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01 Sep 2011 10:27

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World: Australian outlaw Ned Kelly’s remains discovered via DNA testing

  • So that’s where that Heath Ledger movie came from. The headless remains of notorious bucket-clad Australian outlaw Ned Kelly, whose plight was the subject of the first feature-length film ever made, were discovered in a former Melbourne prison and — get this — confirmed via DNA testing. Officials were impressed. “To think a group of scientists could identify the body of a man who was executed more than 130 years ago, moved and buried in a haphazard fashion among 33 other prisoners, most of whom are not identified, is amazing,” said Victoria Attorney General Robert Clark. Next challenge: Figuring out if he and Buckethead are distant relatives. source
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16 Aug 2011 10:46

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World: Australian study: Watching tons of TV shortens your lifespan

  • 22 minutes shorter for each hour of television you watch, lazy slob source
  • » No, TV isn’t a carcinogen: The reason for this is that when you’re watching TV, you’re usually not doing anything, least of which working out. You’re just staring at Kate Gosselin and her army of kids, learning absolutely nothing from The Learning Channel other than that you probably don’t want to be a single mom with eight kids. By the way, that 22 minutes you just wasted watching an hourlong block of Jon Gosselin’s biggest problem? That’s the same level of longevity taken away when you smoke two cigarettes. Think about that.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

03 Aug 2011 11:25

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World: Australian teen with bomb strapped to her neck freed (whew)

  • We don’t know what to make of a story this weird. After a 10-hour ordeal involving a bomb and an apparent extortion attempt, an 18-year-old Sydney girl has been freed (the clip reflects the situation before she was freed). “She’s good – she’s been kept in a very uncomfortable position,” New South Wales state Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch  said. “She has been and will be uncomfortable for a little while to come.” Murdoch says that the device was no joke — it was “very elaborate, very sophisticated.” Right now, officials are trying to learn the identity of the weirdo who did this to her. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 Mar 2011 23:41

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Culture: Max Headroom: Bully’s worst nightmare Casey Heynes speaks out

  • This Aussie sure showed that little punk. As you might have noticed, we didn’t post the clip du jour of the week, where Australian kid Casey Heynes, backed into a corner by a bully, pulled a Zangief-worthy move on his opponent, which (despite how violent it looked) only led to a scraped knee for the bully in question. The original clip felt exploitative. In this context, it feels less so. Australian program “A Current Affair” caught up with Heynes, who said he’s been bullied for years (even contemplating suicide), and finally snapped earlier this week. It’s soft-focus journalism, yes, but Heynes has a great head on his shoulders and a great family. And thousands of followers on Facebook. Great work. source
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23 Jun 2010 10:15

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World: Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd tries to save his job

  • cause Julia Gillard, a member of the prime minister’s party, said she was going to challenge Kevin Rudd’s Labor party leadership.
  • reaction Rudd held a late-night press conference where he forced the issue – the party will hold a leadership vote on Thursday. source
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02 Feb 2010 23:53

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Offbeat: Protip: If you work at a financial firm, don’t look at porn. Ever.

  • Macquarie Group Australia had a pretty awesome gaffe happen on live TV thanks to one of their bumbling workers, who decided to look at porn while an analyst was getting interviewed for a financial program. Best part of the video is the very end. A classic of the form. The guy responsible could be in huge trouble, by the way. (Duh.) source
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11 Aug 2009 10:34

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Culture: Aussie rock icon Nick Cave has a new book coming out

  • Put Cormac McCarthy, Franz Kafka and Benny Hill together in a Brighton seaside guesthouse and they might just come up with Bunny Munro.
  • “Trainspotting” author Irvine Welsh • Describing Bunny Munro, the main character of Nick Cave’s new novel, “The Death of Bunny Munro.” The book comes out next month, and it’s not the first one Cave has written. Although we’d really like to see a movie come out of this script. • source
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11 May 2009 03:31

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Culture, Music: Bad Seed Nick Cave once wrote a crazy “Gladiator” sequel

  • Storytelling, [it] works brilliantly. I think [Cave] enjoyed doing it, and I think it was one of those things that he thought, ‘Well, maybe there’s a sequel where we can adjust the fantasy and bring [Maximus] back from the dead.’
  • Director Ridley Scott • Discussing Nick Cave’s rejected “Gladiator 2” script, commissioned by “Gladiator” star Russell Crowe. Cave, better known for songs such as “The Mercy Seat” and “Where the Wild Roses Grow,” had a major challenge – create a sequel for a film whose main character died at the end of the movie. He solved it by going in crazy directions – making Maximus live forever through reincarnation, playing a part in World War II and showing up in the Pentagon. This sounds amazing. • source
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