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Photos from ten years ago

Old photos from July 2008

Another in my series of old photos from ten years ago… Let’s start with Melbourne Central. A few years earlier, the centre and station concourse had been re-developed to better integrate the shops with the station. And by integrate, I mean funnel the passengers through the shopping centre instead of directly out to Swanston Street.  ... [More]

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Toxic Custard newsletter transport

Traffic light programming, and the tale of the Magic Laptop

The Magic Laptop One evening many years ago some PTUA bods and I were meeting with a Vicroads bloke about traffic light priority and other related issues. He had a laptop with him, and it displayed a diagram of a major intersection; I think it was somewhere out on Burwood Highway. While pondering topics such  ... [More]

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Consumerism driving Toxic Custard newsletter

Retail therapy

Just a quick few points while I work on a more complicated post that’s (inevitably) transport related… Shopping bags Many major retailers are phasing out single-use plastic bags. Or to be precise, they’re phasing-out free bags. Woolworths: 20/6/2018 Coles, Target, Big W: 1/7/2018 Aldi never gave away bags. K-Mart is phasing out free bags during  ... [More]

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Toxic Custard newsletter transport

What, yet ANOTHER rebranding?

Although it doesn’t involve removing level crossings, the Mernda rail extension is being built by the Level Crossing Removal Authority (LXRA). This LXRA tweet last week got some attention, and not just from those who have been long awaiting the project’s completion: A sign of things to come #Mernda ??? #transformingMelbourne pic.twitter.com/nUc8lt4ZiF — Level Crossings  ... [More]

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driving Toxic Custard newsletter

I finally bought a new car

Apologies for the following long ramble about buying a car. The costs of cars (Do I even need one?) My prolonged hunt for a new (used) car got me thinking about how much they have cost me… and how long I’ve kept them. My first car was a 1993 Mitsubishi Magna (pictured above), which I  ... [More]

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Culture Friends and loved ones Toxic Custard newsletter TV

Where are you really from?

I found SBS’s “Where Are You Really From” to be compelling viewing. If you don’t look ethnic, you won’t know the experience of people asking where you’re from — and not taking “Sydney” for an answer. They don’t want to know where you’re from. They want to know where your family originated. The whole series  ... [More]