Categories
News and events TV

News-junkies’ summary of TV news bulletins

I was thinking that for news junkies like me, it’d be nice to have a quick reference to when it’s possible to tune into a news bulletin on free-to-air television. With ABC News 24, this is easier than ever before, but in fact there are numerous times when other channels air substantial (10+ minutes) bulletins  ... [More]

Categories
Photos transport

Silhouettes on platform 1

Categories
Food'n'drink transport

Lunch on the Restaurant Tram

It was actually a present from my last birthday: a lunch on the Restaurant Tram. Boarding was at 1pm sharp near the casino. Presumably they don’t like to hold up service trams coming from St Kilda or Port Melbourne. It was a fleet of three out for lunch, and we were told to board the  ... [More]

Categories
Melbourne transport

If Melbourne didn’t have trams, would every CBD street look like Lonsdale Street?

Here’s something to ponder… If Melbourne didn’t have trams anymore, would every CBD street look like Lonsdale Street? (Seen on Twitter recently: “Lonsdale St is the scariest, least bike friendly St in CBD. Discuss.”) PS. Lunchtime: I’d just note that I deliberately chose Lonsdale Street over the (arguably more attractive) Exhibition or Queen Streets because  ... [More]

Categories
Consumerism

Dear retailers, when prices are 60% cheaper offshore, GST won’t save you

Tough talk from the retailers, who continue to demand GST be applied to all purchases. It’s rubbish of course. 10% GST is not why people are shopping online. Let’s take the example of my last Amazon UK order, which I placed when the AU dollar was at its height, about two weeks ago. Book: Neil  ... [More]

Categories
transport

Two things you can’t do while driving

As Gordon Price says: My travel time is far too valuable to waste actually driving.

Categories
Melbourne

Pic: Aeroplane and blue sky over Footscray

This Qantas plane, and others, were noted flying low over the inner-west, coming into land at Tullamarine airport this morning. (View larger)

Categories
Melbourne transport

Pic: On the train in Bourke Street

Categories
Food'n'drink

Bananas

Yesterday on the way to work I saw two people, both of whom were carrying nothing more than a banana. Is this the done thing nowadays? In this time of expensive bananas, it is some kind of status symbol or something?

Categories
Home life

They’re not Smart Meters anymore, they’re Advanced Meters

They finally installed a new electricity meter at my house. This was after receiving three sets of letters saying “we’re about to install it”. It wasn’t one of those much-criticised allegedly-defective Smart Meters though — oh no, it was an Advanced Meter. So much better. Will be interested to see what effect it has on  ... [More]

Categories
Friends and loved ones

A year since Dad left us

It’s a year today since Dad passed-away. It’s got easier to deal with and think about as the months have passed. Life goes on. But yes, today (and on the 7th, which would have been his 80th birthday), I did find myself in contemplation. Doubly so when a $7 refund cheque for him for a  ... [More]

Categories
PTUA transport

An end to secret tramways business

One day in 2008, M and I went to a party, and I blogged about the trip there on mysterious tram route number 7. I concluded: In my book, in most cases the secret numbers shouldn’t be used. If a tram is travelling along a substantial part of the route, it might as well use  ... [More]