Another event to add to the list of activities that are occuring around the city this weekend is the Melbourne at Home exhibition at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. If you are looking to renovate or build a home, it might be a good idea to check out the latest trend and technology.

Check out on the latest green products, home security systems or the latest surround sound systems (which isn’t going to be carbon friendly).

The show will run til 31st August, between 10 am and 9 pm on Saturday and til 7 pm on Sunday. Buy your tickets to save a couple of dollars. Ticket at the door is $18 per adult.

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This Sunday is Nike’s 10k Human race event. The run pits Melbourne runners (serious and casual alike) against others the world over. Well, not really the world over, more like select cities the world over. 25 select cities to be exact, like Sao Paolo, Paris, Shanghai, Warsaw, Taipei, Munich and New York.

Sydney is somehow left out (pretend sad face. but they will be represented by Sydney based band faker, performing at the post-run event).
Click here to find out more!

If you’ve always wanted to run in a race, why not pick this one? Get off your bum and sign up. Prove to the world that we’re the ones who truly deserve the world sporting capital title ;)

You might even meet me there. (I’d be at the very back of the herd, the one that looks like he’s about to faint any minute now.)

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Two other fun things that are being run this Sunday :

1) Festival Indonesia at the Royal Exhibition Building.
2) Fiesta Malaysia at Federation Square.

They’re both cultural-ish events and since these neighbouring countries share a lot of similar culture, things could get a little awkward. I mean someone should’ve warned them about the clashing dates. It would be like running into an old friend in public who’s wearing the same dress!

Not that i would know very much about dresses. Or metaphors, for that matter. heh.

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John So Raises Some FlagsPhoto: ThatsMelbourne.com.au

This Saturday marks the 173rd anniversary of the city of Melbourne. Melbourne Day sets up opportunities for people to experience all that Melbourne has to offer on the cheap. There are various free events during the day including John So raising the flag of Melbourne, a rifle volley, and some live bands. The best thing about Melbourne Day though is the discounts on many attractions around Melbourne. If you haven’t seen the Eureka Tower, here is your chance to see it for half price (Buy 1 Get 1 Free).

Other deals:

FREE ENTRY - Enterprize, Melbourne’s Tallest Ship

2 FOR 1 ENTRY - City Museum at Old Treasury Melbourne

2 FOR 1 ENTRY - Champions - Australian Racing Museum

Links:

Melbourne Day Discounts

Melbourne Day

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You shouldn’t miss out on this infamous speech made by London Mayor Boris Johnson at the London 2012 Hand-Over party after the end of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It’s incredibly funny, and made me wonder why Melbourne doesn’t have a Mayor Johnson-equivalent. Our bro John So’s alright, but let’s face it he probably needs a translator for us to understand him haha!

Melburnians take note: London is the Sporting Capital of the World. Or so says Mayor Johnson. What do you think?

And for all those who don’t get the ‘XXX is coming home’ bit, it’s a take on England’s ‘Football’s Coming Home’ song. The English football team is crap, yet we hear it every time England plays.

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While perusing the Docklands website for a great place to eat, I chanced upon a great urban competition that will appeal to the adventurers-at-heart. Called the Rat Race, it’s the first time the race has left Britain and competitors wil, over two days, challenge themselves both physically and mentally. As a thrill-seeker and and outdoor junkie myself, I was thrilled. From the website:

Coming to Australia for the first time, the Rat Race sees competitors running, biking, climbing, kayaking, abseiling and navigating their way around the city in a course that is only revealed hours before they begin. Previous events have taken place in London, Manchester, Belfast and Edinburgh, and 2008 sees the inaugural Melbourne event.

Read more

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Even Mr Monopoly Man has problems figuring out where Melbourne is

Here’s one for Sydneysiders to cheer about. For once, Melbourne was beaten by our ‘auld enemy’ to the final 22 cities set to appear in Monopoly’s latest take on their famous board game. The harbour city appears on the game’s Red strip (The Strand, Trafalgar Square and Fleet Street) in good company, alongside international powerhouses New York and London. Sydney occupies the position occupied by The Strand. Not bad at all.

Yet it’s not surprising to find out that more Australians voted for Melbourne. The cultural, arts, fashion and coffee capital of Australia is a favourite with Australians who visit Melbourne for the vibrant city life, sports scene and wadya know, perhaps a trip on Melbourne’s infamous public transport system *cough* Lynne Kosky out! *cough*

I can only speculate, but I daresay Melbourne was beaten by our lesser cousin due to Sydney’s more international profile. In fact, when asked what the capital of Australia is many people around the world mention ‘Sydney’. Sydney is also the first city most non-Australians think of, and Sydney is also the only city most non-Australians know of. Of course, Aussies know that our capital Canberra is halfway between Sydney and Melbourne so the conflict and dispute would stop. Which also explains why the Australian Capital Territory (where Canberra resides) exists so it would not belong to either New South Wales or Victoria. Ha! That’s a bit of history there. Read more

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Located in Waterfront City, Docklands and measuring 11m long, the stunning mosaic mural is a tribute to the greatest Australian entertainers. Created by renowned mosaic artist David Jack and based on an original artwork by Jamie Cooper, the mural captures each of the 100 entertainers in their hey day in a unique tribute.

In fact, the mural is soooooo long, I had to take several steps back just to catch the entire mural in its entirety. Here’s how it looks in its full glory.

Since no one else attempted to answer it, full points to decryption for answering half the question. Good job!

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So, are you for or against the shopping bag levy? Started yesterday, major supermarkets in Warrnambool, Wangaratta, Fountain Gate and Narre Warren started charging 10 cents per shopping bag. It is a month long trial to investigate its feasibility and to test consumer support. Is it possible to have negative consumer support and yet have a successful trial? Oh yes, don’t shop there!

Personally, I refuse to pay 10 cents for a shopping bag. Its a rip-off and its environment impact is really just 2% of all plastics produced in Australia (according to an analysis conducted in 2002). Ireland is the only other country in the world that charges a significant (around 27 euro cents?) levy on plastic bags but supermarkets provide paper bags as an alternative as well as reusable bags. So, where are the paper bags in Australian supermarkets?

I use my green bags, because I am concern about the environment, just not fanatical about it, but more because I refuse to pay an additional tax just for living.

Another levy, another name for tax.

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International students (from left) Seonah Kim, Lee Hee Jin, Lee Naree and Moustafa Ibrahim, outside Hawthorn-Melbourne College, are unhappy with the way they have been treated

I pity these kids. They, along with 194 other fellow students from various part of the world, have become victims of a university scandal. Actually, I’ll call it whatever I like. Myopic Australian University Bureaucracy. Let’s Keep Hush ‘Coz They Don’t Speak English Anyway. Let’s Fuck With These Kids ‘Coz If They’re Rich Enough To Study Here, They Are Rich Enough To Fly Home.

It’s not the first time International Students have been fucked in the ass blindside and not given a sympathy kleenex to clean up. Australian universities market their education really differently from most internationally-recognized institutions. There’s a great disparity in marketing tactics between North American and Australian universities. While an average North American college markets herself based on the strength of their education (with no hidden agendas), their antipodean neighbours come with sharpened knives with dollar signs in their eyes.

In Asia, where Australian universities have a huge presence, there’s an untapped minefield of cash cows just waiting to be milked. In Singapore alone, there are at least three ‘international studying’ fairs a year, and Australian universities take up 85% of the shelf space. The figures vary for different universities, but an average of 20% of an Australian university’s funding is kept afloat by ‘off-shore’ money.

Read more

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After riding into the city with a valid ticket this morning, I felt a little uncomfortable to be yet again confronted by the trench-coated Connex “heavies” standing over every turnstile to make sure we’re all doing the right thing.

I understand that Connex is losing money by the bus load every week to fare evasion, but I think it’s well time they took a moment to see why people aren’t buying tickets - the system is cramped, dirty, unreliable and overpriced.

Most of our train stations are unstaffed and the ticket pricing system doesn’t make sense. I don’t see why I should have to pay for a two hour ticket if I only want to travel two or three stops.

Time after time we see politicians and representatives from our public transport providers heading off on junkets to see how transport works better in other countries, but they never improve anything when they get back. Maybe it’s because these are people who don’t actually use the system.

I guess we’ll have to wait two years to see if the Myki system will change anything. Considering the time and money already wasted on this system, and the fact our government insists on pursuing it (hmm…can I smell dodgy deal or incompetence cover up?), I’ll try not to get too excited.

Our system is fixable, and in a way that would provide a better system for its users, and make more money for the providers. As money doesn’t seem to be an object for Connex, I can’t see why this problem can’t be resolved.

Charging the dwindling amount of people who actually pay for the system more, while providing an increasingly ineffective and unpleasant system is not the answer - quite the opposite, it’s why people give up and stop paying.

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Sun-tanning on warm sand. Listening to the waves crawl up the shore.

Port Melbourne / South Melbourne / St. Kilda / Brighton beach? Nope.

The Melbourne City Council is considering converting a stretch of the Yarra Bank (reportedly on the East-side of Swanston Street) into a temporary beach for an annual ‘Summer Party’ of sorts.

Really ambitious. But a tad bit congested, no?

ABC article: Plans for a city beach

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Hello again and welcome to another series of ‘Where Art Thou’. The picture above is part of a bigger piece of work. What is this piece of work and where is it? Fastest fingers wins!

Answers on Wednesday.

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Ghostbusting!

Here’s a funny one for all those who refuse to take public transport (admit it, you’re one of several millions in Melbourne who’ve swore allegiance to your car). I picked up this ghost buster brochure (right: series 6 of 10 Passenger Card) while travelling through the city last week and was laughing my head off just reading it.

In an attempt to ‘revive’ interest in tram transport, Yarra Trams has launched a Did You Know? series of competition where regular all you’ve to do is answer a simple question and a 16GB iPod Touch and a monthly metcard is potentially yours. But who cares about the freebies when the flipside of the brochure just makes your day?!

I like how we're talked down like we're stupid. So. Epic. Funny.

Keep a look out for other Passenger Cards out in the trams. I brought one home and pinned it on my wall ‘coz it really made my day. Kudos to the team who came up with it. Watch out fare evaders! :O

Check out the Yarra Trams website for more funny brochures and win some awesome prizes here.

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alextokai commented on my last post Melbourne, get to know your energy use:

“I have to point out that ‘Transport’ in the second graph would include shipping as well as private motorists so much of this may be commercial usage rather than residential. Then again, we can reduce that by change our consumer habits and buying locally.”

I was curious to learn more about energy use in transport - what types of transport use what, and how each contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.

Read more

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Cafe Andiamo - Great food and coffee. Pity the staff aren't.

Cafe Andiamo, along Degraves Lane, is one of the more popular coffee and meal spots in Melbourne. It’s a personal favourite of mine, having spent many cold winters and hot summers there with my fiancee and dog. It’s a warm, fuzzy relationship built up over four years. I love it.

Of course, I write this to warn people never to go there again. Unless barbed racial remarks done with unprofessional subtlety is what they are eager for.

Yesterday arvo, my fiancee, her sister and me made our way to Andiamo after running some errands. It was lunch time and naturally, packed to the rafters. We spotted an empty table lane side and sat down. Really, the three of us were in good spirits. Laughing, teasing, gesticulating madly while telling each other a story.

It became clear we weren’t going to be served quickly, so I made my way to the counter to grab some menus. I’m familiar with what they serve, but I felt like an All Day Brekky and wanted to know if they served it during lunch time (alas, they don’t serve it between 12-2pm).

We took several minutes to decide, and my fiancee’s sister decided to call for the staff’s attention. My back was facing the counter, so while mucking around with the girls I flapped the menus around like a lightsaber. Mostly to get the staff’s attention too, but also because I can.

A longtime staff (I won’t mention race, coz it’ll be really obvious) came over. I greeted him. His response?

“You don’t have to wave the menus as I gave you the menus so I’ll know when to come over. This is not Chinatown.” Read more

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