Are email and PDF putting couriers out of business? When I first worked in the city in the early-90s, there were heaps of bike couriers around the place. You’d see them speeding around the streets, grabbing hold of trams and trucks to go up hills, zooming through lights, dodging pedestrians and cars alike. Back then ... [More]
I went to the dentist on Saturday, and after the ritual inspect, scale, clean and brushing advice (for myself and the kids), I was chatting to him about how things had changed in the last generation. I mentioned that by the time I was 10, I had about 10 fillings, a stark contrast to Isaac ... [More]
Here’s my quick reviews of the second half of this year’s Doctor Who. (First half here.) Some spoilers for people who haven’t seen it. (Les, this means you.) The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit — Terrific stuff. The tension in the first episode was fantastic, especially when the beast was stalking the archeologist. Scared the crap ... [More]
PS. Tuesday pm: A great little video on the topic of 4WDs.
On the train the other day I overheard two students from my old high school, talking about the pros and cons of various teachers. I had to chuckle when a couple of familiar names popped up: Mr Kite and Ms Lester. Still there, 18 years after I left. (Gawd. 18 years. It’s a long time.) ... [More]
Cam of TPN is off to America to make his fortune, and his latest podcast is a “Goodbye Australia” edition. But what I found really interesting about it is him talking about the (metaphorical) journey — how he’s got into this position, and how successful people work: meeting people, making contacts, helping those contacts when ... [More]
Another trip (more pleasant this time) and another fellow-passenger out of context. I sat down on a train a couple of weeks ago, and flicked through the MX. I looked up and saw a familiar face in a nearby seat. Who is that? Oh. So I went over and said “Hi Dad.” Hadn’t seen him ... [More]
There’s some great art in the “Platform” space in the Campbell Arcade at Flinders Street Station this week: Chocolate Revolution. Apparently it’s all for sale, too, though it’s quite expensive. Still, I like it.
My mate Brian sums up my attitude to cars quite nicely: “a car is just an airconditioner on wheels!” On Saturday I washed the exterior my car for… ooh, the first time in a year, I reckon. I vaccuum the inside of it every few months, but the outside I’ve really let go. The birds ... [More]
As someone who has lived in the Bagel Belt for most of my life, I’m somewhat shocked to hear of the alleged racist attack on a Jewish man in Balaclava Road last Saturday by some mindless idiots on a football club trip. The operations manager of the football league involved said: “It was a trip ... [More]
Spotted at DJ’s on Friday night: Christmas decorations about to go up.
My camera has come back from its European holiday with Justine. Even better, due to an incident with some water, it’s got fresh (and better) rechargable batteries, and since the memory card got filled up, it’s come back with another card as well. I really should lend my camera to Justine more often. Looks like ... [More]
I just saw someone get hit by a car. He bounced off the bonnet of a dark-coloured Porsche (UCD-852) that had zoomed through the intersection as the light turned red. The man hit the footpath and ran into the nearby supermarket. The car stopped, and the driver got out and chased after him. I found ... [More]
One day I’ll get the whole get-out-of-bed-and-out-of-the-house thing figured out. If I want to get the kids to school by 8:50, we need to leave by 8:40. If we need to leave by 8:40, I need to be getting dressed by 8:25. If I need to be getting dressed by 8:25, I need to be ... [More]
(Post backdated to the day it happened. Posted Tue 10 Oct 2006.) Over breakfast we pondered if we should go up Mount Wellington. The night before we’d rung about a bus tour, but looking at the weather that day, with snow forecast for the peak, and a lot of fog visible around the top, it ... [More]
(Post backdated to the day it happened. Posted Tue 10 Oct 2006.) When it comes to hotel accomodation: there’s a few different variants. First is your budget place: backpackers and so on. Ugly, perhaps not comfortable, often pretty bare, but cheap. Then there’s your corporate hotels: often ugly, but comfortable and functional. Soemtimes quite expensive. ... [More]