Prime Minister Julia Gillard, broadband minister Senator Stephen Conroy and NBN Co CEO Mike Quigley this morning launched the three-year rollout plan for the National Broadband Network. Here’s the full blow-by-blow live report.
The Washington Post reports that the Pentagon is looking at the Cocos (and Keeling) islands in the remote Indian Ocean as a possible new base for its Global Hawk unarmed/high-altitude drones. However, PM Julia Gillard says there’s been no progress on the matter since US president Obama was in Australia last November for an agreement to increase the US military presence.
Well, we’re about done with the ol’ plasma set. Figure it’s time to take ‘er off to the dump. Or maybe we could sell it? Naw, let’s destroy it with arcing electricity bolts for fifteen minutes straight.
Labor MP Ed Husic’s call for an inquiry into IT pricing in Australia has had my brain buzzing over the concept of a “fair” price for technology. After all, what is fair anyway?
The US believes that North Korea’s plans to launch a satellite into orbit between April 12 and 16 is a veiled long-range missile test that would break a three week-old UN deal for food aid. The Sydney Morning Herald yesterday reported that a US envoy has delivered a warning to Foreign Affairs Minister, Bob Carr. The plans see a North Korean rocket aimed towards South-East Asia and Australia for the first time.
Controversy still surrounds the recent death of a Brazilian student who allegedly resisted Sydney police before being chased and tasered at least three times. Guidelines limit Taser use to dangerous and violent offenders, but even before that investigation is complete, NSW police have now confirmed plans to test the new double shock Taser X2.
Yesterday, NSW Premier, Barry O’Farrell confirmed the government had bought Metro Transport (owners of Sydney’s light rail network and monorail) and planned to tear down the latter “as soon as feasible”. In reality, that could be a year or two away, but Giz will kind of miss the 24-year old institution when it goes, even if it is mainly used by tourists these days.
Julian Assange is a man of many talents. He’s dabbled with his own TV chat show, an appearance on the Simpsons, and opera, to name but a few. But none of that is enough; now he’s seeking a political career.
Bring on the Lamingtons, Australia got the new iPad first! Too bad it doesn’t do 4G here. Maybe that’s why queues were clearly down. Gizmodo hit the streets of Sydney for Telstra’s midnight opening, while just across the road Apple faithful quietly considered an unexpected twist. Buy a $30 Telstra prepaid stater pack and they could grab the iPad outright (not on a plan) long before Apple opens at 8am. What’s an iPad camper to do?
In 1987, five-year-old Sanroo Brierly and his brother boarded a train that was supposed to take them home after a long day of begging on the streets of India. But the boys fell asleep, the train rolled on, and hours later they were deposited clear across the country.
