The most efficient way of moving people is using their own two feet. Here’s the statistical measure: (Graph from Teufel, D, 1989, ‘Die Zukunft des Autoverkehrs’ (The future of car traffic), Umwelt und Prognose Institut, Heidelberg — and used more recently in PTUA’s Response to Australia’s Future Tax System Consultation Paper. Here’s another representation of ... [More]
Category: Melbourne
Melbourne stuff
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Collins Street, 9am
I was hoping to find a decent JPG copy of that modified John Brack Collins Street 5pm that was in The Age a few weeks ago — the one where everybody’s wearing iPods — but haven’t seen it online, and I’m not sure I can get a good scan from the paper copy I have. ... [More]
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McGills to close
Along with the now-closed Technical Bookshop, McGills was a regular geek destination when I was growing up, somewhere I could browse and purchase material for the two geeky pursuits of mine: technology and transport. I held onto my 8-bit BBC Micro for longer than most people, and it was never the most popular platform, so ... [More]
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Common decency
I was saddened to see the damage to the Flinders Street Station stained-glass windows on the news, from the protests by Indian students today, but I think it probably shows just how angry they are about the crimes against them. I’d be angry too. Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe said there was a perception that Indian ... [More]
I found the video below on the Walkscore.com blog. Amusing, and quite thought-provoking (if a little preachy). On this topic, I’m not quite sure why, but I had noticed there’s an enormous variety of places of worship in my suburb. Seems whatever your faith, there’s probably a local place for you. Seriously, within about fifteen ... [More]
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The half-house
Around the inner and middle suburbs, there are plenty of semi-detached houses, many in pairs, I’m guessing built around the 1920s and 30s. They look like a single big house if you don’t look too closely, but have two front doors and so on, and a thick dividing wall down the middle. I actually tried ... [More]
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Contextual advertising
Online it’s all about contextual advertising — figuring out what the viewer is interested in, then showing them ads they’ll hopefully like. It frequently doesn’t work of course; Facebook knows everything about virtually everybody, but still manages to show me adverts for things I have no interest in. In the offline world, contextual advertising is ... [More]
This is how it was told to me. Can’t say I’ve seen anything like this myself. The tram was departing Footscray from the terminus, close to the market. A passenger got on board, with two live chickens from the market. “Mate”, said the tram driver, “you can’t bring live animals on the tram!” “Oh. Okay”, ... [More]
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Overheard/spotted/annoying
Overheard: Young buck on train, reading travel catalogue to his mates, spotted a “bargain”, but maybe doesn’t pay attention to the news much. “I really want to go to Fiji.” Spotted: Distinguished gentleman sitting at al fresco cafe table. Remarkably large foreheard, like one of those Tintin professors from The Shooting Star who needs the ... [More]
It’s not enough that we have to deal with them in the city; now charity muggers have started showing up in my local shopping centre on Centre Road. I encountered them yesterday on my day off — two of them were promoting the Fred Hollows Foundation. Now, I think that the FHF is as worthy ... [More]
Here’s something for those that read the article Rudd’s nephew clashes with Connex in the Sunday Age this morning online, without the benefit of the photos in the paper edition. Unlike Jen I’m a frequent user of the Degraves St Subway/Campbell Arcade, the quick non-traffic-lighted way out of Flinders Street Station. The Platform group displays ... [More]
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Did the earth move for you?
It was just before 9pm last night. I thought at first it was a ruddy big truck moving down my street. Or a really strong gust of wind. But the whole house was shaking. It passed after a few seconds. Nothing had cracked or fallen. I looked outside. Silence. No thunder, no wind. Twitter and ... [More]