With My best Aussie mate! He's a boss I used to work for in Brissy, AUS, now one of the best friends. In Japan, it might be rare to see a boss build a friendship with his employee as we do care about the age difference and social status before building a relationship with others.. I dont like that, tho..
As you might have already known, An Islamic gunman held 17 hostages at a cafe in Sydney in. And it resulted in an horrible consequence with two casualties when Australian police stormed a cafe end this calamity. Police now say the siege is overThe gunman has been named as Man Haron Monis - a self-proclaimed cleric from Iran. People inside the cafe were earlier forced to hold a black flag with Arabic writing at the window.
May their souls rest in peace...
Australia is a multiethnic country which has host society. As a result, All sorts of people with each culture, character and religion have blended in one nation.
I heard of the news that Australia reached a deal with Baghdad for the deployment of about 200 of its special forces to assist Iraqi troops in their fight against Islamic State (IS) militants alongside Canada and US. I'm not sure that agreement was a kind of provocative for Islamic people in AUS to cause this incident. But in fact, they had taken severe measures against it, it actually happened sadly..
Basically, I'm on the side of the policy in respect of immigrant intake in Japan. But it would be risky for us at the same time because the count-down for Tokyo Olympic in 2020 is on.
Yesterday evening, An unbeliavable and apocalyptic storm hit the city in Brisbane with flash flooding, tennis-ball sized hailstones and cyclonic winds. It's been said that was the worst we've ever seen in 30 years...
That blast of bad weather left hundreds of homes damaged and a repair bill of 84 million. The murderous wind recorded a month's worth of rain in just 20mins, and wind gusts of up to 140km/h. A roof was blown more than 100m away, and uncountable trees across Brisbane were still left swept away by the gusty wind.
Brisbane, Where I am now is the host city for the World summit called G20 this year. And it is supposed to be held over this weekend. At the same time, Some barricades and road closures throughtout the town are expected. While past leader's summits have seen mass arrests, violent demonstrations and vandalism.
There are pros and cons to be the host for the event, but For citizens it's hard to see the pros during the period. The whole town is expected to be a ghost town in a twist of irony...
Me either.. I will be holing myself up in my place as I don't want to get involved in those kind of issues that are expected to happen like protests and vandalism.
yeah, but I just want to watch some stupids egg some of the motorcades and found themselves behind bar right away. Lol
Last of all, I will give you a trivia of G20. There are only 19 member countries in the G20, not 20. Nigeria was supposed to have been the final addition, but was bumped off at the end. The name stuck...
This Tuesday was the biggest horse racing day in Australia. Melbourne Cup Day is Australia’s best known horse racing event held on the first Tuesday of November every year. It is an annual public holiday in the state of Victoria. This event is popularly dubbed as “the race that stops the nation”.
More than 100,000 people usually attend Flemington Racecourse. And the race is televised live to an audience of about 650 million people worldwide. Many people stop what they are doing shortly before 3pm on Melbourne Cup Day to watch or listen to the main race either via television, Internet or the radio.
A Japanese horse has won the race before. This year, One horse from Japan came to take part in the race, and he was the fovourite of the race. Unfortunately, he couldn't live up to the expectation from fans and what is worse, passed away straight after the race...
I used to be a big fan of the horse racing in Japan. Especially the day of Arima-Kinen, which is the biggest race in Japan like Melbourne Cup in AUS makes my day.
Baldness is a man's badge of honour!! This is the sigh outside of a unique bar in Tokyo called ''Otasuke'' where provides special bald discounts to lure them in.
I read an interesting article on the Japanese pub on today's mX, introducing it with full of ridicules. As you might not know, Baldness is a very delicate issue in Japan. On the other hand, not that much in Western countries. Look at Hollywood stars. There are bunch of stars who completely ignore their hairless state and proudly carry out their work. Brilliant!!
Okay, let's get the subject back on track. According to the article, Bald customers each get about $5 trimmed from their buffet bil, with the discount increasing according to the number of baldies in the bar. For every group of five bald men, one drink free, and there's top secret perk for groups of six!! Unfortunately, the detail of the top secret perk wasn't written in it... you better go and check it in person. Lol
And about 26% of Japanese men go bald, apparently.. I hope I won't!!
Have you ever caught a glimpse of royals? Me? Of course never!! But there has been a chance to wave at them in this Easter holidays as they will be touching down in Brissy for a short stop as part of their royal tour. But they have already enjoyed on Australian soil in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra for few days before they set foot here.
Apparently, Viewing points will be set along the main street in the town, and I can easily expect that huge crowds will be flocking to those points to snag a prime spot, but a big screen will also be installed at nearby town.
But unfortunately, it is reported that the royal bub who gave birth last summer has been tipped to stay with his nanny in the capital. But it never minds me at all cuz I've even any of royals before! But I must be ready to say ' Your royal highnesses' upon greeting Their Royal highnesses, after that use 'Sir' or 'Ma'am' if I'm lucky enough to bump into the royals.
We should be ready to batten down the hatches as the destructive cyclone named Ita is on her way to North Queensland in Australia. The intensity has been categorized into 5 storm which is devastating and disastrous with it 300km/h winds, heavy rain and a 2m-high surge of water.
It's already been broadcasted about those who had been destructed or flooded their houses, and couldn't help but evacuate in the shelters to escape disaster. The Bereau also warned that it could reach more populated areas of the coast including southern parts of the state where I currently live. At least there will be more or less impacts on Brisbane.
Brisbane suffered from flood damage which was so huge in early 2011. Luckily, I wasn't there at that time, but I've heard what exactly happened and how hard it was to get over for Queenslanders. I really hope it will never occur to us, and don't want to even recall it.
For me, who don't have my own car, Trains are a main tool for transpotation in Australia. However, I often see interesting articles about 'fare evasion' on newspapers on a daily basis. The number of the fare evasion apts to be bigger and bigger.
I think most of Japanese people can't believe this happens a lot here because it can't be considered as a social issue in Japan where has been set a more solid basic structure of industry.
One of the biggest things I got suprised here for the first time was that there were no ticket barriers at most train stations but main stations of city. There are even no resident staffs stationed at some train stations. That means like giving a free-ride invitation to evaders.
Moreover, there is not only the reason but also the other one about fare hikes. I guess it has already become half as expensive as when I first came to Australia in 2008.
nowadays it's so easy for me to recognize who the passenders without tickets are on the trains. It's because they are routinely in a fidget with wobbly eyes and busy looking around to be ready running to an exit door when ticket inspectors come in. It's a bit enjoyable to watch them copped by inspectors and whinge or whine at them to gloze!!
Sorry, I've been putting it off blogging lately.. Feel I always use the same excuse when I haven't updated so long, but I was so swamped last three weeks giving a helping hand to my friend's company where I used to work.
Seriously, I've been so unorganized with football!! Plus, I had been getting enough sleep as well.. It(s like putting the cart before the horse. I have to get everything back right..
By the way, I watched an interesting news the other day that UN court slapped a ban on Japan about the whale hunt. For good or bad, Japan is known for killing whales for a research purpose currently which can be alternative meat to others such as beefs, porks and chickens when food crisis comes out with rising populations in the world, and used to kill them for food. Japan consistently insists they are on the right track for the future of the world, but it hasn't been justified.
Surprisingly, Australian people have a strong interest in this kind of issue. They are of course against what Japan does. In their opinion, Whales should be protected as the same mammal as human beings.
In America, one documentry movie were released titled 'the cove' about Japan's dolphin hunt. It was kind of shocking to me when I knew about the fact as I had no idea that my home country killed dolphins in some small regions. The people in the regions insist to protect their tradition about the dolphin hunt.
I think 'tradition' can sometimes put people in a tenuous situation, and confuse people when a decision is made. And 'tradition' is also a heavy term that makes people think as if all the tradition from the past must be protected and continue for the future. However, time changes all the time, and some traditions could go against the era, then it might need to be discarded.
But I also think why only mammals should be protected. What about pigs, cows and other animals and fishes killed by egoistic human beings for food?? What differences lie on??
I think the gap of thought between the countries will never be filled.
I was a bit gloomy about the proceeding of my visa transaction. I get annoyed before I do this. I really hate it!! But I have to get this done smartly, otherwise I'd be notified of a depotation to Japan... Lol
You might not know how problematic it is.. It's a real pain in the ass during the procedure as the Australian immigration law is really changeable every year. And the cost of each visa is getting expensive year by year which is such a pain for me.
This time I applied for a visa online as usual, but the way of the application has been different from last year, and I needed more documents required for submission which was so time-consuming... However, I don't know I was just lucky... but it ended up fall into place quickly against the odds. I got just relieved anyway...
From now on, I must focus on football for the new season!!
Yesterday, I went to play tennis with my mates for change. It was my second time to play tennis in my life. Actually my first time was more than 15 years ago, I can't literally remember exactly when it was.. anyway long time ago.
We headed off to the Queenland tennis center, which has the biggest and most perfect facility in the state. It also has a WTA tour tournament called Brisbane open every January just few weeks before Australian open held in Melborne. I've heard that Roger Federer seems to be going to make his first appearance in the tournament next year.
By the way, I myself played absolutely shit!! I couldn't even hit the ball back to the other court properly. In addition, The guys I played with were well-experienced in tennis. I hadn't ever grasped any racket since when I was little. But the stupid thing was that I was seriously thinking that I could compete with them, and I could beat them too!! But it did never happen, though...
Anyway, that was so fun moment, and helping me to get rid of stresses that I get from outside world. I might be into it, and I want to play better!!
Surprisingly, there are more than 25 courts with all kinds of surface such as grass, clay and hard court. We played on a hard court this time, but you can hire any court even could hire the center court that cost you about 5 times as much as a hard court. And also with an empty stadium atmosphere. haha
There was the biggest festival called Brisbane festival in the state of Queensland the other day. It last over about twe weeks, apparently. I actually didn't know about it at all in spite of having been here for ages. I happened to be there on the last day of the festival. And luckily, I could watch the big fireworks display at the site which was so beatiful. I've been many fireworks event in Japan before, but here was not like the ones I've watched before. Thousands of fireworks was shot on the roof of the skyscrappers in Brisbane city.
In the afternoon, there was a show of stealth jets in the sky over the town. When it started, it sounded like a huge earth rumbling!! I really thought that some terrorist showed up and tried to crashed the high building in town like 9/11 attacks in NY, America. I was completely reminded of that at that moment. I was totally freaked out as I didn't know the show coming up!!
On another note, there were so many events and performance show in many areas throughout the venue. I didn't actually go inside... yea, i know I should've.. I didn't want to get involved in the huge crowd!!
Iraqi warfare survivor on X Factor Australia - Emmanuel Kelly
Please share PLUCKY Melbourne singer Emmanuel Kelly is dreaming of a recording career after moving tough judges to tears on the stage of 'The X Factor' on Australian TV show.
Emmanuel, the adopted son of Children First Foundation boss Moira Kelly, wowed Ronan Keating, Spice Girl Mel Brown, Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Guy Sebastian with his heartfelt performance of the John Lennon classic Imagine on last night's audition show.
Emmanuel and his brother Ahmed were adopted from Iraq, both suffering limb deficiencies as a result of chemical warfare.
They were abandoned at an orphanage and rescued by Ms Kelly, who is also the guardian of the once-conjoined Bangladeshi twins, Krishna and Trishna.
Emmanuel said it was "more than magic" to be on X Factor".
"Words could not describe what I was feeling on that stage," he said.
"When I got up and started singing, there was nothing else. Adrenalin just took over. It was just a blur."
Emmanuel said he believes he had a gift.
"Singing is what I love doing and singing is the only thing I want to do," he said.
"I know plenty of singers that are 50 times better than I am, it is just they chose not to follow that path. Singing is the path I want to follow and some doors have opened up now and I just want to push even more.
"I just want to sing and I want to make people happy."
Kelly said his damaged limbs had not held him back and that he was not looking for sympathy.
"I have actually been through nothing compared to some of the other kids I have met and mum has brought out," he said.
"I don't want people to look at it (his performance) and go: 'Wow that is brave.' I want people to look at me and go, 'Wow, he has got a really good voice' or 'Wow, he is going to go far in life,' not, 'Wow, that is brave for him to do that'."
Emmanuel's rendition of Imagine earned a standing ovation from the judges and packed audience.
Ronan Keating was full of praise for Emmanuel who has now moved into the next round of competition.
This is a kind of famous annual festival(show) in Brisbane, and it's the biggest one in Queensland. Its formal title is the Royal Queensland Show. It was originally called the Brisbane Exhibition, however it is usually shortened to Ekka. It is the last public holiday of the year before Christmas.
Every year, the festival is opened for about 2 weeks in a suburb near Brisbane City. As a matter of course, the access there is easy because the temporary EKKA train station is suppose to be built in only this period at near the festival, and as soon as the festival ends, the station is closed until next year.
The Ekka is organised by the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland (RNA), and is held at the RNA Showgrounds which is located about two kilometres north-east of Brisbane's city centre. The Ekka is Brisbane's most popular event of any sort, with well over 600,000 visitors attending the show in recent years.
I went to this festival on the second last day, there is a crowd of people in there, especially around the oval show ground held heaps of events and shows fascinate people, for example is held motor show that brought in very famous drivers for this show, animal parades, woodchopping competition dividing Queensland team from New South Wales team and a lot of unique participatory events from spectators.
It was really fun!!!
The location was also so huge that I could't walk around all areas, moreover there is an amusement park area has a roller coaster, ferris wheel and merry-go-round.
And heaps of showbags was sold usually containing food items. Showbags are also an integral part of the Ekka experience. Today there are almost 500 different showbags available for visitors to spend their money on and enjoy samples of products. Showbags range from $1 (the Blinky Bill Bag), $2 (the famous Bertie Beetle Bag) and up $50, providing companies the opportunity to show off their merchandise to the public.
Anyway, it was a very interesting event. don't miss it out when you come to Brisbane in this term.
