Sydney Trains

Who doesn't love a non-air conditioned Sydney Train when the temperature is +40 degrees? At least the passengers had the doors at the end of the carriages open to get some air through.

Homebush is west of everywhere

Sydney Trains believe that Homebush is west of everywhere. From Homebush station, the only direction you can catch a train in now is east (towards the City). Want to go to Parramatta from Homebush? Then you need to go to Strathfield first and come backwards to get to Parramatta or for that matter anywhere else west of Homebush.

Sydney Trains and the bureaucrats that run it nevertheless cease to amaze.

Geography and window-dressing for NSW politicians

Yet again, politicians in New South Wales have this strange idea that Australia, New South Wales and Sydney are located in the middle of Europe somewhere.

Every time they come up with some dopey decision the excuse is that, that is the best practice from Europe or some other part of the world. We are removing seats from trains to make them like the Metros of Europe and the UK, or we are building new railways that will only take single deck trains. I would like to see the Minister for Transport or the Premier stand all the way from Emu Plains to say Chatswood in peak hour because the number of seats was reduced.

It is also more than interesting to note that these same people think you get a better service by renaming it (CityRail becomes Sydney Trains), giving it a new logo, or changing the staff uniforms. You really do wonder what planet some of these people live on. I suppose they will be able to go to the next State election and say that they did something, even if it was just 'window-dressing'.

Royal Easter Show 2013 2

Well done to Woolworths for their efforts in supporting the Royal Easter Show, and Australian producers and products. The staff and samples in the Fresh Food Dome are very good, and show that Woolworths are more than happy to support Australian primary industries.

Royal Easter Show 2013 1

I went to the Royal Easter Show today. For as long as I can remember, "Dairy Farmers", the dairy co-operative that was owned by the dairy farmers was one of the major sponsors of the show and had a least 2 outlets at the 'new Showground' at Homebush. There was one in the Fresh Food Dome and one near the milking display.

"Dairy Farmers" was sold out to and/or taken over by a large multi-national, and while it has taken a couple of years they have finally shown their true form - yes they are gone from the Easter Show. No doubt it can be explained away as a corporate or strategic marketing decision.

A very sad state of affairs for our primary industries in this state and country

Medicare Burwood

I am at Medicare at Westfield Burwood. They are now cashless, and there are quite a few people waiting. In an effort "to help customers" they have a woman near the ticket printing machine trying to put you off from coming in. They would be much faster if she was actually behind the counter doing some real work. Instead you can fill in a form and wait 2 weeks (and probably more) for a cheque to arrive.

Catholic Church in Australia

There has been much talk in and on various media over pedophilia that may have been done by religious of various persuasions over the years. Anyone found guilty deserves all they get.

My thoughts here concern those who show a complete ignorance of the Church and its structures. This seems to be most of the "radio shock-jocks".

George Cardinal Pell is NOT the head of the Catholic Church in Australia. He is the Archbishop of Sydney and Metropolitan Archbishop of New South Wales. It is interesting to note that the Archdiocese of Sydney does not even cover all of the greater Sydney area. Cardinal Pell occupies a very unique place in the Catholic Church in Australia and world-wide as a Cardinal. At the moment he is permitted to vote for a new Pope if that need should arise, and yes, he has the ear of the Pope and politicians here in Australia. He often has an opinion on matters, which while some may not like what he says, follow the official teachings of the Church - as should be the case given he is a Cardinal, and one would expect no less of him.

As Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal Pell is responsible for the priests and people who live in the parishes that make up Sydney.

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference sees all the bishops of Australia come together to try and get some consensus. The President of the Conference is Archbishop Denis Hart of Melbourne, and the previous president was Archbishop Philip Wilson of Adelaide.