godfather, Part II
Two scenes really - the scene where Michael figures out that Fredo was the rat whilst in Cuba and letting him know that he knows on New Year's Eve. Also, after the death of their mother. Michael finally embraces (the then exiled) Fredo and gives Nering a look to confirm that he wants his own brother dead.

4) Gladiator (not the porn Glad-he-ate-her)
First fight scene. Its amazing to watch. Suspense. Honour. Violence.

5) Cool Runnings
Yes, I am an idiot, but I love this scene. The final scene where after the crash the members of the team carry the bobsled across the finish line (fictional) and Junior’s father, who has been against the idea from the start shows his support by brandishing his Jamaican Bobsled T-Shirt. Made me cry, it really did.

5a) 12 Angry Men
Penultimate scene where the silence of the other jurors convinces the last one holding out to change his mind. Shows the ability of silence to defeat a man’s will.

E-tiquette

I believe that with the passage of time, manners and general etiquette has severely waned over the last 15-20 years. I am certain that everyone has heard the older generation say 'you would never do that when I was your age' and I fear in my early 30's I fear that I will be muttering this soon.

Yes I admit there are cultural nuances but I think the general electronic etiquette or e-tiquette as I call it - is shockingly poor.

I have recently advertised a room in my apartment for rent on gumtree and craigslist. I purposely do not leave an email address as I can't be bothered with the back and forth. As you would expect, people would call and text me about details about the room. We set up mutual times for those interested to come by and see the place. By my estimates, I would say that about 40% don't show up and a great deal of the rest are late and don't bother to call or text in regards to their tardiness.

Most recently some random person emailed me about general information about living in Australia. Out of the goodness of my heart I replied to their questions, thinking to myself, why not help someone out who needs it, even if it is in this faceless medium. This individual did not even have the decency to say thank you.

Now I ask you - what the hell do these people think? I am running a public because I have put an advert on the internet and I am here at their beckon call? It seems that common courtesy is the least common thing around when you deal in cyber-space. Or rather was I instilled with a certain set of values that does not ring true any longer - and this behaviour is the norm and it is me who needs to render a new set of values?? (I truly hope not).

Do I believe there is a solution to this all - not a chance - but I am hoping that people will make some effort to be courteous so I do not age prematurely and sound like a grizzled pensioner well before my time.

The view from Down Under

I take pride in being a student of observation. I like to know every minute detail of my surroundings and have a natural ability to see changes around the neighbourhood and things along those lines. Whether it be a new door at the local dry cleaner or the recent puke deposit placed by some yob on the side of the road.

I have lived in 4 countries now and visited many others. My new home, Australia, is much of what you would expect in any westernized country but I have found some small changes versus that in the northern hemisphere (although there are some similarities to England).

Below are some of the small things I have observed, which lends credence to the idea that things are 'opposite down under'.

1) Water drains the opposite direct down the drain versus that in the northern hemisphere. This was popularized by The Simpsons episode -- which sees Homer shedding a tear looking at the specially rigged toilet at the US Embassy whilst singing 'America the Beautiful'.

2) Revolving doors turn clock-wise. Reason I know this is different -- starting pushing the wrong way (instinct had me try to push counter-close wise). If I'm wrong please let me know -- but my instinct tells me I'm right.

3) People orient themselves on the left side. This includes walking down the stairs, down the street and even escalators. Also, the UP and DOWN escalators are oriented in the opposite direction in malls/shops as opposed to North America. Seems like a small thing but when you are walking down the street and bashing into people at every turn -- you figure it out pretty quick.

4) 'EH' the verbal crutch that most Canadians boast is actually used in a similar fashion here - but people say 'hey' at the end of sentences. Pretty crazy, eh (or is it hey)?

Its not to say that moving South of the equator is going to throw you into a culture-shock coma but there are some small things that really reinforce the idea that you are not in Kansas any more.

Things that make me laugh.

I figure that my first foray into the world of blogging would be something simple that anyone can appreciate. The below clip was made when Howard Dean was running for Democratic Presidential candidate in 2004. This is the infamous 'BYAH' video. I do not follow US politics particularly closely but this just makes me laugh.

What turned me on to this actual video was Dave Chapelle's parody and subsequent music video that really showcased how outlandish Dean's speech was. Enjoy Chapelle's parody of it below (with original footage).