@timrichards@aus.social
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timrichards

@timrichards@aus.social

Travel writer living and working on Wurundjeri land in Melbourne, Australia. Rail travel expert, current books on sale include Heading South and Ultimate Train Journeys: World. See my published writing at iwriter.com.au.

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timrichards, to random
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Intriguing. | Orcas have sunk another vessel off the European coast. Why won't they stop ramming boats? - ABC News
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-14/why-orcas-are-ramming-boats-and-sometimes-sinking-them/103843932

timrichards, to comicbooks
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

I'd forgotten about this. Probably for the best.

Superman: Why DC Gave the Man of Steel a Mullet

https://www.cbr.com/why-superman-had-a-mullet/

ComicContext, to random
@ComicContext@mstdn.social avatar

timrichards,
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

@ComicContext That shoulder-length hair needs answers

timrichards,
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@dtgeek @ComicContext Was Clark Kent wandering around with that hair too? Bit of a giveaway. Perhaps he had a classy ponytail.

timrichards, to random
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Ugh, mass plagiarism aided by AI. What a wonderful tool it is.

Lawyer linked to 'parasitic' AI content network identified https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-14/australian-ai-content-network-lawyer-identified/103833258

kentparkstreet1, to random
@kentparkstreet1@mastodon.online avatar

I wonder if cafe owners have considered that making their cafes more pleasant places to be may attract more customers?

Music too loud, staff too cool, furniture uncomfortable, taking ages to make a coffee then hustling you to leave the moment you’ve finished it, coffee on my balcony is better.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-14/cost-of-living-coffee-costs-cafes-instant-sales-rising/103824058

timrichards,
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

@kentparkstreet1 In winter I find most of them unusable - doors wide open, no heating. They could do with a dose of cosiness.

timrichards, to Trains
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

New at my Patreon... Are there any rules which could apply to all sleeper trains? I detail a few, using examples of trains from around the world:

Rules of the sleeper train https://www.patreon.com/posts/rules-of-sleeper-103526292

timrichards, to random
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

There's a remake idea that has red flags flying everywhere 🚩 🚩 🚩 https://flipboard.com/@indiewire/indiewire-746h1epez/-/a-HgEiIvm8TyO1s2RX0LffWw%3Aa%3A1805834852-%2F0

timrichards, to random
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Christ, imagine feeling nostalgic for the Trump presidency. Those four years were the worst, and I don’t even live in the USA! https://flipboard.com/@axiosnews/stories-by-mike-allen-s53fkjd8z/-/a-0TXdLUCASym-3BijsmSeIg%3Aa%3A2150299410-%2F0

timrichards, to random
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Interesting piece from a writer of Taiwanese heritage - arguing that economic modernisation came so quickly to many Asian countries that social attitudes to marriage and children lagged behind. Hence the current low birth rates.
https://flipboard.social/@CultureDesk/112436025739322434

timrichards, to food
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Something I've noticed about restaurants in this cost of living crisis... if it's an existing restaurant, it'll put up prices but feel the need to have some continuity with their previous prices.

If it's a new restaurant replacing an old one, they just jump straight to high prices, the $35 bowls of pasta etc. And I never pass through their doors.

timrichards,
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

@milennialzero Yes it's strange. Even cafes have become relatively expensive. My rule of thumb for eating out now is no main over $25. Those pubs charging $32 for a chicken parma are dreamin'.

timrichards,
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@vandenberglegs Yep I've gone that direction with a lot of cafes - coffee, no food. I'm not paying $20 for a sandwich!

timrichards, to auspol
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Surely a Labor government should be embarrassed by delivering a surplus, when that money could've been spent on raising unemployment benefits or on building state housing.

Budget 2024: Jim Chalmers lands the surplus double

(maybe paywalled) https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/9-3-billion-chalmers-lands-the-surplus-double-in-third-budget-20240513-p5jd6e.html

timrichards,
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@imalcolm I'm amazed that the whole surplus fetish is still happening. I thought we'd got past that. The state governments have shown that debt on public works can be good.

timrichards,
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

@evolvable I wonder if raising employment benefits would really fuel inflation. I mean, all that money would be spent, but I doubt it would be on anything that's in short supply.

timrichards, to random
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Disturbing, noticed across theatre and live music too. I wonder if the pandemic shifted many people's entertainment habits to online stuff they can do from home.

Opera Australia posts $4.9m loss, as shift to musicals draws audiences

(maybe paywalled) https://www.smh.com.au/culture/opera/opera-australia-posts-4-9m-loss-as-shift-to-musicals-draws-audiences-20240513-p5jd3w.html

timrichards,
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@ajsadauskas That is true, and theatre ticket prices are high. A pity though, the performing arts is so important and valuable.

timrichards,
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

@MarkAsser True, that has to be a factor.

timrichards,
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@PatrickoftheG I can see that, I like my movies at home too; but being part of an audience is special, experiencing art together. The cost of tickets is definitely an issue, sure.

timrichards,
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@PatrickoftheG Ha true but I think you're going to the wrong theatre. :) You need one of those classy arthouse places.

timrichards,
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@PatrickoftheG It may partly be because I work from home, that I really value getting out among other people on a regular basis. Otherwise I get stir crazy.

neonbubble, to random
@neonbubble@mstdn.social avatar

Currently on a ship somewhere in the North Sea in the nightclub listening to what might possibly be some of the worst music our ears have been abused by. Flo-Rida and Soulja Boy were just the last two according to my phone. The only three people dancing are a white mum, dad, and daughter, all in similar t-shirts and him in khaki shorts - it's formal night, by the way - and the mother is trying to out-youth her daughter with her moves. It's both admirable and excruciating.

timrichards,
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

@neonbubble Thoughts and prayers

thisismyglasgow, to glasgow
@thisismyglasgow@mastodon.scot avatar

Another of Glasgow's Edward VIII pillar boxes. This one is on Crown Terrace in the West End. Twenty six such boxes were installed in the city during the 326 days Edward VIII was on the throne, which one source claims was more than anywhere else, but I'm not convinced this is actually correct. As far as I can track down, six of these 26 remain in place today.

timrichards,
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

@thisismyglasgow @RaySF Very cool. The only Edward VIII relic I've seen here in Melbourne is this plaque in Moonee Ponds: https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/government/imperial/display/32680-accession-of-king-edward-viii

simonvarwell, to random Esperanto
@simonvarwell@mastodon.scot avatar

I often dwell on how generations heading into middle age are in weird in-between times: while older generations’ experiences were mostly not digitised and today’s young folk are over-digitised, only some of my generation’s past is digitised. That leaves us in an existence where life is patchily recalled.

I’d never imagined there being equality dimensions to this, however. A fascinating article.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/may/13/tv-episode-black-britain-gay-history

timrichards,
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

@simonvarwell Interesting read. There must be so much valuable TV content - especially docos - languishing offline.

erkpod, to random
@erkpod@aus.social avatar

For a simple lift such as at a railway station that only has 2 floors, I suggested a single button marked GO. It's simpler than expecting people to know what button to press.

I have seen this in action at Perth Underground station. https://aus.social/@jessta/112433585648157837

timrichards,
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

@bgrinter @erkpod @jessta "Please enjoy your day on this planet."

lauren, to random
@lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org avatar

BREAKING: It appears that AT&T's attempt to end landlines in California will be rejected!

The administrative law judge issued a scathing preliminary decision which is likely to be followed when the CPUC meets to vote in June. He ruled that the application should be dismissed with prejudice. More details as I understand them. A decision was previously expected in September, so this came down very fast.

Here is an article:

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/05/california-rebuffs-att-says-it-must-
keep-offering-landline-phone-service/

Here is the CPUC judge's decision PDF:

https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M531/K085/531085885.PDF

timrichards,
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

@lauren That first link seems broken

timrichards,
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

@lauren Seems to be a line break before the end of the URL. Is taking me to a higher level of the site, but not the article.

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