As all good students of German and Germany know, Oktoberfest occurs mainly in September. The famed beerfest has just kicked off in Munich with mayor Christian Ude saying something that translates to: "Let's have a celebration but let's make sure it's a peaceful one." Of course, there'd be no show without her, so Paris Hilton is due to join the party on September 25. The official website, here, has wacky German games (including one where you have to milk cows before they hit you with a stick) and wallpaper featuring beautiful frauleins.

Petrol may be a little cheaper at the moment but, on average, it's at least eight times the price it was when I first started driving. Unfortunately, I am not earning eight times what I earnt in my first job.

John Cleese is coming to Australian for a series of seminars. But what are the other Fawlty Towers cast members up to? They're attending the relaunch of the hotel on which the series was based.

This might be a matter of the pot calling the kettle black*, but I'm a little disturbed by what I hear on the radio these days. Not just the news, which is generally depressing, but the way it's delivered. This morning, an ABC newsreader referred to something happening "outside of" Rome. Why not just outside Rome? Also, there's one News Radio announcer who inevitably pronounces "for" as "fer" as says "gunna" instead of "going to".
* My excuse is that it's not my day job.

Great news! I've just been advised by email:

In view of the yearly sweepstake of the above named organization held on the 8th of September,2006.It is my pleasure to inform you that your e-mail address attached to the above Ref No came up in the third dip. This invariably means that you have emerged as the prize recipient in the third category with an allocated sum of Eight Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars(850.000.00USD). Be informed that all participants were selected from a randon computing ballot system.This charitable sweepstake is sponsored by a group of corporate organizations and governmental parastatals drawn from major cities in Europe.

My dictionary tells me "randon" is an obsolete form of "random" and that "parasatatal" means "owned or controlled wholly or partly by the government".

It would seem I'm the only person in the nation not watching Australian Idol. Last night's show apparently won the ratings in all major demographics, beating such enthralling fare as Seven's TV Turns 50 (how much nostalgia can we bear?) and Nine's 60 Minutes. Being in the minority of non-Idol watchers, as I now am, means I may be the last to know who's next to have 15 minutes of fame and then fall into pop obscurity.

The renewal (or whatever the correct term is for it) continues at Channel 9 Brisbane, with the announcement today that longtime weatherman John Schluter is leaving the station effective immediately, to be replaced by Joseph May. He follows another station veteran, Rick Burnett, out the door. I suppose the big question is: did Schlutes get the boot?