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What I did for the Holidays – or – The Worlds Smallest Bonsai.

By Tom Koltai

Holidays are over (for most of us). It’s back to work, for those fortunate enough to still have a job.   So just what did you do, during your holidays? Did you vegge on the beach and acquire some beauty, future skin cancer growths? Or did you, (like some friends of ours) attend a yoga [...]

The Future of Global Commerce appears to lie in a Virtual World.

By Tom Koltai

When I was a little boy, growing up, my mother attempted to instill into me some manners.   For example, on the subject of visiting I learnt never to arrive somewhere [a private house] without a gift for the matriarch of the household.   Regular readers would be aware that I enjoy growing Bonsai or [...]

The Argument AGAINST Intellectual Property as an Industry.

By Tom Koltai

From the “The Biggest Trump Card Ever” Department. I like growing Bonsai plants, I like buying bonsai plants and I love visiting Bonsai nurseries to view other peoples representations of miniature trees.   I prefer to visit those nurseries that are grouped. In other words, to obtain the maximum viewing perspective bang for my buck, [...]

The Australian Pirate Party Cranks into Second Gear.

By Tom Koltai

I like watching things grow. My Bonsai plants are the ultimate home nurserypersons test of patience, skill and attention to detail. Bonsai plants are akin to swing voters, let the roots dry out once, and they die, soil too acidic, they wither, soil too alkaline, they wilt. Not enough fertilizer? They turn yellow and drop [...]

The Real Value of News is Zero.

By Tom Koltai

I was reading an article today and it struck one of my chords. You know the one deep down that makes you sit up say, “Hey, that's right.”   The article talked about the negligible value of news as a “pay now to read” item.   Think about it. Apart from the rubbernecking value – [...]

The Dangers of Copyrighting Fruit.

By Tom Koltai

Its winter in Australia. Supposedly the coldest time of the year. Yet my Serrissa Foetida’s (tree of a thousand stars) are all in full bloom. Can’t be much of a winter if my Bonsai are all convinced that it’s already spring. So if it’s still winter, and it’s already this warm, will there be a [...]

Round Two, Murdoch –v- Google

By Tom Koltai

Maps have always been important.Since the era of the great adventurer explorers, Vasco de Gama, Captain James Cook, the map was the crews only link to home.The maps were the basis of explaining to the royalty what new discoveries had been made.The maps became the expansion of the empire. Google made a decision last week [...]

The Laptop is Dead

By Tom Koltai

Since 1973 (when I sent my first CQ CQ CQ on Father Allardyce’s ham radio at St Patricks College in Silverstream, NZ) I have officially been a geek.   This was compounded during my University days in New Zealand, Australia and Hungary where I joined every radio club available.   In Hungary radio clubs were [...]