New Year, Same Old Problems Issues

Aren't CityRail good sports? First day back at work for most people (though not for me - this little trooper worked through) and they announce a fare increase, along with the news that train crowding - or crush loading, a wonderfully apt term - is only going to get worse and there's nothing they can do about it. The Tokyo subway system carries 13 million people a day. CityRail can barely cope with one.

Some are speculating whether Jett Travolta's life was put at risk through the Scientology beliefs of his parents, causing them to refuse treatment. I rather think the greatest danger for the children of celebrities is being in the Bahamas.

There's been a mixed reaction to the mobile phone ban being implemented in some Sydney shops. Most people interviewed on TV last night were in favour, but one tradesman-type said "When your phone rings, you have to answer it, that's why you have a phone." Does he take the same attitude to public masturbation, I wonder? If so I wouldn't want to be sitting next to him on a bus.

Ann Coulter has nominated Sarah Palin as 2008 Conservative of the Year. I wonder if Coulter is being that funny on purpose? It's hard to believe anyone takes either woman seriously.

Have you noticed, no one reads anything before signing it anymore?. I recently returned a piece of equipment for repair. The guy at the shop printed off a repair docket and handed it to me. I flicked my eyes over it and he's said "See? just sign there".
No, I don't sign anything unless I read it or someone gives me the gist of it! For all I knew, I was agreeing to be a surrogate mother for his girlfriend's children (so her pole dancing career didn't have to be interrupted).

John Howard will next week receive the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom for "[B]ring[ing] hope and freedom to people around the globe." He did? Oh well, thus inspired, I'm going to nominate Ehud Barak and Mahmud Zahar for the Nobel Peace Prize, then I'm going to audition for Australia's Next Top Model.