mer N co.

2007-04-02T17:01:00.001-07:00

something happened to the posts..

MERRRRRRRRRR :''''((((((((((((
WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

2007-02-20T14:42:00.000-08:00

ok.
i think she did it with good reason.
i think she did it to have a fresh start with her hair which is prolli messed up from all the bleaching and etc.
i dont think she did it cos she's crazy (not saying she's not in trouble).
i dont think she did it as a publicity stunt.

know what i'm talking abt? :P

mb-when people asked me what i plan to do in syria i replied, as far as my sister was concerned...i am going to be an english teacher. but really my ultimate aim was to have a artistic breakdown, live off my sister and create art all day every day. how are you going to do that? the unbelievers asked..
internally i'll let all my anxieties engulf me...physically..ill shave my head
maybe she's just reinventing herself...

2007-02-13T08:03:00.000-08:00

question of the day

2007-02-06T09:18:00.000-08:00

or month, or week, or year..depending on how often i think of a totally stupid question..

should then be called question of the hour..

what is the fascination with blondes?
like why issit that they are the 'hotties' of the world

why issit 'more fun to be a blonde'

are blondes just generally more genetically gifted in the looks department than ppl with nonblonde hair genes?

why do girls dye- bleach i'm sorry..their hair blonde
like
ALL THE TIME

that is all

schtoo: why don't you collect some empirical evidence regarding the assertion that it is 'more fun to be blonde' by bleaching your hair and then waiting for fun things to spontaneously happen. You probably need to buy a pink 2-piece skirt suit and a chihuahua.

Then again, are we talking caucasian blonds or Japanese blonds? Since in Japan the vast majority of 10-35 year-olds swap original black for browns, blonds, greens, reds &tc and it certainly seems that they have lots of fun...

leeloo: i think she means blondes a la paris hilton?

maybe it's because people who spend lots of time in the sun end up having bleached hair and it started off with girls hanging out at the beach having their hair bleached blonde and they were plenty fun-and-sun-lovin'. and then their pastier sisters decided that they shouldn't be missing out on the action so with the advent of hair bleach they joined in.

i think that's a pretty scientific explanation.

mb-thats a pretty damn convincing arguement, so much so that i am off to the beach!

and now for something educational

2007-01-30T20:03:00.000-08:00

stonehenge workers' village found! it's got purdy picchers and videos an' everthang!

get thee to the nunnery!

2007-01-30T01:25:00.000-08:00

nuns on the run as their big knitting debts unravel[link]

lz: i heard about this..and apparantly all their names are maria :P
leeloo: that would be about right. 55 marias-gone-bad. i'm just imagining 55 ninja-nuns being cornered in an alley then rappelling up buildings to escape the authorities and carting things away in a black van

2007-01-10T19:52:00.000-08:00

what the..

Zoo puts humans on display
Tue Jan 9, 2007 8:20am ET

ADELAIDE, Australia, Jan 9 (Reuters Life!) - An Australian zoo has put a group of humans on display to raise awareness about primate conservation -- with the proviso that they don't get up to any monkey business.
Over a month, the humans will be locked in an unused orang-utan cage at Adelaide zoo, braving the searing heat and snacking on bananas. They will be monitored by a psychologist who hopes to use the findings to improve conditions for real apes in captivity.
Audiences can vote for their favorite "ape" via mobile phone text messages, in the style of reality television shows, and at the end of the month, a "super human" will be selected to represent the zoo.
"They're completely mad," said one visitor to the exhibit, as the humans, who are allowed home at night, played up to the crowds and checked each other for imaginary lice.
"It's not as exciting as the animals actually, they're not really doing very much," another onlooker said, clearly unimpressed by the volunteers' shenanigans.
One of the human apes, Josh Penley, said the experiment was a chance to "get myself out of my comfort zone and to get a week off work."
Participants wear microphones in front of Web cams to allow watchers to hear the action in what has been billed as "Big Brother behind bars."
Dr. Carla Litchfield, who is conducting the experiment, has laid down firm rules for the new apes: no nudity, no rude behavior and no jumping into the enclosure spa.
Zoo vets haven't ruled out using tranquilizer darts if the humans misbehave.
© Reuters 2007. All Rights Reserved.

did u guys see that on top of gmail??

2007-01-06T12:25:00.000-08:00

ok so i remembered my username and password but then forgot it again..
so that i dont forgot i'll post my username here: elstarshine (with OLD blogger)
gah! so confusing

here u go mer

Hello Kitty Has No Mouth
by Mizuko Ito

Here is another installment from my student essays from my Japanese popular culture class. This one is from Jennilee Tuazon.
Her blank eyes gaze at you from her white face, her button nose a sunshine yellow. A dainty bow rests askew on her left ear, the color matching the day’s adorable—not to mention perfectly coordinated—outfit. Cute, one almost overlooks an important feature: the mouth. Hello Kitty, the embodiment of cute, has no mouth. After more than 30 years, she remains a popular and recognizable character, with generation after generation of young girls falling in love—or at least consumer lust—with Hello Kitty, their zeal for collecting the fancy goods at times extending in adulthood. Why the interest (both love and loathing for the character) in Hello Kitty and all things kawaii? What factors have contributed to her rise and continued success on a global scale? Finally, what are the implications of a mouthless Hello Kitty in terms of gender stereotypes and agency?

WHY ISNT THE PICTURE THERE?? BOO AND I DONT KNOW IF HTAT LINK IS GONNA WORK..IF IT DOESNT GO TO MY BLOG FOR THE REST OF THE ARTICLE..

AND IN TERMS OF ENGLISH LIT..

discuss...

sorry lz i have been quite busy
this topic interested me to no end when i first read it on your blog, to deconstruct the implications of a cultural icon is one of my most favourite things to do. Yet now that i think about it, who am i to talk about Japanese agency? so i will merely pose a few questions. We have all heard about the 'submissive Japanese woman' stereotype, does this feline cultural icon reflect this? there are two ways of looking at this. First off, it is perhaps the western conception of submission, oppression that fuels this stereotyping of Japanese women. ie: its not acceptable in our culture, hence it should not be acceptable anywhere else. why must we keep enforcing what we believe to be submission or oppression on other cultures that deal with gender roles differently? Secondly,i am not sure if the writer of this peice was herself Japanese, or a Japanese person living in a western culture, does it matter? probably not. Is this silencing of the 'voice' a form of oppression regardless of the culture? i cant speculate...but maybe it is. In which case the case of hello kitty becomes highly interesting, yes it has no voice, then again its a cat. think about the marketing implications..would she just say meow? or actually speak? what would she say? is she targeted to men and women? in which case how can her creators program speech that appeals to both markets? who would be the 'voice' of hello kitty? Maybe the whole 'thing' about hello kitty is that children (and adults) across the world could make her say whatever they wanted...maybe. Then theres the obvious factor of her immense success, lets say she is a symbol of gender stereotyping, but she has had such a profound affect on culture. The effect is there, the influence is there...why is the voice so imperitive? well we can all get into feminist theory to do with 'the voice' as a tool of resistance a tool of power, but why would cat figure resist the very system that made her one of the most powerful and well known figures in the world? instead of being taken as a kind of figure of how women 'should be' why cant it be taken as a indication of how women can rise to power without directly challenging a system that could potentially 'silence' them? kind of..fighting from the inside kind of thing. no, overall i am not at all 'concrete' about this whole topic, there are so many variables, still though it is just a cat doll thing. Then again if people out there deconstruct the many manifestations of the 'phallus' in our streets...why not deconstruct the gender implications of a highly popularised feline? hmm. Well whether or not that made sense is beyond me, i wrote this without drinking coffee!

2006-12-31T02:08:00.000-08:00

on behalf of mer & co - the thinktank with 9 members, one vision and a partridge in a pear tree etcetc - i would like to wish our readers (all one of you) a very happy new year !!

2006-11-27T23:40:00.000-08:00

ok so the catdog report from brazil or guadalupe or whatever has been disproved. damn lying village wench. but look! more strange creatures!

ladies and gents presenting the axolotl! [link]

2006-11-19T23:04:00.000-08:00

ZOMG! it's a canine/feline little catdog! maybe.

MB: catdog...that was a popular tv show a few years ago, the cat was the smarter more sarcastic one..and the dog was the daft one. the tune was like..CATdog...catDAWGGGG and rather catchy.
yes, this cartoon mutation amused children and the child in adults for many seasons.

2006-11-19T08:03:00.000-08:00

Hello there!

Marie, Joceline and I keep getting mistaken for Japanese tourists by people in the street. One guy started off with "Ni ho" and then when he got no reply it was "Genki deska!!".

On the way into the city from the airport was a fitness centre advertisement that read "Obesity Kills Too!" - which I can hardly believe is very common in this place. People are skinny. Emos and scenesters would have Indian-envy.

Not much to report after our first day apart from good food and nice weather.

Until next time...

lz: wheres ho?? and she doesnt get mistaken as a japanese tourist??

good ta hear from ya! :D

leeloo: she only gets there in a few days' time right ?? hasn't lefted yet.

lz:ohhh thats why there was a confusion abt when she was leaving..
hey those cheese toastie things stooie mentioned earlier were gooodd
i totally forgot abt those things..yum !!! want some now!!!
remember mer??

wherez mer???

leeloo: enjoying post-thesis life? it's only us people stuck behind desks who seem to be posting

lz: lol how sad..

2006-11-17T15:30:00.000-08:00

http://www.vintagecotton.com/index.php

i think stoo will especially enjoy

idaho?

udaho

he he he he

leeloo: team zissou! that shirt is veeeery cooooool. it even comes with the ridiculous hat !!!

2006-11-16T22:39:00.000-08:00

Zounds!

The post-lunch energy crash has hit like so many melted cheese-toasties hitting the floor cheese-side first, but I can't lie down otherwise the anti-malaria tablets will cause nausea. Instead, I'll take this period of forced consciousness to thank everyone for their wishes and say goodbye (if only for a short while). Actually it's quite likely that Krystel and I will provide some updates, although probably irregularly... and maybe some photos.

Oh and, no promises here but, feel free to provide a mailing address for postcards or summat or nuffin. You maybe indeed get nuffin =P

Ok fellow cutlets, I'm going to get crumbed and prepped for my jump into the deep fryer. Fare thee well.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Stoo
--------------------------------------------------------------------
lz: oh yes pls provide updates on this blog!! that way we can keep YOUR memories forever!

julianna went to one of those countries and got sick..just thought i'd let u know..as for the details..ask m.chia

good bye dear cutlet :) i wish i was at the party :) but alas..i am not..i am at work..

...

2006-11-16T16:54:00.000-08:00

bon voyage!

fair well

2006-11-16T10:05:00.000-08:00

FAREWELL!!!!!!!!!

my little ones :)

2006-11-13T18:30:00.000-08:00

how long do you think it took to come up with this headline ?[link]

lz: http://www.businessweek.com/investor/content/nov2006/pi20061116_493858.htm?campaign_id=rss_daily

leeloo: oh my !!!

2006-11-12T16:54:00.000-08:00

I HAVE NOW BEEN AWAKE FOR 24 HOURS

lepanda: almost there...! yuu can do eet! :) and then we shall party like it's 1899!

MB: i know what this feels like, shtoo u must channel some extra energy, energy that can only be found if you repeatedly tell yourself it will all be over very soon, and that you put all of yourself into your work and that this is you at 110%. it will all be worth it when you walk in there and hand it in, you wont even feel tired! then you'll sleep for days. and wake up thinking theres still things to write, then you have to say outloud to yourself "man, theres nothing left to do!" then you cant sleep coz your brains all active, that'll go after a week or so then you can finally chill out. but at quiet times you wonder to yourself...what will i get? then you push it out of your mind and go make some hummus. only to realise you have no chickpeas.

schtoo: thank you all! i neglected to mention our gmail group explicitly in my acknowledgements - but you guys came under "friends"

lz: omg stoo.."reserved for library use"? o_O

2006-11-07T00:54:00.000-08:00

From this week's Woolworths glossy:

What the heil is this "mock cream"? Are consumers not worthy of getting a few knife blades worth of simple cream these days? I say put a stop to this conspiracy of faux-food substitution!

lz: no way stoo.. this surprises me because i think of u as a man of many knowledgeableadge..mock cream is like the super sweet version of cream..i like it way better than cream cream..cream cream makes me sick...mock cream is similar to icing..i guess its like cream mixed with icing..but its super sweet and yummy yummy :D

schtoo: yes you're completely right helen - this is the result of not letting google answer even the smallest of questions. "buttercream" is mock cream's nicer alias - why aren't the supermarket's using this instead? That way those of us out of the icing loop won't get the impression that it's some kind of Franken-spread.

lz: that description sounds deeeeeeeeelicious

lepanda: boycott shampoo... demand real poo!
i am pretty sure it's woolworth's attempt at lulling unsuspecting consumers into thinking that if they eat mock cream, they will get mock fat; the home-maker friendly version of a jedi mind trick. mock cream sounds marginally better than buttercream.. but also a lot less yummier. hey, you know what's yummy? butter whipped together with lots of sugar. on a stick. mmmmmmmmmmm.

lz: mmmmmmmmmmmm i loveeeeeeeeee cake mix cookie dough mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

HELLO LEPANDA!!!!!!! I KNOW YOU!!! ^.-

MB: what i dont get is what prissy pant vest wearing marketer decided "mock cream" would be a good label for the product. i mean, were these monkeys sitting around a conference table going..what shall we call it? "mock cream" its sweet and it shall reign supreme? i mean cmon! what is this?! amateur hour?!?!?!?!

schtoo: that's in interesting point, mersedeh. Also, who are they to dictate to us what "Great Value" should be. $2.50 for imitation cream? One can only assume that a true-cream sponge would be, oh, $5.00? Our country is so affluent that there are food class distinctions. Great value for something like this would really be $absolutely.free

2006-11-02T10:41:00.000-08:00

happy thesis completion day, mer! you may commence the book-burning now =P

lepanda: this calls for a celebration, with cake + other vices!

lz: oh..i think i've been there. . .

MB: thank you all very kindly, i could not have done it without the witticisms...now for days and days and days of smoking shisha
i have a new rose flavour...there shld be a exlamation mark after that but im too tired to be excited
peace out homies

lz: woot woot woot woot woot woot woot woot woot woot :P

oh S.W.A.T !!

2006-11-01T08:55:00.000-08:00

i can't believe we let halloween go by without featuring somethingawful.com's halloween s.w.a.t !!

lz: hey whenever i see this guy i think he's like a younger version of simon cowell or something..

2006-10-31T21:03:00.000-08:00

a/s/l?

leeloo: wow. i'd hit that. pillsbury doughboy, me luv u long times.

lepanda: good grief, bigger is not always better. is that a girl or a guy under there? it could not be determined from the blood sample:

schtoo: meh heh heh heh. This photo was taken during some aerobic work-out involving one-armed push-ups(as suggested by the trainers and strange sitting position). Every ten reps and it rewards itself with a taste of its own un-baked goodness.

leeloo: i'd say it's well-kneaded exercise. *snigger* ba dum psh.

schtoo: *ZINGGGGGGG*

lepanda: =D

2006-10-31T09:17:00.000-08:00

"Oh Mum, not Chink takeaway again"

lepanda: aieee! that poor child looks like she is in pain. and humiliation. painiliation. o_o

schtoo: this is what happens at Halloween in China - when a family runs out of candy you get given their illegal second child.

lepanda: trick or treat!! neither, have a baby.

schtoo: wait, I heard that young babies are filled on the inside with gooey fondant like a Cadbury Crème Egg. In which case this would be the best_treat_ever.

leeloo: that baby is a disturbing shade of pale. and schtoo! i don't know what they teach you at school, but everybody knows that babies are mostly hollow like lindt bunnies. except for their left arms which are filled with japanese mayonnaise.

Super Soaker Assassins

2006-10-30T04:34:00.000-08:00

this has to happen to somebody we know. it just has to. i don't care who to, as long as it happens.

schtoo: ha-HAH! Although there were some civilian notebook casualties.

leeloo: pishposh!! nothing a little fresh air won't fix.

2006-10-29T19:51:00.000-08:00

happy 22nd birthday to Lynnie.

Here's a jolly king-sized bloke. Wearing double denim. Nothing conveys well wishes like a jolly be-double denimed king-sized bloke.

It's out of shot but he's actually throwing gang signs that, in the 'hood, say: "Congratulations on your birth." Did you know that one of the first things a newborn child does, straight out of the womb, is regurgitate a mouthful of blood and other stuff? WOW!

lepanda: oh ho! happy 22nd orbit around the sun! i wish you well-deserved things like good health and prosperity and hot cabana boys :)

schtoo: if you looked at this post but didn't read the text, you might mistake it as the obituary to Big Boy up there - who died of complications from deep fried candy bars and crumbed meat cakes. Here he is smiling (he was always smiling) as emergency services crane-lifted him from his bed before transporting him via road train to the hospital where he was to spend his final days.

leeloo: why thankee! hot cabana boys are always fun. to have a whole bevy (?) of them to ferry me around on a palanquin has always been my dream. and schtoo! as per your earlier greeting, i did indeed celebrate for only twenty seconds. and kingpin up there was always on my mine.

MB: yay! a birthday! happy 22nd lynnie, i would offer some words of advice but i still dont know what the point of 22 is. if i findout i will be sure to tell you.

leeloo: why thank you. perhaps when i am 23, i will know what it means to once have been 22.

2006-10-24T11:47:00.000-07:00

where's mer? o_O

MB: Stuck in thesis hell

lz: when will it be over?

u know waht i never got?
is the fact that ms lake's cat walked all over my essay with muddy feet (i cant remember exactly what she said)
but what i dont get..is why it just happened to be MY essay..
she had something against me..
i just know it..

2006-10-24T00:21:00.000-07:00

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - A vicar has come to the rescue of a small New Zealand town that has run out of women's underwear.

A group of women at the local Anglican church revealed the crisis caused by the only clothing shop in the small town of Inglewood, about 280 km (175 miles) north west of the capital Wellington, no longer stocking women's underwear.

"Someone came up with the point that it was a bit difficult that ladies essentials were not able to be bought in Inglewood," Reverend Gary Husband told National Radio.

"So we're going to have what's been called a ~~knickers run~~ pantyraid."

2006-10-23T05:26:00.000-07:00

Entire town painted in pink to deter crime

IN a bid to deter crime, authorities in Aurangabad, India, have painted the town pink.
Aurangabad is the centre of a Maoist insurgency and the town's leaders hope that by painting all buildings bright pink, they will lift morale among the residents.

The town's sub-division officer, Arvind Kumar Singh, said: "What better colour than pink, which symbolises good mood, soothing sight and good feelings."

All municipal buildings have been painted, and about 80 per cent of private homes. The remainder are expected to be completed this week.

schtoo: I had cravings for strawberry flavoured milk and mini cheesecakes after reading this article

leeloo: i love how by entire town they mean only the one facade of the building. i would love to see a pic of that building in half a year's time

well..

2006-10-20T19:53:00.000-07:00

when shall we make the big day??

when we announce our fabulous..uh..

we can advertise on msn! myspace! blogs! email signatures!
the possibilities are ENDLESS when you're POPULAR!!! :D
ahahaha

nah but really..
do we need to refine anything??

i think we need more flow..
how bout we 'release' to the 'public' 1st of november
bahaha

//

schtoo: so ... this is the product development phase of mer-n-co? Let's make it a goal to be bought by Google in 2 years.

leeloo: i had no idea we were still in hush-hush phase ! i'd already started advertising on my main one. blog-flogging, if you will.

lz: they can be trial monkees :D

mwuahuahuahuhaha

2006-10-19T17:24:00.000-07:00

Make Money
Use AdSense to earn money with your blog.
New easy signup.

leeloo: yes, that's exactly what we want

mb:We will not fall subject to hypercapitalism!

schtoo: page ads would irritate our readership -- oh wait, what readership! Seriously though, if anyone is following this giant running in-joke we're having but calling it a blog please make yourselves known. Leave a comment (because they're working now)!!

leeloo: i mean .. smash the running dog of capitalism. long live the socialist state. let a hundred flowers bloom for ten thousand years.

MB: it worked for switzerland! We shall not conform to advertising on this blog like many other bourgeoise pigs! never! you may have my income captilism! but you will never have my soul!

schtoo: hear, hear -- it is decided then, our page are never to be sullied with crass commercialism. It shall be an oasis of free thoughts for wanderers of the interweb searching for refreshment. Refreshment that can only be matched by an icy cold can of Coca Cola ®.

leeloo: we are the real thing. hurhurhur.

lz: switzerland?

Dan Castellaneta and Harry Shearer doing their Simpsons voices on Conan O'Brien

2006-10-18T09:32:00.000-07:00

lepanda: teehee, i love stuff like this!! watching people do voices and table reads is just as entertaining as the episode, if not more :D

changed comments settings

2006-10-17T09:40:00.000-07:00

non blogspot users can now post comments :D

these are other options..
i wasnt sure what we wanted..

Show comments in a popup window?
Yes No
Show word verification for comments?
Yes No
Enable comment moderation?
Yes No
Show profile images on comments?
Yes No

leeloo: yes yes no yes is best i think .. in fact, i will save you the trouble.

2006-10-17T07:42:00.000-07:00

who'd you rather buy nuclear arms from?

Make your own poll

2006-10-17T02:53:00.000-07:00

who will north korea nuke first?

Make your own poll

lepanda: ha, haha! look at those eyes! you just can't trust them shifty eyes...

leeloo: but be enthralled by the seductive pout! he's totally rocking that hair in this photo.

2006-10-16T20:05:00.000-07:00

i want to puke:

Want a fried Coke with that?

From correspondents in Chicago

October 17, 2006 08:21am

Article from: Agence France-Presse

FRIED Coke has become the latest artery-clogging hit at US state fairs.

The gooey Coke-battered nuggets topped with cola syrup won the "most creative" title at the Texas state fair in Dallas last month.

Since then, the deep-fried phenomenon has spread to North Carolina and Arizona.
"We've been getting calls from everywhere since we introduced it," Elizabeth Martin, a spokeswoman for the North Carolina fair, told the Dallas Morning News.
"Everyone wants to know where they can get it."

Fried treats are as big of a draw at state fairs as the rides and prize-winning farm animals.
Twinkies, cookies and even pickles are stuck with a stick, dipped in batter and then seared in the deep fryer.

Fried Coke's inventor, concessionaire Abel Gonzales Jr, is a creative fryer whose experiments have proven popular.

Last year, he sold 20,000 fried peanut butter, jelly and banana sandwiches, the Morning News reported.

Fried Coke looks to be an even bigger hit: he sold 16,000 cups of the sticky balls in the first two weeks of the fair, which runs through to October 22.

Mr Gonzales has also had more success with changing his recipe than Coca Cola did.
He reworked the recipe to make the dough less cakey and more spongy so it would soak up more of the cola syrup.

"They were good before, but they are even better now," Mr Gonzales said.

LL: that is pretty wormitous. but also, it has reminded me of the deep-fried chicken cake we planned but never actually made.

schtoo: but at the greasy, greasy, oil-corrupted heart of our fried chicken cake idea is proper food i.e. oestrogen rich chicken mince.

I should explain this idea of our plan to make a savoury chicken-katsu cake. The mince was to be sculpted in a springform tin then coated and fried then be sliced into two layers and spread in the middle with kewpie doll mayonnaise.

LL: our deep-fried chicken cake will be the toast of WA, australia and indeed, the world !! all will be in awe of its glory.

2006-10-16T06:49:00.000-07:00

homigosh!

lookit the mad skills!

schtoo: WHOA. I had an eyegasm.

in-ven-shuns

2006-10-15T22:03:00.000-07:00

Because i'm sure we could populate a whole thread with them.

Shall I kick things off? Introducing: the highly unneccesary FACE BRA!

MB: I thought that said.. FACE BAR and i had a plethora of images run through my head. one striking image was of a person mixing a cocktail in their mouths. i also imagine a head gear of sorts, like a miniture bar set up on ones head, im not sure where the tap would go though.

LL: WOW !! do you think they will have the range that normal bras have? push-up bras, gel bras and those funny chicken-fillet thingers? tha would indeed be hilarity.

and they would have gotten away too

2006-10-14T22:12:00.000-07:00

if it wasn't for those pesky kids ...

" LONDON: A group of schoolchildren helped foil a robbery attempt on an armoured van by memorising the getaway car's registration number in a schoolyard chant. "

this isn't exactly riveting stuff, but it's so scooby doo!

2006-10-13T12:19:00.000-07:00

ok. i dunno what to say. i have nothing profound to add to this. i'm so braindead after the working week. pahaahaaaaaa

lz: i must be the only one who's working week is not yet over :(
booooooooooo :'(

i just read the copyright 'thing'
do not steal - stealing is wrong
bahahaha
classic

ROAR!

2006-10-13T10:57:00.000-07:00

this dude makes me reeeeeeeally unhealthily angery!!

the first time we came across this was at uwa's o-day and i was really disturbed by it. they distribute his stuff at uwa's o'day! REMEMBER SHTOO ?!?! one day we really have to do a dramatic reading of his "tracts".

click me! i'm the worst one!

MB: i'm all for free speech and the such...but that was just..*speechless*. that omar one? damn ihavent had enough coffee to be angrily articulate yet, the heartless scumbag. you know what...people don't need converting, its iprejudiced ideology like that that needs converting. not even converting i use the word incorrectly, they need...broadening. pah!

lz: i'm not sure what's going on? who are we mad at?
?? o_O

LL: the guy who drew the comic! actually the forums all reckon nobody takes him seriously. but obviously if wacky god-squadders at uni buy these supposedly obscure books, he has to have some kind of following right?! or am i taking it too seriously.

2006-10-13T05:11:00.000-07:00

i hath arrived. and stuff.

ummmmmm. so... is there something in particular we should be saying?

lepanda: not really, just fill the space with witty and wonderful things. or leave it blank, and let everybody imagine them instead

Is that a cat in your pocket or...

2006-10-12T22:07:00.000-07:00

... no no, it is a cat in your pocket.

i think i just died of kawaii overdose

LL: OH SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE !!!!!!!! do we melt now or later.

no anonymous comments?

2006-10-12T12:09:00.000-07:00

but what abt all the haters out there???

LL: what haters? we are too loveable. there will be none.

OH MY!

2006-10-12T11:53:00.000-07:00

all i want for christmas is billy corgan's fecal matter

lz: what is this! a blog for all things yuck! ?
landa: eeeew. make me wan to womit.

They said 'Eat the rich'

2006-10-12T09:47:00.000-07:00

... which is a fun sentiment. Just don't touch the rich nutbags who walk around with bejewelled roaches attached to them:

Giant Madagascar Hissing Cockroach Brooch

A little information on our little friends. These insects come in varied patterns and are decorated with the finest Austrian Swarovski crystal. Each roach takes about an hour of painstaking work to achieve his final magical glory. All roaches are male to ensure sterility, and come complete with a leash set. This consists of a gorgeous pin you attach to your clothing with a chain that clasps to the cockroach's carapace to keep him from running amok. The lifespan of these animals is approximately one year if housed and fed properly. This is not a guarantee, it is an estimate. Roaches love fresh bananas and must have access to fresh water at all times, a very damp paper towel or cotton ball will do the trick. Dehydration is the main cause of death. Keep him in a little terrarium in the dark and he will love you and be very responsive to your touch. Roaches are shipped overnight in a box and can be kept in this box for up to 4 days without food or water while you secure him more hospitable accommodations.

landa: well that just proves it then, don't it: money makes you stupid

lz: EW!

LL: the crystals go surprisingly well with the cockroach colour-wise! but it doesn't really detract from the fact that IT'S A FUCKING COCKROACH now does it

some old news for new times

2006-10-11T01:09:00.000-07:00

lynette said, "if we don't put ourselves out there, we'll never be famous"
to which i replied, "i'm pretty sure that's what this guy thought to himself, too"

Discuss.

MB: i'm still getting over the initial shock of the content of that website.

LL: well call me ker-azy but the last time i checked none of us were 52-year-old virgins channeling tina knowles [link]. and also by out there i didn't mean that far out there ..

lz: why have i seen that guy before?
actually
let me rephrase that
why am i seeing him again?!?!?!

who wants to be famous anyways?
those losers on big brother?
but yes i agree with the statement
"if u want to be famous, you should put urself out tehre"
erm..
but then again..i dont think ppl like mother theresa intended to be famous
but then again..she did go out on a limb to help the poor
so whats my point?
i dont know..
thats why i was never good at writing essays..
i cant help but see both sides to the story and this leads to 'sitting on the fence'
which ms lake commanded that we must never do
whats so bad with sitting on the fence neways?

LL: don't we want to be famous? book deal, talkback radio? TEE VEE ?! or was that some kind of cruel joke ..

lz: no..we just want to show the whole world how clever we are :)

that's really great an' all ...

2006-10-11T00:56:00.000-07:00

" Lovers of Roman-era art and archeology can thank the Vatican's parking problem for the discovery of one of the ancient world's best preserved necropolises - right inside the tiny city-state's walls.

The necropolis was opened yesterday, three years after it was unearthed by workers breaking ground for a new garage to ease the dearth of parking space. "

... but what will they do about the parking?

the title of this post has been removed for security reasons

2006-10-10T13:54:00.000-07:00

oops..have we discussed our internet identities yet?

MB
I DONT CARE IF U HAVE AN ASSIGNMENT OR NOT..

THIS IS CALLED MER N CO.
AND I INSIST! U MUST INPUT AT LEAST ONCE A DAY
>.< color="#993399">LL: we are meant to have internet identities? what a big ask !! to create a personality that is intelligent but not too geeky, magnetic without being an attention-seeking camwhore. it's just too much to bear.

merrrrrrrrrr >> what book are you reading? sounds really um .. complex. if it marginalises and stereotypes, then wouldn't it provoke more arguments especially from the people it's marginalising and stereotyping? tiny voices of dissent that grow into the calls of revolution ?! do you hear the people sing, singing the song of angry men? it is the music of a people who will not be slaves again ... &c &c.

ummmmmmm ... or maybe that made me sound like an idiot. oh look a shiny object! [runs after the the shiny object]

MB: ok i dont know how to change font colours. internet identities hey. can we still be the same ppl via an anonymous electronic interface? is it possible to have mulitple identities online? what happens to the individiual when the individual has power over the construction of their identity, even down to choosing what sex you are. yes all highly problematic questions.

the book im reading or wrtiing about rather is not targeted to me or any academic reader. so im not going to say its content is wrong. its just that from an acaemic perspective, specifically from a literary analysis p.o.v, the way in which the text represents certain muslims and islam is through a binar, because its communicating a really complex idea,
islam is consistently constructed in the negative. its only from an academic perspective that i can do this reading, ya know the stuff i told u earlier about derrida? and how a text is open to multiple readings? well this is one of the readings, and it proves problematic because in its construction Islam in the negative, it has pretty much positioned Islam as not being able to coexist with the west. (unless u conform to the view of Islam the text holds)
so basically it tells me, that i cant exist in the west in the way that i practice my religion. even though i can, because..i am living here and quite happily so.
and while its great that the text calls for reform in islam, yay great, woohoo
that reform means nothing to me if according to the text, i cant pratice it

so yea, thats what it is, and i think my head just exploded, i have enough trouble articulating this to my superviser. in conclusion using binaries as a strategic tool silences voices and these voices have to speak out if this text is to be considered as performing cultural work. which its, as exemplified by the fact that its a bloody new york bestseller

--
LL : in the editing page there's an icon with a 'T' & a pallette. change colours as you would any other word doc. or you can just keep typing in black. i might stick with purple. i can't help you with your exploded head though .. although we could pass a collection plate around and collect some $$ to buy you a new one? =P

anyway your argument sounds pretty articulate from here. maybe you can copy and paste that entire chunk of text into your thesis !!

i did some readings + an essay on orientalism once, but it was more focused on the way that the architecture was perceived. sometimes it seems that things aren't all that different from what they were in the 17th-18th century, when all things 'eastern' have a tendency to be misunderstood, deliberately or otherwise, by the western world. and in some ways it seems that things haven't really changed. it can be really annoying. i guess i can't exactly relate to everything you're talking about but i can certainly sympathize with yr frustration.

semi-related to your topic. when i was flying to melb in august, this old-ish lady from bunbury was sitting next to me. the rich country type. and we were chatting about light-hearted things like shopping etc. when all of a sudden she goes "what do you think about muslims? don't you think they should take off those scarves?" i was pretty speechless .. i think my answer put her off though.

MB: i dont get a t with a palette. yes architecture is great for considering how cultural movements affect physical objects like modernist architecture and its focus on efficiency, etc
what was your answer to this lady from bunbury? yes numerous amounts of ppl have told my sister that they are offended by her hijab
theory aside, i tell the ignorant fools to shove it!

lepanda: i totally can't believe you used mer's full name on the internet. now everyone knows where she lives and what she ate for breakfast.

MB: ok so theres bits of this of this post missing...how odd. yes lz how dare u use my full name. it shall be deleted.

LL: in the "edit" page there's [font] [normal size] [b][i] and then T. there you can pick your colours. .. anyway i told her that it wasn't any more offensive to me than christians wearing crucifixes. and personally in terms of offensiveness/annoyance, i found jehovah's witnesses far more annoying, and yet they are allowed to go on knocking on doors. and then there was an awkward silence. and then i took a nap.

MB: i tell you woman theres nothing! theres like this little abc thing with a tick under it and that check spelling yea, then i click on that and go into the palette thingo, then i highlight the text i want coloured then the post changes colour! and you know what? im just going to stick to black...
or automatic
yes, religious signifiers...they really shouldnt offend anybody i mean, who has the right to get offended abt what ppl wear? if someone has bad fashion sense and is wearing like...polka dot overalls with like nothing underneath i would go that offends me, id go...think again! or something along those lines
ignorance offends me.

lz: black is a good colour to choose..but i dont understand why u dont have that tool bar thing

2006-10-10T09:48:00.000-07:00

lynnie loo: behold !! it is a literal think tank.

lz: well..that is random indeed..but literal..FA SHAW

lynnie loo: panama hats for teh win !!

landa: this. picture. is. AWESOME

oops forgot

2006-10-10T09:32:00.000-07:00

so we edit previous posts if we want to comment huh..

well then..
every time we post something we would have to begin it with our name huh?

lynnie loo: ya huh !! juuuust like this !! maybe change colours so people don't get confused.

lz: oo ja and we should stick to the same colours all the time..hmm i think kho would like the pink..

and now for some extreme non-news..

2006-10-09T20:47:00.000-07:00

" An 80-year-old German motorist obediently following his navigation system ignored a motorway 'closed for construction' sign and crashed his Mercedes into a pile of sand "

.. is this even worth reporting??

blue bear

2006-10-09T09:14:00.000-07:00

this kinda reminds me of that book we used to write crap in :D

Fear Not!

2006-10-09T08:02:00.000-07:00

Its okay! ITS OKAAAY!

i'm here now

For those who are stressed or predict future stress

2006-10-09T01:38:00.000-07:00

don't worry

2006-10-08T20:48:00.000-07:00

bring out your scrubbing brush, jones !!

" It's a claim bordering on the potty, but cleaning your toilet can bring you a fabulous fortune, according to Shukan Gendai (10/14).

"Within two weeks of starting to clean my toilet on a daily basis, the price of shares I'd owned for years finally started to rise," Sun Plaza Nakano, the lead singer of now disbanded '90s comic band Bakufu Slump, tells Shukan Gendai, which says the beautifying of bogs is going through something of a boom in Japan at the moment.

Nakano explains why a clean crapper is the first step to financial gain.

"Toilets are watched over by a god called Ususama Myouo and praying to this god brings good financial fortune. The easiest way to bring about this good luck is by cleaning your toilet daily. I've been trading in shares for about six years now. When I first heard of the toilet link to luck, the first thing that came to mind was my shares," the ex-rock singer says.

Nakano says he started daily preening of his pooper in about November last year. Early the following month, shares he'd owned for half a dozen years suddenly sprung to life after their price had largely been dormant.

"It was the first time they'd ever gone up like that. The overall improvement of the stock market has probably helped, but that doesn't necessarily mean that all share prices are going to rise," Nakano tells Shukan Gendai. "You don't need to clean the toilet perfectly. Instead of running the automatic cleaner after having a pee in the morning, just take out the brush and give the cistern a wipe over, or use a rag to rub down the floor or water tank and that should be enough."

Yuhobika, a medical health journal, is already one company that can attest to fortune stemming from toilet cleaning. It released the book "Tsuki wo Yobu Toire Soji (Toilet Cleaning: A Good Luck Charm)" and sold 70,000 copies in two weeks.

Websites and blogs devoted to toilet cleaning and luck are popping up all the time, attracting loads of testimony from people saying they've won big on lotteries or scored on the stock market after becoming regular restroom refiners. And it's not just financial benefits that have been gained, either. Others claimed that cleansing their commodes has led to promotions at work or the disappearance of a uterine tumor, according to the men's weekly.

Feng shui expert Ling Shu-sei is another who says there's a clear link between the smallest room in the house and the thickness of people's wallets.

"Toilets have the closest relationship to financial fortunes and economic conditions than any other place in a house or company building. A clean toilet will bring good fortune to a home, but, on the other hand, luck will avoid any home where the toilet is dirty," the feng shui expert tells Shukan Gendai. "If a toilet smells really bad, it's a sign that evil spirits have entered the home. From a feng shui perspective, this is a disaster." "

2006-10-08T20:28:00.000-07:00

wow it's been aaaaages since i did anything to do with blogs. blog blog blog. heh. hello old friend.

2006-10-08T20:27:00.000-07:00

Cockroach eaters get in free

From correspondents in Louisville, Kentucky

October 09, 2006 12:00am

A HALLOWEEN festival has sparked a row by offering free admission to anyone who eats a live cockroach.

The stunt, by the annual Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom's Fright Fest, has been met with protests of both child and animal cruelty.

Some say it targets poor children and is a form of child abuse, while an animal rights group says it's cruel to cockroaches.

Amusement park workers are offering free entry to anyone who eats a living Madagascar hissing cockroach (click if ye be brave), which grow to about 8cm at maturity.

The fun park says it has received only a "minimal number of complaints" and has no intentions of cancelling the stunt.

The promotion is going on at all Six Flags parks nationwide, though Kentucky Kingdom was the only one to offer free admission, she said.

Other parks allow those who eat cockroaches to go to the front of the line.

mer N co.

2006-10-08T20:16:00.000-07:00

how awesome does our title look haha
all profressional, and stuff

2006-10-08T19:59:00.000-07:00

[sings] good morning starshiiiiiiine the earth says hellewwwwwwwwwwwww

comesta! :)

2006-10-08T19:56:00.000-07:00

if u have google toolbar u can click on this button and wa la! u can post :D

hola

2006-10-08T18:05:00.000-07:00

okay, short one, hello!

an experiment

2006-10-08T10:38:00.000-07:00

obviously blogging is not as instant as gmail
but lets just try yes?!

i think we can get the blog post sent to email whenever someone publishes..
so that could work..
um..

well since some of u know more about programming and the such..
i'll leave u to it!