I’m sure most men wish they could flick a switch to stop their facial hair growing. Yesterday, for the first time in well over a decade, I tried blade shaving. I had been pondering switching back from electric, since my Phillishave shaver’s rechargable battery is wearing out, and it needs a new blade and filter ... [More]
It’s time for a cleanout of links and half-written/baked posts. Fascinating for MSM watchers A former Fairfax staffer is starting his own free magazine in collaboration with real estate agents and is expected to win millions in advertising revenue away from Fairfax. Webber’s nanny state During the recent furore over Mark Webber’s claims Victoria was ... [More]
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Input and output
Some figures I need to keep in mind the next time I am tempted by one of Hungry Jacks’ evil Bacon Deluxe Value Meals (opting for the OJ): Food Burger Reg fries Orange juice Energy 3030 kJ 1601 kJ 695 kJ Protein 43.3 g 5.9 g 1.6 g Fat – total 47.5 g 19.0 g ... [More]
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Twitter highlights part 4
This post in a continuing series covers the first half of 2009. (Why?) January 2009 noted a lot of joggers about. New year’s resolutions? There’s a few people out on the roads who should resolve to indicate. 5:28 PM Jan 1st from txt watching Marita beat up virtual people in Wii boxing. 12:23 PM Jan ... [More]
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How about some wider footpaths?
There are around 70,000 parking spaces in Melbourne’s CBD [source], and cars are a minority access mode. So don’t you think they could forfeit a few street parking spaces in the “Little” streets so some narrow footpaths could be widened? (Little Lonsdale Street looking towards William Street. The truck was legally parked.) For instance, Little ... [More]
From time to time people suggest that train lines should be built in the middle of all new freeways. The problem with building train lines along freeways is you’d be in danger of them all ending up like Jacana or Kannanook. Because freeways take up so much space, make so much noise, and generate so ... [More]
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This makes no sense
From ABC’s AM on Monday, on the rise of anti-government rhetoric in the USA: BILL CLINTON: A lot of the things that have been said, they create a climate in which people who are vulnerable to violence because they’re disoriented, like Timothy McVeigh was, are more likely to act. We ought to have a lot ... [More]
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The hero
A while back we were in EB Games in Swanston Street having a look at the big Nintendo area on the first floor. Jeremy sat and played a bit of New Super Mario Brothers with another kid. Both being experienced players, they gave the very last level a go. But towards the end, Jeremy’s character ... [More]
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Hello, Sunday drivers
I’ve become something of a Sunday driver since I no longer generally drive anywhere on weekdays. But I’d like to think I’m better than the stereotype. Out and about yesterday, I’m just staggered by the number of people not paying attention, or wilfully ignoring the rules, or apparently ignorant of the rules. Ms Old Bomb ... [More]
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Monash transport FAIL
Monash students going back decades will tell you of the poor connection from Huntingdale Station (the closest for people coming from the city direction) to the Clayton campus. Even after they added an extra bus route in 2006, most connections aren’t timed well outside peak hours, and during peak hours you get delays from long ... [More]
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Traffic light cleaner
Here’s a job I never knew existed: traffic light cleaner. (Seen on William St yesterday)
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Health insurance
The Medicare levy surcharge is, in my opinion, an stupid tax designed to force some people into getting private health insurance, whether they want it or not, by taxing them more than the cost of the premium if they don’t, all in order to subsidise the otherwise unprofitable private health industry. I earn enough to ... [More]
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Another Myki stuffup
I know I’m not the first person to find this happening, but here’s an example of why you should be particularly wary about the Myki web site. The actual Pass expiry date, which is correctly recorded on the card and displayed on the scanners, is Friday the 14th of May (or to be precise, 3am ... [More]
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Sorry in Little Bourke Street
…between King Street and Spencer Street, way up above eye level. You can see the same spot in Google Streetview, from before the signs went up.
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Which is cheapest?
If you buy daily tickets (currently available as Metcard only), the per weekday cost is Zone 1 $6.80, Zone 2 $4.80, Zone 1+2 $10.60. Obviously there’s no reason to do this on a regular basis, since you can save a substantial amount of money by using the bulk fare options. But which one? That is, if you usually travel by ... [More]
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Ties
I have a love-hate relationship with ties. When I started my working life in 1993, almost all white-collar male workers wore ties. Over the years this has dropped somewhat, and I’d hazard a guess that perhaps around 30% now do so. I still wear a tie. I switched a few years ago to a Windsor ... [More]