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Security levels in a time of terror

The British are feeling the pinch in relation to recent terrorist threats in Islamabad and have now raised their security level from "Miffed" to "Peeved". Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to "Irritated" or even "A Bit Cross".

Brits have not been "A Bit Cross" since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies ran out. Terrorists have been re-categorized from "Tiresome" to a "Bloody Nuisance".

The last time the British issued a "Bloody Nuisance" warning level was during the great fire of 1666.

The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from "Run" to "Hide". The only two higher levels in France are "Collaborate" and "Surrender." The rise was precipitated by the recent fire that destroyed both of France 's white flag factories, effectively paralysing the country's military capability.

It's not only the French who are on a heightened level of alert. Italy has increased the alert level from "Shout loudly and excitedly" to "Elaborate Military Posturing." Two more levels remain: "Ineffective Combat Operations" and "Change Sides." 

The Germans also increased their alert state from "Disdainful Arrogance" to "Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs." They also have two higher levels: "Invade a Neighbour" and "Lose". 

Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual, and the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels. 

The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy. 

Americans meanwhile are carrying out pre-emptive strikes, on all of their allies, just in case. 

New Zealand has also raised its security levels – from "Baaa" to "BAAAA!". Due to continuing defence cutbacks (the air force being a squadron of spotty teenagers flying paper aeroplanes and the navy some toy boats in the Prime Minister's bath), New Zealand only has one more level of escalation, which is "Sh#t, I hope Australia will come and rescue us". 

Australia , meanwhile, has raised its security level from "No worries" to "She'll be right, mate". Three more escalation levels remain:
- "Crikey!',
- "I think we'll need to cancel the Barbie this weekend" and
- "The Barbie IS cancelled".

There has not been a situation yet that has warranted the use of the final escalation level. 
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come to the dark side

OMFG. The stupid hurts.

http://www.news.com.au/travel/stor…

Lack of kangaroos at airports 'shocked Kristen Bell'

MEMO to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Tourism Australia: Please send more kangaroos to Australia's international airports.

American tourists are disappointed. Particularly Hollywood starlets.

Kristen Bell, a member of the all-star voice cast of new animated film Astro Boy, has just returned to Los Angeles after a promotional tour in Australia.

The actress, who plays the Peter Pan-like orphan Cora alongside characters voiced by Nicolas Cage, Charlize Theron, Freddie Highmore and Nathan Lane, says she was disappointed when she landed in Sydney.

”I, like every other stupid American, assumed the kangaroos would meet us at the airport and they would want to hug us as much as we wanted to hug them,” Bell said in an interview in Los Angeles.

”That's really the perspective we have here.

”Going there kind of opened my eyes that that's not the case.”

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Yeah, you see, Sydney has 6 million people living in it. It's a CITY. Wild animals that live in a bush environment DO NOT wander around city environments waiting for you to hug them. No, really. They don't. They much prefer to live in their natural habitat where they have ready access to food and where there aren't annoying people around to disturb them. You want to see kangaroos? Go to the zoo. Or the bush. Or Canberra :)
come to the dark side

No one ever expects death by office chair

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article…

A boy in China has been killed by an office chair after it exploded while he was sitting on it, according to reports.

The 14-year-old boy died from extensive bleeding after the chair’s gas cylinder burst, sending metal chair parts into his rectum.

While pictures of the chair have swept the internet, they did not reveal the boy's name or when the incident allegedly occurred.

A gas cylinder containing compressed air is typical of adjustable office chairs. An air valve operated by a side handle on the chair may be used to raise or lower the seat.

In 2007, another chair reportedly injured a person after exploding in China.

Newspapers said a 68-year-old man escaped with minor injuries after a 20cm chair piece pierced his bottom.

The allegedly fatal office chair.
The allegedly fatal office chair.
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So it looks like Obama won the election...

However, I'm curious about polling in America, since it (seems) to be different from Australia (forgive me if these are ignorant questions!).

- why isn't voting compulsary? 
- why don't people vote? is it laziness? or they don't feel obligated to?
- how old do you have to be to vote?
- what are the criteria for absentee voting (posting a vote in before the election rather than going to the polls on the day)?
- what times are polls open?
- where can you vote?
- do you get time off to vote (how do you have time to spend all day in line waiting to vote on a week day)?
- why do there seem to be such long queues (why don't they open more booths/polling places)?
- how do you handle such prolonged campaigning (it's arduous for me and I live in Australia!!!)
- do you think convicted felons should be able to vote once they are out of jail (I think they can't now, right?). why? why not?


Questions for Australians (other countries too if you want):

- if voting wasn't compulsary would you still vote? why? why not?
- can convicted felons still vote? (I don't think you can in America. I wasn't aware if this was a policy in Australia but maybe I'm ill informed).