Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Speaking of Canada...

My good friend the Scrawler (Joe Warmington) from the Toronto Sun has written something about someone who I think is the greatest Canadian to ever live. His name is Terry Fox. Look up the definition of inspiration in the dictionary - there should be a picture of Terry. 25 years ago today he died.

Watch this when you get a minute...

CLSA Canada Day

In a week that is getting crazy for most of us students at Bond Uni, what better way to take a load off for a few hours than to celebrate with a few friends over a pint at the Canadian Law Student's Association's (CLSA) Canada Day party - Saturday July 1st.
For only $5 you can get a bracelet that gives you entry.
Entry includes a barbecue, games and a Live Band. Rumour has it that the band is from the Prince Albert (Jupiter's Casino). Always had a rocking good time there.
It's gonna be held this Saturday at Don's Tavern starting at 7pm.
It's a good idea to get there early cause the free BBQ starts right at 7pm.
Free buses going to Surfers at midnight.
You can buy your bracelets from outside the law school.
Mention this ad and get nothing.

And another thing. When we at www.gordprisco.blogspot.com make mistakes, we like to follow up and correct the record. In a previous post I mentioned the LSA was buying shirts for the Australian Law Student's Association Competition/Conference. This is NOT the case. In fact, the shirts are being bought each member of the LSA to promote Bond Law at social events and other functions. Secondly, I apologise to Matt Hooper for any way including him in a conversation about funding students for the ALSA conference. The previous post may have inferred we spoke about this because it was in the same bullet point. This was not the case. The edit to the previous post has been made already. However, more news is to come about this issue next week.

In order to hold the LSA accountable, you have to lead by example and be accountable yourself. www.gordprisco.blogspot.com will remain accountable to you the reader (when are people gonna give up on this riff raff little blog?).

In reality, Hooper almost got the devil horn treatment. However, knowing that he was the came 8th in the world mooting competition, that told me to stay away and cut my losses.

Last thing. Thanks to Jimmy for this one. This is hilarious. The guy being interviewed in this video is being asked about recent explosions in a coal mine. He's being asked about people drinking on the job. Apparently he's saying nobody drinks on the job here...well, how about his buddy in the background.

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Did you know?

The "Australian Rock'n'Roll" stamp set was issued May 26, 1998 by Australia Post. To commemorate AC/DC's first top 5 hit It's a long way to the top (If you wanna rock and roll), they created this. I have looked briefly on the Australia Post website, but can't find any. I need help on this file.
I could also use some help in trying to understand this Equity stuff. It's like trying to teach a caveman Quantum Physics.
Practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect.
Spoke to Matty Hooper today. He tells me the LSA is appropriating funds to buy some shirts for the LSA to help promote Bond and the law school. Great idea to put the good name on the backs of our elected representatives.
Rumour also has it that some students are being funded by the LSA and some others are not. My staff at www.gordprisco.blogspot.com will get to the bottom of this developing issue. UPDATE!! - No students are being funded by the LSA for this event. Now that's fiscal management.
Ari Comert tells me the new LSA is like working with a minority government because each of the ticket's that ran had 5 people each elected. A source I have close to the association says so far so good for the co-operation level.
Sam Barry got his limes at Club 20 to go with our Coronas. We have him to thank by the way.
The album of the week has to be Coldplay's X & Y after their stellar performance this past weekend. It was this years biggest selling album.
A record number of students will be participating at UNI games this year from Bond. That's all I have to say about that.
Nobody pays any attention to people that are banned from www.gordprisco.blogspot.com; however, is it really that big of a deal to be banned from this site? Well, in fact...it probably is to most. To be permitted back on the site you must buy the president of the blog five 250g bags of M & M peanuts with a small paragraph on why you should be allowed back on the site. At that time the president can still reject your application.

Monday, June 26, 2006

Random

I'm pissed off right now. For some reason at 6:27pm 26 June 2006 I am feeling down in the shitter! I gotta get my work done! Anyway here are my thoughts right now:

The following comments were posted on the blog:

1)Wow - you really changed my opinion of you. Here I was thinking that you were a normal person (my mistake apparently) I couldn't understand why you didn't have a girl - really ! And then you go and say you are the only member of the bond blogging community. How self centred and narrow minded. Have you ever asked anyone else if they have a blog? Are we seeing your true colours at last? Look pal, read before you post moronic things like this. I was clear when I wrote, "the Bond blogging community (which apparently I am the only member I know of)" What part of "the only member I know of" didn't you understand? (Was that harsh?)

2) "Gord.....why is it that you are sucking up to the new LSA so much......I thought you were better than that." First off, I have not sucked up to the new LSA. I will praise them when I think they're doing a good job. I will also hold them to account when they fuck up. By doing so, we'll help to enhance the accountability of the LSA as well as to build trust among the students and encourage increased participation and bring forward new ideas. There has never been a concerted effort among students at Bond University to hold our elected student body to account. Well folks, we at www.gordprisco.blogspot.com are gonna do just that. I invite anyone from council to tell us what they're doing in a guest column. We're all about accountability here.

Unrelated stuff:

Lips Like Sugar is an Echo and the Bunnymen song. Coldplay does a remarkable cover of it. I finally got my hands on it. Coldplay was meant to sing this song. If you're at the Bond Library you can listen to it on my shared Itunes. If you aren't, you're gonna have to find it yourself.
Section 9(1) of the Evidence Act in Queensland says that every person including a child is presumed to be competent. I think I had a point to make about this section for some god damn reason, but I can't remember cause I'm still pissed off.
In Canada we only just recently got a national anthem. Before that we just used a Celine Dion song.
I'm really damn close to giving anyone that pisses me off the devil horn treatment...so watch out!
I don't like letting friends down when they need me. I've done it before, and I'll probably do it again. It's never on purpose. But I did it recently and I feel terrible. Sorry - you know who you are.
Congrats to my friend Christine in Toronto moving from Queen's Park to the Toronto Board of Trade.
www.gordprisco.blogpsot.com is proud to now offer birthday announcements for a small donation (we have to pay our staff somehow?). Donations can come in the form of beer or spirits.

Saturday, June 24, 2006

A Rush of Blood to the Head

Saturday night one the world's biggest musical acts graced the Brisbane Entertainment Centre Stage - COLDPLAY
What a show. With such hits as Clocks, God Put a Smile Upon Your Face, Yellow, an amazing rendition of Talk, and a chilling delivery of Fix You to end the show, this band showed this little part of Australia what they're all about.
12,000 strong packed the place with the venue feeling more like a minor hockey league rink than anything else with the smell of French Fries, Hot Dogs, and carpeted hallway floors.
Here was the setlist from last night:

Square One
Politik
Yellow
Speed of Sound
What If
God Put a Smile Upon Your Face
Dont Panic
White Shadows
The Scientist
Till Kingdom Comes (acoustic)
Ring Of Fire (Johnny Cash, acoustic)
Trouble (half acoustic) (keyboard broke, improv on piano with Will & Chris)
Clocks
Talk
-----
ENCORE:
Swallowed in the Sea
In My Place
Fix You

Thursday, June 22, 2006

A New Start

First "Club 20" since the election of the new Bond Law Student's association last night. For those of you that don't know, Club 20 is a social gathering put on outside the law library around every 2nd thursday starting at 5:30 and usually ending around 8pm.Was a great success, although this guy doesn't get to attend until after his Admin tute which ends at 7pm. Lucky for us Professor Keyzer likes to have a beer too so we can convince him to cut class 5 minutes early usually.
Seen above in the picture is the new "terrible three". From left to right, Nate, The Vitamin, and Matty. Matt and I both agree Nate is proving to be quite terrible. As for the former member Myles, he confided to me tonight that he wanted to be "good". Thanks to President Jess for the pic.
Trevor Burgiss tells me that members of the new Law Student's Association won't be attending the Australian Law Students Association Conference. However, listening to his reasoning for not going it makes me think we have a great start to the council this year. He said the cost of sending the new members would be too great. Besides, some previous LSA members will be going and will take minutes. For the most part the trip is no more than a student junkett anyway. It's this kind of strong fiscal managment that will allow our LSA to keep providing us with Limes for our Coronas at Club 20 night and better food than just pizza from Dominos. Did I mention our new president Brendan Donaghue cleaned the microwave in the LSA office? They're on the right track.
After a highly publicised start to their blogging careers, www.stripesanddots.blogspot.com has slowed down of late. We at www.gordprisco.blogspot.com urge the staff over there to get their affairs in order and not let the Bond blogging community (which apparently I am the only member I know of) down.
A big crew travelling to Brisbane Saturday night to go to Coldplay. I've seen them twice. They're damn good and we're not expecting anything less tomorrow night.
Veronica Mars is on. What a super sleuth. Haven't seen the show in ages.

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Justice

Thanks to Andy for this one. Is this what justice is all about? It's about time people started using a little common sense.

National Post

Wednesday June 14, 2006

EXASPERATED JUDGE USES NOVEL COURT TACTIC

Many civilians think judging is an exercise in complex thinking. Well, maybe not all judging. Not the judging we did a couple of weeks ago at “Baystock,” for example. But many civilians think professional judging is an exercise in complex thinking.

You’d think.

You might be surprised by a decision by a federal court judge in Orlando.

Judge Gregory A. Presnell was hearing a case where the two sets of counsel were, well, to call them babies might do babies a disservice. They were running back to court over everything, including whose office would be used to conduct a deposition. It was one small spit storm (OK, not exactly spit) too many.

The judge became exasperated and out of his exasperation was born a new form of alternative dispute resolution.

He issued an order instructing counsel for both sides to convene at a neutral site agreeable to both on Friday, June 30 (the steps of the courthouse, if they can’t agree on anywhere air conditioned without involving him). His order says they may be accompanied by one paralegal to act “as an attendant and witness.”

“At that time and location,” he wrote, “counsel shall engage in one (1) game of ‘rock, paper, scissors.’ The winner of this engagement shall be entitled to select the location for the 30(b)(6) deposition to be held somewhere in Hillsborough County during the period July 11-12, 2006.

“If either party disputes the outcome of this engagement, an appeal may be filed and a hearing will be held at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, July 7, 2006, before the undersigned.”

We know Canadian courts often look to courts with interest on evolving legal theories. Being Canadian, of course, given the same set of circumstances, our courts would almost certainly opt for the eenie meenie minie moe statute.

You said it

It's that time again folks on www.gordprisco.blogspot.com. Yup, it's comments time. This is the time when I post about all the weird and wacky things that have been said to my posts over the last while. And I also respond. For the record, I had my biggest hit day today. Over 75 individual hits and over 100 page views. All the hard workers at www.gordprisco.blogspot.com thank you, and I thank you on behalf of them...this is starting to sound like a Dennis Ong Equity scenario? Anyway...the comments.

April 10, 2006
supermacholovegodstudhorse said...

"if you die, can I keep the Caddyshack DVD?"

Well supermacholovegodstudhorse, if you have my caddyshack DVD bring it back. And if I die, it'll because I'm on a hunt to find you, you sonofabitch! Bring it back to me. Send it to Sailfish Cove pronto.

April 5, 2006
Anonymous said...

"you simply are the best!"

Too kind, but very correct.

April 02, 2006
Anonymous said...

"Greetings from Melbourne. We now LOVE the blog!!!! Topical and correct. Not all Australians would agree. The controversy will be interesting! Good Work MATE!"

We all know who is is from...thanks for the support Chopper Reid. We all know you like controversy. Glad to see you get internet access in jail. Good luck with the probation efforts.

May 31, 2006
Anonymous said...

"Interesting website with a lot of resources and detailed explanations."

You must be on drugs. The only resources I talk about are where the cheapest M&M peanuts can be found on the Gold Coast, and usually halfway through my explanations I give up explaining and make up some kind of lie.

May 29, 2006
Anonymous said...

"Great site loved it alot, will come back and visit again."

Again, why are you coming back? This is all nonsensenical meaningless drivel (ok, really thanks for the compliment..I'll send signed pictures of myself for $4.95 plus shipping...for another $9 I'll send a picture of me nude on the beach).

May 27, 2006
Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

"you can't get cheap drycleaning in Australia."

I hope this had something to do with one of my posts. Otherwise it's an odd comment. Nevertheless it's the truth. What's with this country and dry-cleaning? You can get really good cheap cheese though. hmmmm...next time I wanna go get something dry-cleaned, I'm gonna go buy some cheese to make me feel better.

May 24, 2006
Relly said...

"Looks like you need to take an expert mountain biking clinic from your sister Gordo. Keep up the good work. I guess you'll be investing in a new helmet, or maybe you don't want to mess your hair."

Look here Relly. Maybe you should invest in a new nickname! hahahaha...maybe you should take some cross country skiing lessons. First person in North Bay Nordic Ski club history that has dislocated their shoulder from CROSS COUNTRY SKIING! Shit, you're not even going down any hills! A real man's sport.

May18, 2006
Anonymous said...

"Nice to see you can paraphrase. This is a useful skill to have. I would argue that formulating your own opinions, rather than those of others, is more useful."

How about you get a life and look at someone else's blog. The good people at www.gordprisco.blogspot.com are working hard scouring the world wide web for interesting stories for YOU - the reader. They've also got the pulse of Bond Uni. That's all I have to say about that.

More to come in part 2.

On another small note, it's great to be the official blog of Bond Uni. Welcome my new readers Nitay, Jess, Will, and every other fool who chooses to waste their life reading the nonsense page. Thank you and goodnight!

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Controversy

Apparently the brothers "Diot brothers" aka Mark and Dave...bring controversy to www.gordprisco.blogspot.com. Mark was very unhappy about the last post. He actually hated it. He told me to take him off the blog forever. His brother on the other hand seemed to enjoy the post in a hate kind of way. Dave suggested I give Mark the devil horn treatment. Mark is very close to getting the horns.
Sam Marash thinks someone should bomb North Bay. Sam, with the development of technology these days we don't have to bomb general places. They can be more specific. I can give you the coordinates.
I was just looking outside the library from the top level and I was looking at a crow sitting in a tree. All I could think about is that fucking crow that ate my sandwich from my golf cart a month ago. And just now, this crow took a shit in the tree. It's like he knew I was thinking of him and his little cousins and he took a shit. I feel like getting a gun. We'll see who laughs last you little fucker (I can almost guarantee Mark and Dave hate crows, and most other birds for that matter).
M&M peanuts 250g bag on sale at Big W (Australian version of Wal-Mart) for $1.96 a bag. I have to convince someone to drive me there. It's too far to peddle, and we know my record on bikes (Mark and Dave hate my bike and Big W. They also hate the road and the sky).
A few posts ago I made a comment about putting some pastry in someone's mouth that wouldn't close their yap! I stand by those comments even though that person (who has been banned from www.gordprisco.blogspot.com) has expressed their displeasure. Here's a little lesson, if you want to make a big deal out of something - make noise about it. If you don't want to, just keep quiet and the issue will be forgotten. Nobody will remember. In this case, this one person will now be constantly reminded of the pastry shoved in their mouth. And when they talk too much (which is usually the case), they will be asked to get some pastry and put it in their mouth (Mark and Dave hate pastry).
That crow flew away.
Time for lunch (I'm not sure if Mark and Dave hate lunch or not...but they probably do).

Monday, June 19, 2006

Odds and Big Ends - revised

James "not mother?" Payne and I are on a mission. We're gonna spin the fat away. Let's call it the "Spin the fat away Challenge". James was late yesterday for spinning. Last week was his first class. He didn't realize that it might be a good idea to bring a water bottle. Or it might be a good idea not to wear long work-out pants...you might sweat a bit. Anyway, we'll see how things go.
Speaking of things spinning. There was said to have been a tornado in my neck of the woods back home. See the tree uprooted at my cottage. Pretty crazy stuff. Read more here...
Congrats to Canadian Mike Weir for a top 6 finish at the US Golf Open. The brother's "Diot" (also known as Mark and Dave Lucenti) don't like Mike Weir. They'll take any shot they can at the 2003 Masters Champion. Where's their sense of patriotism? Where's their sense of supporting the guy from our team? A homegrown talent every Canadian should feel proud of. A guy who loves hockey, born in Bright's Grove, Ontario. The little guy. It's what Canada is all about, but apparently not what Mark and Dave are about. They certainly don't care for this ideal...Come to think of it...is there anything that Mark and Dave like? If you can think of anything, please make a comment on this blog. I'd love to start a list of things. We could make a list of things they hate, but we would never end the list.
Small correction Dave does like one golfer, this I know. His name is David Duval...an American. Currently ranked 294th in the world. Right between Stuart Little and Henrik Bjornstad - some of the fiercer competitors in golf I'm sure.
Back by popular demand...this dog. It's terrible, but I couldn't stop laughing when I saw the dog running across the screen. What a trooper! (I bet Mark and Dave hate this dog).
This week's CD is KT Tunstall's Eye to the Telescope. She's fantastic...I wish she had more music. Try songs Heal Over, All the Way Around the World, and Suddenly I See (I bet Mark and Dave will hate it).
Fixed my squash racket. Fibreglassed the handle (I bet they hate my squash racket).
Shoulder is now at 85 per cent. I'm ready for my comeback (they already told me they hated my shoulder).
Apparently I am the coach of the girl's basketball team. I am not really sure how this happened. They could use some players. Maybe Steve Nash in a skirt could help...(do you think Mark and Dave hate Canadian Steve Nash too?...probably...)
At www.gordprisco.blogspot.com we love, we don't hate. On of our mottos is "don't hate." Well it is now anyway.

Saturday, June 17, 2006

The Law Ball...oh what a night...

Here's a breakdown of the evening....
The Law Ball. Held at Jupiters Casino in Broadbeach.
In the picture on the bottom - a few of my friends sitting at my table. From the right to left, Iain, Meghan, Ilana, and the Vitamin himself.
Appetizer soup and beer. Dinner Fish (Baramundi) and wine. Dessert wine and beer. - Matty starting to get drunk.
LSA Election results - a few shockers including Brendan Donaghue as president. Congrats to Ari and Brendan "Brother" Scandrett.
Welcome Nate to the the terrible three. Matt and I decided to kick Myles out for lack of terrible-ness. Nate can be seen in the 2nd from top picture on the left eating Erin's face. On the right you will find Brennan.
Matty still drinking.
The girls look fantastic....especially to Matty. How about me in the middle of the two lovely ladies Kate (left) and Becarra (right) 3rd picture from the top.
By the way, you will find Matty in the Top picture on the right. That was one of his better faces on the night. Beside him Samir.
Next was me shoving some pastry into a girls mouth so she'd shut her yapper! Did the trick.
Nice to meet Cait's sister Tori. Both stunners!
Della put the party on. She did a fantastic job. She knows how to throw a party.
All the former student council members are on stage. Tenny also goes up. Everyone gets some kind of brown envelope. He gets nothing. I'd be pissed if I were him. What was in the brown envelope?
We leave Jupiters Casino...off to Melbas on the provided buses. Matty is now almost dead.
I see Jess in Melbas. I have a nice chat with her until the bouncer walks up to her to see her. Apparently she snuck a bottle of vodka in her purse. Bye Jess...Bouncer escorts her out.
I see Matty for the last time. I have had a few drinks, but this man looks like he drank all of Oktoberfest in one gulp. He mutters something incoherent....then stumbles off. I start to wonder if he will be alive by morning? He was...barely...
I was also almost dead. Left the bar by 5am.
That is all I have to say about that.

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Correction

Apparently my source that gave me the number of people that voted in the last LSA election was wrong. According to this new source there were 350 people that voted last time. A far cry from the source that told me only 25 per cent of the 400 or so law students checked off their preferred candidate in the last plebiscite.

The new source also reminded me of the campaign restrictions that are put on the teams and candidates.

I think it is a cop out. But either way, the fact remains that the teams are far from doing the little things that can help them win. I failed to see on team scrutineering the vote today to see who has and has not come out to vote. I maintain that it is still no more than a crap-shoot.

Either way, I hope the best candidate wins...blah blah blah....and all that other stuff you do not care about.

On another note...the album of the week is Supergrass' Life on Other Planets. Remarkable.

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Debate, Pizza-gate, Law ball date, DB's flag football fate...

On my last post I mentioned that school debates don't usually accomplish anything in the heat of a campaign. This hasn't changed since the Law Student's Association President's debate last night. However, the Brendan Donoghue from the THINK team sure served as close to a knockout blow as this campus has seen in some time . It was Matt Cantatore's to lose last night, and he may have done that. But will anything change as a result? The Vitamin thinks not. The only way anyone wants to make some real gains may want to look to the "Vitamin's rules" to campaigning. I was happy to hear a few candidates ask for my support following the debate.
Speaking of following the debate. There was supposed to be free pizza for all following the contest. Unfortunately for most, a few unruly students left the debate early to "pig-out" as one observer noted, leaving no pizza for the others. Security cameras at Bond may uncover some students that hailed from North of Toronto, Ontario Canada (this person not included). Sam Marash vowed to get to the bottom of this issue. More to come...
I've chosen to go to the Law Ball. After last year's success where I was amazed at what the LSA could do, I just couldn't turn it down - despite the $90 price of the ticket. So far I don't have a date to the event. If you're interested in going with me please leave a comment on this page or email me at gordie_prisco@yahoo.ca. I'm looking for someone that has a nice personality - hahahahahahahahaha...
Last week was the first day of this semester's flag football league. Dave Bassett's team (he refers to it as HIS team) played the Local heroes (the brothers' diot et al) at Bond Uni field. After a spirited first half and with 6 minutes remaining, Bassett and CO. were heard chirping at their opposition with a 17 point lead. The trash talk was unbelievable, recorded one participater. I guess DB and CO. forgot about the old adage - let sleeping dogs lie. Cause before they knew it, they were down by one. Yup, the Local Heroes won the day with three miraculous Touchdown plays (I have no idea if the were miraculous, but for dramatic influence just go along). Following the game Bassett wasn't so chirpy. However, just as of recently Bassett had admitted to sources that he was chirpy and now the tables have turned. The Local Heroes have been rumoured to have crossed the common etiquette line of sporting banter. Will the Local Heroes make the same mistake? www.gordprisco.blogspot.com is anxiously awaiting the next game that may bring over a hundred fans to the game....or...maybe just the ref will be watching - and that's still a stretch. Anyway...this story is definitely developing...and www.gordprisco.blogspot.com will be there for every minute.

Sunday, June 11, 2006

The Vitamin's Rules...Bond LSA elections

It's Bond Law Student's Association (LSA) election time. As a former political adviser and campaigner, the political process is now in my blood and I can't get it out...sorry...don't want to get it out.

Here are my thoughts on the race so far. There are essentially two tickets with a few independent stragglers. The Wanted team and the Think team.

Most of the people running on the tickets are well known, affable individuals that can be seen for the most part around the law school. But here's the fatal flaw, they're relying on their status to win (there is one exception of an individual that has taken a step to do more....he'll remain nameless as I will try to remain somewhat neutral). I haven't had one person ask me for their vote. Not one. The most important thing you can do when running is ask people for their support and their vote. It usually doesn't take much more. It's the easiest thing to do.

Furthermore on the fact that the individuals running are relying on their reputations...well, everyone has people that like them. Everyone has people that will come to vote for them (in political talk you call that your base or your constituency). It's always good to have a good base, but it's a crap-shoot when it's all you rely on.

Not to say that going to lectures and speaking to the class beforehand isnt a good thing to do, but personal one-on-one contact is the single best thing you can do when running (with phoning and personalised emailing a distant 2nd and 3rd respectively).

From my limited inquisition into the Bond process I have gotten this much information. There are approximately 400 people at the law school. Last election only 100 people voted. There's no reason to believe that the number will go up this time. My calculator says that's 25 per cent. Now here's where you can make reasonable assumptions. The winning people got 50+ votes. The losers got anything under 50 votes. But let's say for argument, and something that is realistic, that the average winner got 65 votes and the loser 35 (yes...that equals one-hundred...I had to double check...) The person that only got 35 votes didn't have as many friends apparently (I will refer to this person as Mr 35) What should he have done? Well it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that there were one-hundred people that voted and 300 more that did not. The person that got 35 votes surely could have gotten 30+1 more votes to put him over the top. What does that mean? It means a little over10 per cent of the rest of the 300 people that didn't vote....10 per cent!

A candidates base alone won't usually win an election...it's the extra they get above and beyond that help them win. A good story to emphasize this point is the story of Landslide Ernie. Ernie Eves won an election in 1981 by six votes. Many people that worked for him went above and beyond to get out the vote....drove miles through snow storms, got people out of senior's homes etc...Anyway, 25 years later Ernie became the Premier of Ontario. Without those 6 extra people none of it would have been possible. Nobody would know who Ernie Eves was...anyway....

In this case, there's a whole world of 75 per cent of people that are untouched. But you say, how does Mr 35 get these people out? Well use your brain...you look for people that you've never met before or you already do know and ask for their vote.

That's a start for Mr 35. But if he wants to take it up a notch and be smart, Mr 35 attempts to compile a list of at least 100 people that he has never met before. Mr 35 shakes their hand, introduces himself and asks for their vote. Come election day, he's got their name and phone number if possible so he can get in touch with them and encourage them and remind them about the vote. In our circumstances, most people will be walking around finishing up tutes or classes so it's easy to spot them, but if not, phone contact. So about those 100 people, 80 of them will tell him that they will vote for him (20 will say that they probably won't vote). 30 of them will now have a reason to vote and will vote, while another 50 will have to be reminded and pulled out of bed to vote...of those, you will be able to get 20. By my simple calculations Mr 35 is now Mr 85. Wow...he's now beaten Mr 65 by 20 votes....and that was the easy way.

I could go on forever....there's a hundred more things that can be done...but for now, this is the smartest and easiest. Requiring little elbow grease.

Because I am now getting too far behind on my school work I will give more tips on how to win and what works and other random observations.

There's 400 people at law school. I bet someone has a list of those people...acutally i can guarantee that someone has a list. Whether it be a faculty member or whomever. This is one of the most important tools that can be utilised. If you have a list, then you know who can vote and you can contact them. Secondly, you can have a checkmark list of your supporters out of this list and make sure they come out to vote. Once you get Jimmy to vote, you work on susie, and then debbie....you're not wasting your time in a roped off area yelling at people.
If you can't get a main list, you should make a list. Every member of the ticket should be writing down the name of every student they know and compile the list into one master list. Essentially this will be made up of around 100 people. Then once you've got that list...add to it with another 100 people you've contacted - the part about turning mr 35 into mr 85.
Both teams are using visuals (shirts and few posters outside the law school tute room and in the LSA office) to sway the vote. This will do next to nothing without the personal contact. Essentially a waste of time and money.
One of the tickets' has a website. A decent idea, but I can almost bet nobody has gone there.
The President's debate is tonight. It's been my experience that little is accomplished at these debates. The majority of people that come to these debates have made up there mind and are coming to support a certain ticket already. Few votes are swayed. If there are 60 people there, 10 votes will be swayed.

That's all for now.

This and that

Donnie Baseball 2006 fantasy pool winter meetings were held Friday night at Sailfish Cove. 9/10 owners attended. A plethora of deals were made. Shithead made one deal he may regret sending struggling Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen to Oil Can Rocket for former Cy Young award winner Barry Zito. Although it looks like I won the trade on the surface, it leaves me bare in the closer department with Jose Valverde struggling in Arizona. Never fear though, there may be a move waiting on the horizon.
Club 20 was held last thursday night. Former Consititutional Law Professor and current Administrative Law Professor Patrick Keyzer joined me for a quick beer before he had to head back up to teach another class. My Land law partner from last semester, Morgan (of the barbecue fame) was also present. After a quick discussion and as a result of our success in the last assignment we decided to be partners for the Business Associations Client Interview assignment. Look out world.
It's important to know when to bluff in life...otherwise people will call you on it.
World Cup soccer has begun....that's all I have to say about that for now.
I've been eating Corn Flakes lately, although my milk has gone bad. They tasted funny this morning.
My arm/shoulder is currently at 65 per cent. Unfortunately not good enough for baseball yet...but look out on the squash court. I may make a triumphant return. More to come...
Why is it so cold in this country at night?
Why can't someone do something about the problem in Caledonia Ontario with the native protest? A judge has made a ruling for the police to get them out and the police have not followed his orders? what kind of society is do we live in? The protesters attacked journalists and American tourists while the Ontario Provincial Police did nothing!
By the way...I'm glad they got the terrorists in Canada. The job's not done yet..keep going.
My apologies to Victor Anderson. He was praising me when I thought the opposite. I just think...he almost got the devil horn treatment!
That is all for now...

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Nerd-er on the dance floor

The Kournikova of chess

Arianne Caoili (main image) with (inset from top) Danny Gormally and Levon Aronian. Main image courtesy Amiel Rosario.

There's making moves in chess and making moves in night clubs - and you wouldn't think the two would involve the same players.

Think again. To the staid world of chess comes . . . Gormallygate.

And at the centre of it is teenage Australian chess champion Arianne Caoili, dubbed "the Anna Kournikova of chess".

British chess grandmaster Danny Gormally had reportedly been seeing and emailing her.

But when he saw her dancing with the world's No. 3 player, Armenia's Levon Aronian, in a Turin nightclub during the World Chess Olympiad he made a move with his fist.

He subsequently left the Olympiad early of his own volition.

Now he might face action from the game's ruling body for the incident, which has sparked a feud between the English and Armenian teams.

Gormally, 30, from Durham, is ranked sixth in Britain.

Caoili, 19, has listed her likes on her website as: "Funny stories, The Cream, arguing, getting up to no good, shopping, quotes, tea, Pink Floyd album covers, dancing (all forms), chocolate, blitz, theatre, Karpov's games, Oreo's, black and dry humour, singing, good music, gravity (without it we're doomed), sunsets, sunrises, fine food (and fine boys), stars, moons, water, Edward Norton and Johnny Depp, grace, green lights, cooking, pina colada's, vodka, red wine, Kahlua, dwarfs and the odd Cuban cigar."

Allan Beardsworth, the English team captain, told Britain's Daily Telegraph: "The bottom line is [that] this is just a little incident in a nightclub where unfortunately Danny probably had a drink too many and obviously saw someone dancing with a girl he liked and either hit or tried to hit them."

Gormally, he said, was "gutted" when he awoke the following morning to realise what he'd done.

"He knows he shouldn't have done it and knows he wouldn't have done it normally."

Gormally and Beardsworth apologised to the Armenian delegation and their star player the morning after the incident but, while the apologies were being accepted, some of Aronian's teammates waded in with their fists.

Once they were told that Gormally had already said sorry, the Armenians apologised for their retaliatory attack.

"It was all very friendly," Mr Beardsworth said.

The English team came 19th in the biennial tournament, up from 30th place in 2004. The Armenian team won the tournament.

Beardsworth said that a captain's report would be sent to the English Chess Federation, and that he would be "surprised if the ECF didn't do something".

Monday, June 05, 2006

D-Day

On D-Day, June 6, 1944, “Operation Overlord”, the long-awaited invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe, began with Allied armies from the U.S., Britain and Canada landing on the coast of Normandy. On D-Day, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division landed on Juno Beach. The Canadian assault troops stormed ashore in the face of fierce opposition from German strongholds and mined beach obstacles. The soldiers raced across the wide-open beaches swept with machine gun fire, and stormed the gun positions. In fierce hand-to-hand fighting, they fought their way into the towns of Bernières, Courseulles and St. Aubin and then advanced inland, securing a critical bridgehead for the allied invasion. The victory was a turning point in World War II and led to the liberation of Europe and the defeat of Nazi Germany.

Fourteen thousand young Canadians stormed Juno Beach on D-Day. Their courage, determination and self-sacrifice were the immediate reasons for the success in those critical hours. The fighting they endured was fierce and frightening. The price they paid was high - the battles for the beachhead cost 340 Canadian lives and another 574 wounded. John Keegan, eminent British historian who wrote Six Armies in Normandy, stated the following concerning the Canadian 3rd Division on D-Day: “At the end of the day, its forward elements stood deeper into France than those of any other division. The opposition the Canadians faced was stronger than that of any other beach save Omaha. That was an accomplishment in which the whole nation could take considerable pride.”

I was lucky enough to have been to the beaches of Normandy and to the war cemetary in Beny Sur Mer just off of the coast seen above. Every Canadian should go there once in their life.

It's a pity to have to fight for freedom...an oxymoronic suggestion. But sometimes it's necessary. D-day was certainly one of those times.

Over 1 million Canadians served in WWII - which was 10 per cent of the population at the time. Over 54,000 were injured and 42,042 didn't come home. They didn't get the chance to go to university, have kids, or grandkids. They didn't get to travel to Australia, didn't get to have a fun job, or wake up at the cottage during the summer...but millions and millions of others did because of them - me included. It's something we won't forget.

Breaking fantasy news

Big Trade for team Shithead last night (that's my team). After putting Todd Helton on waivers, I picked up Red Sox everything man - Kevin Youkilis.

Following that move, "Grubersthirdbaseregime" (Nate) offered me the slumping but powerful Carlos Delgado and Tim Hudson for Jason Schmidt and Youkilis.

It was a deal I couldn't turn down. Please welcome Carlos and Tim to Shithead's team.

Stay Tuned

Jack Blackbourn is running for Social Director on the Law Student's Association. I seconded his nomination...but the real question is this...will he have me (the self-proclaimed best campaigner at Bond - cause there aren't anymore) on his team? Stay tuned...
Will The Vitamin make a miraculous comeback to compete at Uni games on the Squash Court or as the Baseball Team's closer? Stay tuned...
Will I say something intelligient in my Equity tutorial Tuesday afternoon? Stay tuned...
Will today's pickups on my fantasy baseball team pan out? - Kevin Youkilis, Shea Hillenbrand, and pitcher Jared Weaver...Stay tuned...
Winter meetings are being held for the fantasy league this Friday at Sailfish Cove...will I make another blockbuster move? Stay tuned..
Am I drinking wine out of a box? well...yes...I am...then that means the question is this - Will I throw up tonight? ...Stay tuned...

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Fantasy

I think it's time I posted a little story about my fantasy baseball team. Starting out the season I had one of the most promising teams. A great draft left me in prime position to take the league by storm...unfortunately, injuries and poor play has left me in the pool basement. However, some shrewd moves have kept me in the race with 3/4 of the season left.

The disappointments on my team include Richie Sexson (waived), Todd Helton, Cliff Floyd
(waived), Lyle Overbay, Victor Martinez, Jorge Cantu (injury) and Eric Chavez. Now it's expected that some of these players aren't going to play up to their potential, but at the same time it's expected that someone will surprise. Out of my hitters, not one of them has done well. Sexson had 39 home runs last year with 130 RBIs, Floyd had 32 homers and 100 RBIS....Helton and Chavez were picked by many to have MVP type seasons, while Jorge Cantu is just getting off the DL...last year he he had over 30 homers and 117 RBIs. Nobody has done anything yet.

Luckily for me built my team around solid pitching which has been solid. After drafting Johan Santana, Jake Peavy, Roy Oswalt and Scott Kazmir, I only have Kazmir left on my roster.

Luckily I was able to trade the other 3 pitchers with catcher Victor Martinez for pitcher Jason Schmidt, Curt Schilling, Alex Rios, Vlad Guerrero and Jorge Posada.

Santana was straight up for Vlad.

The other deal was criticised by most people in my league for apparent unfairness. The most vociferous of the bunch was Jason Botelho (although later followed by other owners). The deal from my end was Peavy, Oswalt, Victor Martinez and David Weathers (who was waived) for Schilling, Schmidt, Rios and Posada.

I'm certainly glad I didn't listen to the critics. I won the deal hands down as of right now. My new pitchers - Schilling and Schmidt - have a collective 4 wins, 40 k's, a combined, 2.19 ERa and 0.95 WHIP. The pitchers I traded have a combined 1 win, 37 k's, a combined 3.93 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP.

One analyst had this to say about Schmidt - "Giants ace Jason Schmidt struggled out of the gate, allowing four or more earned runs in three of his first four starts. Since then, he's been unstoppable. He's allowed two or fewer earned runs in seven straight starts, reducing his ERA to 2.70 and picking up five wins over that period."

The catchers seem to be a wash with neither of them producing big numbers, however the deal's real steal (besides the great numbers of the pitchers) seems to be Alex Rios. He's currently ranked as the 16th best fantasy player out there and 3rd best outfielder.

Other shrewd pickups have included Brandon Phillips at 2nd base - currently the 5th ranked 2nd baseman, Orlando Cabrera - the 6th ranked shortstop and third baseman Casey Blake was is hitting .330 and was leading the league in hitting for some time.

I am slowly catching up on the hitting categories, which is a long term project, but with any luck, I'll get there.

The Terrible Three

From left to right see The Vitamin, Myles Brown and Matty Lambert. Separated they are friendly loveable guys...together...they are known as the terrible three.

If you see them out at night..stay away and be afraid...something terrible WILL happen.

Saturday, June 03, 2006

This and that...

I know the Chuck Norris jokes are old, but I didn't find them funny at first. Now they I find them hilarious...My favorite is this..."Chuck Norris uses a night light. Not because he is afraid of the dark, but the dark is afraid of Chuck Norris." More here
How about this one courtesy of Jeff Hodge. Yup...that's an Aussie. Hilarious.
I was considering giving the devil horn treatment to Victor Anderson for a disparaging email he sent me. However, after learning it was Belinda's birthday, I thought better of it. Let this be a warning to you Victor...i have a picture of you and I won't be afraid to use it. Ands that goes for everyone that sends me emails or makes comments on this site that I don't like. If you do, you'll have cross eyes and devil horns courtesy of photo shop and be posted on www.gordprisco.blogspot.com. It's part of my new edgier site. Hope you all like it.

A Swinging sensation

Great time had by all at Palaver on Thursday night. Started at Don's Tavern. Some ended the night there, some went to Varsity Tavern...some headed to Surfers Paradise.
It used to be a hate relationship with Surfer's Paradise. Well...the tables have turned, by the end of my time here, Surfers Paradise is gonna hate me (just as a reminder for those of you that don't know, Surfer's is the bar and party district of where I live. It's about a 15 minute cab ride, but there is often a free bus travelling there).
Seen above are 2/3 of www.stripesanddots.blogspot.com. Mike (seen on the far left) is somewhat sane. However, Sean (2nd from the right) is a madman...but god damn it, he likes to have a good time. What the hell is he doing in this picture though? Tannis is seen on the far right and the other woman who Sean seems to be trying to lick is Erin. Both great girls.
I haven't had a roasted chicken in forever
I need some M & M's
Sam Roberts has a new album called Chemical City. It's pretty good. He wrote it an hour from where I currently live in Byron Bay - the most easterly point of Australia.
Al Pyette is back working at Queen's Park. He was my former roommate. He is a source of encouragement and inspiration that leaves every person he comes into contact with feeling better about themselves. Al was drafted into the NHL in 1973 as a Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds star.
No sign of the new AC/DC album...word is there's a problem with the record company

The Vitamin's Nonsense Page