Views in Brief

Moving on

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:38:47 +1030

I’m unlikely to post here again, but can’t bring myself to close the account.

Please visit my blog or follow me on Twitter.

Worthy premiers

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:08:59 +0930

I tweeted several months ago they may as well cancel the rest of the AFL season (after round 13) and move straight to the grand final between St Kilda and Geelong.

They were by far the two best teams all year and today contested a worthy grand final, with the Cats triumphant.

I’m not too sentimental about St Kilda missing a flag, which would have been just their second and their first since 1966.

Geelong deserve their success.

Saints go marching on

Sat, 08 Aug 2009 16:35:56 +0930

Good to see St Kilda defeat Hawthorn with half their best side not playing.

It will be a fantastic achievement if they can finish the season undefeated. I’m hoping they can make it.

Travel stories

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:22:56 +0930

Writing in The Age, Ben Groundwater says he dislikes reading travel stories in newspapers.

He says they’re predictable and boring.

I agree with that, for the most part. Travel is something you have to experience yourself to appreciate.

And each person’s experience may be different.

I like to research facts regarding transport, attractions, accommodations, etc, but I don’t particularly like reading about other people’s impressions.

Atahualpa theme

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 14:51:14 +0930

I’m experimenting with the Atahualpa WordPress theme at www.gorey.com.au.

It’s a wonderful theme if you like to customise the design, with numerous options.

Well done Justin Langer

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:35:23 +0930

Congratulations to Justin Langer on becoming the highest-ever first-class run scorer in the history of Australian cricket.

Langer eclipsed Bradman’s mark of 28,067 runs with a cover drive for Somerset against Worcestershire at Grace Road, breaking one of the game’s most prestigious records and one that stood for 72 years.

All Blacks too good

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 19:35:14 +0930

Sorry to see Australia lose in the rugby to New Zealand.

Hoping for a better showing in the cricket tonight against England, but not optimistic.

Bought a new phone

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:14:00 +0930

My JasJam’s battery has died. The phone is a brick, so instead of buying a new battery I just bought a new HTC Magic Google Android phone on eBay.

It’s unlocked, so I look forward to hopefully switching over seamlessly to my company’s Telstra plan.

July rain above average

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:19:39 +0930

Having mentioned football in the rain, it’s worth noting Mount Gambier has already had more than its average rain for July in the month so far.

The city had recorded 101mm until 9am today. The long-term average for July is 99mm.

I didn’t know about this when I visited Victoria Falls in...

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:08:26 +0930

I didn’t know about this when I visited Victoria Falls in 1991, but apparently you can watch the water flow over the edge. Amazing. I would have done this when I was 22, but not today.

Football in the rain

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 15:19:37 +0930

Michael played soccer in the rain and mud this afternoon. He came home looking like a monster from the deep.

I heard on the radio that North Melbourne and Hawthorn were playing in heavy rain at Launceston.

You don’t see or hear of many AFL games in the rain these days.

I remember when most of the Melbourne grounds were mud heaps in July and August.

Alpine News

Sat, 30 May 2009 22:45:18 +0930

Alpine News website offers information about Australia ski resorts:

Alpine News

Tasmanian devil

Fri, 22 May 2009 22:37:39 +0930

It’s a shame to hear the Tasmanian Devil is now endangered.

The iconic Australian species was listed as vulnerable after the appearance of a facial tumor disease in 1996, but it has now wiped out 70 percent of the population.

Sunshine state

Sat, 11 Apr 2009 17:29:00 +0930

I’ve been in Queensland (Yeppoon) since Friday and haven’t seen the sun yet.

There hasn’t been much rain, just endless grey skies. The forecast is for more of the same indefinitely.

I have to question how the “sunshine state” got its name.

A new Heineken commercial offers a true reflection on the...

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:39:49 +1030

A new Heineken commercial offers a true reflection on the difference between men and women.

Are you a handyman?

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 16:51:06 +1030

My handiness is confined to helping people with computer problems or anything that involves words.

Sadly I’m near helpless with household tools, running repairs and odd jobs.

In circumstances when a drain needs unplugging or such like we hire a little man.

Britain's Zimbabwe lifeline

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 19:38:00 +1030

It’s great the British Government is planning to offer a lifeline to its estimated 750 citizens who are struggling as pensioners in Zimbabwe.

What about the elderly white people who served the colonial government, but don’t have British citizenship?

When Mugabe came to power they were promised pensions under the Lancaster House Agreement. They also had a reasonable expectation of proper health care.

Britan should have sought years ago to enforce that agreement, using military means if necessary.

When I started using the internet

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 16:30:05 +1030

it was late 1996. I was 29 and my second son had just been born.

I had bought a Windows 95 PC with a 2GB hard drive and connected by dial-up to a local telecentre.

Netscape was the preferred browser. The web seemed a giant brave new world, but in reality there was very little content online then.

If I had easy access to a helicopter, I'd fly to Kangaroo Island this weekend

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 13:42:29 +1030

South Australia is enduring a heat wave. It should be a lot cooler there, and if it’s not I’ll escape to the beach.

Australian of the year

Sun, 25 Jan 2009 21:59:54 +1030

Aboriginal leader and academic Mick Dodson has been named Australian of the Year at a ceremony outside Parliament House in Canberra.

Professor Dodson, a tireless campaigner for indigenous rights, was presented the award by the prime minister a year after Kevin Rudd apologised to the stolen generations.

The Yawuru man, originally from the Broome area, takes over the mantle from country singer Lee Kernaghan.

This award should be scrapped. A country singer one year, an Aboriginal leader the next. Next year a tiddlywinks champion.