The Mystery

Welcome back to yet another week that was post! This week we have a focus on the mystery that has gripped the world. I am, of course, talking about the mystery that was Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 that went missing. A plane full of over 200 passengers went missing without a trace and nearly a week later no trace has been found. A similar case occurred not too long ago with a French airlines flight which took over two years to find. However, since there has been very little evidence to show what has happened, there is a lot of speculation. Channel 7 did a big 'news' story on the missing flight and, like all the stories so far, it is all speculation. There has been very little facts but a lot of speculation and sometimes it is hard to separate the fact from the fiction.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/malaysia-airlines-flight-mh370-search-marked-by-confusion-1.2569129

The most intriguing part that gripped the world with this story is the fact that the plane disappeared without a trace. One moment there was a signal from the plane's GPS and the next minute it was gone without any SOS signal been sent out by the pilot. The black-box is one of the most confusing pieces of lost wreckage as they send out signals for 30 days yet no signal has been found from the black-box on this flight. It is evidence such as this that has lead to many different 'conclusions'. I must stress that this is entirely speculation as there is no clear evidence to suggest what really happened aboard the ill-fated Boeing 777 headed for China. Some say the plane was disintegrated by something so powerful so as to destroy every single part of that plane, including the black-box. This is one theory that, if it were to be true, would shock many aerospace engineers as they would have a new threat to their 'indestructible' black boxes. The reason the plane would have had to have totally disintegrated is that when a plane crashes into the ocean there are parts of that plane that do float so by now there should have been some evidence found. Another theory is that the plane was hijacked and then rerouted somewhere to be used as part of a terrorist scheme. However, as days pass, this possibility also becomes less and less likely as no news is heard or hostage situation announced. Personally, I think that the scariest part of all this is that when relatives tried to call their loved-ones on the plane the phones rang fully out. This means, that those phones were still fully functional. If they had broken (either by water or disintegration) then they would not have rung out. This scares me a lot for some reason which I can not confidently put my finger on. It will most likely prove to be a very crucial piece of information when the truth of that ill-fated flight does, if ever, come out of the mist. From many different television shows (I think I have been watching too much Fringe [there is no such thing as too much Fringe though so maybe I am wrong]) there has also been the explanation that more and more people are going to; that the plane was simply taken into another dimension. The truth is sure to be a lot less confusing than that but when all that is possible is ruled out, all that remains is the impossible (I did not make that up, I think it was from Sherlock). However, since this story holds an interest for people all over the world there is not going to be a lack of searching for a very long time (if ever). With the world constantly watching, I doubt anyone will stop searching until answers have been found. The different responses have also been great to see. You can see these responses on the news. For example, you have the sad Australian relatives and then the angry Chinese. It is great to have so many different emotions on the one thing as it can open up new avenues and possibilities that may have previously been looked over.

The mystery of this flight is sure to go down in history. See you tomorrow!

Holidays and a Scary Doctor

Finally, the school year is over and I can catch up on some sleep and relaxation. I know that I am going into VCE and that I should cherish my years of 'relaxing' work but sometimes you just work so hard through the year that you need the holidays to recuperate and prepare for the year ahead. I know you are all probably wondering why this post is still short even though I have finished school. The thing is, as much as I do inside school I have a lot of things I do outside of school that require my attention. This helps me get to my next point about a scary doctor experience. As you all know (probably), in April of next year I am going to Kokoda and as such there are some medical forms to fill out. One of these requires a full physical examination to ensure I am medically fit to complete the Kokoda Trek. This meant going to my GP, then a pathologist (conveniently located next to my GP), then back to my GP so he can check my results and then sign off on the necessary forms. Anyway, on Monday (straight after school) I went to the pathologist and had blood taken out, urine collected and a 12-lead ECG (I have no idea what that is) completed. Then, on Tuesday night. We get two calls from the GP telling me to come in ASAP (do not think you know where this is going, because you do not). Needless to say I spent the next two days (Wednesday and today) worried sick and I barely spoke Wednesday morning. Anyway, so I go there tonight and we go in and Dad asks how the tests were and the Doctor only tells us to sit down and he will explain in a moment. Now I was really getting worried and I thought it was going to be bad. Then he says my results were perfect and he stamps my form. WHAT THE HELL? What was he thinking? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? Still, afterwards I felt so relieved and glad that I was cleared. It felt like a weight had risen from my chest. Seriously though, what Doctor calls you just to tell you your results are in? I know you were all thinking that it was going to be bad. How do you think I felt?

Sorry for the short post. See you tomorrow.

50 Reasons why I Love Doctor Who (Part 2)

This morning I was awake, as I said I would be, at 6:50 for The Day of the Doctor which, for those of you who have been living under a rock, is the 50th Anniversary Special Episode of Doctor Who. It was actually a pretty awesome episode with emotion, comedy and a great story. It exemplifies the many reasons why Whovians all around the world have stayed true over 50 years, even when Doctor Who was not running. If you missed out on part 1 of this post yesterday where I mentioned the first twenty-five reasons why I love Doctor Who, then click here. Please note that these reasons are in no particular order.

Source: http://whatculture.com/tv/doctor-10-awesome-episodes-weary-waiting-50th-anniversary.php

26. The Soundtrack. What Whovian could not pick out the tunes from a Doctor Who soundtrack. They are so amazing they convey a story without words or images. Sometimes you even have memories of episodes and experiences you had surrounding that episode when you listen to the soundtrack. Music really is magical.
27. The Time Lords. These lords of time have been seen in many ways over the years. They have been seen as wonderful, as scary and as horrible human beings. As the Doctor aptly says "The time-war changed them." They really are the worst creatures in the Universe.
28. The Master. Who could not fall in love with an insane psychopath? The least you can do is love to hate him.
29. Sexy. Those of you who have watched the episode The Doctor's Wife when I say Sexy. I am not using it as an adjective but rather as a name. Sexy: the human form of the TARDIS mainframe which was ripped from its home by House (not the doctor, an asteroid on the fringe of the Universe) and placed inside a human's body only later to die in that human's body and return to the TARDIS. That was one hell of an episode.
30. Gallifrey. This home of the Time Lords which was once thought destroyed in the Great Time War. Those of you who have watched The Day of the Doctor will know at what I am hinting at here.
31. Writers. The wonderful (and ever-changing) team of writers that work on Doctor Who make it as wonderful and as deep as it is today, without them there would be no Doctor Who.
32. Russel T. Davies, the man responsible for bringing Doctor Who back in 2005.
33. The Make-Up Artists who create and change all the actors into monsters or transformed versions of humans. They make magic with some plastic and a lot of skill.
34. Sonic Screwdriver. How many times could the Doctor have died or failed in his tasks if he had not had his trusty Sonic Screwdriver? The answer is too many times to count.
35. Actors. Without the myriad of actors who have worked on Doctor Who, the show would be no where. Part of the success of the show has to be put on the actors who allowed the characters to come to life.
36. No Guns. As much terror and war the Doctor has seen he condemns the use of firearms, especially on people. The one time he was near shooting someone (in The End of Time Part 2) he found the strength not to and instead saved the world, yet again, without the need for fire-arms. America should learn something from that.
37. The Fez. Matt Smith's doctor came with one added attachment, his Fez. Even in The Day of the Doctor, as Clara puts it, "You can never walk past a fez, can you?" No he can not and we love him for that.
38. Steely determination. The Doctor's determination to peacefully settle disputes with as little loss of life as possible is a great strength on his behalf. Even when the opposition does not remotely deserve a second chance the Doctor offers it to them anyway, that is just the kind of time lord he is.
39. K-9. This lovable robot dog who even had his own show for a little while is another of the many reasons why fans love Doctor Who and all his quirks.
40. The Doctor's Darker Side. We see this side of the Doctor on many occasions and each time we see him fight through and realise his wrongs. Doctor Who can be a great moral story at times.
41. Forgiveness. No matter what the enemy has done, the Doctor always feels that they can be forgiven. It is this which separates him from the time lords who changed as a result of the Last Great Time War.
42. Romantic Tension. Who does not love to see the Doctor fight off his companions as many of them (especially in the modern telling of the show) fall in love with this time lord?
43. Story Arcs. Who does not love a good story arc. Some run for just a season (such as the cracks in the universe in Season 5) while others run for much longer (such as the mystery of River Song and Bad Wolf). Most of the time we do not even realise they are story arcs until the big reveal right at the end. It really is masterful writing.
44. Spoilers. River Songs favourite thing to say to the Doctor. Who does not love the story arc of River Song? "The Doctor is her first and her last." There is still so much to be learnt about River Song or, should I say ("Spoilers"), Melody Pond.
45. The Weeping Angels. They are the one new monster that will stand as one of the scariest monsters in Doctor Who history. Who would not be scared of creatures that are statues when you see them but incredibly fast when you can not. One touch will send you back in time while they feed off all the years you could have had if you had not met them. Oh, did I mention they can also turn off lights?
46. Rory Williams, the boy who waited. This couple of the boy who waited and the girl who waited (Amy Pond) sets off a great love story to be remembered by Whovians for decades to come. What love is stronger than waiting 2000 years for the girl you love? Rory Williams is one top bloke. Did I really just say bloke?
47. Putting Hitler in the closet. Who did not laugh at that scene in Let's Kill Hitler. The Doctor did not care (nor apparently did Rory Williams or Amy Pond) that Hitler was, and still is, one of the most infamous people in the world. Instead, he just put him in the closet while he sorted out what had to be done.
48. Human Villains. As much as there are evil monsters, there are also evil humans which the Doctor has to face every now and then. They really do make the story more realistic as who would believe in a world where only aliens are evil and humans play no part?
49. Moral. Doctor Who teaches us a lot about morals in many different ways. You have the Doctor's constant appeals to the monsters to ask forgiveness, then you have his steadfast anti-firearms value. Not to mention all that he stands for.
50. The final reason why I love Doctor Who can only be described using two words. Doctor Who?

I hope you enjoyed this, in further celebration I will soon be posting my top 50 Doctor Who moments. See you tomorrow!

50 Reasons why I love Doctor Who (Part 1)

It is the 23rd of November and we all know what that means? No, I do not mean One Direction Day. I mean the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary! As I live in Australia, the 50th Anniversary special (The Day of the Doctor) does not air until 6:50 am tomorrow on ABC1. Now you know what I will be doing between 6:50 and 8:07. To celebrate this momentous occasion in Doctor Who history I have compiled a list of 50 reasons why I, and so many others around the world, love Doctor Who.

Source: http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/doctor-who/images/35308700/title/doctor-who-50th-anniversary-wallpaper

1. The story is timeless and has adapted over time to suit the current era. Throughout its entire run it has managed to give audiences what they want and boy, have they taken it.
2. You never know quite what to expect. Anything can happen where The Doctor is involved.
3. Even though the stories can seem so out-there you are still able to connect with the story which is a very hard thing to achieve with something that is not even human.
4. The stories are believable. For all we know, the silence could exist and we just can not remember them. The vashta nerada could in fact be the reason why people are afraid of the shadows. Everything makes sense.
5. While the show has changed a lot over 50 years, the writers still make references to Classic Doctor Who and even in Season 6 there were references to episodes with the first ever Doctor, William Hartnell.
6. Regenerations keep the show moving. It makes it plausible to have many actors play the same role over 50 years and could even see the show go on for much longer as they are not limited by the age of actors.
7. Companions make up half the show. As much as the show is about Doctor Who it is also about the doctor's companions and their relationships and experiences. They represent us, as humans, and are our 'representatives' if you want to call them that in the story. They give us someone else to connect to, who did not cry when Amy and Rory jumped off the building to stop the Weeping Angels (As River Song would say, Spoilers).
8. The show appeals to people all around the world and it creates a global community that connects so many different people all over the world.
9. It can teach us a lot about history with many episodes featuring historical figures such as Queen Elizabeth the 1st, Madame le Pompadour, William Shakespeare and Vincent Van Gogh, you learn just as much as you enjoy without even realising it.
10. You can jump into the show at almost any episode and still have it make sense. The first episode I watched was The Girl in the Fireplace and that is in the second season (of the modern series) with David Tennant as the Doctor.
11. Comedy. The show has serious times but it also has laughter. It is a great balance such that the show does not become a comedy, but it still has light-hearted moments that always make you laugh such as the Doctor always wishing he was ginger after every regeneration.
12. Heart. Throughout the 50 years this show has been running there is one thing it has never lost, its heart. It may be funny, it may be serious but it is also full of heart and emotion with so many highs and so many lows. It really is an almost all-round show.
13. Continuity. The show always continues stories that it left off in previous seasons, if not decades. Sometimes they are small little references and other times they are huge. However, each time you notice one it does give you a bit of a kick.
14. Whovians. Perhaps one of the best things about Doctor Who is the fans. This big fandom around this show (which I am not going to call little) adds an extra element and makes the show that much bigger. Without the fans, Doctor Who would never have made it this far.
15. Donna Noble. Whilst the majority of the other companions were busy flirting with the doctor, Donna here took no such nonsense and did not let the Doctor take advantage of her. She also added another layer of comedy as well as a lot of emotion (have you seen The Fires of Pompeii?)
16. Exterminate! After all these years, the one creature that can strike fear into the hearts of every Whovian through the use of one word is, of course, the Daleks. They may not seem very scary to an outsider but to a Whovian it does not get much worse.
17. Catchphrases. Each Doctor has had their own thing, or catchphrase, that you would often hear them say. For David Tennant it was "Allonsy" and for Matt Smith it was "Geronimo". It added another layer to the Doctor that you would only uncover if you looked hard enough.
18. The Mystery. After 50 years you would think that you would know every secret of the Doctor but oh, we only know the tiniest portion. This time lord has many secrets and it only takes a good writer to weed them out and make out like they were planned since the very beginning.
19. The TARDIS, Time-And-Relative-Dimensions-In-Space. This infinite time machine of the Doctor's again hides many secrets, as we discovered in Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS and as such there is still a lot more to uncover. Oh, and did I mention that it can change?
20. Signature style. The Doctors have many things in common but one easy way to distinguish between them was their signature style. This has been the same since the very beginning and the writers have stayed true to this the whole time. You have Matt Smith's bow-ties, Sylvester McCoy's Umbrella, David Tennant's suit and many more.
21. Torchwood. This government agency looks into and covers up events and issues relating to outer space and, dare I say it, 'Aliens'. This organisation even had its own television series thanks to Doctor Who. Torchwood, you are so awesome.
22. Doctor Explanations. These are when the Doctor tries to make things clear by explaining them but only succeeds in making even less sense. For instance, he explains the time-locked time-war as being trapped inside a giant bubble before saying, oh nothing like that. Matt Smith's Doctor is the worst I have seen as he does this every time. He asks you to think of something and then says it is nothing like that.
23. Monsters. The creative monsters never cease to amaze. At first they seem superficial or just scary but then you find out their background and realise how deep their stories actually are. What whovian has not been creeped out by the Weeping Angels, or being afraid of the shadows thanks to the Vashta Nerada?
24. Stormageddon, the dark lord of all. Who did not immediately fall in love with this baby from the episode Closing Time in Season 6. Craig's reappearance in this story only made fans love the story ever the more.
25. The Doctor's Languages. Is it not very convenient, and hilarious, how the Doctor can speak so many languages, even the ones we never knew actually existed? He can speak baby, animal and many other things. Sometimes I wonder if he just makes half the stuff up. Then I remember he is a fictional character.

See 25 more reasons why I love Doctor Who in tomorrow's post! See you tomorrow!

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween everybody! To celebrate this American holiday I thought I would tell you all a scary short story I found on the internet. I know it is not that scary but it was one of the best I could find. Enjoy!

Source: http://www.ymcastlouis.org/carondelet-park-rec-complex/events/halloween-hullabaloo-2

One dark night, a 15-year old girl named Lydia was walking home from her friend's house. She turned down a narrow street to take a short-cut and was startled by the sight of an old man standing in her path. When she stopped, the old man turned to her in a hoarse voice said "Tell me the way!"

His face was disgusting, his skin covered in scars and boils, his hair stringy and unkempt, his eyes bulging horribly, almost popping out of their sockets. Lydia was terrified. She was alone in a dark and narrow alleyway with a strange and disturbing person. Her heart began pounding and it took her a few seconds to catch her breath.

"Tell me the way!" The old man demanded.

"Ok... Ok... uh... Where are you going?" Asked Lydia, nervously.

When the old man told her the address he was searching for, a chill ran down her spine. It was her house.

"I don't know where that is" she replied curtly as she pushed past the old man and ran down the alleyway. Glancing back, she could see him standing in the alley, watching her flee.

Lydia was so freaked out by the incident that she did not stop running until she got back to her house. Breathing a sigh of relief, she took out her keys. She looked up and down the street to make sure the old man had not followed her. It was empty.

She turned the key, unlocked the door and pushed it open.

From the darkness inside her house, a hoarse voice said "Tell me the way!"


Happy Halloween everyone! See you tomorrow!

Super Short and Super Sweet

So it's really late now so this post is going to be very short. Just before I wrote this Sandy scared the hell out of my brother and I. Recently Sandy has being sleeping in our room because Mum has being feeling sick and Sandy is super crazy. He is also very noisy. However there was a five minute period where he made no sound at all. I told my brother and we both started thinking he died because he did not respond to us calling him. Josh turns his phone light on him though and it turns out he's just sitting there staring at us. In the dark it is really creepy.

Sandy is a creepy dog, see you tomorrow!

Spooky Driving

As some of you may know if you read the frantic and excited posts I wrote around May 9 I am now aged 16. As I live in Victoria this means that I am able to apply for my Learners Permit Test which I aced and achieved a perfect 100% score on. Just saying, not trying to brag or anything, you know me (or maybe you do not). Anyway, this meant that I was able to begin learning to actually drive. Since then I have accrued just over eleven hours of practice. I know, it's not very much but it is better than nothing. Tonight I went on a driving lesson (around 8pm I left so I only just got back) which actually went longer than we expected because we got carried away. As it was dark and we went on a few questionable roads it was a little spooky and here is my experience.

Image Source: http://www.groupon.com.au/deals/perth-premium/drivestyle/716605920

It started off normal enough except I thought I had my foot on the accelerator when it was on the brake. A lot of confusion ensued as to how and why the car was not moving but in the end we realised my mistake and I continued my journey. First, Dad had to fill up and again I forgot to change the gears back to first (yeah, I am learning in a Manual) so as we pulled out I may have stalled the car. At least the other people at the petrol station were being entertained. Finally we continued into our spooky journey and it was not until I was driving through some of the back roads around the You Yangs that I realised how spooky it was. I swear, it looked like I was driving through the forests of one of those Slender Games. I swear if somebody was around in a suit I would have freaked out. Then we turned into a more open gravel road which made me actually believe I was in a horror movie as there began to be less signs around. I actually said to Dad that it feels like a horror movie and any minute now the car is going to mysteriously break down and our phones will be out of range. That's how spooky it was. The rest of the drive was pretty normal but that was actually the scariest part. That is why I said that it was a very spooky drive.

Always act as though you are the only competent driver on the road, see you tomorrow!