My bloody car is still playing up, despite a service the other week that included an astronomically expensive ultrasound on the fuel injection! Given that that was prompted by reporting the same fault it’s still suffering, what are my statutory rights here? Anyway it’s been at the service place since last night (so they can ... [More]
Oh, great. The central heating is now my new “Did I leave the oven on?” stress. Worried about that all morning. Not that anything would happen if it was left on all day. Apart from the house burning down and a huge gas bill, of course. (Got home to find it was, in fact, off.) ... [More]
During the week I often only get about 7 hours of sleep. Usually this is okay. I might feel tired, but don’t particularly feel the need for a daytime siesta. On Friday night I got almost 9 hours. On Saturday night I got 10 and a half. It was good to catch up, mind you ... [More]
Bananas at the moment are… small green $8.99+ per Kg and pretty much off the menu at the moment.
135 metres to Parliament Station In the City Loop, there are signs at odd intervals, saying things like “Parliament station 135 metres”. They’re placed under every third light. The lights are at 15 metre intervals, the signs at 45 metre intervals. This is because the loop was designed before the switch to metric in the ... [More]
Brant Webb and Todd Russell, trapped down in that mine in Beaconsfield, Tasmania, have been talking to their rescuers as the final stage of digging commences. “So we are trying to talk to them about things that they can relate to, and things we can keep on an even keel and keep their spirits steady. ... [More]
With the crackdowns on smoking in restaurants and covered places (for instance railway stations and tram/bus shelters — though the signage is almost non-existent, so some people still smoke) I’m now more likely to indulge in passive smoking while walking down the street than anywhere else. This might be because I don’t frequent bars and ... [More]
(Sometimes, my inner eight year-old comes out to play.)
It must be a logistical nightmare to change the frequency of a well-established radio station. 3AW changed this morning, from where they’d been (more or less) since 1935. They say they’re doing it so they can provide better reception across Melbourne. I did actually tune-in to 3AW this morning for the changeover. It consisted of ... [More]
In 2004 the water company reported I was using an average 300 litres per day (at the old house). A year later, I was using an average 347 litres per day. Another bill arrived last week which said I’m now using an average 239 litres per day. Woo hoo! Perhaps having a much smaller garden ... [More]
Well, I said this month would be car maintenance month. Four nice shiny new tyres plus fitting plus whatever other surcharges they tack on: $544. 200,000 Km service, including ultrasound analysis of the fuel injection (!) and numerous other tinkering: $842. (But it does purr like a kitten now.) A tank of petrol: $62. But ... [More]
According to a sticker left on the glass partition of a now dis-used office at work, “Mountain cattlemen care for the high country.” The other week I was chatting to a friend about the issue of the Victorian Government banning livestock grazing from the Alpine National Park. Apparently the image of the mountain cattlemen — ... [More]
Some random things that make my life easier: The dishwasher. Run it every few days (when full). Cool. RSS. Lets me catch up on news and blogs in seconds flat. The 8:06 and 8:17 expresses. Bentleigh to Parliament in 17 minutes. If there’s a faster way into the city in peak hour (barring helicopter) I’d ... [More]
It’s ANZAC Day today. This is the cenotaph in Bentleigh, with fresh flowers placed there on Sunday. Most suburbs and towns around the country have something similar. One of these days I’ll rouse the kids early and get us all up to the Shrine for the Dawn Service. I did go one year. It was ... [More]
It seems the state government has decided to reveal all the possible locations of mobile speed cameras for the first time. I know other juristictions have done this kind of thing before, but I don’t quite see how this is a good thing. Doesn’t it just give lead-foot motorists (and there’s plenty of them out ... [More]
Saw a guy on the train with an old-style portable CD player. ‘Cos, you know, digital music from real CDs have a warmth that MP3/AAC on iPods just can’t match… Watched WarGames again the other night. As Marita commented, no wonder geeks like it — geeks get to save the world. (Though they almost destroyed ... [More]