Monthly Archives: August 2008

brisbane, gold coast, noosa and sydney

Posted on by
Reply

Whoa, what a week. I was on the Gold Coast last Thursday/Friday for a work conference, stayed in Noosa with Kitty on the weekend, flew to Sydney yesterday to be on Triple J’s Hack TV, then back to Brisbane (and work) this morning. I’m well buggered.

I hadn’t been to Noosa for a few years (I’d rather Byron) but some free accommodation at the Sheraton recently presented itself so we couldn’t resist. We couldn’t have asked for better weather, the sun was out and the sky clear. The ocean was beautifully calm and blue too. I did go swimming but it was a bit too cold.

Sitting under a pandanus, eating fish and watching the ocean.

Sitting under a pandanus, eating fish and watching the ocean.

Sunday morning breakfast on the beach

Sunday morning breakfast on the beach.

On the way home we called at Eumundi for some P.Y.O. strawbs which were amazing. You pay by the kilo and they tell you to eat as you pick. We both haven’t had better strawbs; kitty was in heaven!

Amazing P.Y.O. strawbs.

Amazing P.Y.O. strawbs.

Now it’s time to catch up on some sleep.

All photos by Kitty.

greed, stupidity or suffering?

Posted on by
2

I was so stoked to see my letter to the editor about this article in the Courier Mail today, along with one from a fellow bubblepedian. I love the headline too.

Update (19/08/2008): I re-read it today and noted that I was quoted at the top of the page as well. Even better!

melissa ketcell: what were you thinking?

Posted on by
1

It sickened appalled me to read Melissa Ketcell’s article in the Courier Mail today report that speculative property investors are “suffering with rental returns at their lowest in a decade”.

Article by Melissa Ketchell

Article by Melissa Ketchell

How can any journalist compare the suffering of a renter worried about being able to find an affordable home for their family with the supposed suffering of greedy, speculative property investors who are provided with generous Government taxation concessions including negative gearing and capital gains tax exemption?

When an investor buys a Brisbane investment property for the median price of $450,000 they know that the median Brisbane rent is $18,200 and that it will cost them $32,625 in interest per year. But they still do it! You can’t say that they are suffering.

I think some people in the media really need to take a good close look at their behaviour. They’re hardly being responsible or ethical.

a retro caravan and a koi pond

Posted on by
5

I love living in the city but sometimes I dream about living in a house with a huge backyard. And the reason? So I could install a retro caravan in that backyard. It would be permanently mounted and I would fit it out with wifi and creature speakers. I would custom design and build a koi pond right next to the van so I could see koi out the windows. Then I could read/write/chill in the van whenever I felt like it, it would be like my own modern day metrosexual shed.

I already found one I like on ebay ($15,000):

Cool red caravan on ebay

Cool red caravan on ebay

and another cool one I like on gumtree ($7,700):

vintage caravan on gumtree

Vintage caravan on gumtree

the big glossy issue

Posted on by
Reply

I look forward to every second Monday because it means I get to buy a new edition of The Big Issue off my street vendor Greg. I’ve been reading it for a while now so I was surprised on Monday when I opened it up and immediately realised that something was different; it was glossy, like a new iMac.

The Big Issue 310

The Big Issue 310

I was a big fan of the old matte print. It was easy to read and didn’t have the same print feel as a lot of the other magazines available in Australia which are typically high gloss, possibly designed that way to attract the attention of consumers when sitting for sale on newsagents stands. Most vendors I see selling TBI use a glossy clear plastic sleeve anyway, so why the need for gloss?

I looked through the magazine trying to find some mention of this new print style but I couldn’t seem to find anything. I could only find that the paper is still 20% recycled. The only place I could find any mention of the new printing style was three quarters through Editor Alan Attwood’s vendor’s introduction speech in Melbourne on YouTube. Thankfully he says they’re making some changes to the printing style and that it may not be permanent and could change again soon.

I just hope that the new glossy paper is not radioactive.

atomic bonsai

Posted on by
1

Kitty bought me this ultra cool cardboard atomic bonsai kit in Melbourne. It’s 100% recycled card and was heaps of fun to create a unique tree.

Atomic Bonsai

Atomic Bonsai

From the Atomic Bonsai website:

The idea & design of this Atomic Bonzai (Bonsai) kits are originated in 1997 by an Artist, Joji Okazaki.
I says that generally, natural tree of Bonsai trees are glowing ideally shape to be for many years & a lot of care, but this Atomic Bonsai kits become ideal shape for just a minute.
Everyone can enjoy this instant beauty shaped paper trees anytime & anywhere.

come on spring

Posted on by
1

Spring is nearly here, which means two things: 1) I will soon be a year older and 2) the Valley Fiesta is on again!

I can’t wait for the Valley Fiesta, it’s one of my favourite musical events because it’s free and outdoors in beautiful Brisbane spring weather. Unlike other musical festivals, I don’t think most people go just to be cool. It’s all about the music.

Here’s the lineup:

bands

operator please, sparkadia, urthboy, jeff lang, blue juice, katy steele (little birdy), avalon drive, winnie coopers, the gin club, texas tea, end of fashion, john steel singers, abbe may, the boat people, ups & downs, gentle ben and his sensitive side, jackie marshall & the black alles band, the cairos, ten fours, saruzu quartet, hot mambo, miguel, doch, the re-mains, washington (featuring megan washington & members of the cat empire), danger bunnies, del toro & at sea

djs

dj dexter (avalanches), ajax, christian moy, paul ison, dj ak47, alastair green, dj danny (empire), hump day project, act yo age, dj pete smith (met bar) and teenage bad girl and tydi (family).

performance

contact crew, fashion parades, flipside circus, a circus workshop, pheonix fire hula hoops girls, krumping displays, polynesian dance and art installations from room 40