Categories
music

Analysing Macca’s set list

No surprise, lots of Beatles

Categories
music transport

The Marvel of McCartney

Some of my favourite music and a smooth train ride to and from the venue made for a great night.

Categories
Social media

Social media: Threads vs Twitter

(Not a transport post) I’ve used a few social media and instant messenger services over the years. I’m not sure if Usenet, IRC and ICQ count, but SixDegrees certainly does. Then came Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. In recent years I’ve mostly used the latter. The old Twitter wasn’t owned by angels, but at least they  ... [More]

Categories
transport TV

Now arriving at Footscray

This new TV series portrays issues (including transport) from a teenager’s perspective

Categories
music transport

Deli Meat Tray

A post about music… and evening public transport.

Categories
Consumerism music Video games

Foolish lockdown purchases

Forgive me for this indulgence. No transport stuff in this post – try this link if that’s what you’re looking for. I started writing this post in 2020 after my sons moved out, adding to it every few months. The space in the house after they left plus lockdowns plus online ordering resulted in some  ... [More]

Categories
books transport

Who killed East-West Link?

This new book on EWL is a political page-turner.

Categories
TV

Pay TV

Not a transport post. In years gone by, I scoffed at the idea of paying $50+ a month for Foxtel pay TV, and I wasn’t the only one – apparently by 2012, only 28% of Australian homes had a pay TV subscription. I suppose Foxtel needed to cover their delivery infrastructure costs, unlike today’s streaming  ... [More]

Categories
transport TV

World’s Busiest Stations

SBS is showing UK rail documentary series World’s Busiest Stations – and last night they aired the episode set in Melbourne. Although it’s ostensibly about specific busy stations, the series looks more broadly at the local rail networks. You can watch it on SBS On Demand. It’s well worth a look for a view inside  ... [More]

Categories
TV

RIP TBT

With many people, myself included, spending most of the time at home, you’ll need to indulge me in another non-transport blog post. I once wrote that the five biggest cultural influences of my childhood were Lego, Tintin, Usborne Books, Doctor Who and The Goodies. Many Australians of my age fondly remember The Goodies thanks to  ... [More]

Categories
music

Making gravy

What a concert. It kicked off at 5pm. You know how at some concerts the support acts are a bit half-rate, fledgling bands still finding their feet? Not a bit of it here. All superb. Marlon Williams. Kate Miller-Heidke. Courtney Barnett. And then headliner, Paul Kelly. The Sidney Myer Music Bowl was packed, and no  ... [More]

Categories
Net Toxic Custard newsletter

The end of Toxic Custard

Before blogging and the web, there was email and Usenet and FTP sites. Just over 29 years ago I started writing online, sending out literal undergraduate humour to mates at Monash University and beyond mostly via email, under the truly ridiculous name “Toxic Custard“. It got into the student newspaper, then in 1996 it went  ... [More]