Since Woolworths introduced gold coin deposits for trolleys at Bentleigh, you almost never see their trolleys abandoned in the streets. The same can’t be said for Coles Bentleigh, who appear to have some trolleys requiring a coin, and some not — I don’t understand the logic of this. On a walk last night, we passed ... [More]
Category: Consumerism
(I’m at home today awaiting two tradesmen, so I’ve been a little creative.) Here’s what I can’t figure out: since late-2010, the Frankston line has run every ten minutes between the peaks. In 2011 they tidied this up and made all those trains run direct to Flinders Street, and then through to Newport, with alternating ... [More]
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Christmas pics
Here’s a pic of some fools taking a shopping trolley on the escalator at Highpoint, where Marita and I managed to do a surgical strike for last-minute presents, and be back on the tram to her place within 30 minutes, before it got stupidly busy this morning. Here’s some wrapping paper I bought last week… ... [More]
Myer will close stores in Victoria and New South Wales and shrink surviving stores in response to the two-speed economy and online shopping. — Myer to close or shrink stores as retail malaise bites Remembering that Myer Melbourne has already shrunk in size by about half, this isn’t a huge surprise. Sounds like some of ... [More]
Thanks to the miracle of advertising, we have a bank on a tram… …a tram on a bank… …and a bus stop on a bus stop. If you’re curious, the bus stop picture is portraying the 811/812 route on “Main Street”. Unfortunately the bus stop in the picture doesn’t appear to have another advert with ... [More]
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Spotted at Minotaur
I’ve shopped at Minotaur Books for decades. I first found it in the early 80s when it was at the top end of Swanston Street. Then it moved to a multi-level shop in Bourke Street. Then to its current home in Elizabeth Street. It’s always had way more cool stuff than I could afford to ... [More]
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Coke ads on the sides of trains
It was bound to happen once they started putting advertising on the sides of trains: Coke ads. Given trains are seen not just by passengers but also by motorists and pedestrians at level crossings, it could be quite lucrative for Metro. One can only hope the money goes into better services. My guess is we ... [More]
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Sunday Age “outperforms the rest”
I’m always amused when one of the newspapers crows about the latest circulation figures. THE Sunday Age continues to be the best-performing metropolitan newspaper in Australia, according to the latest circulation figures. The newspaper recorded the best year-on-year growth to September 2011 of any daily, Saturday or Sunday newspaper in the country. — Sunday Age: ... [More]
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A few pics for Thursday
Pac-Man on Lonsdale Street (though if the ghost is blue, Pac-Man must have had a power pill, and should be chasing, not chased) I don’t want to seem paranoid, but I don’t think this is a real ATM: Behold! The temple of Gorm!
The supermarket war of Coles versus Safeway/Woolworths has heated up, with roast chicken. First, Coles went to $10. …then Safeway/Woolworths struck back with… $9.88. These posters were prominently displayed en masse around the Bentleigh Woolworths last night. “Why pay $10” “Only $9.88”? TWELVE CENTS DIFFERENCE? Or to put it in percentage terms, Woolies are 1.2% ... [More]
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Qantas: nasty or nice?
Is it just me that thinks this Qantas ad looks a little like the Q bloke is being a meanie, hiding the teddy bears from the kids?
This billboard is still on display up high above Flinders Street, opposite the station, roughly across from the centre entrance*. It seems to refer to the 20% emissions reduction by 2020 pledged last year by Labor, and matched by the Coalition, though some say there are indications the Coalition will drop the target. Perhaps it’s ... [More]