The Krauts, The Micks and The Skips!

So once again Germany remains RAD!!

It was my 2^nd time there and really enjoyed:

The Culture- Bavaria has a different culture then rest of Germany- Old skool and long in traditions. For example it is COMPLELY normal for anyone to walk down the street wearing lederhosen. Really. Pretty conservative as well- but if you show a little respect for them, they’ll reciprocate.

The Language-for some reason I can get my head around simple German phrases as opposed to French and Italian.

The Food- lots of meat. Breakfast = Weiswurst (white sausage) Weisbeer (wheat beer) and giant pretzels. Lunch = Grilled sausages with beer. Dinner = Sausages with beer.

The History- Long, interesting history and exceptionally important 20^th C history.

The current Society- The Greens party has been in power for a long time. They are great re-cyclers. You have to pay for plastic bags at the supermarket. Even in the busiest city areas you don’t have to lock up your bike!

My Friends- got one or two awesome friends over there and plenty of friendly acquaintances!

I’ve uploaded some of our photo’s HERE if your interested. You’ll find photos from Berlin and Munich 2005 and Munich this year.

Off to Ireland tomorrow. London Girl and I hook up with my jet-setting/inheritance-spending parents. Fly into Cork. Fly out of Dublin on Sunday. Have no idea what we’ll do in-between. But we’ve hired a car, so road-tripping and Guinness-drinking might be the order of the day. Try and catch some good Irish hoe-downs!

Then it’s back to my last 4 weeks in London!

Yes, that’s RIGHT. I’ll be back in Australia on the 1^st of November!

As I’ve mentioned here sometime ago, I’ll be in Melbourne for a week- then down to Hobart for a week- maybe two. After that I’m not really sure as I want to get up to Sydney see the rest of the family and the Sydney crew…. But duties may force me back to Melbourne.

What duties?

Well finding a house to live in and a job!

THAT’S RIGHT!!

Some of you didn’t know that The Frase and London Girl European Adventure will be re-locating to Melbourne on a permanent basis!!

After much deliberation we decided we want a bit of the good healthy life. So hopefully Melbourne will rock it for us.

If not we’ll be back on a plane to Europe.

I’m actually walking away from a pretty descant job- which seems very crazy, but I’m hoping I can get something as good and enjoyable in Melbourne. I have a few options on the boil but none are set in stone as yet and might end up going nowhere.

So if anyone hears of anything coming up that might suit me, I’d be VERY happy and thankful if you could let me know.

Email on: scott at sdfraser dot com

Laters!

A Bavarian Love Story

Told in picto-grams.

Munich

Yo!
I'm off to Munich tomorrow morning. To the very HEART of Bavaria. Behind The White Sausage Border.

My German is pretty rusty (Herr Helgate- we should've engaged in a hun-disscussion to brush up my skills).
I let my beard grow long and MIGHTY but I HAD to give it a trim last night- it was getting way to itchy and food kept on getting stuck in it.
So I fear I'll be exposed as a Hannsy Auslander!

We get back on Monday, but my folks will be arriving in London that night so I won't be back online till next tuesday morning.

I haven't seen my mum for over a year and a half!

Anways, there's been plenty of stuff here this week to tie you over till next.

Talk amongst yourselves!


Auf weidershen!

General Mike P vs Wolfmother

And while we're talking about music, Mike Patton gives a little word about the state of music today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r98WLLWMq3o&eurl=

New CD's

At lunch time today I went and treated myself to some new cd's.
The following comments are based on ONE listen each, so they may not be FACT.


I've been after this cd for YEARS and I've seen it everywhere in London. I can't remember why I haven't bought it sooner but I am glad that I did.
It's full of great old skool beats and funky samples and is ACE!
Johnny Cash's last recording (except for the OTHER last recording that'll be released next year.....). It's not my faourite American Recordings, but it's Johnny Cash, so thats still GOLD! Quite mellow and soft which I don't like, but it's a testimant to Cashs' vocal storytelling. He achieves more power and narrative on his deathbed with a failing voice then others can only ever dream about.


Wonder Stuff's latest. I probally shouldn't have bought this with out giving it a listen as it's not terribly good. It's not woeful. But it ain't gold, and I don't have time for anything that's not GOLD! So now I'm wishing I didn't blow 13 quid on it. I think I was pressured into it by Maggie and Dogpossum calling me a pussy ages ago....



WORDS HURT!!!

Mead2

I take it back....

Mead is quite nice when heated!

Also: A small update on my website:
www.sdfraser.com

Death of a Crocodile Hunter

Y'know what?
I am genuinely upset about the death of Steve Irwin.
When I first saw his show a few years ago my immediate reaction was "What a dickhead".
But then I watched another episode and I GOT IT.

I've always been an animal lover- inparticular Australian reptiles and I salute the job that Steve did in boosting the publics perception of how beautiful, interesting and important these animals are. He showed that what people regard as "maneating monsters" are really misunderstood, fearful animals that need to be treated with respect and protected.

The work he did for conservation causes was phenomenal.

The work he did internationally for Australia was also huge.

He copped a lot of flack for his perpetuation of the Ocker Australian- but you know what? ALOT OF PEOPLE IN AUSTRALIA TALK LIKE THAT.... Rarely with such passion, warmth and excitement though.......

His death was very surprising and shocking, but I'm glad that he died at the hands of a wild animal rather then, say, hit by a bus.

That little stingray with the unlucky strike of it's tail should remind us that humans do share this world with other creatures. Even if you've wrestled crocodiles, wrangled boa-constrictors or danced with king cobras- if you are in their environment then treat them with respect.

Black Pudding

Something I just remembered- the other weekend when we were on the Isle of Wight- I tried Black Pudding for the first time.

Black pudding is BLOOD and OFFAL made into a sausage.

It was pretty nice tasting- even if it looked like manure.

Mead

I just remembered that I have a bottle of MEAD at home. Unopened.

Does anyone know whats the best way to drink it? (besides from out of a viking horn or the skull of your defeated foes).
Chilled? Room temperature?
And will it keep after opening? Do I have to refridgerate?

Bought this stuff at the Isle of Wight.

Night of the Living Baseheads

On the weekend we went to Richmond Park. At almost 1000 hectares, it's the largest Royal Park in London.

It kicked arse!!

Just continuous woodlands and open grass fields just 30 mins train ride away from Waterloo Station.

The park is also home to hundreds of wild Red and Fallow deer.

Walking through the old oak woods we came across a few big stag deers with huge sets of antlers. We got some excellent photos and video of them standing in front of us on the path. Just staring us down, before they bounded off into the woods. We also came across quite large herds of females and their young.

But, I can't show you ANY of this because that night our bag (with our digital camera) was stolen from underneath our feet when we were at a pub.

Normally we are quite aware and protective of our stuff when out in London- but somehow these bag-snatching-professionals out-NINJA-skilled us!

I won't go into the rest the night- it's too depressing to think about it and I'd rather try and stay focused on the great experience we had at the park.

I’d really like to go back soon and do it with bikes. It’s so big we only covered a quarter of it on foot. Hopefully I can get a new camera before hand and try and recapture the lost moments…..

Thats How I'm Living

The overwhelming success of having a GUEST WRITER here on Diggsville not too long ago gave me the idea to throw down the gauntlet and open up the soapbox. So....

If you're keen, let me know. Anyone or Anything. I'll post it HERE!

Have your rants, reviews, word-ups, guides-to-better-lives read by ZILLIONS around the world!

If you want to hide your identity you can use a fake name.(e.g Tee Holgate, Doug Selan, London Holgate, Maggie Douglas, etc etc)

Initially I promised to publish WHAT EVER I was given- unedited... but ....I've got someone already lined up and, tell you the truth, I'm .........AFRAID of what she might have to say and show.

But I did promise her I wouldn't censor it... so for now thats the policy..

EGADS!! Have you EVER read anything more EXCITING???!!!!

In OTHER news... the housemates are starting to warm towards 21 Jump St. Well, MOST of them are. There is STILL one who doesn't dig it! But the other night we watched 3 episodes IN A ROW- at the request of Housemate-Paula!

VINDICATION!!

Nacho Libre

Saw this film last week. Was very much looking foward to it- but it pretty much sucked.

About 30 mins into it, Ainslie asked me "Is this movie for retarded people?" .

There were one or two funny moments, some nice wrestling sequences that were over too quickly, and maybe 3 touching moments. The rest was sluggish- if not offensive.
Afterwards I remarked to Ains that it reminded me alot of Napoleon Dynamite. The stilted camera direction, the boring set ups of jokes, and probally most disturbingly, it's racist/stereotypical portrails of Mexicans as ugly, lazy, slow-witted beaners...

The next day I found out it was written and directed by THE SAME GUY- Jared Hess!
Ok- I thought- the guy must be Mexican.
But he ain't. He's a film school graduate from UTAH.....

So, like, WHAT UP Hess??!!?!
Whats his deal?

I didn't really like Napolean Dynamite. The plot was pretty good- but the film was flat, boring and droll.
SAME FOR NACHO LIBRE.
It had GREAT FILM written all over it. JACK BLACK + MEXICAN WRESTLERS!!! Hell, it even had cute kids that were ill-used. But nope. Fell totally flat.
I think this review sums up my thoughts on it pretty accuratly.

The List

Douglas’ confession has got me thinking. About stuff.

So I’ve made a list of music/musicians that I am either supposed to love or have had people tell me that I should be loving- but I DON’T LOVE(for one reason or another)

The List: (in no real order and no doubt will be extended when I think of more!)

Sonic Youth

Radiohead

Muse

Ella Fitzgerald

Ryan Adams

Mars Volta

Lester Young

Fletcher Henderson

Sidney Bechet

Incognito

Tom Waits

PJ Havey

Bloc Party

Something For Kate

Gerling

Charlie Parker

GoldFrapp

Flaming Lips

Arctic Monkeys

The Smiths

The Streets

The Hives

Belle and Sebastion

Live Journal Feed

http://syndicated.livejournal.com/thefrase/

For all you LJ users. Now you can friend Diggsville up til the break of dawn!

Uptown Girl

It's not a good thing at all when an ad for a Billy Joel Best Of.. comes on the tele and you find yourself tapping your foot and thinking "That might be a good album to buy."

Certainly it must be a CLEAR sign that you're entering the mid-30's?

(And Ainslie- NO. I don't really want you to buy me it for Xmas. Unless YOU want it for your b'day?)

Last night Ains and I had dinner at a Malaysian place.

For entree she had the deep fried swamp eel and I had the green curried frog legs and salted duck egg.


We don't fuck around when it comes to food.


Don't start none and there won't be none, holmes!

3rd August

I'm quite glad that no one called me up on my offer to publish my anecdote.
On reflection if I hesitate- then it's probaly not suitable.
No one wants to read about my night with car-crashes, partying with my gay-neighbor, the naked 40 yr old anorexic widow of a politician, the homo-phobes, the gay club, the moisturizer creams and the angry 'Nam vets....

TODAY, the 3rd of August, marks the first year anniversary of me arriving in London.

To celebrate I have 2 treats!

This website is for all you guys who like to goof off at work.
http://www.workfriendly.net/
It makes websites look like word documents so you don't get caught at work! Neat!

And this is for all you Star Wars fans:
http://grid212.blogspot.com/2006/07/darth-vader-being-smart-ass-oh-my-god.html

Yesterday morning I woke up with a nice idea for a pirate comic. Not sure where it came from. I saw Pirates 2 a few weeks ago now so it's far from my brain.
In doing a bit of research for this idea I found out the reason why the English are called "limeys". It's due to the British Navy's use of LIMES to combat scurvy and Germans are called "krauts" cos the German Navy used sauerkraut....
I always thought the Soapdodgers were called Limeys cos of all the limescale in the water.
But no.

Did you also know that when the Brits say "pants"- they mean UNDERPANTS?? Reminds me of the cool elderly black lady working at the lounge in Vegas who accidentally spilt some of my drink on my leg. As she was apologizing she told us that she didn't call them "pants" but "trousers" because she was "from the old skool".

Aaaah... Vegas.....


Um... managed to see The Wonderstuff after all on the weekend. As we left the festival on saturday we saw that if you sat outside the fence you still had a really good view of the stage- so we went back on the sunday night to catch the 'Stuffies!
They were good! As good as they ever where- which means half the stuff they did was a bit average and the rest was TOPS!
So, y'know, that makes me NOT a pussy!

*phew*

Tally

After 17 days the tally looks like this:

Lebanese: 425 dead. The Majority civilians and possibly numerous more trapped under rubble.

Israelis: 52 dead. 18 of which are civilians.

BUT I’ve been advised “not to mention the war”.

So here’s another tally.

DVD collections of tv series introduced by me to the flat.

FAMILY GUY: Positive feedback. Everyone digs.

DEADWOOD: Popular with only London Girl and me.

SPACED: Positive feedback. Everyone digs.

21 JUMP ST: Unpopular. Only I dig.

FIRFLY: Semi-popular. Only London Girl and I sorta-dig.

AMERICAN DAD: Unpopular. Only I am willing to give it further chances.

So......
THIS Saturday is definitely the Ben and Jerry festival. Going to be so much fun! Rock, free ice-cream, probably some beer, petting farm and rides. Then we’ll be going to a bbq that night.

The London “heatwave” continues to progress with temperatures just excess of 30 degrees. You would’ve thought it was summer or something?!

Proper air conditioning at work would make it bearable. The sweaty arse and y-fronts is getting pretty annoying.

Luckily I have an ice-cold bottle of white rum at home in the freezer. Cuba Libre’s are this seasons favourite cocktail.

I have a (true) anecdote written but I am afraid to post it here. I fear it’s too much for even YOU, my hardcore Diggsville readers. Top to top SIN-tilating and head-fucking.

It’s a great story, but like I said- I don’t think you’re up for it.

But shout out if you think you are……….

Season 2

On the weekend I purchases 21 JUMP STREET Season 2 and SPACED Season2.


Witness my JOY!

P-OUT

So far the body count after 10 days is 330 Lebanese and 34 Israelis plus thousands and thousands of civilian Lebanese displaced and basically fucked.

The Israelis have just distributed flyers telling civilians to quit southern Lebanon immediately, amid threats of a large-scale incursion.

Here are the reasons why this crisis has started.
Here are some discussions about the legalities of this war.
Here are some basic facts about the nation of Lebanon.

And here is where I got that RAD image by artists Steff Geissbuhler from.