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Archive for July 22nd, 2008

Tue 22 July 2008 - Copy and paste

Spot the difference…

From the $5 million Eddington report (full version) page 84, section: “What other cities are doing” From urbanrail.net, a rail enthusiast web site run by Robert Schwandl
Shanghai (China) — The Shanghai metro is one of the youngest in the world and among the most rapidly expanding. The first line opened in 1995 as a northsouth axis from the Central Station to the southern suburbs; by the end of 2007, the network had reached a total length of 227 km, with 161 stations and 8 lines. www.urbanrail.net/as/shan/shanghai.htm

The Shanghai metro is one of the youngest in the world and among the most rapidly expanding. After the first line opened only in 1995 as a north-south axis from the Central Station to the southern suburbs, by the end of 2007 the network had reached a total length of 227 km, with 161 stations and 8 lines!

Madrid (Spain) — In 2007, the Madrid Metro became the second largest metro network in Europe after London (415 km). In 2006, the total length was 227 km with 236 stations (counted separately for each line), but with the completion of a major four-year expansion programme in spring of 2007 and another short extension, the total length of the network is now 284 km. www.urbanrail.net/eu/mad/madrid.htm

In 2007, the Madrid Metro has become the second largest metro network in Europe after London (415km). In 2006, the total length was 227 km with 236 stations (counted separately for each line), but with the completion of the 2003-2007 expansion programme in spring of 2007 and another short extension, the total length of the network is 284 km with 283 stations (07/2008).

Buenos Aires (Argentina) — is one of South America’s biggest cities with 3 million inhabitants (and 12 million in the larger metropolitan area). For a city of this size, the metro rail network is small, although it is by far the oldest subway in South America. After losing many passengers during the 1980s, the Subte was privatised and is now operated by Metrovías, which immediately started refurbishing stations and buying new rolling stock to replace older trains, some of which have been running since the Subte opened. The total network is now around 46.8 km in length and totally underground. www.urbanrail.net/am/buen/buenos-aires.htm

Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, is one of South America’s biggest cities with 3 million inhabitants (Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires) and 12 million in the larger metropolitan area (Gran Buenos Aires). For a city of this size the metro network is still very small although it’s by far the oldest subway in South America.

After losing many passengers during the 1980’s, the Subte was privatised and is now operated by Metrovías which immediately started refurbishing stations and buying new rolling stock to replace older
trains, some of which have been running since the Subte opened.

The total network is approx. 46.8 km (2007) and totally underground.

The problem here is all this text is replicated in the Eddington report without attribution or credit.

I reckon if a journo or a student tried that on, they’d rightfully get rapped over the knuckles.

(Apparently originally noted in Crikey yesterday; brought to my attention this morning.)

PS. Channel 10 graphics from tonight’s 5pm news:
Eddington report

PPS. Wednesday’s Age.

Tue 22 July 2008 - Spam spam spam spam wonderful spam

Judging from the bounces I’m getting from spammers appropriating my email address to use as a Sender, something which is alas unstoppable, the latest trend is to put an unbelievably tabloid subject line on the messages in the hope that people will open them. Or perhaps it’s to try and get through spam defences that pick up common spammy words?

Most of them seem to involve bad news or scandal of one kind or another, often involving celebrities. Most of them are spelt correctly, but there are exceptions.

Paris Hilton stabbed by stalker
Pit bull attack leaves boy in coma
Savage dog attack leaves students in critical condition
Fed chief resigns over US economy
Apple unveils Macbook Air upgrade
Hunderds feared dead in ferry crash
Scarlett Johansson caught in sex-tape scandal
Tom Cruise falls from horse, breaks back
Norton Firm admits to releasing viruses
Nereida gets red card from Cristiano Ronaldo
Wedding Biels for Just & Jess
Girl attacked by pirahnas in Georgia
Oprah Winfrey announces marriage
Police investigation fingers De Niro in mafia funding scandal
Bill Gates and family held and robbed in family home
Hundreds of US soldiers desert Iraq
Berbatov sold for 30 million pounds
A-rod reveals third party to marriage split
Drug-related shooting leaves 2 NFL stars fighting for their lives
Scarlett Johansson ex-lover sells sex tapes to press
Bill Gates purchases $68m luxury home - exclusive pictures
Jack Nicholson dies from cancer
PS3 free giveaways here
Bill Gates announces plans to buy up to 1/3 of villas in Lake Como
One year of oil promotion for car buyers
Too much salt linked to breast cancer
Tony Blair assassinated
Afghan bombing kills President Bush
Michael J Fox found dead in apartment

I wonder if anybody more gullible than me believes any of these headlines, or at least opens the messages?

(Holy moley, my Gmail spam folder has 12,826 messages in it. That covers one month. 427 per day.)

PS. Another couple of good ones:
Blair: Im Not Gay, Thats Just My Accent
Paris Hilton Infested With Cockroaches