Why I don’t like Apple…any more

If you know me, you’ll know that I am quick to bash the Apple brand. You will often hear me say, “Apple Sucks!”, whenever something ‘i’ related is brought up.

People have asked me, why do you hate them?

It was not always this way….

Let’s go back to 1986. It was the start of the computer age for me. I was 10 and I went to a relatively small primary school in Western Sydney. The school had 2 computers. They were both Apples. The Apple IIe was the educational computer of choice. To be honest I have no idea what the school used them for, but for me it was ‘Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego’ and ‘Choplifter’. Now, if you were born in the 70’s, you would have definitely played ‘Carmen Sandiego’ . Surely it has to be educational to travel to Paris to find the clues as to where Carmen has gone next! There were days where Mum would be late to pick us up from school, so I would happily spend an extra hour after school trying to find Carmen, playing Choplifter or Lode Runner.

This was my first experience with an Apple, but as I moved into high school, I would start to use them more.

My high school had a room full of Apples, and this time it was the Macintosh Plus. Yes, those drab beige all in one rectangular boxes with, oh my god what is that?, a MOUSE!, turned out to be my weapon of choice for several years. Not to mention that the mouse was handy for playing ‘Shufflepuck Cafe’ or MacCricket, not to mention the classic, ‘Defender of the Crown’.

I spent a lot of time in that room of Apples, and although I had a Commodore 64 at home, I found that the mouse lent itself to a whole plethora of excitement I could not experience with my joystick. (pun intended)

There was another computer room at my school. It held the dreaded ‘IBM Compatibles’. (the school obviously couldn’t afford real IBM’s!). These monolithic PC’s were my first taste of a BIOS, DOS and the overly stimulating, very boring LOGO software. (Look! I drew a circle!).

Ultimately the ‘IBM’s’ were shunned and we played Apples to our hearts content for those few years.

This was all to change, however, as Apple started to slip.

Now, I wouldn’t go as far as to say that I was an Apple fanboy at this stage, but, yeah, I liked them. They were easy to use as a kid. There was a ‘windows’ like operating system. Just point and click! They were fun, with quick to play games, and there was no boring programming. Win Win!

As I grew older, however, I discovered that there was more to computing than fancy gimmicks, icons and games. The power of the PC became more apparent. I could get more programs (and games) for them. I could make it do what I wanted it to do. I could write programs for them.

And most importantly, I could convince my parents to buy me one because it didn’t cost the earth.

So, my Commodore 64 started gathering dust as the family bought our first PC and I never looked back.

In the meantime, the Apple’s went from bad to worse. No-one can deny that the 90’s were mostly a bad decade for the Apple brand. Failed attempts at laptops, portable devices and operating systems.

It wasn’t until 1998 that Apple produced the coloured novelty-looking iMac and suddenly the game changed. Here was a PC that was ‘all-in-one’. No ugly box, plus monitor, plus keyboard, plus mouse. This all in one machine came in PINK and you didn’t have to plug in your own hard drive or work how to to attach this and that…etc..

Gimmicks, my friends, and it worked! PC’s have always been popular in the realm of the nerd because you can upgrade, customise and make it do what you want it to do. Apple realised that couldn’t compete in this space, so they brought out the simplified version of a PC. It worked for them and they started turning a profit and became a player again.

It was also at this time that Apple  started giving me the shits. I liked to think I was pretty handy with a PC. I could fix problems with the family computer, as well as other requests that came from aunties, cousins and friends. I could pull it apart. I could put it back together. I could write script and code to do fancy things. I was a guru!

Then my sister got an Apple… “What the Fuck were you thinking?”. Her answer was that it’s what all the Graphic Designers use. This excuse is still used to this day and I’m yet to be proven that an Apple performs graphical tasks better than a PC.

All of a sudden I was a n00b again. I didn’t know my way around an Apple and it was like someone had redesigned a computer to be used by an 8 year old…which was good when I was 8, which was the way to solve a problem. Just think like an 8 year old and you could work out how to connect your iMac to a printer.

It was also around this stage that the iPod was released and this is the point where I have to confess, I own an iPod. I am loathe to admit it, but it comes down to my love of music. There is no other device that lets me store all of my music in one place (20,000 songs)  and let’s be honest, the iPod interface is very good at what it does.

The problem is, Apple just won’t quit. They seem to think that they can overtake the world with their i products. The iPhone came out to make people think they could be cool and hip AND talk on the phone and then the ridiculously named and un-useful iPad came out.

Seriously, don’t get me started on that.

It’s the transition that Apple made in the 90’s from realising that it couldn’t be seen as a serious computer contender to becoming a ‘Computer for Dummies’ that pissed me off because people bought it.

Look, I understand that not everyone is a computer geek and most people don’t want to know how many Megabytes they are using, or the CPU speed, or the Operating System, but the fact is that you should. If you are using a computer, you should know what you are using. Computers are EVERYWHERE and they will always be everywhere. We can’t just blindly go out buying the flashy new and next big thing just because Joe next door has one. Especially when it is NO DIFFERENT TO THE OLD ONE. Apple is trying to cash in on novelty marketing. 1mm thinnner! 1 inch wider! (not the mention $200 dearer).

I haven’t even started to elaborate on Apple’s unethical marketing practices, prevention of free speech, secrecy, arrogance, no admission of guilt, inflated prices, design flaws,  lack of compatibility with anything, Steve Jobs and iTunes hell. Need I go on?

Someone said recently that people like Apple because it makes them feel smart.

Why dont’ they just GET smarter?

Cricket. What happened to you?

Is it just me, or do others feel that cricket has lost it’s lustre?

I remember the days, back in the mid 80’s. Lillee, Border, Marsh (both), Boon, McDermott, Merv, O’Donnell, Jones.

We had a magical team back then. Cricket was THE national Australian sport. Played everywhere. Watched by everyone.

What’s happened?

We’re facing a 7 game losing streak in One Day Internationals. We don’t hold the Ashes. Crowds are falling. Match Fixing allegations are flying.

It feels like the game is self-imploding. If it weren’t for the big money coming from India, I think it would be even closer to death.

We lost to Sri Lanka the other night because we couldn’t get their No. 10 and 11 batsmen out! Sad sad sad.

The last few years have really been disappointing for me as a cricket fan. I’ll go as far as to say that I’ve lost interest in most aspects of the game apart from test matches. 20/20 matches, for me, have ruined the original shortened version of the game, the 50 over ODI’s. The everyday fan is so keen to see players attempting to smash every ball and to have the game wrap up in 3 hours that they’ve given up on the laborious 50 over match.

At least test matches still hold that traditional feel, but when the Pakistani’s start to mess with match fixing, it even ruins the pure perfect version of the game.

I went to Lord’s in July and watched the Australians play Pakistan on the hallowed turf. It was a fantastic atmosphere being at the ‘home’ of cricket. Listening to poms around me, taking in the MCC members, drinking the English beer. It really hits home as to what cricket is about.

How can it recover? How can cricket come back to what it used to be?

Maybe McDonalds should start giving out posters of the teams from the ‘World Series of Cricket’ again. Maybe we should ditch 20/20’s and focus on the One Dayer again. I mean, did you see the 20/20 the other night? We were crap. We couldn’t slog to save ourselves, and if you don’t slog in a slogfest, what’s the point??

I still love the sound of leather on willow, the voice of the Channel 9 commentators and the local ABC radio covering the tests, but I am getting close to giving up on the shortened bastardised version unless something changes soon.

And to those that say 20/20 is the future, take a look at yourselves. It’s nothing more than a short, talent-less money grab. You don’t need a lot of skill to swing the bat and hope for a 6 or to bowl slower balls every 2nd ball to confuse the batter that has pre-determined his slog (shot).

I would be happy for 20/20’s to disappear from the game altogether, but of course that’s not going to happen whilst it is making more money than ODI’s and Test matches.

Origin 1. The Comeback Begins.

I have been pretty damn quiet on this blog lately.

Admittedly, the urge to blog has been surpassed by Twittering, playing silly Facebook games or playing with LaLa and the kids.

But, when State of Origin time comes around, it’s time to wake the sleeping giant.

The team for Origin I was named tonight, and for the first time in a while, I am really excited by the team.

Ever since I was in the USA for the 2006 series, I have felt like I’ve missed the blooding of new players and haven’t had my finger on the pulse of the future of the game. Finally, this season, I feel like I have seen enough and read enough to be more interested and able to comment on the players that have been picked.

Besides, I am going up to Sydney for Game 2 which will be my first EVER Origin game.

So here goes…

1. Kurt Gidley (c) –  He’s taken over from former teammate and Blues captain, ‘Bedsy’ Buderus, and he’s been a consistant performed for the Knights for years. For a while he’d seemed like the shining light in a lame team, but now that the Knights are actually performing, it’s good to see him still get this gig.
2. Jarryd Hayne – I am undeniable biased, but I am so glad that Haynesy has nabbed a winger spot. He has been playing out of his skin the last few weeks at Fullback for the Eels and he has proved his freakiness with some fantastic efforts in past Origins. He will definitely not disappoint on the big stage.
3. Jamie Lyon – As an Eels fan, I am predisposed to hating Jamie Lyon and what he did to our team when he walked out on us all those years ago. His determination to avoid representative football has alsmost not helped him in winning fans other than those from Manly. But it’s unanimous, he is the best centre in the world, and has been ever since those days of running around for the Eels. Let’s just hope he gives it his all against the Maroons.
4. Michael Jennings – Admittedly, I haven’t watched many Panthers games this year, but all you need to have seen is the highlight reels to know that Michael Jennings is worthy of this spot. He could be the excitement machine that the Blues need to get us over the line. He’s strong, fast and skillful and I can’t wait to see what he can do against the all-star cane toad backline
5. James McManus – Surprised? I am. He is one plyaer that seems to have come out of nowhere to snag a wing spot, but the selectors have definitely gone for form over reputation this year. Gone are the Matt Kings and Luke Rooneys, it’s time for a new generation in wingers.
6. Terry Campese – This was one of the highly contested positions, but I think Campese was a shoo-in. Even if the Raiders have been pretty ordinary in the last couple of months, he’s a specialist 5/8 and has shown glimpses of the skill that he has (especially with that banana kick half volley on the weekend). Mullen was a possibility, but I’m glad the selectors have looked forward and given a chance to a player that could be in the Blue jumper for a long time to come
7. Peter Wallace – Look. I am not a huge fan of Wallace. I thought he was too young and inexperienced for Origin last year and I still think the same. Problem is, what other halfbacks do the Blues have to chose from? I’d go as far as to say that Brett Finch or Kimmorley should be halfback instead of Wallace, but it seems that the selectors are making every effort to look to the future. He does get the job done well for the Broncos though and maybe he can provide the Blues with some inner secrets to his Bronco teammates. If he does, he’s worth his weight in gold.
8. Brent Kite – I feel that Kite is here by default. He has a proven track record in representative matches, and even if he doesn’t set the world on fire week to week, he’s done enough to keep his place. I am not a massive fan, but if this Queanbeyan boy has a big game he’s very hard to stop. I just hope he decides to have an ‘on’ game next Wednesday.
9. Robbie Farah – As much as I hate to admit it to my Tiger’s supporting mate, Farah is easily the best hooker in the game. He has been for years, even when Buderus was hooker and captain of the Blues. Finally Farah gets a chance to show us his stuff at State level and he’ll probably make it on the boat to England at the end of the year as well. Looking forward to seeing his lethal darts from dummy half and bullet passes when we cross for many tries in this series
10. Luke Bailey – Like Kite, Bailey was a certainty for the other Front Row position. Even if we have a relatively inexperienced team around them, it’s nice to know that the front rowers are experienced and reliable. I have always liked Bailey and he is very solid up front with the bonus of some ball playing skills.
11. Ben Creagh – It’s taken a while for me to accept that Hindmarsh is no longer a representative player. I thought that he should have been picked for last years series, but now I understand that he has to make way for the new breed of back rower. Ben Creagh is definitely a player that shows what 2nd rowers should be doing nowadays. Running hard, offloading and tackling well out wide. He’s a class act.
12. Luke O’Donnell – O’Donnell is one of those players that I have liked for ages but has never seemed to reach his full potential. His name doesn’t seem to go away though and even at 28 he’s got what it takes at this level. This might be his last chance to prove himself and he’s not guaranteed to be in the Kangaroo tour later this year. Mind you, he’s also not guaranteed to be in Game 2. A lot at stake for him.
13. Paul Gallen – Gallen gets the Lock spot, because, really, who else is there? I think he’s a total tool of a person, but he’s a strong and gutsy player who probably deserves to be there even if he is playing in a club team that have looked more likely to win the spoon than win anything else this season. He’ll play his heart out for his state and that’s the main thing

Interchange

1. Craig Wing – Mr. Utility is there to cover up for the injuries that WILL happen. It’s inevitable. Farah, Wallace or Campese could slip on the Etihad Stadium surface and Craig Wing will be there to mop up. He does it well though, even if he will never be the force that he could have been.
2. Justin Poore – This debutant will be playing his first Origin, but most definitely not his last. He’s been playing out of his skin for the Dragons this season, and there’s every chance he’ll be moving to the Eels or Sharks in the near future. I would like to see him make an impact in this game, but it’ll be tough when you’re running towards Civoniceva.
3. Glenn Stewart/Luke Lewis (18th man) – Stewart probably won’t play because he is facing a  ‘dangerous throw’ charge from the weekend, so let’s assume that Luke Lewis replcaes him on the bench. I would much rather this anyway because I think Lewis is a freaking champion and deserves to be in the squad. For all I care Stewart can go and hang out with his brother on the sideline for the rest of his life..
4. Michael Weyman – The other big prop from the Dragons has been setting the world on fire with his powerful running this season. After barely striking a match at the Raiders he’s made a big turn around to get into the Origin team. He’s got a spot that not so long ago Willie (who?) Mason would have held, so he’s gonna wanna go better than him. But hey, that’s not too hard.

So there we have it. My thoughts on the Origin team.

Face it. We HAVE to win this year, otherwise the nasty toads from up north win 4 series in a row. We can’t allow that.

Don’t talk to me on Wednesday week if we lose the first game. I desperately want us to wrap up the series when I see them for Game II in Sydney.

It’s summer. Get used to it!

So, it’s hot. Wah wah wah.

I fucking love this weather.

Bear in mind that I grew up in Western Sydney. And I’m talking west of west. Out near the Hawkesbury River. Out where they filmed A Country Practice. In fact, A Wandin Valley sign was sometimes seen covering our suburb sign. (ignore the stupid Wiki entry about Cessnock.)

I grew up with snakes, spiders, wasps, chickens and donkeys on our 5 acre property.

We regularly had 30+ degree days in summer, often hitting 40 when we would be forced inside at school. In fact, it was the norm, and we had no air conditioning in the Dad-made log cabin house or the Datsun 180B.

My summer memories were of days in the above-ground pool, frollicking under the sprinkler at my grandparents, sucking down ice-blocks, or lounging in front of the cricket with frozen oranges.

Summer rocks.

However, I have lived through 20 long, cold, frigid winters in Canberra and I hate them. They usually last from Anzac Day (April) till Labour Day (October) and I’ve dealt with seeing my breath when I’m in bed, scraping thick layers of ice off my windscreen with frozen fingers and not being able to open the door for any more than 5 seconds or you’ll lose all the warm air.

Winter sucks.

So now we’ve had a nice hot summer. Something that we should expect in this hot dry land of ours. It feels like we haven’t had a decent summer in years and I am loving it.

44 degrees here, 45 degrees there. I am almost jealous when that shit isn’t in Canberra, but we’ve had some good 37 and 38 degree days to be proud of.

This weekend the reports say that Australia will be the hottest place on the planet as Western NSW is expected to hit 47 degrees.

Awesome.

It’s about time we had a hot summer. If I show you some comparisons of last years Canberra summer to this years Canberra summer, you’ll see what I mean.

Total days of 35 degrees or over:

07/08 – 4 days
08/09 – 8 days (as of Feb 6th)

Total days of 30 degrees or over:

07/08 – 18 days
08/09 – 24 days (as of Feb 6th with the last 11 days over 30)

Total days of 25 degrees or under:

07/08 – 39 days
08/09 – 18 days (as of Feb 6th)

Bloody Canberra. See? It doesn’t even know how to do Summer properly…

THIS year is how summer is supposed to be people.

Bring on the sweat. Bring on the heat. Bring on the sun!

🙂

Hamster = Yum!

Friday. Hot. I’m in shorts at work. I reckon that’s a first!

You may have seen this, but a bloke sent a complaint letter to Richard Branson about the food on a Virgin flight, which some have described as the best complaint ever:

Dear Mr Branson

REF: Mumbai to Heathrow 7th December 2008

I love the Virgin brand, I really do which is why I continue to use it despite a series of unfortunate incidents over the last few years. This latest incident takes the biscuit.

Ironically, by the end of the flight I would have gladly paid over a thousand rupees for a single biscuit following the culinary journey of hell I was subjected to at the hands of your corporation.

Look at this Richard. Just look at it: [see image 1].

I imagine the same questions are racing through your brilliant mind as were racing through mine on that fateful day. What is this? Why have I been given it? What have I done to deserve this? And, which one is the starter, which one is the desert?

You don’t get to a position like yours Richard with anything less than a generous sprinkling of observational power so I KNOW you will have spotted the tomato next to the two yellow shafts of sponge on the left. Yes, it’s next to the sponge shaft without the green paste. That’s got to be the clue hasn’t it. No sane person would serve a desert with a tomato would they. Well answer me this Richard, what sort of animal would serve a desert with peas in: [see image 2].

I know it looks like a baaji but it’s in custard Richard, custard. It must be the pudding. Well you’ll be fascinated to hear that it wasn’t custard. It was a sour gel with a clear oil on top. It’s only redeeming feature was that it managed to be so alien to my palette that it took away the taste of the curry emanating from our miscellaneous central cuboid of beige matter. Perhaps the meal on the left might be the desert after all.

Anyway, this is all irrelevant at the moment. I was raised strictly but neatly by my parents and if they knew I had started desert before the main course, a sponge shaft would be the least of my worries. So lets peel back the tin-foil on the main dish and see what’s on offer.

I’ll try and explain how this felt. Imagine being a twelve year old boy Richard. Now imagine it’s Christmas morning and you’re sat their with your final present to open. It’s a big one, and you know what it is. It’s that Goodmans stereo you picked out the catalogue and wrote to Santa about.

Only you open the present and it’s not in there. It’s your hamster Richard. It’s your hamster in the box and it’s not breathing. That’s how I felt when I peeled back the foil and saw this: [see image 3].

Now I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking it’s more of that Baaji custard. I admit I thought the same too, but no. It’s mustard Richard. MUSTARD. More mustard than any man could consume in a month. On the left we have a piece of broccoli and some peppers in a brown glue-like oil and on the right the chef had prepared some mashed potato. The potato masher had obviously broken and so it was decided the next best thing would be to pass the potatoes through the digestive tract of a bird.

Once it was regurgitated it was clearly then blended and mixed with a bit of mustard. Everybody likes a bit of mustard Richard.

By now I was actually starting to feel a little hypoglycaemic. I needed a sugar hit. Luckily there was a small cookie provided. It had caught my eye earlier due to it’s baffling presentation: [see image 4].

It appears to be in an evidence bag from the scene of a crime. A CRIME AGAINST BLOODY COOKING. Either that or some sort of back-street underground cookie, purchased off a gun-toting maniac high on his own supply of yeast. You certainly wouldn’t want to be caught carrying one of these through customs. Imagine biting into a piece of brass Richard. That would be softer on the teeth than the specimen above.

I was exhausted. All I wanted to do was relax but obviously I had to sit with that mess in front of me for half an hour. I swear the sponge shafts moved at one point.

Once cleared, I decided to relax with a bit of your world-famous onboard entertainment. I switched it on: [see image 5].

I apologise for the quality of the photo, it’s just it was incredibly hard to capture Boris Johnson’s face through the flickering white lines running up and down the screen. Perhaps it would be better on another channel: [see image 6].

Is that Ray Liotta? A question I found myself asking over and over again throughout the gruelling half-hour I attempted to watch the film like this. After that I switched off. I’d had enough. I was the hungriest I’d been in my adult life and I had a splitting headache from squinting at a crackling screen.

My only option was to simply stare at the seat in front and wait for either food, or sleep. Neither came for an incredibly long time. But when it did it surpassed my wildest expectations: [see image 7].

Yes! It’s another crime-scene cookie. Only this time you dunk it in the white stuff.

Richard…. What is that white stuff? It looked like it was going to be yoghurt. It finally dawned on me what it was after staring at it. It was a mixture between the Baaji custard and the Mustard sauce. It reminded me of my first week at university. I had overheard that you could make a drink by mixing vodka and refreshers. I lied to my new friends and told them I’d done it loads of times. When I attempted to make the drink in a big bowl it formed a cheese Richard, a cheese. That cheese looked a lot like your baaji-mustard.

So that was that Richard. I didn’t eat a bloody thing. My only question is: How can you live like this? I can’t imagine what dinner round your house is like, it must be like something out of a nature documentary.

As I said at the start I love your brand, I really do. It’s just a shame such a simple thing could bring it crashing to it’s knees and begging for sustenance.

Yours Sincererly

XXXX

Now, that’s some funny shit. The photos look completely disgusting.

You’ve gotta love a funny complaint.

But then, to top it off, the complainant has been offered a job!

“Make no mistake, we take all complaints seriously and will try and learn from each one,” said Paul Charles, Virgin’s Director of Corporate Communications.

“Richard was absolutely right to call the guy who complained and chat it through with him. It was a witty letter and, while we may not agree with all of it, we’re not proud of ourselves if someone’s disappointed with something on board.”

“We look forward to welcoming the complaintant (sic) on a flight again soon and, in fact, we’ve invited him to come and help select the next range of meals and wines we serve on board so that he can add his personal touch on behalf of all of our customers,” said Mr Charles.

Enjoy your Friday!

Telecommunications can suck my balls

If you’ve ever had problems connecting a phone, the internet or something that involves WIRES, you’ll be able to sympathise with this little story….

Here’s the ish:

• I am sick of using Virgin Broadband for out Internet connection. It was suckful enough when only I was using it, and now that LaLa and I share it, it’s becoming turtle-like for our facebooking, you-tubing ways.
• I’m on a 2 year contract with Virgin, that runs out in August…
• I’ve decided that I am going to escape that contract (no WAY am I paying anything man) and wanted to hook up with TPG’s 50Gb/$50 plan.
• Being the tech nerd that I am, I realised I needed a phone line first, so I called the evil Tel$tra and requested a new connection on their HomeLine Budget plan.
• “Sure!”, they said as they welcomed my custom and dragged $59 out of me for a connection fee (to flick a switch) and told me that it would be activated in 3 to 5 days.
• That Friday, I was told it was connected, but alas. No dial tone.
• I called Telstra again and mentioned this lack of dial tone and they said, “Are you sure your phone works?”.  “Yes, I am sure”, I replied. “Ok, there must be a fault with the connection. We will send out a technician by Tuesday or Wednesday to have a look at it”
• That was yesterday, and after the Telstra dude locked his keys in his car and had a poke around, he informs us that there is no phone line into the house at all, only Transact. He also informs us that it will cost like 1000 bucks to install a new line into the house. Friendly guy. Crap response.
• In the meantime, I was trying to jump the gun on this connection malarky and had called TPG about signing up to their plan and the wheels were in motion baby.
• *SCREEEECH* The brakes went on. I called Telstra and told them I would not like a connection anymore, kthxbye. The lady reckoned a new line would probably cost $299, but buggered if I’m paying that on a rental, and I wasn’t about to hit up our 70 sumpy year old landlord.
• More waiting on hold and I cancelled the installation with TPG.
• Ok. Back to square one and that little doovy looking Virgin Modem.
• Fine. I will use Transact then. They’re bloody expensive, but we figured, we could get Phone, Subscription TV and 35Gb of Internet a month for around $118 a month. Not too bad, when shared.
• I had not yet called Transact to order this, but I got a lovely courtesy call from a Telstra lady this arvo saying, “So, about the fault in your phone line at your house, the technicians will be back to fix it on Monday.” WTF? I told her what the technicians told me and that I didn’t think that was possible unless a whole new line was put in. She was adamant that it would be done as it was a Telstra fault and a lead-in cable was just needed to be installed and I would not pay anything. WTF??
• So, now I am wondering whether or not I sign up with Transact, or wait for Telstra to do  something on Monday.  I would rather get ADSL 2+ if possible, but I don’t mind the Transact deal I was going to get anyway!
• Maybe this is a way of getting the phone line hooked up with Telstra for free and then I can pick whichever provider I want!

I dunno. I confused.

Watch this space!

Yes They Did.

Today will be written about, talked about and remembered for decades, if not centuries to come.

In the words of another great American, today was one small step for a man, and it may be a giant leap for mankind.

I, along with the millions that voted for Obama, believe and hope that the decision made today will help turn the USA and the world around to begin pointing in the right direction for the future.

Not in my life have I seen an American president stir such emotion in people.

It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

Just think about the ramifications that will be felt from the people he will serve. Think about the heart and soul of a young black child that watched Obama give his historic victory speech today. They will now know that they can acheive anything. Think about the pride that a country feels that they have made a step that will improve their standing in the world’s eyes, but more importantly improve their own country fullstop.

Through Obama improving the country he believes in, he will improve the lives of those people that believe in him.

Look, I know that it seems like everyone is treating him as the messiah, the man that will make everything better. The bring peace to the world. To unify the nations of the world.

There’s an enormous amount of pressure on Obama. Not only is there a nation of 300 Million people waiting for the change that he has promised them, but there is an entire planet, waiting, watching, expecting, pleading for that change to come….and soon.

When our own new Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, was elected late last year, expectation ran rampant. Will he make everything better? Will he be the man to turn Australia into a nation we can be proud of again? 12 months on and things may not be exactly how we’d hoped, but things are definitely on the right track.

Unfortunately for Australia, there’s 11 years of social and mental scars to heal. 11 years of ill-fated policies and selfish ideals to repair. It’ll take more than 12 months to get past.

The USA has had 8 years of similarly destructive leadership, but try multiplying the damage it has caused by 100.

That damage will take time to heal, and I fear that the same amount of time it took for G.W. Bush to crush the spirit of their country-men will not be enough to lead the country towards salvation.

But it’s a great start.

…

Complete transcipt of Barack Obama’s amazing historic victory speech below:

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It’s the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he’s fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation’s promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation’s next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us to the White House. And while she’s no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics, you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you’ve sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to, it belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn’t start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington, it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

I know you didn’t do this just to win an election and I know you didn’t do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime, two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they’ll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor’s bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you, we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can’t solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it’s been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years, block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek; it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers, in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, “We are not enemies, but friends, though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.” And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn; I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down, we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security, we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright, tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America, that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that’s on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She’s a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing; Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons; because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she’s seen throughout her century in America ¿ the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can’t, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women’s voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that “We Shall Overcome.” Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves, if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

Hold Your Breath. 7 Days to Go.

I’m nervous.

A country holds its breath.

A world holds its breath.

A week from now the Americans will be waking up and getting ready to go to the polls.

Obama vs McCain.

It should be a simple result.

The polls have Obama with up to a 12 point lead.

Time magazine has called it.

Paddy Power, a betting agency in Europe, has paid out all bets for an Obama win.

Why am I so nervous?

Well, this morning we find out that 2 Neo-Nazi skinheads were plotting to kill Obama by driving straight towards him and firing their shotguns with a car that has a swastika on it and the numbers ’88’ standing for ‘Heil Hitler’.

There was also this postcard on postsecret.

(the covered section presumably says “matter of time”)

A comment on this card was made…..that hopefully the person who sent this in was not…planning anything.

..

All this from a country where an 8 year old boy:

a) is allowed into a gun show for free.

b) is allowed to shoot an uzi at targets.

c) ‘accidently’ shots himself in the head.

..

So you can see why I’m nervous.

The USA and the world are on the brink of something special.

Let’s hope that nothing screws that up.