In the background
You’d always hope that if your kid was in the background on the news, he’d behave himself… and preferably didn’t pick his nose and then eat it.
(Channel 10 news, 17/9/2011)
A coupla things
The Slap
I finished reading The Slap. Great book, provided you don’t mind a little fruity language and adult themes in your novels. Looking forward now to the TV adaption.
Possums
I was just thinking the other day that despite seeing a lot of possums around the neighbourhood, I never heard them in the roof.
Then when I was taking a look in the roof over the Easter break, I noticed a small hole, near the front of the house.
And the other night, I heard a possum scampering around up there. D’oh.
I told you so
I meant to post this a while back, but better late than never.
I reckon these guys have a good point.
We told you so
FORMULA one boss Bernie Ecclestone has said that he and Ron Walker now agree that the grand prix “should not have been run at the Albert Park street circuit”, and that “Melbourne should have constructed a purpose-built track for the race years ago” (Sport, 17/3).
Save Albert Park has maintained exactly that since 1994. A key slogan was ”Relocate (to a permanent track), don’t desecrate (Albert Park Reserve)”. If our group had been listened to rather than being maligned or ignored by successive Victorian governments, the state would now have a profitable permanent track and associated facilities given year-round use for motor sport activities, driver training, and testing of automotive products.
The state would have saved the hundreds of million of dollars now wasted on set-up and take-down of the temporary Albert Park circuit, and we would have a circuit capable of being modified to meet the changing requirements of F1 racing, such as increased overtaking opportunities.
Peter Goad, Save Albert Park, Middle Park
Tags: Albert Park, books, Grand Prix, possums, The Slap
10 comments
So, apparently Ponting’s stepping down
Not much chance of missing this news.
Tags: cricket, Media, Ricky Ponting
1 comment
Why yes, my neighbours are Magpies supporters
Why yes, my neighbours are Magpies supporters.
Footy’s back. I got 7/8 for round 1… hopefully I can keep it up and win back the ugly trophy.
New Wii tennis?
Wow, they’ve really improved the graphics on Wii tennis.
Tags: Nintendo Wii, tennis
4 comments
Magpies causing trouble
No sooner had the Magpies won yesterday than they were out causing trouble in Footscray, swooping the dog.
Mind you the dog didn’t seem to mind.
Tags: AFL, Collingwood, Maisie the dog
1 comment
The New Delhi games mess
I’m finding the situation in New Delhi fascinating.
For those outside the Commonwealth and/or who haven’t heard, the city is having enormous problems getting ready for the Commonwealth Games. Sure, there are always stories like this ahead of big events, but in this case, there’s been an apparent terrorist attack (several tourists injured in a gun attack on a bus on Sunday), complaints about the athletes’ village being incomplete and unhygienic, a bridge collapsed (also injuring a number of people, on Tuesday), and part of a venue ceiling collapsing (on Wednesday) — and the Games are due to start in about a week and a half.
As it happens, last week I noted season one of the satirical TV series The Games on sale for $10 and snapped it up. It pokes fun at the preparations for the Sydney 2000 Olympics, with things like the 100 metre running track they discover is too short, and the transport crisis meeting that’s cancelled because the traffic is so bad nobody can attend. But I don’t think it covers anything quite so serious as what’s going on in Delhi.
One of the reasons I find the Delhi problems interesting is that in my paid work, we deal with IT people in India, and I went to a briefing which covered some of the cultural differences. One of the things I was told is that the culture is one of pride, and wanting to be seen to be helpful and able to do the job… to the point where sometimes if someone is asked if they can get the job done, they’ll readily say “yes! No problems!” even when it’s going to be quite difficult and complicated, and just getting it finished is not a foregone conclusion.
It may be a simplistic way of looking at it, but I wonder if a bit of that has gone on with the Games.
Don’t get me wrong — I think it’d be great if the event goes off without major problems, proving that developing countries like India are able to meet the challenge, just as South Africa did earlier in the year with the World Cup.
But at present, you’d have to say it’s not looking great.
The tram to Telstra Dome
That tram must be really old… it still says “Telstra Dome.”
(Pic taken on Friday.)
I wonder how much it costs to get the old pre-digital/dot-matrix destination rolls re-done. Or indeed if there are many people who remember how to do it.
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