Geelong won by 12. Bloody good game though.
9/28/09
9/26/09
Grand Final Day
Today is the AFL Grand Final, a bit like the FA Cup but x 1000, whoever wins this game wins the premiership and is proclaimed the best side at playing Australian Rules football in all the world.
This season it's the Cats from Geelong and the Saints from St Kilda who are battling it out for the honours. Geelong won it in 2007 and this is their 3rd final in as many years so they're the hot favourites. Poor old St Kilda won their first final in 1966 and haven't won it since, so they are the clear underdogs and hence all the neutrals are supporting them.
I'm currently watching the build-up to the game which goes on for a ridiculous 6 hours and doesn't include the post-match analysis!
Anyhoo, i'm tipping St Kilda to nick it in the final quarter! you heard it here last.
This season it's the Cats from Geelong and the Saints from St Kilda who are battling it out for the honours. Geelong won it in 2007 and this is their 3rd final in as many years so they're the hot favourites. Poor old St Kilda won their first final in 1966 and haven't won it since, so they are the clear underdogs and hence all the neutrals are supporting them.
I'm currently watching the build-up to the game which goes on for a ridiculous 6 hours and doesn't include the post-match analysis!
Anyhoo, i'm tipping St Kilda to nick it in the final quarter! you heard it here last.
9/1/09
Beers of Australia: Victoria Bitter
Australians love beer. Drinking beer is one of the country's great past-times, along with barbecues, surfing and cricket. Everyone in Australia loves a beer, there's no working class stigma attached to it, it is drunk by one and all and as such here's my guide to some of the beers Australia has to offer:
Victoria's very own state beer, Victoria Bitter, has succeeded in the rare feat of infiltrating the whole of Australia, being available and widely drunk in all states and territories. Usually drinking another states beer other than your own is social suicide, but for some reason 'VB' has managed to rise above such trivial matters and is celebrated by all Australians.
Although I'm not sure why, because in term of its actual taste, VB is quite frankly poor. Although it's a lager and not a bitter, it does have a bitter taste which after about 2 bottles becomes pretty unpleasant. One solution to this is to make sure it is drunk at almost freezing temperatures thus killing any of it's flavour.
Aside from this I actually quite like VB, mainly because I feel like I'm REALLY in Australia when I drink one, a bit like having a Budweiser when you're in the US. You wouldn't touch the stuff in your local, but when you're actually in the country it's made in, you almost feel obliged. It's like "I'm in Australia, I'm drinking VB. I'm awesome!" Plus adding more Australian cliches multiples the awesomeness ten fold, such as sitting on a beach or watching Aussie Rules. The only things I haven't done while drinking VB is have a game of knifey spoony or hypnotise a buffalo, but there's still time.
Flavour: Not much. Although the VB website seems to think it has "A gentle fruitiness in the aroma that complements the sweet malt on the mid-palate balancing perfectly with a robust, hop bitterness." Maybe i'm drinking it wrong?
Strength: 4.6%
Bogan Rating: Through the roof
Price: One of the cheapest $13-15 for 6 stubbies
Victoria's very own state beer, Victoria Bitter, has succeeded in the rare feat of infiltrating the whole of Australia, being available and widely drunk in all states and territories. Usually drinking another states beer other than your own is social suicide, but for some reason 'VB' has managed to rise above such trivial matters and is celebrated by all Australians.
The mighty VB, tremble in its presence
Although I'm not sure why, because in term of its actual taste, VB is quite frankly poor. Although it's a lager and not a bitter, it does have a bitter taste which after about 2 bottles becomes pretty unpleasant. One solution to this is to make sure it is drunk at almost freezing temperatures thus killing any of it's flavour.
Aside from this I actually quite like VB, mainly because I feel like I'm REALLY in Australia when I drink one, a bit like having a Budweiser when you're in the US. You wouldn't touch the stuff in your local, but when you're actually in the country it's made in, you almost feel obliged. It's like "I'm in Australia, I'm drinking VB. I'm awesome!" Plus adding more Australian cliches multiples the awesomeness ten fold, such as sitting on a beach or watching Aussie Rules. The only things I haven't done while drinking VB is have a game of knifey spoony or hypnotise a buffalo, but there's still time.
Not sure your pub sells VB? Look out for this cryptic sign
Flavour: Not much. Although the VB website seems to think it has "A gentle fruitiness in the aroma that complements the sweet malt on the mid-palate balancing perfectly with a robust, hop bitterness." Maybe i'm drinking it wrong?
Strength: 4.6%
Bogan Rating: Through the roof
Price: One of the cheapest $13-15 for 6 stubbies
8/29/09
8/26/09
Fifty People, One Question
nice video, thought i'd share:
Fifty People, One Question: Brooklyn from Fifty People, One Question on Vimeo.
8/25/09
Ashes 2009
Don Bradman, Dame Edna Everage, Ned Kelly, Alf Stewart, Rolf Harris, Bush Tucker Man, Walkabout employees, Bouncer from Neighbours can you hear me?? Your boys took one hell of a beating!!
Well, England won the Ashes then. Not that I'm a big cricket fan or anything it just seems proper to gloat a little. England, in a sporting sense, are very rarely successful, so any chance to savour it is well justified.
To be fair the Aussies have taken it pretty well, the news reports, although brief, were balanced and they all acknowledged England's performance. I think the fact that they also lost the rugby (by a point) to the All Blacks the day before has left them feeling a bit hurt and vulnerable as a nation. To keep spirits up they keep mentioning the gold medals they're winning at the Athletics Championships and the fact they finished 4th in Miss Universe, which is kinda sad but whatever keeps them going ; )
anyway here's the moment that probably won it for England:
Well, England won the Ashes then. Not that I'm a big cricket fan or anything it just seems proper to gloat a little. England, in a sporting sense, are very rarely successful, so any chance to savour it is well justified.
To be fair the Aussies have taken it pretty well, the news reports, although brief, were balanced and they all acknowledged England's performance. I think the fact that they also lost the rugby (by a point) to the All Blacks the day before has left them feeling a bit hurt and vulnerable as a nation. To keep spirits up they keep mentioning the gold medals they're winning at the Athletics Championships and the fact they finished 4th in Miss Universe, which is kinda sad but whatever keeps them going ; )
anyway here's the moment that probably won it for England:
8/20/09
Australian stuff I just don't get: Vegemite
Vegemite is disgusting. It's basically smelly brown yeast in a jar but for some weird reason everyone in Australia loves it.
Vegemite is not sexy
Now they have a new spreadable version which contains cream cheese *vomits* This "amazing" new Vegemite not only tastes like shit but looks like it too (the wonders of modern science). In fact it's so gross looking they can't even be bothered to call it anything (probably because cheesy-stinky-shit-spread is too long) and have left it up to the Australian public.
The horror, the horror!
I know we have Marmite in the UK, but at least the Marmite company know it's disgusting and advertise it as such.
Anyhoo, I just don't get it, yeast extract should not be consumed or enjoyed as a stand-alone snack. end of.
Vegemite is not sexyNow they have a new spreadable version which contains cream cheese *vomits* This "amazing" new Vegemite not only tastes like shit but looks like it too (the wonders of modern science). In fact it's so gross looking they can't even be bothered to call it anything (probably because cheesy-stinky-shit-spread is too long) and have left it up to the Australian public.
The horror, the horror!I know we have Marmite in the UK, but at least the Marmite company know it's disgusting and advertise it as such.
Anyhoo, I just don't get it, yeast extract should not be consumed or enjoyed as a stand-alone snack. end of.
8/17/09
8/11/09
Australian Television: Underbelly
I've not really had a proper job for the last year, which means money has been somewhat on the limited side. Although this has stopped me from going out, buying things and generally enjoying myself; it has meant many nights absorbing local culture in front of the television.
Although Australian TV will always pale into comparison next to the might of British Telly with the good old BBC and it's fine costume dramas, Channel 4 with it's superb alternative comedy line-up and ITV with, erm, Celebrity Love Island. Their are some genuinely good programs on Oz Tv:
Underbelly is one such example. This program kicks ass. Basically telling the story of Melbourne's gang wars through the 90's until around 2004, it's brutal, well acted and compelling. Lots of gangsters, birds, people getting shot, punched etc. It's also got Vince Colosimo in (the greek guy who gets shot in Chopper), who is an awesome actor.
Here's a promo:
Season 2 came out this year, charting the drug wars of the 70's and 80's, but it wasn't as good and everyone wore terrible porn star mustaches.
Although Australian TV will always pale into comparison next to the might of British Telly with the good old BBC and it's fine costume dramas, Channel 4 with it's superb alternative comedy line-up and ITV with, erm, Celebrity Love Island. Their are some genuinely good programs on Oz Tv:
Underbelly is one such example. This program kicks ass. Basically telling the story of Melbourne's gang wars through the 90's until around 2004, it's brutal, well acted and compelling. Lots of gangsters, birds, people getting shot, punched etc. It's also got Vince Colosimo in (the greek guy who gets shot in Chopper), who is an awesome actor.
Here's a promo:
Season 2 came out this year, charting the drug wars of the 70's and 80's, but it wasn't as good and everyone wore terrible porn star mustaches.
8/8/09
They Know we're Coming Now!
AFl Update, Round 19:
My team, Carlton, smashed last years minor champs and finalists, Geelong, by 35 points which pretty much guarantees Carlton a place in the finals (the playoffs, if you're English). This is the equivalent of say Blackburn soundly beating Man United and claiming a champions league spot in the process, i.e. a bit of an upset.
T'was an awesome performance by the blues and makes the fact that we're hopefully gonna catch a live game in a few weeks time all the more exciting!
Check out the highlights of this momentous victory below:
My team, Carlton, smashed last years minor champs and finalists, Geelong, by 35 points which pretty much guarantees Carlton a place in the finals (the playoffs, if you're English). This is the equivalent of say Blackburn soundly beating Man United and claiming a champions league spot in the process, i.e. a bit of an upset.
T'was an awesome performance by the blues and makes the fact that we're hopefully gonna catch a live game in a few weeks time all the more exciting!
Check out the highlights of this momentous victory below:
8/7/09
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