A hexibtion

The Melbourne City (lending) Library is rather marvellous, and during the gay month of Midsumma beginning with a huge carnival, followed by a dance party and culminating in Pride March on Sunday, there has been a huge number of other events, from films, to art exhibitions...well all sorts of things.

Hairdresser Friend asked if I wanted to go to Pride March, and I kind of would have. We used to form large parties of up to twelve people to lunch on Fitzroy Street with a few drinks and watch the parade. But I think my years of participating in such events has passed, besides, it is hard to get to without walking over one kilometre from a tram stop, unless I go into the city and out again on a different tram to the normal direct tram.

While it is a bit of a tenuous connection, N & B are considered part of the family and they came to Ray's memorial celebration. B is Ex Sis in Law's step daughter. N & B have a three year old daughter and a one year old son, and his birthday will be celebrated on Sunday, so no Pride March for me.

I can't totally ignore Midsumma though, so I visited the photo exhibition at the aforesaid City Library, and it was pretty cool for about twenty minutes. The curator of the exhibition was there and I overheard him saying and showing on his phone a visitor of the only photo in the collections that was definitely Australian. I assume most photos are of American lovers. There were more couples in military uniform than I would have expected. 

It is interesting that is was presented by the European Union to the Midsummer event, with a message from the EU Ambassador to Australia. Are our connections to Europe already becoming stronger as we slide away from the US?

Here are a few photos.

AI Slop Answer

I haven't given everyone a chance to check my last post, but as I was watching the YouTube clip, it jumped out at me. What? I stuck a pencil in the cog of the tape and rewound to check if what my eyes were seeing was true. Game Roon? Well done Marie Q.

AI Slop

Artificial Intelligence Slop. This is a term I've heard used and I've seen examples of AI Slop. This photo below is a prime example of AI Slop, as this photo pretended to a Melbourne Station in St Kilda but the building was actually London's Old Bailey Court.

In the 1950s there was a serious train crash at the Washington DC Union Station. The short YouTube video about the crash was interesting enough and sounded very factual, but what can be trusted in the video? I took a screenshot towards the end of the clip and something didn't seem quite right in what I was watching. Can you see it? Actually, I've seen a another AI Slop in the still. 

Slapping the missus and breast cancer

Written some time in 2024.

A random statistic I heard, one in seven Australian women will have breast cancer. Yes, even within the small circle I move in, I've known a number. In spite of much better treatments and results now, it is still a hell on earth treatment. And I complain about a three centimetre incision.

Unrelated:

Hey mate, how was your night?

Not great man. Things weren't good at home. I fucked up and gave the missus a rough time. 

What, you gave her a slap? 

Yeah, a bit more than a slap. 

Maaaate, you can't be doing that. You've got to get some self control.

Yeah, I know, but she deliberately pushes my buttons and then starts nagging. I have a couple of beers and I get so angry. She really provokes me, like she does it deliberately. 

Maaaayyyte, you are fucked in the head. You need to talk to someone, a professional, or at least one of those help lines. 

Yeah, I know. I hate myself for it, but I just can't help it.

Rinse and repeat, and in which country in the world does this not happen in some form. 

Traveller complaints

Written September 2023.

These are quite typical of reviews you would find at Trip Advisor. 

THESE ARE ACTUAL COMPLAINTS RECEIVED BY "THOMAS COOK VACATIONS" FROM DISSATISFIED CUSTOMERS:

1. "They should not allow topless sunbathing on the beach. It was very distracting for my husband who just wanted to relax."

2. "On my holiday to Goa in India, I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don't like spicy food."

3. "We went on holiday to Spain and had a problem with the taxi drivers as they were all Spanish."

4. "We booked an excursion to a wat…

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I am not Mellow Yellow

Draft post, not published, written June 2025.

A blogger recently mentioned about what yellow they have in their home, or something like that. Although I am a really a caring and sincere person, I cannot remember who that was.

Yellow is not my colour and not a colour I am fond of. I hunted around to find some yellow, and there were some odd bits. But that is the extent of my yellow.

Metric Madness

Written 08/25

I think it was in the 1970s when Australia became metric, and everything became metric. There was no wishy washiness of showing the old and the new. No, this is metric, this is how it is. You learn it, and we did, because we had to. For some, no doubt they had to make mental conversions, but younger people such as I was, quickly picked up the new system.

A bad moment for me was when we were driving in England, looking for a turn off I saw a sign with the name and 200 yards ahead. I know a yard is a bit less than a metre, but my brain would not instantly calculate the distance to being not very far ahead. England is half metricated.