In this correspondent’s opinion, yes, but only somtimes. The joke here (that I laughed my ass off btw, which proves what a nerd I am …) is that by naming her son “Robert’); DROP TABLE Students;” the mother caused the school’s records to be lost, because the ‘) completes the Insert phrase (for example, INSERT INTO `Students` (`last_name`, `first_name`) VALUES (’Jones’, ‘Robert’) ), and the ; starts a new command, which is “DROP TABLE Students”, which deletes the table in the database named “Students”.

So, in summary, funny.

From 1 July 2008, the 1% Medicare Levy threshold for singles will increase from $50 000 to $100 000. The couple threshold will increase from $100 000 to $150 000. This may lead to many people reconsidering their private health insurance cover.

Well well well. Look who was pissing money away for years on the medicare levy, and NOW is in front without having to do anything. I think we can agree, this makes me a genius. And of course, the fact that my portfolio is currently in the red is just a temporary downtown. Of course. (Best performers, BHP up 24.53% and Flight Centre up 10.15%. Worst performers, ABC Learning Centres, down 32% (although that was always a super punt and not a responsible purchase) and Toll, down 30.22%).

Mum and Dad left Thailand this morning at half-past-ass and I think we did a pretty good job at getting them “templed out”. It was great to see them both, but Mum and I caught colds off each other. Mine’s not too bad today - yesterday was a woozy one - and Mum wasn’t real bad anyway. I guess she’s waiting until she gets home to feel like carp. They both thought Mint was great, and she was: she has been soo cute for the last few days, she would be impossible not to like

Oh, we also saw Get Smart at the movies on Saturday. It was great. Funny and clever, and fully deserving it’s 7+/10 rating on IMDB. There’s also a fabulous new version of the Royal Anthem at the cinema before the movie starts, which I’d love to find a clip to post here. It’s such a moving piece, and beautifully performed in a “Jazz” style. If I can find it, you’re in for a treat.

I’m talking of course, about Skyrates. Leyton is now onboard with Skyrates too, and we’ve decided to form a Wing, which serves no real purpose except giving us our own channel on the online “radio” (ie, chat room) and bragging rights. If you’ve been impressed with my previous ramblings enough to join Skyrates yourself (without telling me), then please let me know. You can even join our Wing!  It’s called “The Masked Avengers” and we’re based out of Tinkspoit. 

You’ll need to play for a while before you can reach Tinkspoit to join the wing though … Aleut to Tinkspoit is 1565km (which probably means a Tier 4 plane), and you need a 3-star flight license.

And to completely nerd out the post, I will announce my goal to make it to New Hovlund this coming week to buy my long-awaited engine upgrades: 6-barrel carburetor, and larger props. Expect a post then on the hurt I suffered spending this fictional money on these fictional upgrades.

You know, since Australia is such a “new” country, Australians don’t really have many traditions. I do.

Every time I remember, I get pretty drunk watching State of Origin. Last night I headed to the Crossbar (which I’ve only been to once before) and had a pretty good night. Of course, with east coast Australia 3 hours ahead, this means I had to get there around 4:30pm to see the pregame, which was a little dead, but the crowd built up, and it just gave me more time to warm up myself.

The pub owner’s an English chap, whose name I forget in the murky haze of morning, but a pleasant fellow with a pleasant bar. I had the above-average cheeseburger which comes with EXCELLENT chips, and more large (pint?) glasses of Leo beer than I care to remember. The apple crumble with custard was also excellent.

And when I merrily came home, Mint stated as fact: “you drunk.” My reputation sullied, I denied this: “I no drunk!” (my English after the beers was not much better than hers). She rolled her eyes: “you no drunk นิดหน่อย” which is a mocking way of saying “you’re very drunk”.

Leyton’s blog has a few funny posts on it now, check it out.

So I’ve joined up with BookMooch and encourage everyone to do the same.  It’s a world-wide book sharing club, and it works like this:

1. You type in the books you want to give away.
2. You receive requests from others for your books.
3. You mail your books and receive points.
4. Ask for books from others with your points.

How brilliant is that? In order to mooch books from others, you need to earn points which you use up as you get free books from other people.  You earn points when you:

• Type books in: enter books you own and want to give away.
  Each book typed in gets you 1/10th of a point.
• Give books away: respond to a mooch request, and send your book to them.
  1 point awarded, 3 points if sent to another country.
• Acknowledge Receipt: after you receive a book, leave feedback for the sender.
  Each feedback receives 1/10th of a point.

Anyway, I think it’s a brilliant idea. You can view my current list of books to give away here: http://bookmooch.com/m/inventory/chuckler (just press cancel when it asks for a login, it’ll still let you see the books). 

In the interest of getting a blog post out, here’s a few paragraphs I wrote but couldn’t be bothered finishing. Fan fiction is just so … ugh. It’s about Skyrates if you hadn’t figured that out.

Begart was 21, and a boarman. He had been born on a skyland named Leng, and chose the only career path available to children born on Leng: he became a pilot. Geography pretty much ensured that anyone not color-blind could earn a decent living employed by a wealthy merchant as a pilot, trader, and general run-about.

Even in a fast plane, it could take 2 or more hours to fly between skylands. Contrary to the romantic ideas of flying the skies on someone else’s dime, most of it was boring. When it wasn’t boring, it was briefly dangerous, then boring again. Pirates cruised the atmosphere between skylands, waiting for cargo planes with bellies full of cargo, to tear open, pillage, and disappear with into the vast sky.

The pirates who patrolled the skylands had learned quickly. It had been years since they’d destroyed a ship: a craft that limps away can be repaired, restocked, and plundered again.

Begart had worked for this owner - who he only knew as “Boss” - for 3 years, and this was the third plane in his care. This “Cyclops” could store FOUR dozen crates, and a massive fuel tank allowing even more boring hours behind the stick.