the web 2.0 bubble

As a veteran of the Aussie internet industry the first time around, the so-called "web 2.0" opportunity being feverishly pursued by seemingly everybody - from giants (News Corp) to tiny Aussie businesses (gnoos.com.au, Ansearch etc) - reminds me of "web 1.0" (and other bubbles through history) in a few important ways:

1. a business opportunity is neither good nor bad simply because it is "web 2.0" - it is good or bad based on its potential (short or long term) to generate profits for shareholders.
2. a business is not web 2.0 just because it says it is (the same way that a business was not an "internet business just because it says it is). Do any Australians reading this remember Seafood Online or Jumbomall? Do the Americans remember Kozmo? The Europeans remember boo?
3. It strikes me that the intersection of community / localisation / user-generated content / genuine interactivity of environment / etc / etc /etc is genuinely exciting, in that it offers new opportunities for people to communicate, collaborate (and transact!). The 'old' internet businesses also provided genuine innovations in communication, collaboration and transactivity - the problem was that valuations were unsustainable and it became difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff.

In summary, I believe web 2.0 is a bubble BUT this is not meant as a diss to the good businesses in the sector. It is a statement that the sector is attracting bottom-feeders, mining-industry speculators and assorted opportunists. This increases the challenge for the genuine pioneers to differentiate themselves and not lose momentum or control of the (huge) opportunity.

The next superstar

Lady Sovereign - the up-and-coming superstar of the new millenium - http://www.ladysovereign.com/flash.php

Exchange between Gillard J and Con Heliotis, QC

see below - an explosive exchange between Gillard J and Con Heliotis, QC (the lead barrister for alleged drug lord Tony Mokbel) - copied across from The Age's website. Fascinating stuff... Barristers have strict ethical rules which are generally well-understood within the bar (although generally poorly-understood outside the bar) - unusual to see such heated (and public) disagreement between senior practitioners.

Full courtroom exchange

March 30, 2006

This is the complete courtoom exchange between Justice Bill Gillard and Tony Mokbel's lead barrister Con Heliotis, QC, that took place on March 23.

It followed the earlier announcement by Mr Helitois that he and junior counsel Nicola Gobbo intended to withdraw from the trial.

HIS HONOUR: I have given some anxious thought to the continuation of this trial and the position of counsel for the defence in relation to this trial, and I'm about to say something which I will prohibit the publication of until verdict, and I request counsel to consider closely what I'm about to say.

(The view of the law presented by Justice Gillard immediately following the above comment is yet to be released, but he stated that, while he could not demand they stay, the defence team had an over-riding duty to remain in the interests of the court, their client and the administration of justice).

HIS HONOUR: In the circumstances, I will give you, Mr Heliotis, and your junior, time to consider what I have said in the light of the clear obligations which rest upon counsel to assist the court in the doing of justice according to law and their duty to their client. In my view, the accused (Mokbel) could not be prejudiced by counsel remaining to the end and performing their retainer carefully and in his interests, and I will give you some time to consider what I have said, Mr Heliotis.

MR HELIOTIS: Might I say, Your Honour - I address you only on my behalf - I consider, with respect, the language you chose to use unnecessarily strong and almost offensive, with respect. If Your Honour thought for a moment that we have not given very careful consideration to the decision we have made, Your Honour would be wrong, and I certainly would have expected more of Your Honour. The reality is that I have tormented a lot with this since last Monday as to what should happen. It is a matter of instinct, and my instinct has always been unquestionable, how can I ... I did not go to the (Victorian Bar) Ethics Committee for permission to withdraw.

I wanted to know whether there was any way they considered I could continue. How can a person continue without instruction (s)? It is interesting that as of Monday, I think it was, Your Honour's view was the same. Your Honour's view of instinct, having read but two or three cases, was that it was probably appropriate for us to withdraw, and common sense at that stage seemed to dictate to Your Honour that's what we should to. Now it would seem that instinct, common sense and duty are on the other side of the fence. The fact is that we consulted a panel of some ten very senior members of the Ethics Committee, including the chair. Between them there were many, many years of experience, common sense, instinct as to duty, and their clear and, I understand, unanimous view was that we had no option but to withdraw. I am prepared in the circumstances, I guess for no other reason but because of the strong language you used, I'm prepared to go and reconsult with them. Unless they tell me that in the circumstances I should continue, my instinct as to my duty to the court and my duty to the client unfortunately are totally opposed to Your Honour's in this matter.

HIS HONOUR: In the end it's a matter for you Mr Heliotis. I have made quite clear what I think your obligations are and you obviously don't agree with them. If you think they are offensively stated, I disagree with that. I'm stating purely and simply what the law says. I quoted Sir Gerald Brennan and Sir Owen Dixon and in my view, I find it fanciful, you mustn't treat the court as somebody who has has never sat in a trial, Mr Heliotis. I've had a lot of experience and I know what goes on down there. I know how one should approach matters and I find it fanciful in the least for you to tell me, as you did the other day, that you needed Mr Mokbel to tell you whether you should take certain points in your (final) address. That is a matter for you, Mr Heliotis, not your client.

MR HELIOTIS: I didn't tell you that at all. What I said was my client has a right to instruct me what to do. I have the ... of ... overriding view. Of course Mr Mokbel could come to me and say, ``I don't want you to address.'' I have the overriding duty to say to him, ``I think it's in your best interests to do so, and I will do so,'' but I also have a duty to listen to whatever instruction he wants to give me. But the reality is that we don't agree with Your Honour, that Your Honour has the right to continue this trial but for a finding that Your Honour makes that he voluntarily absconded. If Your Honour finds, as I understand Your Honour will find, that it is probable he has abscond, then of course, we agree Your Honour has the power to continue with the trial. The authorities make that clear. The authorities - and we say the authorities, not common sense, Your Honour, but the authorities also make it clear that in those circumstances, counsel should not continue without instructions. We have not found one case - there are many cases where the courts have ordered the trial to continue where an accused by his conduct has indicated he proposes to waive his right to be present. We have not come across one case that suggested that counsel should remain in those circumstances. Of course what Sir Owen Dixon and other eminent jurists have said about the duties of counsel is, with respect, almost trite, Your Honour, but they are addressed in situations that have nothing to do with the present situation. If Mr Mokbel had in fact absconded, and if Mr Mokbel had intended by his conduct to try to seek a new trial, then it could seem to us that the very least that can be inferred, and must be inferred by us, is that he intended our instructions to come to an end. We say it's almost bordering on fanciful to suggest that Mr Mokbel's intentions might be by his absence to get himself a new trial, and yet should want us to continue so that we can, by our presence and behaviour, make it more difficult for him to get a new trial.

HIS HONOUR: Just a minute. You don't understand your obligations when you tell me that, Mr Heliotis. What you're saying is that if that's what he intended to do, you go along with it. I don't see that, Mr Heliotis.

MR HELIOTIS: No, I don't.

HIS HONOUR: What were you just putting to me? Would you listen? Mr Heliotis, would you listen, please? You just said something, you said it also some weeks ago, about calling the American law. I don't think you fully understand some of some of your obligation. For you to suggest that if that is the real purpose of Mr Mokbel's absence, to get himself a retrial, that you shouldn't do anything which might cut across that, you have an overriding duty to the court, and it's not a question of assisting your client to do something that is quite improper. Now, do you say that that was what you were putting to me or not?

MR HELIOTIS: Not at all.

HIS HONOUR: You tell me what you are were saying.

MR HELIOTIS: If Mr Mokbel chooses is to withdraw his instruction from me ...

HIS HONOUR: He hasn't.

MR HELIOTIS: He has.

HIS HONOUR: No, he hasn't. Has he told you?

MR HELIOTIS: Has he told me to continue?

HIS HONOUR: No, listen. You're missing the point. Has he been in touch to tell you to withdraw your instructions?

MR HELIOTIS: No, he hasn't.

HIS HONOUR: Of course, he hasn't. Well, you tell me that.

MR HELIOTIS: Your Honour thinks you're correct in this. The Court of Appeal in South Australia says it's difficult, if not impossible, to imagine a situation where a man absconds, but intends his instructions to continue. If the Court of Appeal says that, why does Your Honour find it so fanciful that I should be suggesting something different to you? The reality is he has gone. If he has gone voluntarily as Your Honour finds, then in those situations his instructions come to an end. Whether he has contact with me or my solicitor to say don't appear, his instructions come to an end. I don't understand the comment Your Honour made in relation to the American law and once again I'd ask Your Honour to explain that.

HIS HONOUR: You told me, when I got very annoyed that it was raised so late, that you took a decision not to raise it earlier, which you could have by the end of February - you obviously had some instructions to cross-examine those witnesses, and you said you might of have done something which was contrary to the interests of your client and he'd want to sue you. With respect, Mr Heliotis, that is not the way the law is run. You have an overriding duty to the court. I do suggest you go and read what Sir Gerard Brennan said.

MR HELIOTIS: If Your Honour suggests for the moment that I am obliged to the court to raise a submission of no case early that would result in the prosecution . ..

HIS HONOUR: I didn't say that. You're missing the point, Mr Heliotis. Please don't waste my time.

MR HELIOTIS: I made it clear to Your Honour that the reason I would did not make that submission, would not make that clear to the opposition (prosecution), would be that they would destroy the point.

HIS HONOUR: I hear what you say. Go on.

MR HELIOTIS: We have made our position clear. Insofar as Your Honour has made comments that would seem to indicate that we or I do not understand my duty to the court or in some way are seeking to facilitate any plan Mr Mokbel might have to get another trial, we, of course, totally reject those suggestions.

HIS HONOUR: All right. I will give you an opportunity to consider your position. I will stand down for half an hour. One other matter that does disturb me, Mr Heliotis, is a report in the Herald Sun today. It quotes you. I don't know whether you have been talking to the Herald Sun or not, but if you have, then I am very concerned about what you are seeking to do through the media conveying to this jury. I don't know whether you have been talking to the media, Mr Heliotis, but I just draw your attention to what is in there, and I will consider after this trial is over what I will do about it. Are you prepared to tell me whether you talked to the press?

MR HELIOTIS: Yes, I talked to a reporter, yes. I did tell a reporter who ask asked me what would happen today that as far as I could foresee, if nothing else occurred as to the presence of Mr Mokbel, I would probably be withdrawing from the case.

HIS HONOUR: Mr Heliotis, you know where you stand in relation to this. You have said other things other than that, and I will wait till this trial is over before I decide what I should do with that. I will stand down for half an hour. You may consider your position. I will indicate here and now that I will be telling the jury very firmly that they must not draw any adverse inference, that I have ruled that the trial will continue in the absence of the accused. I will indicate that counsel for the defence have formed the view that they do not wish to continue. I do ask you to consider your position and I will return ... Mr Heliotis. And can I just remind counsel that this idea of talking to the press as barristers is, in my view, very wrong. We are not in America and you can see what can happen. I am prohibiting the publication of anything that has happened this morning until a verdict or formal order, and I will make a formal order afterwards.

(Resuming after a short adjournment.)

MR HELIOTIS: I have consulted again with the (Ethics) committee. I still maintain that I cannot continue and I don't propose to. I will, of course, be available if Mr Mokbel were to reappear and instruct me to come back for him, I would be available. I will be available, of course, at Your Honour's discretion at the end of the trial. I do ask Your Honour to hear me in relation to the suppression order you have made this morning before you lift that suppression order.

HIS HONOUR: I will make the order now.

MR HELIOTIS: What we would ask is that the order be made until further order rather than until verdict. There are matters that if they were to change ...

HIS HONOUR: Yes, I think in fairness to you, Mr Heliotis, I will do that. I order that publication by print, radio, television, electronic, or any other means whatever, of anything which was said or done in this court between 10.30am and 11.00am. this day shall be prohibited until further orderI will hear you, Mr Heliotis, at some convenient time.

Justice Gillard soon after told the jury: Madam Forewoman and members of the jury, as you have all observed, the accused is not present in court.

His absence could be due to one of a number of reasons. They range from intentionally absenting himself to being unable to attend for some reason. I just want to underline what I am about to say. In the absence of any evidence placed before you in this court, it is not possible for you to make a finding as to the reason. It therefore follows that you cannot draw any adverse inference against the accused because he has failed to answer his bail last Monday and has continued to do so. Accordingly, I direct you as a matter of law that you must not speculate as to the reason why he is not here, nor must you draw any adverse inference against him because of his absence.

There has been much media coverage, I have little doubt you have read it. Ignore it. It is all speculation, it is not evidence before you, and I suggest you just put the whole episode to one side.

I have ruled that this trial will continue in his absence. Defence counsel have formed the view that they cannot continue without the instructions of their client and accordingly they are proposing to withdraw.

What will now occur is that (Crown prosecutor David) Mr Parsons (SC) will complete his (final) address and I will then deliver my charge, and at the end of which I will ask you to retire and consider your verdict on Monday ... as I say, the trial will proceed in the absence of the accused.

I understand that Mr Heliotis and Ms Gobbo are seeking to withdraw, is that correct?

MR HELIOTIS: Yes, it is.

HIS HONOUR: You may withdraw.

(Mr Parsons then resumed his address).

Welcome back

It's been a while...
Life has been very busy, particularly settling into a new career.

A few tidbits:

• have recently booked a holiday for august/september - Angkor Wat and Phnom Penh in Cambodia, various islands along the east coast of Malaysia and then about 4-5 days in the Northern Territory (of Australia);
• have been helping out my friends Ben and Michael on their "hot new startup" gnoos.com.au;
• am currently enjoying the Commonwealth Games in my hometown of Melbourne;
• and much much more.
  

At a temple, Luang Prabang

Tyson at temple, Luang Prabang
Originally uploaded by samizdat7.

West Railay

Marni, West Railay
Originally uploaded by samizdat7.

reader's course and more

I'm a week into the Readers' Course and am exhausted! It is a fantastic experience but very draining... lots and lots of reading, high standards are expected, so much to learn - the next couple of months are going to be a huge challenge. Am looking forward to the intellectual challenge, to developing new skills in advocacy, the lifestyle flexibility and (in the deep distant future) to making a decent living.

Cut'n'paste

Below is a comment I recently posted on my friend Ben Barren's blog- www.benbarren.blogspot.com.

THE key thing to remember about RSS (IMHO) is that it is all about making it easier to get the information you want, when you want it and in a form that is convenient to you. Other than to the people directly involved in "the RSS industry" it is NOT an end in itself and if it is ever to cross over to mainstream (remember that is a GOOD thing) the reason will be that it is USEFUL and not that it is cool technology. Obviously, to become genuinely popular it needs to (1) work and (2) be easy to use and understand.

West Railay

West Railay
Originally uploaded by samizdat7.

Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang
Originally uploaded by samizdat7.

Exterior of temple, Luang Prabang

Exterior of temple, Luang Prabang
Originally uploaded by samizdat7.

M&T - Luang Prabang

M&T - Luang Prabang
Originally uploaded by samizdat7.

At a village near Luang Prabang

At a village near Luang Prabang
Originally uploaded by samizdat7.

Street Scene - Luang Prabang

Street Scene - Luang Prabang
Originally uploaded by samizdat7.

On the Mekong

On the Mekong
Originally uploaded by samizdat7.

The next stage

So I'm back... and have started the Readers' Course. By mid-November I'll be a barrister. Yes, that is TOTALLY different to being a barrista - No I'm not going to explain how.
The holiday was amazing - and it was so much more than I could get across in my groupmails. A series of fascinating experiences in cities, villages, temples, jungle, beach etc etc. For example, we had an amazing day visiting a festival in a small village a few hours north of Luang Prabang in Laos and a really good day in Singapore on our way home.
Anyway, I can already tell the Course is going to be a huge experience for me. It is very intense, lots of work and high expectations, but I feel pretty confident I will thrive - I just need to make sure I keep my reading up and my mind open to take it all in.
Will blog a few photos from my trip then will stop for the moment - will update asap.

Self indulgent Asian travels post #3 (the final chapter)

This was my final groupmail (I promise) - enjoy!

Dear all

I hope this mail fids you well.

Marni and I are in West Railay in the Krabi area of Thailand and are having a great time... the beach is perfect and we are very relaxed. The last couple of days we've done morning yoga classes (which makes me realise how much I've been missing yoga) and otherwise have walked a lot, swum, eaten, drunk, repeatedly commented on how beautiful it is, had random conversations with random Europeans and North Americans, tried to work out whether the rude fellow-travellers are French or Israeli (Marni always thinks they're Israeli, I lean towards French)......

Prior to our Railay sojourn we spent a couple of terror-filled (for me) days in the Khao Sok National Park - it is a primary (ie untouched) jungle. We stayed in a very cute treehouse which we shared with an assortment of creatures of the night (and day). When not being menaced by mangy dogs in the little township, we went for a 15km trek by ourselves in the National Park. It is fair to say that I am not a hardened bushman. Especially when the bush consists of a tropical rainforest with an uncategorisable assortment of wildlife of every description. Luckily I didn't read until after our return from our trek that the animals found in the jungle include tigers, elephants, rhinoceri (sp?), vipers, pythons, cobras, asiatic black bears, sunbears (similar to the fabled Australian drop-bears), leopards and many many creatures i've never heard of. Back at our guesthouse I was just slightly less terrified, as the wildlife was just marginally at bay.

The drive to Khao Sok from Phuket by public bus was memorable. The busride itself was fine, but we drove through much of the worst of the Tsunami devastation (along the West coast above Phuket). Just horrible to see the massive extent of the damage and how little has been done to clean it up. There is damage also on Railay where we are now, but more has been done to repair the damage (although a lot more is still to be done!).

I think I have now got the hang of the traveller thing - I am dressing worse than ever before and feeling not a bit embarrassed, I can look at a fellow traveller and instantly assess their nationality with confidence (and I'm only wrong 50%-75% of the time!) and I watch with disdain when an American orders a hamburger or macaroni whilst I push my noodles around the plate.

We now have a couple more nights in the Krabi area then will be home mid-next-week.

Has been a great holiday, looking forward to seeing you all on our return.

Best regards

Tyson

Self indulgent Asian travels post #2

And my fascinating 2nd instalment from Luang Prabang...

Dear All

Marni & I have very much settled into the pace of life in Luang Prabang and will be sorry to leave (for Southern Thailand) on Sunday. We're having a great time, although yesterday I relented and shaved off the beard I'd been cultivating. I now look less like a terrorist (apparently that's a good thing).

Although it's hard to pick 'events' as highlights, given that so much of what is so great is slowing down and just living a life that involves wandering around town, observing (and occasionally interacting with) buddhist monks, eating, drinking, etc, a couple of higlights have been:

- a slow boat up the Mekong for 2 hours, just sitting and watching life pass slowly by - the river is a rich brown, the land vivid greens, occasionally interspersed with tiny villages and/or grazing livestock. Of course also plenty of insects, debris dislodged by recent storms, plastic bottles, etc. The purpose of the trip was to visit some (very very crappy) caves; irrelevant that they were totally uninteresting, given how great the boatride was

- dinner at a great French restaurant - The Elephant - felt like we could have been anywhere - an out-of-place experience

- trip to Waterfalls (about 30 mins drive by minibus along a road (ie.a dirt track). An incredibly muddy 45 mins clamber to the top was a lot of fun and even more fun when we both made it down alive. The waterfalls were running at full-strength given all the rain, so quite dramatic

- the monks we can see from our room - just watching them going about their daily life is possibly more fun than I used to have watching the daily bustle down Carlisle St

- food: chicken noodle soup (much more impressive and flavoursome than it sounds), black sticky rice with coconut and banana, everything with lots of chilli until my eyes water and i sweat profusely (then just a little more). Lving the sticky rice, though I needed a .ittle break after 3 serves in a day on Wednesday.

- walking everywhere around the town, includnig the little back streets -constantly fascinating

- how beautiful the people are - laotians are a very very attractive petite race. I am feeling extremely lumpy and indelicate in comparison.

- temples, colours, sounds, smells, falling over (again) due to incredibly wet muddy roads, wandering aroudn town holding hands, sweating, having unrecognisable insects land on me, getting very wet again, rain at least 50% of the time, street markets selling raw meat covered with flies, wearing horrendous outfits that i bought for about $3 (and for which I probably overpaid), getting our washing (approx 80% of our clothes) back and finding they have a mysterious vomit-like mildewy smell, avoiding the open drains in the footpaths of main street, being impressed by the wonders of modern technology whenever I walk down a made road...

- the feeling of superiority watching fat, loud middle-aged italians have a domestic literally at the door of one of the major temples *during* evening prayers.

Hope all is well

Self indulgent Asian travels post #1

Cut and pasted below is my first groupmail sent on my (very) recent Asian trip. Those of you who have already read the mail should feel very free to stop reading now.

Dear All

Am currently slightly drunk in an Internet cafe in Luang Prabang, People's Democratic of Laos (ie. Laos).

Having a great time - spent a couple of nights in Bangkok, visited the Royal palace and temples (beautiful but very gaudy) and then flew yesterday to Luang Prabang. It's a very old royal city in Northern Laos and remained a royal city until the monarchy was overthrown by the communists in 1975. The people remain strongly buddhist. Today we visited the waterfalls (i can't presently remember their name). Amazing, but very muddy (it's called rainy season for a reason) and went to a hmong village. Also went on a walking tour of the town in heavy rain and visited a Wat (temple). Am feeling very large and loud; people here are extraordinarily quietly spoken and polite.

Marni is doing a great job at managing most of the practical matters (despiite occasionally baffling absent-mindedness) while I am focusing heavily on continuing to look good despite the crippling humidity. Despite dire warnings before arriving, the food is good - have been spending an average of about US$3 per person per meal and really enjoying the food (eg. spinach and tofu stir fry, chicken and rice soup). Have just had a fantastic French meal for two (at The Elephant) for approximately the same price as a bottle of reasonable wine at a restaurant in Melbourne.

I scored a great coup in purchasing fake Teva sandals at a shop in town this morning (and being very unsuccessful in bargaining). They broke within an hour, however amazingly enough the shop took pride in their fake goods and agreed to swap them for another pair which at the time of writing continue to function. Have also bought a few very cool (and cheap) Indian-style tops and pants and look like basically every other traveller (except I manage to carry it off better).

Enjoying my wealth. Today I changed US$100 into more than 1 million Kip (the local currency). For a few minutes it was fun to have a fat wad of currency about 3 inches thick, then it got sort of annoying

Sleeping under a mosquito net is quite romantic. Although less so when I think about why I am doing so (and even less so when I realise there are some mosquitos trapped inside the net). Surprisingly few scary insects so far (although I didn't tell Marni about the lizard perched above her head during dinner tonight).

Hope life is good for all of you, will inflict another instalment on you later in the trip

best

tyson

last post for a while (probably)

i think i may be newly addicted to my blog, but i'm off tomorrow to laos and thailand for a few weeks and may not get a chance to post while i'm away. i hope my many loyal readers can cope without me [nervous giggle].
i helped out my mates ben barren (www.benbarren.blogpost.com) and michael leone again this AM with a US deal they're working on for their RSS startup... all looking good. All hype aside the web 2.0/RSS/blogging opportunity is an exciting one. The real challenge for it will be making the (huge) leap from early adopter to the mainstream (or at least a chunk of it). My experience to date is that blogging is pretty easy and is mainstream-ready, and flickr is v easy to use, but other 'web 2.0' app's (eg. podcasting, RSS readers etc) are just not there yet in terms of ease-of-use for the mass market.
Was just looking at my itinerary and i seem to be booked on a flight on something called 'Tiger Air Phuket' (geez thanks marni!) - yeah i hear they're an up and coming competitor for British Airways. Other excellent carriers i'm looking forward to (not) are Bangkok Airways and AirAsia. Anyway, if i make it back from South East Asia i'll post again in a few weeks.

the first day of the rest of my life

After finishing up at the law firm yesterday (and, hopefully, saying goodbye to timesheets and life as an employee forever) i've had a really good first day of freedom. Hung out with my old mate and business partner Ben Barren (www.benbarren.blogspot.com) who's getting an RSS / Web 2.0 startup off the ground and talked business... after the dotcom boom it felt like it would be forever before there was any optimism in the tech space but it has only taken 5 years or so (i guess that could be construed as forever in some circles).
Looking forward to my new life at the Bar and to the freedom to get involved in new ventures...

Goodbye paypacket

Just over an hour 'til I finish up as an employee, hopefully for ever (wait a minute - does that mean I'm writing this on company time? - IGNORE THIS ENTRY). Very exciting; really really looking forward to entering the world of the self-employed at the Bar.

MIFF is almost finished for 2005!

Today's the last day of the Melbourne International Film Festival for 2005 :(
I'm getting a little burned out so its probably a good thing. I've only seen 24 films so far (my lowest in years), but I've been pretty busy on other things so it's still taken up most of my time for the past few weeks. Some good films, but I still haven't seen a film that's life-changing. I had very high hopes for the new Michael Haneke - Hidden - that I saw last night, and it was good but not at the level of his past films. Also saw the new Aussie horror film Wolf Creek last night. Very suspenseful and there's not actually that much violence in it but it is terrifying. It should do pretty well.
Three more days at work, then next Saturday off to Laos and Thailand for 2 1/2 weeks.......

Saturday Night

Tyson & Marni 30 July 2005
Originally uploaded by samizdat7.

After we saw the new Australian film 'Look Both Ways' at the Melbourne Film Festival and had a quick drink at the festival bar, M & I went to Mark and Tam's farewell party. They posted this photo of us at their blog and I was pretty happy with it, so I've borrowed it for my own.
Actually the night was sort of a weird experience - my ex-gf R was at the party so she met M for the first time. Somehow that didn't seem to go badly. Then R and I caught up and talked about 'what went wrong'. Perspective is much easier 18+ months later! Considering the massive potential for disaster, it all went pretty much ok.

MIFF etc

2/3 of the way thru' the 2005 Melbourne Film Festival and my enthusiasm is not even close to waning. Admittedly I've gone soft; have only seen 16 so far (way below my usual average but I have excuses - am very busy trying to get ready for holiday and for the Bar).
Have seen some really good films so far - One Night In Mongkok, 7-iron, Look Both Ways, Little Fish, Enron: the Smartest Guys in the Room, Mysterious Skin etc - but none (except possibly Mysterious Skin) could be classified as a great film. Nothing to compare with great films of festivals past - eg. Blue Gate Crossing, Oldboy, Bad Guy, ...
On secondment this week at an unnamed major Australian corporate. Funny being in a corporate environment as opposed to the 'professional services' environment I'm used to. I think it will be ok - the work is certainly easy enough.
Having a wisdom tooth removed tomorrow - so any good vibes sent in my direction will be much appreciated.