Abolish the states

I didn't expect this one to become a campaign issue, but the idea definitely has some merit... One result would be that our hospitals would get the federal attention they deserve, and the Greens definitely have a point about the multiple governments involved in managing the Murray-Darling catchment.

How Telstra holds up the TV revolution

"The world is rushing towards using the internet to deliver TV channels to viewers in their lounge rooms - all except, that is, for Australia.

That's because Australia does not actually have broadband. We call it broadband, and a million people have bought it, but it's a bit like calling a bicycle a Harley-Davidson."

Our broadband shame

"There are 30 million internet users among South Korea's 49 million people, and 23 broadband connections per 100 people (the US has eight and Australia just four)."

Voice avoiders

Interesting exercise. Have you ever added up all the Voicemail diversion and retrieval charges on your mobile phone bill? I've decided to switch over to Optus SurePage (85c/message) instead of VoiceMail for a while. It'll be interesting to see how it affects my answer/ignore behaviour and the overall cost of my monthly phone bill.

Major bomb blast at Australian Embassy in Jakarta

Family members present and accounted for. My stepfather was just up the street when it happened, about to return to the Embassy from a meeting.


Apparently none of the Australian staff were killed, but several of the Embassy's security and gardening staff were. Embassy operations will probably downgrade to critical staff only for a while. No idea at this stage whether it's linked to the upcoming Federal Election. Will post more inside news as it comes to hand.

New look, old name

I've decided to reinvoke the name startup.blog for the weblog.


Two reasons: (1) it's much sexier than just using the URL name javaboy.blogspot.com, and (2) the work that I'm involved with at the moment has a definitely Microsoft .Net slant to it, so I'm going to downplay the whole java thing a bit. That being said, the URL http://javaboy.blogspot.com stays. Javaboy was the nickname I was given when working on my first Intranet project in 1996 and it's going to stay.


I've also switched to a standard blogger template. This should increase the usability of the site, and also make it significantly easier for me to maintain.

Hail and snow on the streets of Sydney!

No need to regret not making it to the snowfields anymore this year. This afternoon Sydney was hit with enough hail, that people were snowboarding on the hills next to Bondi Beach!

Class crimes writ large in a prison of privilege

As a proud Scotch College alumnus (I went to Scotch for six months on scholarship in 1989 before moving to the Northern Territory with my family), I bring you crime writer Shane Maloney's take on the purpose and achievements of my alma mater, a "machine for the transmission of inherited privilege."

Cheapskate's guide to Sydney

"Sure, real estate is a cruel dream for many, but there are plenty of ways of keeping yourself entertained out of the house for next to nothing.

Sydney is supposed to be one of the most expensive cities in the world, up there with the likes of London, Paris and New York, but here you can catch a movie for less than $10 any day of the week, see Hollywood stars onstage for a little more than $20 and listen to top-class music, on the world's most beautiful harbour, free."

[ADH editorial will return soon]

John Seybolt announced as Dean of Melbourne Business School

A replacement for Rizzo has finally been found. MBS announced on Monday that the new Dean will be Professor John Seybolt, who is currently Senior Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Alliances and a distinguished professor of management for Thunderbird, the The Garvin School of International Management. John Seybolt has an undegraduate degree from Yale, MBA from Utah, and PhD from Cornell.