I don’t necessarily agree with Tony Abbott’s policies, but I don’t think what he said to the soldiers, taken in context, was unreasonable. Colonel Creighton says of the Digger’s death: “Was it tragic? Absolutely. But we’re all in the knowledge that all the stuff (firepower support) you see here and more was available on the ... [More]
Category: TV
Getting rid of old TVs
Seems like half of Melbourne has got a new flat screen TV or computer monitor, judging from the number of CRTs left around the streets. In my view, you shouldn’t just dump them on the nature strip. Assuming it’s working, ask around to see if a charity somewhere wants it. Or list it on Freecycle ... [More]
Butterfly ball (Love is all)
My recollection is this clip used to pop up on the ABC when they had five minutes to fill. Nowadays they’d probably just run a bunch of promos and adverts for the ABC Shop. The song is actually called “Love Is All”, from The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper’s Feast. I can’t make it along, ... [More]
Franco Cozzo
If you’re ever at Footscray Station on the footbridge (the one they’re going to have to knock down extend, even though they just built it), and you look towards the east, you’ll see something from a bygone era. You might just be able to make out the words “Franco Cozzo” on an off-white building in ... [More]
From the popup text of the comic reproduced below: We’re also stuck with blurry, juddery, slow-panning 24fps movies forever because (thanks to 60fps home video) people associate high framerates with camcorders and cheap sitcoms, and thus think good framerates look ‘fake’. The first DVD I played on my old Loewe TV when I got it ... [More]
New television?
I’ve been thinking for a while about updating my television (a 68cm Loewe CRT, non-widescreen, analogue) to a shiny new digital number. People who know more about this stuff than I suggested I look at Samsung’s offerings. I know I’ve had two Samsung computer monitors for years which haven’t missed a blip, so I took ... [More]
Online vs local
I find it a little difficult to accept the big retailers’ claims that ensuring GST is applied to mail order goods ordered online from overseas will make a big difference. GST is only 10%. Take for example the DVD of Edge of Darkness, which I mentioned the other day. Amazon UK price: 3.97 + 3.68 ... [More]
Edge of Darkness
This month it’s 25 years since the landmark mini-series Edge of Darkness concluded its first screening. I’m guessing I saw it a year or two later, and it remains one of my most favourite pieces of television ever… in fact it probably sparked my interest in the late-80s and early-90s in British television drama, particularly ... [More]
Hillary and The Chaser
Was it just me watching the news last night who thought: Hold on, have the Chaser infiltrated Hillary Clinton’s Secret Service escort? I’d swear one of them was the spitting image of Chas Licciardello. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time they’d tried something like this.
This clip is to promote the new Goodies DVD, due out next week. I love the shot at about 1:10.
From last night’s channel 9 news, live cross to a flooded street in Brunswick. Not everybody minds the wet.
The final Bill
Back in the day, I was obsessed by The Bill — part of my greater obsession with British television drama. I watched it religiously from the late-80s until about 2001 or 2002 when went off the rails and into soapie land, then I abandoned it. Last night I watched the final two episodes, courtesy of ... [More]
How old for Doctor Who?
My old high school mate Konrad asked (a little while back now): How old were your boys when you introduced them to Dr Who and do you think it was the right age? I ask as Iâm wondering how old my daughter will have to be before I can introduce her to him. I think ... [More]
Some further thoughts on Digital TV
High Definition-only channels ABC News 24 was the first HD-only channel. There’s more on the way: Channel 7’s offering aimed at the male demographic “7-Mate” will also be HD-only. Channel 10’s new “Eleven” will be SD, but it will replace the SD version of their sports channel “One”. There are rumours Channel 9 will launch ... [More]
On the television
Sometimes there’s just doom and gloom on the television. Previous post noting the number of CRT televisions showing up on the streets Of course, it’d be better if working televisions were put on FreeCycle (so someone can use them, rather than them just getting damaged by rain).
Going digital
I finally got myself organised for digital TV, including Thursday night’s launch of ABC News 24. (The opening minutes of ABC News 24, posted by Adam Dimech) I’d been putting off buying a set-top box, remembering the rule that technology always gets cheaper over time. I was waiting for an HD set-top box with USB ... [More]