Digital Set-Top Boxes; A Defect.

The Australian government has once again initiated another soon-to-be bungled scheme: ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the set-top box saga.

Following the release of the annual government Budget last month, Julia Gillard and her army of poisoning pollies confirmed that over $300 million dollars of tax-payer money will be spent on the installation and connection of digital set top boxes for Australian pensioners.


However, the scheme is proving to be nothing but an enormous waste of time with a matter of ‘too much dollars, not enough sense’ in the eyes of the Australian media.

Government supplied set-top boxes are proving to be unreliable.

 Photo by avlxyz

Melbourne’s Herald Sun yesterday reported many Mildura residents were experiencing deficiencies and technical issues with their supplied set-top boxes, with a lengthy list of complaints including unwatchable television, thanks to dodgy reception signals, software malfunctions and equipment breakdowns.

ABC news also recently reported the details of the rollout, with communications minister Stephen Conroy backing the scheme.

“Someone will come and install it and also instruct them in how to use it," he said.

Well, Mr. Conroy, that may be good and jolly, but how can our pensioning parents and grandparents benefit from a crash course in operating the botchy boxes if the digital equipment doesn’t work in a serenely efficient and reliable manner?

From these recent reports of backlash and dissatisfaction, it is clear that the Australian government has succeeded in stupidity. Again.

Bells of previous government disasters (the highly criticised Home Insulation scheme, anyone?) should be ringing in the ears and eyes of our leaders.

The sheer cost of the installing component of the scheme is enough to make one scream. If the costs were to be broken down, the payouts alone to the sub-contracting companies who carry out installation, on top of the cost of the actual boxes, is a complete joke and an utter waste of time.

If the Gillard government wanted to aim for efficiency and long-term success, then surely the supply of digital televisions themselves would have been a better answer to our technological era, instead of the band-aid solution that is currently being rolled out.

While Wayne Swan explained to Channel Nine “We don't want to leave those pensioners in the dark,” It is unfortunately clear that they already have been left in the dark.

Regional Australia has once again been whacked in the face, being left in the dark as government guinea pigs, without a functioning telly to keep them warm and informed each night.

Pressure: Tim Matheison to wed PM?

Following a broad interview with The Herald Sun, Tim Mathieson has revealed that he would one day “like to ask her” – ask Australia’s first female, unmarried and childless prime minister for her hand in marriage.

Newspaper and media outlets yesterday displayed dozens of headlines emblazoned across bulletins that the self-declared “First Bloke” is considering popping the question to Australia’s most powerful and most respected ranga.

In a surprisingly juxtaposing response to the day’s tabloids, during an interview last night with ABC, The Age reported that Ms. Gillard had “no present plans” to don a white dress and take that elusive trip down the aisle.

Wedding bells? Julia Gillard and partner Tim Mathieson

Screen photo from The Herald Sun website

But for what is possibly one of our nation’s most gruelling political high times for the Labor party, is former hairdresser Tim Mathieson starting to feel the pressure of not having a certified and lawfully approved hard copy of the love that forms their romantic relationship?

“There is no rock on the finger, so I think everybody can say we’re a happy couple and that’s a good thing,”

While it’s clear Gillard wears the pants in parliament, Mathieson has certainly proved in recent times his worthiness and value in the often-publicised relationship.

If you consider all the political jargon that Ms. Gillard deals with on a daily basis, such as the disastrous My Schools website, the baulking issue of Asylum Seekers along with the hell that currently plagues our country’s detention centres, the Australian public’s disapproval of the carbon tax scheme, and in the week just passed, the scrutiny that has followed Labor’s 2011 Budget – it’d be a wonder if Julia didn’t bring baggage home to The Lodge each night.

While the media can only try to spy behind the closed doors of the Prime Minister’s house, it is certain that from the paparazzi snapped pictures from various political events – think the Royal Wedding, various gala dinners and charity fundraiser balls – Mathieson has, so far, outstood the pressures of a very public relationship.

However, it is possible to concede that if Tim is thinking –and talking – about marriage so openly, we must think about popping the other question out there: is the pressure of dating a politically powerful, middle-aged atheist woman starting to mount upon Mathieson?

Only time will tell if wedding bells are to ring for every Australian working women’s dream de-facto couple.

Dancing With The Stars: Not So Dazzling At 11

Photo grab from Dancing With The Stars website.

Sunday night’s premiere of Dancing With The Stars debuted with a big bang – with Brynne Edelsten running the show of superficial sausages.

With a new host, a new judge and a new set of silly c-grade celebrities, season eleven of Channel Seven’s popular reality show has unfortunately, already proved to be the current rating season’s token winner.

Mediaspy.com reported a national audience of over 1.5 million. But of those 1.5 million watchers, I wonder who still takes the show’s entertainment values seriously?

As soon as Melbourne socialite Brynne Edelston stepped up on stage, the show’s monopoly value took a bittersweet spin, for the better. With her bouncy blonde hair, big bosoms and 67-year-old husband in tow, judges labeled her routine as a “bedazzled sack of potatoes”.

Now, while a little bit of constructive criticism isn’t bad, ratings or not, the catty comment made by new judge Josh Horner, I think, certainly supports her stance as an accepted airhead.

I mean, who is Brynne Edelston? What has she done to allow the media to validate her as a celebrity? (Well, enough of a celebrity to get an invitation to shimmy her derrière on Dancing With The Stars?)

Marrying Medical entrepreneur and overall old man Geoffrey Edelston was a good start, sure. So was rocking up to 2009’s Brownlow Medal wearing nothing but a sheer, long lined shirt and protruding push-up bra doused with silver diamanté’s. But, apart from that, there really isn’t much else, besides being a tabloid trend for marrying a man 40 years her senior.

The Herald Sun reported that during Sunday night’s telecast, dimwitted Green Room interviewer, Sonia Kruger, regretted the comedic comment that implied the marriage was akin to a father-daughter relationship.

Regretted the comment that set social networking site Twitter into overdrive with a flurry of outraged hash tags in Edelsten’s defence.

Regretted what most of Melbourne – and Australia – was thinking.

“Good to see you have a good relationship with your dad,” she quipped.

Stupid Sonia spoke accidental words – and ratings – of gold.

The “bedazzled sack of potatoes” has finally been dished up what she deserves; a slap on the wrist for being a gold digging, media mole with no real accreditation or known work ethic, and a newly provided vote of sympathy from online Tweeters, who, put simply, cannot see that Seven’s primetime hit is now a waste of broadcasted space and an embarrassment to what was previously, quality Sunday night television.

Is Pippa Middleton Basking In The Calm Before Her Own Storm?

Photo by www.chicagofabulousblog.com

While the world drooled over the aptly named “Her Royal Hotness” during last Friday night’s billion-watched royal wedding of the century, it’s clear that Pippa Middleton is in a class of her own – a class that subtly has the power to turn heads.

The self-created socialite and top town party planner, Middleton positively beamed as she carried Sister Kate’s train down the conservative aisles of Westminister Abbey in London last week. There are no doubts that this youthful 27-year-old woman looked every bit the babe in that sexy, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen designed, finely fitted frock. But while she subtly swanned behind the silhouette of her Duchess-to-be sister, it was clear that Miss Middleton almost stole the show away from her own sister’s royal wedding to Prince William Windsor.

Graceful, courteous and subtly demure, Middleton eluded that new world, understated chic-ness as she smiled and waved with the child bridesmaids. Aside from that might-cream-my-jeans dress, the lightheartedness and playful smiles that wafted from the Royals Royce car alone clearly had media, men –and women – in almost every nation, of almost every continent, ticking another box on the admiralty list of lust.

Australian online news sites, along with The Daily Mail this week described the mini Middleton as “a party girl at heart,” who “likes to have fun.” Well, high diddly-do, don’t we all? But the British tabloid also noted Her Royal Hotness’s ranking as Tatler Magazine’s number one ‘Society Singleton’ of 2008, knocking off famous screen sirens, singers and even the Royal family’s Princess Beatrice – ouch. Along with the not-so secret snickers about that hat, I wonder if the Royal Wedding’s reception contained any awkward greetings and subtle snobby put downs behind the glasses of champagne?

Of course not! This is Pippa Middleton were talking about, the girl that every woman craves to be – gorgeous, wealthy, polite and smokin’ hot - The girl that has her own ‘Ass appreciation society’ page on Facebook, and has her own trending hashtag floating around in the online Twitterverse.

Despite recent rumors and paparazzi snapped pics suggesting Ms. Middleton is engaged to London stockbroker Alex Loudon, I have no doubts that Pippa Middleton will, in the coming months, manage to rocket herself into more trash-bag mag lists and ultimately, carve herself into an empire bigger than the one her sister has married into.

Excessive Word Focus: Lord Mayor Loves Community

On Thursday, April 16, I attended and documented the historic launch of digital community radio, at Melbourne's Federation Square. 

As apart of a University assignment, I interviewed a handful of people from various community radio stations. I was fortunate enough to snub a few minutes with Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle, who was a guest speaker at the event and initiated the official 'switch on'. 

After playing back my gathered audio,  I noticed a reoccurring trend during my interview with LM Doyle - he seemed to be quite fond of the word 'community'.

In the space of 1:10, I counted 14 times! Take a listen of my (original, unedited) interview below for yourself, and see how many times you notice 'community' being used....

Community Community Community Community Community Community Community Community Community Community Community Community Community Community