Olden days.

We all reputedly yearn for the fabulous (in retrospect mostly?) 'olden' days? Yet another opportunity about to happen?

Missing link?

The Victorian state government will probably press on with its manic decision to spend 6 to 8 BILLION dollars on a tunnel designed to link existing freeways/tollways with the aim of easing currently near-intolerable peak hour traffic congestion. This despite abundant declarations by experts warning that experience shows building more urban road infrastructure simply encourages many more people to abandon public transport for car travel. Now, a leaked 'secret' study commissioned by the government tends to support 'in spades', the contentention of opponents that existing traffic congestion is likely to 'balloon' substantially when the project 'comes on-line'!

Fittingly... the project has been titled 'The missing link' by glib copywriters handling government advertising of their 'wonderful' contribution to the already billed 'marvelous Melbourne'. Some people apparently never quite made it out of the morass along the path of human evolution?

Crock!

Are we witnessing the end of the rainbow for Qantas? I certainly hope not ... having spent more than half of my adult life as an employee of that great company.

On the internet, they know who you are!

Back in 1993, a freelance cartoonist scribbled a dog operating a computer with the caption "On the internet, nobody knows you're a dog." He sent it off to the New Yorker magazine on spec. It was published and quickly became a slogan for the then rapidly developing internet. It also proved to be one of the all-time most popular cartoons published by the mag. and, shared licensing fees paid for reuse of the cartoon and/or slogan in other publications over the past 20 years, is estimated to be +/- $500,000 shared 50/50 by the author and publishers!

Of course ... on today's internet, virtually everything posted can be traced back to the originator by anyone equipped with readily available tracking technology. Hence, today's cartoon lolly-pop.

Vale Nelson Mandela.

In almost every aspect of human life, he was a giant inspiration to anyone wishing, hoping, to find modern living examples of the courage, strength, wisdom, decency, humour and, goodness of heart that any one of us might aspire to display as a singular characteristic… let alone all of those features residing in one individual. To me, Nelson Mandela embodied all of those traits (and more).

I feel blessed to have lived during his time.

Sadly, the world will wait a long time to see the like of him again.

Murdoch meddling.

The megalomaniac Rupert chose to become a U.S. citizen so he could better prosper in his insatiable drive for power.

OK! Stay in the 'States and annoy the hell out of your friends of choice Roop. Leave this country, its people and valued institutions (eg, the ABC) alone.

I assure you, you'll not be missed for one nano-second!

State security?

Today's revelation of ASIO raids authorised by Attorney General Brandis (with more than a passing connection to legal action initiated against Australia by East Timor over alleged espionage?) seems to support a growing impression that 'interests of state security' is fast becoming a routine excuse for politicians to do as they bloody-well like to protect themselves from criticism for acts that would normal stink to high heaven!?

Will a 'Patriot Act' be the next step to institutionalize their status of invulnerability against awkward questioning on any aspect of government?