The Victorian Internet

My grandmother, born 1885, was widowed during WW1 and obtained employment with Queensland Railways as a telegraphist, one of only two female telegraphists in that organization.

She was allowed to keep her position during the depression and worked till I guess 1950 when she retired. I certainly remember her as being pretty slick on the morse key.

Maybe she was lucky, the railway system, like the rest of Australia moved away from Mr Morse's system into teleprinter systems and the rest is history as they say.

So it was with some pleasure I received from one of my daughters, a book with which I could readily associate, by Tom Stannage, The Victorian Internet. First published 1998 by Walker & Company. (This was a paperback published 2007), Typeset by Coghill Composition Company, Printed in the USA by Quebecor World Fairfield, but strangely, posted from Switerzland.

Living in the internet age, it is fairly easy to relate to the development of telegraph networks, the desire for control, and its uses and abuses. A throughly enjoyable read for me.

And just in case one day you can put your IPhone or Android equivalent up to a screen to get the ebook paperback equivalent, here is the barcode for the ISBN

Go Figure

Friday the 13th (Aug 2010)

 


My Friday the 13th event has cost a few hundred bucks. Here is what happened.

It was a 13 km ride to todays ride start, and when I got there and looked behind me, my saddle bag was missing.

It goes without saying that the contents of the bag were also missing. The contents included;

• Two mobile phones


• Tools, tools and more tools


• Lunch, including a mustard covered silverside sandwich

So I backtracked all the way home, but no joy. Rang my mobile, but it was off air, maybe run over by a truck. Rang Voda, over half an hour on hold, but rapid service after that.

Then off to the police, didn't tell them about the sandwiches, then over to Vodafone and got a new el cheapo, like $29 phone. Then up to Telstra and got a new sim, think about a phone later.

Then home, what a waste of a day. I was really looking forward to that sandwich.

In the grand scheme of things, todays loss is trivial, it is just real annoying and have to now assemble another collection of tools and spare parts.

Now I feel better.

 

6 January 2025

 


According to the Australian Bureau of Stats the average life expectancy for males aged 70 (that's me today) is 14.4 years.

That's about 6 Jan 2025, when the twins turn 19. Don't think I am going to make it, there are student t tests or something that I never understood at uni that give me a range of dates.

Don't think I will worry about it :-)

 

 

It took me a while to work out that it said Shame. It seems to be in keeping with the Everyone has their price article from last year.

All this graffiti is legal, and I am constantly amazed at the quality of artistry.