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I came across this article on ZNet about Mini DDoS attack. I must admit, any person concerned about security would check their system against the Shield up Service, You just need to make sure all your ports are set to stealth.

I found these two articles on ZNet and together they make an interesting observation of market forces.

Aust IT salaries poised to rise talks about future increase in IT salaries in Australia. However the main thrust appears to be in IT staff wanting an increase in job security, not just looking for the next big pay increase.

While Will India price itself out of offshore markets? talks about increases in salaries for IT people in India. The increase in outsourcing has produced double digit salary increases.

1. My husband and I divorced over religious differences. He thought he was God and I didn't!
2. I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
3. I Work Hard Because Millions On Welfare Depend on Me!
4. Some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them.
5. I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.
6. Don't take life too seriously, you won't get out alive.
7. You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me.
8. Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.
9. Earth is the insane asylum for the universe.
10. Quoting one is plagiarism; Quoting many is research. More...
    logged by Anthony at 9:25:22 AM Link

Top Gun is one of my all time favourite movies. I just love the speed and skill factor in flying something like a F-14. Since I recently got a home theatre surround sound system this movie takes on a even better view. For those that don't know this is follows some pilots (two in particular) through the Naval Aviators 'Top Gun' class, a school for the best of the best. This movie even gets a little romance into it. Well worth buying the DVD for full on surround sound.

More information at IMDb
Buy the DVD from Chaos Music HMV.com.au Amazon.com

Rydges Wentworth was another hotel that I installed the back office accounting system for, but given that it is now known as Sofitel Wentworth Sydney I guess my accounting software implementation has been thrown out as well. This Hotel is very well appointed as it was a five star hotel and it is located right in the centre of the Sydney CBD. I have noticed that many a Liberal party election night campaign has been staged from this hotel. I can't say much for the hotel now that it has changed hands, but I guess that's how things go.

This article discusses some new technologies that extend our human memory giving us "Removable Media For Our Minds". Examples are

• SenseCam and werable camera with extensive sensors to take pictures of room you enter, people you see.
• MyLifeBits which is a storage device to capture all these photos.
• Nokia's Lifeblog which is a mobile phone version of MyLifeBits.

"Computers have reached the point in which continuous, verbatim recording of an individual's life experiences is technologically feasible," Vemuri writes on his Web site. "The challenge now is turning vast repositories of such recordings into a useful resource while respecting the social, legal, and ethical ramifications of ubiquitous recording." Source The Feature

Office Space is a dry comedy about work. A bit like Falling Down but as a comedy. In this movie a stressed out (from boredom) employee takes hypnotherapy to try and get along with his girlfriend better. However the therapist has a heart attack and he is left with permanently not giving a dam. So he goes to work late and doesn't do his work. Then some consultants come through to gain some efficiencies (sack people). The consultants think he is made for middle management. This is a movie for you if you like watching people attack fax machines and have nightmares about their boss.

Space Cowboys is a dramatic comedy, if there can be such a category. The movie follows Dr. Frank Corvin, who is played by Clint Eastwood, who also directed the film. Corvin, is one of a team of four experimental Air Force pilots that were pushing the envelope just before NASA was formed. They were then pushed aside from the program and have felt cheated out of going into space. Thirty years later is that the control software for a satellite that Corvin designed is on a critical Russian satellite that is falling out of orbit. Given the small amount of time remaining Corvin convinces NASA to send the old team up to fix it, provided they pass fitness. It is an alright movie that is easy entertainment. Some of the funnies are a newspaper headline describing the team as the 'Ripe stuff'. There are a few twists towards the end and a dramatic finish as one of them makes the ultimate sacrifice. So like I said a dramatic comedy?

I have stayed Rydges North Sydney at a number of times. The first time was with work while I attended a conference in Sydney. Then I stayed at the same hotel with my family on a trip to Sydney. I also stayed there when I installed the accounting system for the hotel. That last time reminds me of a small happening, where to get temporary network access to the training server from a guest suite a few floors up we ran a 50m patch cable out the window and down the side of the hotel to the server room.

Anyway the hotel is great for visiting Sydney north side. The hotel is close in the the north shore, but far enough away that the hotel feel's like it is tucked out of the way. It is very peaceful and has great facilities and I would thoroughly recommend this place for work or play.

Crimson Tide is a drama set upon a US nuclear submarine. In the movie Russian rebels take over a naval base in south east Russia and threaten to launch nuclear missiles against Japan and the US. The mission proceeds as expected until they receive orders to launch the nuclear missiles and they run into an attack sub. During the encounter with the rebel sub, another message is only partly received. At this point the captain, played by Gene Hackman wishes to proceed and launch based on orders to hand while the Ex O, played by Denzel Washington, wants to confirm the incomplete orders to avoid a nuclear holocaust. I think the movie is great, and I love how it plays on the problem setout at the start of the movie. The three most powerful people in the world The president of the United States, the president of the Russian republic and the Captain of a Nuclean submarine.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines once again stars Arnold Schwarzenegger again sent back in time and like the second movie to save the world. This movie continues the saga where we meet John Conner as an adult who has managed to stop the day of reckoning, or so he believes. The Governator Terminator lets him know that he has been sent back in time to protect, not just him, but his lieutenants as well. This movie then sets up the scene where we see the decision about starting Sky Net. The movie was a little flat as it appears to be setting up for yet another sequel, although given the Governator is now so busy I don't know if this will happen. This movie was a bit like The Empire Strikes Back or The Two Towers where the characters appear to get into an unrecoverable position and it is left the next instalment for them to get out of it. I hope there is another instalment.

Rydges Parramatta is located right next to the Rosehill race course and takes its style ideas from the horse racing industry. This hotel participated in the pilot to upgrade the back office accounting system in readiness for Y2K back in 1999. Having such a close link to the horse racing industry this hotel does have some lavish appointments. High rolling regular guests may have their own bottles of spirits stored in the glass cabinets in one of the many restaurants, conference rooms and bars that are named after great Australian race horses or racing icons. As well as the high rollers bar there is a night club style bar and down stairs there is a club style bar with pool tables. This hotel would be great if you wanted to have a special day at the races.

Hello,

Welcome to this year's public service exam. I see that all of you have been able to find yourself a seat and desk so obviously you've got what it takes to be public servants.

Should you pass this exam and become a member of the public service, you will enjoy not only the esteem and envy of all your friends but also a unique package of fringe benefits, including:

• An early retirement scheme which allows you to retire while still turning up for work
• flexitime which enables you to decide when you don't want to work at work and when you don't want to work away from work
• free use of government stationery (this has been facilitated by the introduction of eight-items-or-less lanes as you leave the building)

Kate & Leopold is a romantic comedy staring Meg Ryan as a successful career woman in a advertising company. Her ex-husband is a 'mad' scientist that discovers are 'rip' in time that allows him to travel back to the past. The only problem is that he brings back Leopold. Played by Hugh Jackman. Like most romantic movies they fall for each other, but face the problem that they come from different centuries. There are some real funny part like when Leopold walks the dog and is caught by a police office for not collect the dog's poo, it is just lovely how he describes what the police officer is asking him to to. When the police officer ask for his name even that gets to be funny. As for the realism, there are quite a number of problems that just get glossed over. He adapts to modern clothing too easily, but if you suspend that reality it is a fun movie.

When I installed the back office accounting system for this hotel is was know as Rydges Queenstown. Now Rydges has taken to using some of the name their hotels were previously know as and so this is now Rydges Lakeland Resort Queenstown. It is very impressive looking hotel that over looks the lake next to Queenstown. It is a short distance for the ski fields and the shops in Queenstown. The view from the restaurant over the lake and mountains is just spectacular to see when having breakfast. The building has that 'alps' heavy wooden beams style to it and most balconies look out over the lake.

Serendipity is defined within this movie and a fortunate accident. This romantic comedy play on that to show how two people can be truly 'destined' to be with each other. It would appear that these two have trouble staying apart. It a funny and has a love story that make it not to much of either. A great way to spent an evening with your parnter.

Rydges Lakeside Canberra is a local hotel that has been around for what seems forever. This is another hotel that I have installed the back office accounting system for and this hotel is one of the classy hotels in Canberra. Located right next to the lake with high views over the lake. One significant feature of the hotel the the Burley Griffin Restaurant. This occupies most of the top floor and has a spectacular lake view.

I bought There's Something More about Mary last week and so far I only seen the original cut of the movie, and this is one of those movies that is almost cult like. It is not a must have movie but it is so good you just can't not have it. It so cool how Cameron Diaz has so many men following her character and so of the silly things that happen. This is not slapstick humor, but very good physical humor, like the 'hair gel' scene and the 'beans above the frank' scenes. This is a great comedy.

Rydges Melbourne is yet another Rydges Hotel that I installed the back office accounting package into. I also happened to be installing this about the time Start Wars Episode I was released. I remember that this hotel was right in the heart of Melbourne a short walk from heaps of shops and a few movie theatres. It also has a restaurant that has those huge vertical bi-fold glass doors a bit like most Service Station Garages. So on good nights even eating in the restaurant is like eating outdoors. The rooms are very well furnished if you look at the extra pictures you can see the Foyer and a room and they are not you plain conservative colours, the rooms have a understated vibrance.

Head of State stars Chris Rock as a politician who wants to change the world, but because he does not play the party line he not going far. When the presidential running mates from his party are killed in a plane crash, he is selected because the scheming party room wants to set him up to fail, so they can landslide it at the next election. However Chris's style wins the electorate and he looks like wining. That is when everything starts to backfire on him. This movie was alright, but it is very in your face humor so you never miss a joke, but then you never feel like you found a 'hidden' one either. very easy watching.

Sweet Home Alabama is a romantic comedy that based on the differences in the deep south of the US. The story starts with an up and coming fashion designer you is proposed to by the son of the mayor of New York. However she has a little secret. She is still married to her high school sweet heart and her parents are a battling working family. She makes her way back to her home town and then struggles to leave as she realises the difference between wealth and relationships.

I am proud to say my web pages carry the Made With Notepad icon. While I actually use Wordpad, it is only used for text documents.

Basically all the CSS and the Java script and all the html layout and content is written using Wordpad or another text editor.

Rydges Capital Hill is located in a leafy area near Parliament house. I installed the back office accounting system for this hotel as well. I also been to some conferences there and the also the bar for after work drinks on occasions. The hotel is a little like a city retreat, with internal pool and gym. The hotel is ring shaped with a covered atrium in the middle with trees separating the restaurant areas, giving a very relaxed feeling. It has secure under cover parking and is a long walk/short drive to the club/cafe area of Manuka.

I saw Hollywood Homicide and I tell you what I loved this movie. It stars tow cops who are also trying to run their own lives. One played by Harrison Ford also runs a real estate business on the side, the other played by Josh Hartnett thinks he want to be an actor. They are chasing down a bight club murder and an old disgruntled cop now in internal affairs launches an investigation into them. There are heaps of laughs and a few twists of the plot. Excellent viewing.

Graham Freeman has developed a points system for how likely one is to get killed cycling on the roads.

These things are noisy. They land on the oval outside my office and the desk vibrates when they do. But they do look impressive, so I have no complaints.

Noisy Chinooks to fly over city Source NEWS.com.au