Connex – the recently replaced operator of Melbourne’s suburban rail network – had a reputation in its final years for excessive numbers of late and cancelled services. Ever wondered why?
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Well, now you know!
Jumping back into the archives for a bit – here’s the famous (and some say controversial) finish to the 1992 Tooheys 1000.
It was a sad day for me – one of my racing heroes, Denny Hulme died on live television before my eyes that day – of a heart-attack at the wheel early in the race. Given the mood, many people just wanted to get this race over and done with, and move on. It’s certainly the only Bathurst I’ve wanted to “hurry up and finish”.
That wish was granted when the rain intervened, and the notoriety of this day in Australian sport was born.
Hot on the heels of yesterday’s hilarious video of a Macquarie worker being sprung looking at porn on the job in the background of a live news cross, comes an even more hilarious advertising hook by rival HSBC.
Here’s the video again:
And here is the advertisement that appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald today from HSBC, who state “We spend more time looking at your assets!”:
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Absolute genius!
The Australian Federal Court has dealt a massive blow to the copyright infringement crusaders, ruling today that the provision of internet service does not represent the approval of copyright infringement, or the responsibility to police potentially copyright infringing activities in the provision of that internet service.
| iiNet Wins! Film Industry Case Torn to Shreds |
Pending any possible appeals, of course, the precedent is now set.
Once again, the Geelong Advertiser has dramatically skewed it’s news coverage towards a single story about the Geelong Football Club – yesterday’s arrest of Mathew Stokes on charges of purchasing, possessing and trafficking cocaine.
No doubt a major story, and worthy of coverage. But here’s the list of stories deemed “headlines” on their website:
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The first four are probably fair enough, covering four different and important angles on the story. Never to let a GFC story go by without overkill, the Advertiser also gives us:
| Career of Premiership Highs and Lows Now at Crossroads |
| Chappy Vows His Support |
| Shocked Number One Fan Left in Tears |
| Courtroom Worlds Away From MCG Glory |
Fluff pieces one and all. Surely all of these could have been combined into a single “Universal Support for Mathew Stokes” story, or at very least not be declared “headlines”?
I’m sure this will sell them a few newspapers in this town, but they would have anyway, even with half the number of separate stories. It’s just too much on one story, and too much fluff! Once this case gets to trial – (presuming the case gets through committal and goes to trial) – the local population will be heavily affected by the pounding off fluff news about how “wonderful” he is.
People in this town will want him to be innocent, simply because he’s a Geelong player! Where is an unbiased jury going to come from? Not Geelong. Not good enough Advertiser!
In a quite literal “Newsflash” – keep an eye on the guy “working” at his computer in the left of the frame in this live-to-air news cross.
I particularly love his reaction when his colleague points out that the live cross is underway. Pure comedy gold.
Hot on the heels of the proposed national ISP-based filtering of the internet in this country, comes this latest attack on democracy.
| Outrage as South Australian Government and Opposition Unite to Gag Internet Election Debate |
We are becoming a complete joke to the rest of the world over these ridiculous political stances. When are our politicians going to wake up?
Only when we hit them where it counts – the ballot box.
Victoria’s largely still-born new transport ticketing system – Myki – has come in for a lot of flack in recent weeks, particularly regarding overcharging and broken down smartcard readers.
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Well, at least some Melbourne commuters are keeping a sense of humour amongst the chaos. In a clear reference to the following episode of The Simpsons, one lark has managed to get a myki card registered in the name of “Santos L Halper” – the name presented on the credit card Bart receives in the episode.
| The Simpsons - The Canine Mutiny |
Clearly nobody working at myki is a fan of The Simpsons!
Well, it seems like Kevin Rudd has gone and planted his big old foot firmly into his mouth – once again.
| Abbott Defends Virginity Comments |
And I quote: “I don’t think my job as Prime Minister is to provide individual, personal, moral advice to the young people of Australia. That’s something for them themselves to sort out with their friends, with their families, with their mums with their dads.”
Hang on a minute. It’s not your job to provide moral advice, but it is okay to enforce your moralistic stance in regards to internet filtering? You say moral issues are something for families to work out on their own terms. Why is internet filtering any different? Internet filtering can take place at the “home” or “school” level if required – leaving it up to families to work out on their own terms.
It is not your job to provide moral guidance, just like you said Kevin.
With more than a few under-my-breath chuckles, I read with interest the following article posted in/on the Fairfax newspapers/sites this morning by noted Australian financial commentator, Michael Pascoe:
| Apple Bites Australia for Profit |
An interesting read, and on the surface, he makes some excellent points. The difference in pricing between the Australian and US iTunes stores is certainly an eyebrow raiser – but I do note that he makes no attempt to seek any explanation for the difference. Are the costs Apple is required to collect for the Australian publishers of the music – as opposed the the US publishers, which may be a completely different publisher – higher? Quite possibly.
Delving a little deeper, the true folly of the article is exposed – and most significantly, Pascoe misses the point on what exactly iTunes provides BEYOND the music itself. He highlights that the album “Art of Lounge” by Janet Seidel – (who?) – retails on the US iTunes store for $US7.99, and the Australian store for $AUD13.99. He even states that you can go to her concert and get a copy with your name on it for $AUD20.00.
How much does it cost to go to the concert? If it is more than $AUD14.99, his point falls flat. Lets have a look at how much this album costs in Australian stores:
| Art of Lounge V3 - Janet Seidel |
Yes, that’s right – $AUD34.99 – if you can be bothered getting off the “lounge” and getting in your car and driving down to your local Sanity store – costing you time AND even more money. If you choose to buy it from Sanity online, you’ll get it in “10-20 days”. I’m sure going to her concert is a fabulous experience, and is quite possibly worth the extra cost – but iTunes doesn’t have “concerts”. This is a completely different product. Apples and oranges.
Suddenly, iTunes shows it’s real value. Less than half the retail cost, and you can have it straight away – or at least as soon as your internet connection can get it to you. You haven’t wasted time, money, petrol, and effort going to pay the full price, and you don’t have to wait up to three weeks if you buy it online. Sounds like good value to me.
Pascoe’s article suddenly sounds more like an advert for Janet Seidel than anything else.
