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
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
Culture Sport

Olympics opening ceremony – I liked it

I’m not normally one who really watches the Olympics, but I really enjoyed the opening ceremony of the London games. Not the athletes parade of course; apart from the quite inspiring presence of some of the really troubled countries like Sudan and Afghanistan and Sierra Leone, I’m sorry, but I find it a real yawnfest.  ... [More]

Categories
TV

Current earworm: The Professionals theme

Who remembers The Professionals? I for one was hooked on this as a teenager, despite it being, as Martin Shaw described it, a one-dimensional show. It was a major inspiration for the amateur action video series “STRIKE” which I helped on in high school. It’s amusing to look back on the original Professionals title sequence  ... [More]

Categories
Net

This week’s funniest spam email, and why a strong email password is good

I don’t normally see much spam thanks to the spam filters, but I did see this funny one a few days ago: IMF APPROVED PAYMENT LETTER. GOOD DAY TO YOU, It is a great pleasure to contact you this day as i have just been appointed the new Chief of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)  ... [More]

Categories
Net

A photo of mine reused by the Myki Customer Experience Panel (but I don’t mind)

Yesterday I was taking a look at the Myki Customer Experience Panel web site — that’s the set up where they ask a cross-section of Myki users about the system; get them to answer questions about what they’ve seen and how things are working for them. While some may moan about the extra cost, it’s  ... [More]

Categories
Clothes Working life

Shirts

A bit over a year ago I stopped wearing a tie to work, mostly because nobody else at work wears a tie. When you wear ties, they can be the distinguishing feature in your work attire. When the tie is gone, it’s harder to get away with, for instance, wearing white shirts every day. So  ... [More]

Categories
Bentleigh Clothes

Want to dress like Sherlock Holmes? The menswear shop in Bentleigh is selling Deer Stalkers

Spotted at Stanley’s Menswear in Centre Road: UK-made Deer Stalker – a snip at $129.95. (Apart from sleuthing, I guess you could also use it for stalking deer.)

Categories
Net Social media

I be influential in piracy, me hearties (according to Klout)

Some interesting stuff on social media in the Financial Review the other week: This month, Cathay Pacific partnered with Klout to offer to anyone with a score over 40 free entry to the airline’s business class and first class lounge at San Francisco International Airport, the key hub for those working in Silicon Valley. Neat,  ... [More]

Categories
Home life Net

Oh no! Home Interwebs is down

Disaster! No internet at home. Yesterday iiNet/Netspace had major outage in Victoria. It was eventually fixed, but even after a modem reboot we couldn’t get back online. Then I noticed the home phone (yes, I still have one of those) was getting no dial tone. My assumption initially was that this was just an unhappy  ... [More]

Categories
Melbourne music TV

Sights of Old Melbourne Town – as seen in music videos

Dragon: Are You Old Enough (1978) — around Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, including the now-gone behaviour of riding the running board on a tram, and a Silvertop taxi back when they really did have a silver top. John Paul Young: Yesterday’s Hero (1975) — around Swanston Street Paul Kelly: Leaps and Bounds — mostly the Nylex  ... [More]

Categories
Doctor Who Food'n'drink Friends and loved ones

My super-talented sister excels herself again

This creation by my super-talented sister, for Isaac’s birthday.