I first met Leon Kane Maquire in 2009 when I was asked to write a commercialization strategy for the Australian Centre of Research Excellence for Electromaterials (ACES). When I start work on a project that requires strategy I normally start with the people, and ask them to tell me why they are doing what they [...]
A few months ago I blogged about the cost of entertainment and how even a weekend surf at the beach was likely to cost car parking fees, barbeque facilities use fees and of course, GST on the ice, petrol, esky contents, (surf) board wax and zinc cream. In other words it’s hard for the [...]
(Something a little different to amaze and amuse.) We are familiar with the term the tyranny of distance. Although these days, it applies mainly to the long walk from the deplaning area to the customs and immigration counters and the queues awaiting. In 1874, Jules Verne wrote a play, Eighty Days Around the [...]
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 [...]
N.B.: It has been strongly suggested to me that many of the conclusions drawn by the following article are incorrect. Specifically http://blog.icann.org/2007/11/there-are-not-13-root-servers/ My knowledge of these subjrcts is somewhat aged and possibly incorrect. Readers should draw their own conclusions. I would add: http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/internet/printfriendly.htm?AT=61964200-39001260c The key to the U.S. government's influence is a master list of [...]
Translation Inventors are important. Without inventors, we would not know what time of the day it was. (Apart from Paul Hogan.) Visionaries are important too, without visionary explorers like Vasco de Gama and Captain James Cook, we would not be sitting on this huge rock called Australia – we would still be huddled around the [...]
We all remember Mr. Miyagi. (The Karate Kid, Movie, 1984) Throughout history, things come and they go. To obtain the polish, the wax off procedure has to be as detailed as the wax on. Galileo – The earth is flat, the earth is round. Radio – Newspapers with 24 hour old news, Radio with [...]
The term “Dark Ages” was originally intended to denote the entire period between the end of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance period. Our history is full of injustices that we look upon in our history books with some surprise – but how could the people have allowed that to happen? History lists [...]
I predicted that there would be an economic collapse two years ago. A lot of people told me that I was a Cassandra and that I was just plain depressing. The fact is that this is not about collapse per se. It is about understanding what is happening around us so that we can plan [...]
Last night I saw Leonard Cohen perform at the Centennial Vineyard in Bowral. What a magnificent concert! Great sound, great location. Would have been nice if there had been another video screen, on the left side of the stage, but it wasn't essential. What was truly wonderful was the artist. I remember when the first [...]