What is "omurice"?

Omurice is an omelette containing fried rice that's served accompanied by whatever vegies, 'shrooms, meat and condiments you crave at a cafe near my office called Zowa. I had the chilli chicken version and it was delish – a combo of flavours that reminded me of eating at the Chili’s Mexican chain (there's an outlet in Penrith). DL had his with boscaiola sauce. He seemed similarly chuffed, though he later commented it was “very rich” and not a dish he could have often. Each meal cost about $14 and also came with a small portion of salad. Relatively pricey, but it’s nice to have a new lunching venue. According to a sign on Zowa’s wall, omurice cafes are popular throughout Japan and Korea. I can see why. There’s something oddly cool about cutting into a fluffy omelette and having rice spill out.

Across the Whoniverse

Having lately rewatched selected episodes from season two of the new "Doctor Who", I was wondering when I'd get to see the 2006 Christmas special, "The Runaway Bride". Then, in a forehead-slapping moment, I realised it had probably been available on YouTube for the past month.

I was right. Some charitable chap (or chapette) had uploaded a good-quality copy in seven pieces, which I proceeded to play.

"T/R/B" is an enjoyable, Earth-based romp that shows us how messed up the Doc is over Rose's departure, while keeping him too busy to mope. I wouldn't dream of spoiling the story for anyone, so I'll simply say that "Big Train"'s Catherine Tate does a great job as brassy bride Donna Noble and the alien villainess looks fantastic (I was reminded of The Lord Of Darkness from "Legend")...even if she doesn't physically do much.

My next destination in the expanding Whoniverse was "The Sarah Jane Adventures: Invasion Of The Bane", the pilot of the new spin-off series starring Elisabeth Sladen. I didn't watch this show on YouTube (though it may well be there), I was given it on disc by AM.

I'm an unashamed fan of Sarah Jane. I adore her only slightly less than Romana II and Ace in the original series, I collect her Big Finish audiobooks and "School Reunion" is my sentimental fave of the new eps. So you may wanna take the following comment with a sprinkle of sea salt.

"I/O/T/B" is terrific!

Yes, it's blatantly aimed at a younger audience (by the end, we've been introduced to three teen sidekicks). Yes, the explanation for K-9's absence looks and sounds very silly. And yes, the baddies and their preposterous methods are like something out of a cartoon. But none of that matters.

SJ is so endearing - an investigative journalist who plays fair, refuses to be cynical and can't hide her compassion - and acted with such conviction by ES, you'd willingly follow her anywhere. A curio-stuffed house, quirky old car and alien artefacts (sonic lipstick!) only add to her charm.

(But is it just me or does Sarah Jane's protege Maria bear a freaky resemblance to Debbie from "Shameless"?)

The third thing I watched was "Torchwood". GH had sent me a disc containing the first seven episodes weeks ago and been hassling me to watch them so he could pass on the remaining six. As I'm sure you know, it represents Russell T. Davies' attempt at a more adult sci-fi program, based around a clandestine human organisation who use alien tech to combat alien threats.

Having only viewed a single episode so far ("Everything Changes"), I'm reserving judgement. However, it definitely feels more grown-up than "Who". Not just because people swear and depictions are graphic; there's a slickness and psychological depth akin to the excellent "Spooks" and "Hustle".

"Torchwood" has loads of potential - I'm curious to see what they do with it.

Sushi Fusion

Is the name of a restaurant near where I live. Their non-traditional fare includes a maki (roll) containing lettuce, sun-dried tomato, cream cheese and a sauce I haven't identified (it actually looks like dip). Too strong to eat a lot of, but great when interspersed between more subtle courses.

Sushi Fusion also serves Japanese plum wine, which is like "normal" Western white wine but with a nectary aspect. My foodie friend AP (the Sydney one, not the Newcastle one) recommends drinking it in on the rocks. I recommend drinking it any way you can - it's bloody yummy!

Don't judge a book by its cover price

That's what I found out this morning when I lugged a bag of 10 unwanted tomes to the local book exchange. Despite the fact they were all published post-2005 and in perfect nick, the buyer wasn't interested.

Refusing to carry the buggers home in defeat, I decided to take my wares to a much larger secondhand dealer. It meant an hour-long trip involving four bus rides, but I was confident they'd purchase the lot.

They did - but I only made $25. Considering half of the titles were hardcovers, $2.50 per volume is sod all. I'd feel cheated if the majority weren't freebies - and the rest purchased for $1 each at a work sale.

My original reason for selling the books - besides the fact they were unlikely to be dusted off and read before the next ice age - was to raise enough cashola to make tonight's poker game effectively free.

With the $10 paid back to me by a mate earlier on, I almost had enough. Eight of us met at CM's and played two $20 buy-in Texas Hold 'Em tourneys. I finished outta the money both times - 4th and 5th.

Little did my pals realise, the five hours' gambling had sorta only cost me $5 :-)

Fire up, Jets!

"Put me in the away bay," I told the bloke at Ticketek. And he did - right in the middle of The Squadron, the most fanatical supporters of the Newcastle Jets. Right in the middle of the giant, home-made flags and the face paint and the amusing Premier League-inspired songs.

Though drunkeness and disorder abounded, the atmosphere was 99% positive. With the passionate Novocastrians around me, I stood tall for all of both halves, singing, clapping and whistling until it hurt. (The cold wind didn't help.)

Those who care will already know the result - Sydney FC defeated us 2-1. While we floundered in the first half, the boys fought back hard in the second and Rodriguez (our scorer) was a headband-wearing hero off the bench as usual.

This was only the first leg of the final. So if we can win, say, 1-0 in Newie, our away goal will make the difference. I think that's a possibility. The crowd at Aussie was a lame 21k - there'll be 5-10k more at Energy Australia next week.

Finally, I have to say I'm really starting to dislike SFC's Brosque - and not just because he found the back of our net. Repeated borderline challenges, a dubious "injury" at a very convenient time and blatant swearing at the referee. He was lucky to only receive a yellow card.

'Tahs on trial

After work, I went to the Super 14 trial game between the NSW Waratahs (for whom I barrack) and the Canterbury Crusaders (from Christchurch, NZ, where my paternal grandfather was born). Or to use its official title, the Rotomahana Challenge.

Last year, they beat us 32-30 and went on to win the competition. Tonight, we were the victors - 17-12 - but I can't say I'm filled with confidence for the season ahead. We were the worse side for much of the 80 minutes, just pipping them at the end.

The 'Tahs began OK, putting first points on the board with a penalty. But then we started spilling the ball - something that would continue throughout the (admittedly slippery) game. We also lost lineouts, kicked when we should have run and screwed scrums.

They scored a try as a result of our mistakes. The conversion attempt was pathetic. Our restart was worse - going backwards. Thankfully, before the break, Hewat and Norton-Knight combined for a spectacular try and the extras put us ahead 10-5.

While our defence had its moments, it faltered again at about the 3/4 mark. The Cantabrians scored a soft second try under the posts and didn't miss the kick - 12-10. That looked like that until, with two minutes to go, a rookie suddenly broke through.

There'd been a lot of talk about 18-year-old Kurtley Beale beforehand, commentators comparing him to legends like Mark Ella. He was a major target in the second half but showed he can take a good tackle, make a good tackle and set up a winning try.

Beale put Holmes over, then took the conversion himself, successfully. I guess that's one positive I can take away from this sloppy, barely deserved Rotomahana Challenge victory - I may have witnessed the arrival of a future rugby union superstar.

But just to bring things earthward again, it should be remembered the reigning champions were without players such as Daniel Carter, Richie McCaw and Reuben Thorne, who are among the 22 All Blacks being rested for the World Cup in France in September.

Excuses in advance

DGN postings will be infrequent for the next fortnight while I'm acting editor at work. My deputy duties already take a solid 8-10 hours per day (I still do the chief subbing as well) and now I've got an additional six-page document full o' tasks. So the last thing I'm gonna wanna do with any free time is sit at a keyboard and compose. Sorry, but it's true. Take it easy and we'll catch up soon.

The soccer gods smile

I wasn't sure my Newcastle Jets could beat competition leaders Melbourne Victory (and sneak into the A-League finals), so to carve them up 4-0 was astonishing. To have Liverpool thump Chelski 2-0 on the same weekend was more than this sinner deserves. Thank you, oh deities of the round-ball code.

A yup and a nup

I had some credit to use up at Phantom Zone, Chatswood, so I purchased the graphic novels "Ministry Of Space" (Ellis/Weston/Martin) and "Star Wars: Tag And Bink Were Here" (Rubio/Marangon).

The former I can recommend. I'd descibe it as a mix of "Dan Dare" and "The Right Stuff", with a dash of "Tharg's Future Shocks" (from "2000AD"). The premise is that England, not the US and USSR, captured all of the German rocket scientists at the end of WW2, and used them to become the sole space power. While the alternate historical timeline is enthralling and the artwork retro-ravishing, the most interesting aspect is the social consequences Ellis imagines.

"Tag And Bink" ain't so hot and definitely not the "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead" of the "Star Wars" universe I'd been led to believe. While the title characters take us behind the scenes in the six blockbusters, the plotting and dialogue could hardly be described as witty. More enjoyable was spotting the famous sci-fi faces (including George Lucas himself) who pop up in the background. By "Revenge Of The Clone Menace", the gag had begun to grate.

Good spirits

Friday night wasn't like my usual gaming sessions. The other players were TC, LPO and two fellas I'd never met: their old friend LJ, visiting from interstate, and LPO's big brother T. Instead of convening at SC and LC's place (a mite difficult in their absence!), we met at LJ's rented digs in the city. These were inside a huge former woolshed(?) that had been converted into several floors of apartments, each with its own fenced front yard. The crazy-cool part was that these "yards" were *inside* the building, so you stepped out of the lift to find yourself on a suburban street...in Toy Town.

While waiting for T. to materialise, we played the card game "Citadels", the object of which is to construct eight different types of medieval building. The trick is that your social position - and special ability - changes each turn. So you might go from being the king to a lowly thief. There's a synergy between particular buildings and characters that results in extra income (gold) and other benefits. It's also possible to hinder your opponents' progress in various ways. Assassination's probably the funnest as it nullifies their turn. When our fifth player arrived, I'd accrued the most points and was declared the winner.

"Citadels" was followed by the fantasy wargame "A Game Of Thrones", based on George RR Martin's "Song Of Ice And Fire" series (the first four books of which I heartily recommend...just don't mention the fifth). It's basically about amassing armies on land and at sea, assigning them orders, battling your rivals and conquering their cities. But due to the limits on resources, diplomacy is always required lest you find yourself fighting on multiple fronts. There are also event cards to play and auctions to determine who ranks higher in certain spheres. Oh yeah, and occasionally the Wildlings will invade from the north, forcing the players to team up temporarily (or suffer the consequences). TO and I were the only "AGOT" newbies and I think that's what lead us to forge an alliance that remained unbroken until the other three admitted defeat on turn eight (out of a possible 10). TO was in an unstoppable position, his bro' had been crippled, LJ was about to be, and either TC or I looked like finishing second. For those who've read the novels, I played House Lannister. Sir Jaime, aka the Kingslayer, was my MVP.

Our final diversion for the night was Texas Hold 'Em Poker - four $10 buy-in knockouts. I decided to abandon my naturally conservative play style and put into practice what I'd "learnt" watching literally hundreds of hours of televised tournaments. It worked amazingly well! In the first game, it came down to TC and I and we agreed to split the $50. In the second, I nearly made it to heads-up again, but was trapped by TO (I had two pair, he had an unlikely full house). I missed the third game after volunteering to make a booze/snacks run so I could escape the cigarette smoke for a while. In the fourth, it came down to LJ and I and we happily split the cash.

While I've concentrated on describing the games (and my freakish success), a lot of other silly stuff was said and done during our 10-hour session, as always happens when a bunch of blokes get boozy. Looking back, one thing I can hardly believe is that TC convinced the group to attempt a seance. Since we didn't have a ouija board, he used a kitchen knife to cut a sheet of paper into little pieces, then wrote the letters of the alphabet on them and arranged them around the edge of the table. Two more scraps marked "yes" and "no" were placed within. We dimmed the lights and joined hands as TC requested any good spirits present to speak with us. Then we placed our right index fingers on a tumbler in the centre of the table. Can you guess what happened next?

That's right. The glass moved erratically and everyone accused their neighbour of doing it. Then we had another go, watched each other closely and it no longer moved. People started complaining about how it wasn't a proper seance like the ones they'd performed as teenagers and the whole thing degenerated into farce. At some point, a giant pentagram was made out of toilet paper. However, I believe the effectiveness of this magical barrier may have been compromised by us repeatedly reaching beyond its boundaries for spirits of a different sort. The kind that come in a glass.

www.megatokyo.com

Buddies Piro (an anime/manga fanatic) and Largo (a videogame nut) are stuck in a slightly surreal version of Japan, desperately trying to understand the culture (while still indulging their geeky passions), in the web comic “MegaTokyo”. Sure, knowing about the books, games and movies mentioned will help you get more of the jokes, but anyone can appreciate the plight of strangers in a strange land – and once the cute girls arrive, it becomes a super-addictive soap opera. Just skip the “Shirt Guy Dom” stick-figure interludes, which add zilch to the story. The most amazing thing about this site is that all 900+ episodes are available to read FREE of charge, with more being added weekly. After bookmarking "MegaTokyo" five days ago, I’m already up to #470!

www.coldcallcomedy.com

He's Australian! And he takes great delight in wasting the time of telemarketers who phone him. To his credit, he doesn't swear at these people or threaten them. His technique's to combine a really helpful demeanour with nitpicking questions and non sequiturs such as, "I actually got beaten by a computer at draughts the other day, but it was no match for me at kickboxing." The web page doesn't look like much, but listen to a few calls and see what ya think. They make me LOL.


Unrelated note: For anyone who read the entry below before I emended my typo, it was Jelena's fans not Kim's who were causing trouble.

I've been to the tennis, me

The Medibank International. Last night. At the Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre. With AM, CM and another workmate, HS. Saw the finals of the women's singles and the first set of the doubles (if we'd stayed for the second, we'd have missed the last train back to the city). In the singles, Kim Clijsters (Belgium) fought back like the champ she is to beat Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) - 4-6, 7-6, 6-4. Very vocal support for JJ, including numerous unsporting catcalls during play. Thankfully, they didn't decide the outcome. It was good to see KC live before she retires. In the doubles, Groenefeld (Germany) and Shaughnessy (USA) were too experienced for a battling Bartoli (France) and seemingly injured Tu (USA) - 6-3, 6-2. I spectated at the same matches in the same tournament last year, but in 2007 the standard of tennis was much higher. It was good to have HS - who's played the game at a national level - with us to provide comments with cred.

Double feature

"The Myth"

Some people will pick this DVD up on the strength of Jackie Chan’s name, expecting his usual slapstick martial arts-fest. Others will be attracted by the shots of ancient Chinese soldiers that suggest an epic a la "Hero". Still others will be lured by the modern subplot, in which an archaeologist seeks an artefact with the power to reverse gravity.

All three groups will be slightly disappointed.

I watched this with PB, who reckons it feels like a Jet Li movie into which JC has been plunked. As innovative as he is at action sequences – there’s a sensational fight on a conveyor belt in a rat glue factory – Jackie’s never been a romantic lead, and at 52, that ain’t changing.

While the story tries to build effective melodrama with the forbidden feelings between a noble general and the concubine he’s sworn to deliver, this is undermined by the jumps forward and back in time. Their situation should feel inescapable, but it doesn’t.

Having said all that, "The Myth"’s far from awful. There’s always something pretty to look at during the two hours, whether it’s an ultra-cool abode on a barge in Hong Kong harbour, a bursting-with-talent Indian starlet or a clever finale incorporating an army of terracotta warriors.

Unbalanced but not unenjoyable – and a second disc of extras adds bang for your 30 bucks.

[Australian DVD release date: February 7]


"The Host"

Given that it’s about a giant monster terrorising a populace, comparisons between "The Host" and the many Godzilla films are unavoidable. In short, it craps all over the ones I've seen – especially the dire 1998 Hollywood version. For the millions poured into that picture, it failed to make us believe in or care about its characters. Such is not the case here.

When a massive, mutated amphibian emerges from the Han River in Seoul, Korea, kills and maims onlookers, then carries off schoolgirl Hyun-Seo, her dysfunctional family are drawn together in their grief. But then she contacts her dad Gang-du on her fading mobile to say she’s alive in its lair...and we realise the creature’s stockpiling food for later.

Before her clan can mount a rescue, they’re thrown into quarantine. News reports claim the beast may carry an Ebola-type virus, and the government has closed off the area around the Han. Gang-du tries to explain about the phone call, but being of low status and unused to speaking up for himself, he’s dismissed as delusional.

The family’s only option is to escape and save Hyun-Seo themselves. Watching their desperate sacrifices is heartbreaking. There’s a strong underlying message about the treatment of the poor and powerless that becomes stronger when authorities decide to purify the danger zone with a chemical-spraying device known as Agent Yellow.

"The Host" is never preachy, though. Director Bong Joon-Ho finds everyday humour even in the horrible, such as when a government worker in a hazmat suit cheers as he finds a high-denomination note that would have been dropped by a victim or evacuee. Little touches like this only add to the realism of the setting and believability of its inhabitants.

A monster movie with heart and Seoul.

[Australian cinema release date: March 8]

Africa, Australia, Asia

Last Sunday, this vulture went in search of some culture...

* "Mystery Of The Nile" ranks with "Journey Into Amazing Caves" and "Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure" as one of the top IMAX movies I've seen. A diverse team attempt to make history by following the Nile River (rafting/kayaking wherever humanly possible) from Lake Tana in Ethiopia to Egypt's Bay Of Alexandria. Obstacles on their journey include the rapid-packed river itself, crocodiles, a random bandit attack, a relapse of malaria for the expedition leader, and freak sandstorms and thunderstorms. There isn't really a mystery to solve, but with likeable characters, how-did-they-film-that? visuals on a giant screen, a stirring world music soundtrack and some touching encounters, who's gonna quibble?

* Adult admission to Sydney Wildlife World is $28.50 and I almost didn't bother. But, hey, everything's expensive at Darling Harbour and a chunk of the revenue does go to conservation (eg. setting up animal sanctuaries). Let's start with the negatives... If you grew up in Oz, there's nothing at SWW you haven't seen before - often in greater numbers or a more hands-on setting. Furthermore, it's laid out like an IKEA store, so you're constantly herded in one direction. The positives... As you'd expect from a new zoo, the exhibits are wonderfully presented. They make the exclusively Australian inhabitants feel at home (with water features aplenty), while allowing visitors to stickybeak from multiple angles. As for the linear design, it's done in such a logical fashion - butterfly house, other insects and arachnids, reptiles, birds, nocturnal animals, diurnal animals - that it feels right. You've also got to admire the clever use of space as the 1km+ path loops up and back over itself. Especially recommended for tourists.

* Having discovered during my IMAX excursion that Lake Victoria wasn't the "true" source of the Nile, I got another surprise at the Powerhouse Museum's "Great Wall Of China" exhibition (showing until February 25). It turns out the famous fenceline is actually a series of walls and quite higgledy-piggledy in places. The PM's displays are more about the builders than the northerners they were trying to keep out. Eye-catching items include a series of uniforms coloured by rank, painted silk scrolls of court scenes, freaky bombs and rockets (some shaped like birds), a sword and dagger that look tiny, and several official documents that indicate to me the China of yore was just as mired in bureaucracy...and just as fascinating.

Sea-Monkey business

When my sisters were kids, I purchased one of them a Sea-Monkeys kit and distinctly remember being unimpressed with the results. I didn't expect the bustling kingdom depicted in the funny books, but the number of brine shrimp that hatched and the size they grew to was lame. I wrote the toy off as a popular illusion.

In the years since, I've heard a number of acquaintances reminisce fondly about their experiences with S-Ms and wondered whether my siblings and I made any crucial errors. Receiving "The Amazing Live Sea-Monkeys On The Moon Mini-World" for Christmas (thanks, R. and K.) offered me the opportunity to find out...

It's day six in my S-M (not S&M) cycle and things look better than I remember, with loads of shrimp swimming above the day-glo lunarscape. They've gained a lot in size, too. I've made a habit of aerating their water* when I get home each evening - something I don't recall us doing way back when. Maybe that was the problem.

As much as I'm enjoying looking after the tiny critters and seeing them thrive, I'm already worrying what I'll do when their packet of food runs out or there are too many for the Moon Mini-World to support. I could pour them down the drain but then they might grow into giant, man-eating Sea-Monkeys and terrorise Sydney!

On a related note, it occurs to me that fans of S-Ms would likely enjoy the sci-fi short stories "Sandkings" by George RR Martin (not hard to find, just don't watch the "Outer Limits" adaptation first) and "Model Train Set" by Jonathan Blum (from "Doctor Who: Short Trips"), both of which involve the managing of microcosms.


*Using the simple method, suggested in the instructions, of emptying it back and forth between the tank and a sterile container four-five times. It's a tad tedious and some liquid is lost. I'm wondering whether gently blowing into the water with a clean straw might have the same effect. Where did I put that shopping list?

Bully for me!

The boss has given me the day off tomorrow, so don't bother e-mailing/phoning my place of business OR my place of residence. I'll be hanging out with my old pal PB (not the soccer-loving one, the other one), enjoying some Hong Kong cinema, Japanese food and, ideally, Australian beer.

Movie review: "The Good Shepherd"

From the order of the Skull And Bones at Yale to the Office of Strategic Services during WW2 to the organisation it became, the Central Intelligence Agency, the life of Edward Wilson (Matt Damon) is spent toiling in secret for his country.

Wilson wastes no words and maintains a blank expression, but it’s a credit to Damon – who ages believably over the course of the story – that when questionable situations arise, we can sense his moral misgivings.

At 165 minutes, "The Good Shepherd" feels less like a movie than a TV miniseries, though you’d never find one of those that co-starred Jolie, Baldwin, De Niro (who also directs), Gambon, Hurt, Hutton, Pesci and Turturro.

While overlong, the film succeeds as a rough history of the CIA – focusing on the botched attempt to overthrow Castro in 1961 – and, like 2005’s "Munich", a depiction of the terrible private toll on dealers in deception and death.

“The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."

[Australian cinema release date: February 15]

Back to work

In more ways than one (but less ways than three).

By day: madcap magazine crafting as usual.

By night: finishing an overdue article on Wonder Woman for my mate DL's fanzine (he's doing a superhero special).

No time to say more!

Refreshing reading

Darren Aronofsky's 1988 film "Pi", about a paranoid maths genius who discovers predictable patterns in the stock market, is a black-and-white delight.

"Requiem For A Dream" (2000), a tale of users and their abusers, is cinematic torture. But the soundtrack - composed by Clint Mansell and performed by the Kronos Quartet - is incredible; an "earworm" I doubt I'll ever be able to extract.

DA's latest effort, "The Fountain", doesn't begin screening here until January 25. However, the graphic novel has been available for yonks. I finished it in a single sitting this morning.

There are only really two characters - doomed lovers existing in three time periods.

In 16th-century Spain, she's Queen Isabel and he's the conquistador Captain Tomas Verde, deemed unfit to be her consort. In the modern day, he's Dr Tom Creo, a surgeon not brilliant enough to save his wife Izzi from a brain tumour. In future space, he's a traveller on an organic ship, alone except for the memory of his soulmate.

Aronofsky uses as a recurring theme the Mayan Tree Of Life; paradoxically created by a human sacrifice (the Adam figure First Father), its sap the long-sought "fountain of youth", its branches extending to the afterlife (the star Xibalba).

The obvious message is about the inevitable cycle of nature. But for Tomas/Tom and Isabel/Izzi, it's the transcendence of love; never lost unless we allow it to be.

This film-maker should write more comic books. And he should insist they're painted by Kent Williams, whose every page is a joy. Panel arrangements and "camera angles" are unpredictable, there's no unnecessary detail, not a bit of repetition, and colour is made to count - drab hues suddenly blooming into life.

I hope the movie works as well.

Special agent 2007

Welcome to the new year! Did you have a big night? Did you, as the electric bards say, rock until the morning light?

I certainly didn't. Wasn't up to facing overcrowded venues/public transport and politely declined all invitations.

Instead, I stayed in my cave, cooked pasta, drank red wine and planned a trip to Alice Springs in March (catching the famous Ghan train from Adelaide).

So I've already got something to look forward to in 2007 :-)