Categories
Culture

Are mobile phones the new cigarettes?

Fifty years ago the people waiting on this bench might have been smoking — now they’re all fiddling with their phones. It’s long been thought that mobile phones might be replacing cigarettes: Teenagers may be getting healthier because mobile phones are replacing cigarettes as a symbol of rebellion and fashion. Clive Bates, Ash director, suggested  ... [More]

Categories
Retrospectives

Telstra brochure from 1997 explains new-fangled “text messages”

Clearing out some old books, I found this from 1997. It’s a Telstra brochure explaining a new product they’re introducing: the “SMS Text Message Service.” Front cover: Middle pages: Back page: Everything was new once upon a time, right? From the brochure (and this matches my recollection), initially messages could not be sent between operators.  ... [More]

Categories
Consumerism Video games

There goes my August spending money

Yowzers. It’s been 7 years since I bought the house. And it’s been four years since I bought the car. At the time I bought the car, the dealer I bought it from had just paid the rego, so it’s due every August. This year it’s $696.50. Obviously because I bought the car in August,  ... [More]

Categories
Perth 2012 transport

Railway lines down freeways: good idea? Only if there’s no viable alternative

Some people will tell you that rail lines down freeways are a great idea, because “the train overtaking cars is a great advertisement for public transport.” Perth has done this, primarily because it’s been the easiest way of extending the train network. So the Clarkson/Joondalup and Mandurah lines both run down the middle of freeways.  ... [More]

Categories
PTUA transport

Public transport: more openness, accountability, and consultation is needed

One of the problems plaguing public transport in Victoria is the secrecy. Historically the Department of Transport has kept its cards very close to its chest. There’s a lack of information, and a lack of consulation. As some people sitting around a table during a parliamentary inquiry into train services a couple of years ago  ... [More]

Categories
Perth 2012

Perth day 7: Heading home

All good things come to an end, and so it was with our Perth trip. We had a sleep-in, then packed up our stuff into the car and headed out. The flight wasn’t until lunchtime, but we had one more place to go before heading home: the boys have a strong interest in retro video  ... [More]

Categories
transport

Some transport geekery pics

A few pics from recent days. It’s kind of nice that the Tourist “Shuttle” bus gives tourists the thrill of a hook turn Fog at Bentleigh station on Wednesday morning Gleaming rails near Southern Cross Station — on the left you can see the Regional Rail Link under construction Plaques in Melbourne Central (formerly Museum)  ... [More]

Categories
Perth 2012

Perth/WA trip day 6: caves, wineries, and back to the big smoke

Tuesday 10th July We’d be heading from Margaret River back to Perth today, so we packed up the serviced apartment and loaded everything into the car, then headed to cave number two of our tour: Lake Cave. Lake Cave has guided tours, and while we waited for it to begin, we pondered the displays and  ... [More]

Categories
transport

Good news! We now have an airport train. At least, that’s what the sign says.

That’s definitely a train icon on that sign, right? (Southern Cross station, Bourke Street bridge) PS. Reminds me a bit of Metro’s “emergency” gate.