Victorian Public Transport
Public transport is in a state of disarray in Victoria. We have seen three different companies tackle the management of our trains over the last decade. The current punter being Metro, a company 60% owned by a Hong Kong based MTR. They have done what others have done before them, changed the train livery, swapped out uniforms and punched out some tv and radio ads. But they have also continued the late arrival times and overcrowded carriages that we have been seeing day in day out for years. MTR run an extremely tight system in HK, but they overestimated the poor system we have in place. Firstly it's above ground, second our tracks are built to withstand opposite extreme temperatures. Which like all things made to a diverse range of operating difference, they don't work.
Our previous state government also buried us into a $1Billion+ mess that is Myki. A ticketing system created from scratch when systems elsewhere in Australia and even more successful ones overseas were already operating and cost a mere couple of hundred million.
I refuse to use public transport were possible. I'd rather drive into the city and pay for parking than to catch a train.
(TO BE CONTINUED...)
New Privacy Threat
Recently I was sent some photos of a fridge, tv and some furniture that was for sale second hand. It was passed onto me and I have never met the person, however after receiving the photos via email I could distinguish where the person lived. This was because the persons iPhone geo tagged the photo with a gps marker. It was spot on with the address as I ended up going there to help with picking something up.
What concerned me was the level of accuracy in which i could identify where the items where located. This could spell trouble for people using iPhones and other geo tagging phones and cameras to share photos. As there locations are free to view if the user is unaware the setting is switched on.
Adelaide to Melbourne
I'm on the home stretch of a journey that has taken me from Adelaide to Melbourne by car. I did the reverse leg by plane in around an hour. Yet by car this trip chews out 10 hours of your life.
If the road journey had some spice or flair to it I might enjoy it more but it doesn't. It's a straight road of 800+ kms and for the most of it you are restricted to 100 kph.
Sure there is the giant koala outside Ararat, which named its town that even though it's within 30mins of Ballarat. Maybe to rise it's big brothers coat tails.
There is the border sign, oh joy that's not even a big thing, it's a sign on the side of the road. No rock, no big gate and no fun at all. Hell even the time goes back 30min there but no mention of that either.
The road to Melbourne from Ballarat goes quick as you are so close to home that you just want to get there.
No wonder people spend the money flying, as driving is so long winded. So much concentration is required in order to stay alive. And to those of you who believe you can drive it non stop one way? Don't because the road is boring enough as it is, I don't need to die hitting your sleepy car.
Just fly.