1.00 AUSTRALIA DOLLAR = 0.982478 SINGAPORE DOLLAR

1.00 AUSTRALIA DOLLAR = 0.665134 U.S DOLLAR

I’m old enough to remember the last time the Australian dollar was on par with the Singapore dollar (before GST was introduced in Australia), but I must too old now as my memory fails me when I try to think the last time the Australian dollar was this low.

Just two months ago I was persuading my family and friends to purchase U.S dollars as the universally accepted greenback is recognised everywhere. Those were the days when 1 Australian dollar could get you over 0.96 American dollar. What a deal.

Fast forward to today, and an email from my brother in Singapore indicates that all Singapore banks and money changers are suspending the sale of Australian money. What an awesome display of demand outstripping demand. Incredible.

Let’s hope this mini financial crisis rears its pretty head soon.

Exchange rate from xe.com

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Most bicycles stolen in Victoria have been left unlocked. Half of bicycles stolen from the owner’s home, because most people don’t lock their bicycles at home. When a bicycle is stolen it is usually very difficult to recover.

Your best chances of keeping your bicycle is to lock it whenever you have to leave it, even if its only to duck into the shops, and most definitely when its at home or work.

In this post I’ll talk about:

1. How to lock it?
2. Where to lock it?
3. How tempting is your bike to thieves?
4. How identifiable is your bike?
5. Insuring your bike
Read more

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Adrock’s last post reminded me of this snapshot I took not too long back.

Existential dispair (sic)

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www.dreamfestival.com.au

Hey fellow Melbournians,

Sick of having to switch on the television or open a newspaper to be advertised to? Well, this just in from a friend, “the Yarra River, our Princes Bridge, Birrarung Marr and that entire precinct of our city will be sold over to the National Australia Bank for FOUR DAYS to run a PR campaign”!

Apparently this National Australia Bank advertising campaign will feature art installments “depicting the dreams of Australians”.

Wow!

I know what one of my dreams is - nationalise the National Australia Bank, and re-regulate the country’s financial system! Wha… no? That particular installments not in there…? Oh. Ok.

How about something reflecting some of the dreams of Melbournian graffiti artists; to be able to walk down the street without being harrassed by police and fined for posession of spray paint. To have the same kind of access to public spaces that the National Australia Bank has, by being able to print your message up for all to see! That way, EVERY day can be a Dream Festival!

Oh… that’s not in there either?

Gee.

Well, get on down if you really haven’t seen enough ads this weekend. And please, go on to their website to see a mighty piece of prose called “Ideas. Dreams. Aspirations.” signed by John Stewart and Ahmed Fahour - the “Group Chief Executive Officer” and “CEO” of NAB, respectively - i know i’m dying to know what these intellectual and cultural giants have to say! I wonder what it’s like to get so much of the monetary reward from other people’s efforts? I hope they write some memoirs for us! Oh yeah, you better believe it. What a time to be a Melbournian!

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The weather’s a lot nicer these days (though it still warrants a light jumper), so if you happen to be around the Sidney Myer Music Bowl this late morning or arvo, check out some local and distinctive Singaporean fare at Singapore Day 2008. Note the choice words of Singaporean, not Asian. Asian food is so varied and colourful, calling it ‘Asian food’ like most Asian food stalls do is just another nail into an Australian’s stereotyped penchance for ‘fried rice beef with black bean sauce’ when they think Asian food.

But I digress.

With the inaugural Singapore Day in New York City a runaway success last year, organisers have brought Singapore Day into our antipodean shores. Although registration is required, there should be no reason why you can just waltz up into the grounds as entry is free.

Oh btw, Singapore Noodles DO NOT EXIST. That’s a bastardised version of our famous Prawn Noodles and Hokkien Mee. I’ll be making my way to the grounds soon, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a ‘Singapore Noodle’ stall existed. Or some ignorant foreigner walking around asking for a Singapore Noodle stall.

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This Sunday, Melbourne’s first Bike Polo Tournament will be held at Carlton (next to the Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton Gardens, Corner Rathdowne St and Queensbury St) from 12 noon.

If you’d like to enter, teams of three is $15, and individuals can enter for $5 (to be placed into a team). To register send an email to melbourne.bicycle.polo.club [at] gmail.com.

Spectators entry is free (of course), so even if you’re not up for a game its sure to be entertaining to watch.

For more details see the official site and there are some photos here.

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…nah I’m just kidding. I wouldn’t want that happening to anyone, taxi robber or not.

With taxi fare evasion running rampant across the metro area of Melbourne, the Victorian Government has made prepaid fares mandatory for all taxi trips between 10 pm and 5 am across Victoria from 1 October 2008. Finally, a good step is taken towards protecting the interest of the taxi driver and taxi operator.

I don’t take taxis all that often, and definitely less so in the nights ‘coz I’m usually at home by 10pm. Has anyone tried taking taxis last night and if so, what do you think of the new regulation?

Image taken off 4cabbies.com.au

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Lord Mayor John So has announced that he will be ‘passing the baton’ and not contest for a third term in office. He is already the longest-running Melburnian Lord Mayor to date, and possibly one of the few Lord Mayors in the world who has attained cult status.

He is also best known for his odd, accented English and walking to meetings - one will often find the Lord Mayor brisk-walking across the CBD to a meeting. (On a sidenote: Why not you tell us about your experiences bumping into The Man?)

Candidates for the position have already been lining up… But no one else seem to be as interesting as to be able to equal the line ‘John So is my Bro’.

Links:
ABC News - Melbourne Mayor Steps Down: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/01/2379026.htm
Wikipedia - John So: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_So

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A common misconception about cycling is that it’s dangerous. Well, getting on a bike may expose you to some danger, but so does doing anything. Bicycle Victoria has an article comparing cycling to other activities and the likelihood of injury to put it into perspective. It also talks about the dangers of “not cycling” if you have a sedentry lifestyle. What about the danger of not having the fun of cycling in your day? You might explode. That’s dangerous. But seriously, the benefits far outweight the risks, and the more cyclists there are out there, the safer it is.

Cycling in a safe way (no, not the supermarket) will ensure that any risks you take getting around on two wheels are dramatically reduced, and this blog entry aims to cover the ways to do this.
Read more

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the premiers, hawthorn hawks.

a bleak day for all geelong fans. the hawks deserved it though, considering how geelong were unable to capitalise on their chances.

overall, a win for the afl. a far far more exciting game than last year’s grand final. but to be fair, it is hard to beat last year’s lopsidedness.

one for the history books :
HAWTHORN 5.2 8.3 14.5 18.7 (115)
GEELONG 5.3 6.12 9.18 11.23 (89)

image from theage

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To do all those things you wanted to do without having to deal with crowds. Go shopping, visit the library, or even bargain for that house (because no one is there to counter bid your offer) or even enjoy a day outing at the Royal Melbourne Show. Everyone else will be stuck in front of the television somewhere watching the AFL final.

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My worst fears have come true: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/18/2367847.htm

Is it not just the least bit terrifying how accidents like these are just waiting to happen?

And hearing people getting “car-doored” is a once-a-month thing here. My friend was the latest victim - he found the door of a pickup smack in front of him one second before he ran into it, flipped over the door, and landed on the asphalt of the tram tracks. The driver of the pickup was apologetic, but I don’t think he is entirely to blame - the roads ought to be better managed in the first place.

Maybe cyclists should be protesting nude outside Flinders Street Station next.

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…when she’s always experimented with fierce, kooky designs and colours? Or does the fashion industry just pay homage to the safe and commercial look?

Above from left: 1st Runner-up Leigh Buchanan, 2nd Runner-up Petrova Hammond, Host Kristy Hinze and Winner Juli Grbac. Inset Winning designs from Juli Grbac. Image from Brisbane Times

Wait don’t answer that, ‘coz the first winner of Project Runway Australia, Queenslander Julie Grbac played it safe the entire season and won the competition based on the strength of her beautiful but nothing ‘out of the box’ women’s wear.

Monday night’s season finale left a bitter taste in my mouth. Granted, Melbourne representative Petrova was voted out earlier in the show and threw a high dice roll to return to the show. Fate smiled on her and I thought it was down to Petrova or the very stylish Lui Hon (who I thought brought minimalistic style to a whole new level) to win the competition. Had the judges any sense of what a reality fashion show-cum-competition is, our cute-enough-to-eat Petrova should have won by a mile. Why give these designers a chance to show off what they can really do i.e avant-garde, risky and leftfield when all you’re really doing is finding the safest choice?

But kudos to the three finalists. I was an avid (even rabid) fan of the show and did not dispute the credibility of the final three. After putting all the ‘passion in your fashion’, multiple plot twists and ridiculous deadlines, you’d have to applaud them for getting that far.

Petrova Hammond’s boutique Lady is located at Shop 3, 237 Flinders Lane Melbourne 3000. Drop in to say hi, congratulate or even tell her what you really thought of Mark Antonio’s hairdo. Or visit the MySpace website here.

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I have been trying to follow the stories about the gas leaks out of the closed landfill in Cranbourne. And the more I read, the more confused and perplexed I am about the entire situation. I mean, this is what I have gathered, so far,
1. The Council of Casey as well as the EPA opposed the building of houses too closed to the closed landfill. The developer Peet wanted land as close as 200m from the landfill to be subdivided for development. So, the Casey Council rejected the development plan.
2. The developer, Peet, appealed to VCAT and they were successful in having that decision overturned, with certain conditions attached (whatever they were, we don’t know).
3. So, now, there are houses built as close as 50 metres from the landfill, in the area known as the Brookland Greens Estate.
4. Methane gas has been leaking from the site for quite some time now. It is only in recent days that the situation had become quite bad.
5. So, the EPA has stepped in, and not quite ordered ( but encouraged) people to move out of their homes, and had installed monitors in homes.
6. Some residents had moved but some are staying put. The State Government are providing $8500 per household towards relocating the residents. Residents do not have to pay council rates up to a year.
7. Class action being considered by some residents, using the law firm, Slater & Gordon.

Like everyone living in Melbourne, we all want to know who is in charge of this whole mess. At the moment, nobody, because nobody wants to be blamed. Not the council, not the developer, not the EPA, and of course, not the residents.

I just have one hypothetical question: In the event of a fire, say, started in a house or on the street, accidentally, and the entire estate is almost destroyed, due in part, to the leaking methane. Will the insurance companies covering the house and content of all the households pay up? Surely, the insurance companies, are the best people, to find whom is to blame?

News Links
The Age “Questions over checks on gas leak estate”
Herald Sun’s “Cash help worth $8500 …”
Herald Sun’s “Probe into methane …”

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