Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC) and related goodies

The Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC) is on again this year, with participation from NSW, Vic, SA, Tas, and ACT. The Qld and WA ones seems to be on at a different time of year. And I can’t find info for NT.

Premiers' Reading Challenge - Windows 8 requiredI’m interested that this year NSW teamed up with a technology company and create an App to track your reading. As it happens, that technology company is Microsoft, and the software is only available for Windows 8.

Premiers' Reading Challenge - Available in US EnglishAnother interesting result of this team up, is that the software is only available in US English. A bit strange for a competition to encourage Australian children to read.

And, I really hope the related Apps are aimed at parents, not their children. I don’t think K-9 students need the RTA Car Driver Knowledge Test, and I think encouraging them to use the NSW Lotto application is a very bad idea.

Premier's Reading Challenge - Related appsIn case you don’t believe these screen shots all came from the same page, here is a PDF.

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Door 404: Apartment Not Found #photo

Wandering the halls.
Looking for an apartment.
And, all I get is this 404 error message!

Apartment #404. Door not found

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Look, the #zombies have been upgraded, to #Cybermen!

In King’s Comics I spotted these shiny figures lurching towards shoppers. And it occurred to me…

Don’t Cybermen remind you of zombies?

Zombies clad in metal perhaps. But really, they just want you for your brains….

…care for an upgrade?

Beware! Techno zombies in Kings Comics ! AKA cybermen

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Um @Apple, the #Mac #AppStore Top Free aren’t all #free !?

Browsing the Mac OS X App Store today, I noticed that only 58% of the first 12 Top Free Apps are actually free!

Is this a miss-classification of applications? A data entry error? Or the Australia tax I get for using the Australian Apple store?

The full Top Free list doesn’t have the same problem, past the first 12. I think someone was a little hurried just before Christmas, and ticked the wrong boxes.

Anyone got a better explanation?

Those Top #Free Apps in the AppStore aren't all free!?

Image on Flickr

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Politicians line up to donate words to Charles Firth’s Museum

Recent news coverage about Charles Firth’s Museum of Words has reached the parliaments of Australia, and he has scored somewhat of a coup.

While The Guardian see the museum as a failed stunt, many politicians are lining up to loan words.

Can’t use a word while on load to the museum? What a brilliant idea” one politician said.

At this stage Firth has received the following words:

Julia Gillard, former PM – Kevin
Kevin Rudd, former PM – Leadership
Bob Carr, former Foreign Minister – Nuts
Stephen Conroy, former Communications Minister – Filter

Bronwyn Bishop, Speaker – Order
George Brandis, Attorney-General – Trans-Pacific Partnership
Malcolm Turnbull, Communications Minister – Speed
Joe Hockey, Treasurer – Deficit
Scott Morrison, Immigration Minster – Boats
Christopher Pyne, Education Minister – Gonski

Clive Palmer, Member for Fairfax – Plagiarism
Campbell Newman, Queensland Premier – Rights
Fred Nile, NSW Legislative Council – Marriage

And for a double disillusion:

Tony Abbot, Prime Minister – Climate Change & Science

But get in quick, the exhibition proper closes this Sunday, 1 December.

Other article about the exhibition:

 

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Cthulhu walks into your pub, what do you offer? Lovecraft beer!

I saw this sign on The Local Taphouse in Darlinghurst. It reads like you are playing a Call of Cthulhu role playing game.

Lovecraft beer?
Only when the Ale Stars’ Membership are right!

Love Craft beer? When the Ale Stars' Membership are right! #Cthulhu

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Alone on the station? Beware of zombies…

I took this shot of a man coming down the escalator of a seemingly empty station. It reminds me of thriller movies when, that extra the camera has been following walks into an empty public space, only to be attacked by the film’s malevolent entity.

Of course, if the extra is really the protagonist, they pull out a sword/gun, confronting the entity or making a hasty retreat. Unfortunately, this guy is not wearing a long coat, so it looks like curtains…

Lone escalator man

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When $2.50 is 20% of $7.50 at Coles

It’s funny, but a little worrying, when supermarkets can’t do maths correctly on their signs.

I suppose this is erring on the side of caution, saying you get 20% but giving you 33%, rather than saying you get 33% any only giving you 20%. Which makes sense from a legal perspective, giving you a bigger discount than is advertised.

Although, if a supermarket can’t get the numbers on their specials labels correct, where else are the numbers wrong?$2.50 is not 20% of $7.50. #coles #sign #fail

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Kill Bill, the new killer women’s fashion

Is there a new #KillBill fad in women's #fashion?The new fashion trend gracing windows of the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney is black & yellow. Very reminiscent of The Bride from Kill Bill. Upstairs are the dresses and tops. And downstairs, the matching shoes.

Are these clothes you would kill for? Or, do they leave you feeling jilted?More black & yellow in women's #fashion. #killbillAnd, downstairs, you can get your #killbill shoes. #fashion

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Questionable specs for the new Mac eTax software

The ATO has finally released their Mac eTax software, but the computer requirement seem a little strange.

I understand having one of the last 3 Mac OS X versions (10.6, 10.7 10.8) as a requirement. But the hardware requirements seem a little strange. Have you tried running any of these 3 OSs on a Pentium?

#MacOSX 10.8 on a Pentium? Not sure you could even get 10.6 to run on one #ATO

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