Peter Johns

Possibly wrongly assuming from this little encounter that drivers (and tram design) don’t encourage communication with hoi polloi. Got a question? Go online. I still miss tram conductors, and the tourists like them too.

Elderly tourist runs (sort of) up to a tram. Tries to ask the driver a question through the thick glass of a modern Melbourne tram. Makes the universal but dated hand signals for “wind your window” down”. Driver returns with the sign for “go away” - right hand flicking to the right.

Woolworths Carlton.

To the tired looking human on checkout, “why are there no other human checkouts open.”

“We’re prioritising self-checkout.”

Euphemism for mass suicide or mass layoff?

YouTube video by SPianista Tom Waits - Tom Traubert's Blues (Live 2025)

Ahh. Tom Waits, 2025.

Next audiobook sorted.

I started my DM on Sunday I think, got no where with a bot, who/that disappeared. Went back a day or so later and said “hello?” and got a real human (I had to ask). Will let you know how it ends up.

Ended up getting through to someone at GWW on Facebook DM, who said the bill was incorrect and not to pay it, that they’ll get back to me within a… month.

Greater Western Water Billing Issues Greater Western Water has moved to a new billing system. Due to technical issues, some customers had not received their bills on time. Some customers are…

This this too, with 15 day turnaround. Think gww too busy responding to these to deal directly with the plebs. www.ewov.com.au/news/greater...

I was using bpay view, tried to register on their site but it refused. Just spent 2 hours building the missing bill myself from meter readings . Including parks and sewerage etc they’ve overcharged ~$701, which is about equal to the last 3 paid bills.. system broken.

I just got one at 1am Saturday from GWW for $1450 for 9 months. Normally $225 per quarter. No breakdown except for last quarter, just said “outstanding amount” for the rest of it. Dodgy. Will take to essential services commission.

I didn’t realise how little I’d been missing Mr Pyne.

At the checkout. “Would you like any cash out with that.”
“Sure, $50 please.”
10 seconds later.
“Where’s the $50?”
“Huh?”
“The cash you asked me if I wanted.”
“Oh do you want to take some cash out?”

Our research shows there are many ways to protect Tas jobs, but science tells us there is only one way to protect the Maugean skate.

Join 9000+ people calling on the Environment Minister to end salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour.

✍️ theaus.in/save_the_skate #auspol #taspol

YouTube video by LAFD LAFD: "Design For Disaster" - The Story of the Bel Air Conflagration | 1962

Short film about the LA fires of ‘61. Learnt more from this than 24/7 coverage of current fires. youtu.be/UxnC1WW95XE?...

Sanctuary In July 1980, a group of Salvadoran migrants crossed the border between Mexico and Arizona. They walked over a remote mountain range and halfway across a wide desert valley in the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. There were more than two dozen of them—people who had left behind lives and jobs to come to the United States. Note: This episode originally aired as two episodes in 2017.

A deadly desert crossing. A pastor’s radical stand. The sanctuary movement reshaped faith, resistance, and immigration in America. Listen now.

Pretty sure I belonged to my mum at conception.

Wikipedia’s article du jour. Just needs a P.

Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture – The White House January 20, 2025 MEMORANDUM FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE GENERAL SERVICES    ADMINISTRATION SUBJECT:

Noticed amongst today's many horrors. "Federal public buildings should be visually identifiable as civic buildings and respect regional, traditional, and classical architectural heritage in order to uplift and beautify public spaces and ennoble the United States."

The architecturally significant houses destroyed in L.A.'s fires Historic landmarks by the likes of Myron Hunt and Elmer Grey and a noted Midcentury retreat by architect Ray Kappe have been lost. Here's our residential architecture list, to be updated regularly.

Utterly depressing. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

2 hours ago Melbourne had thunder, lightning, 25mm rain in 30 mins, flash flooding, power outages. The Age was straight onto it, but next to nothing from ABC and Guardian news apps. Reporters napping or in Sydney?

Clever marketing leading people to need what they didn’t previously like. Back to the Future’s Hilux, Jurassic Park’s Jeep Wranglers…