What invention has changed the way we live for the better?
Mobile phones and the internet have delivered greater connectivity, yet I’m not convinced this makes us feel happier and more secure than we did a generation ago.
Columnists
Not even Musk can escape the great democracy of death
For all his trillions and SpaceX toys under development, Elon cannot escape the gravitational pull of mortality or the feeling of dread that fills the soul when contemplating the cold mechanics of the universe.
Why is tech making everything so complicated?
In this sleekly automated modern world everything, actually, seems to be taking longer, with more grunt and grumble along the way.
I hate the idea of my kids getting a tattoo – so I made them a deal
I told my four children if they made it to 25 years old with no tattoos then they’d earn themselves a generous cash prize. But I fear at least one of them will be disqualified.
What, if any, parts of our modern life will survive 1000 years?
The best way to consider how we might live a thousand years from now is to go back a millennia to 1025, a time that predates the Norman Conquest of Britain.
Who comes out on top in the battle of the mini-vans?
Between the Kia Carnival and Hyundai Staria there can only be one winner – and by ‘winner’ I mean one which I hated significantly less than I expected to.
Secrets of growing dragon fruit revealed
Ever wondered how this beautiful tropical fruit is grown? The answer will astonish you.
What happens when Ferrari makes a car to suit Greta Thunberg?
I can only liken this Ferrari 296 GTS – a plug-in hybrid – to what happens when you ask the world’s best chef to make supper using only a turnip and dog food.
Is this ABC host’s brutal sacking part of a new world order?
Why do older men persist at ABC radio when whip-smart women are let go? The witches are up to their elbows in watchfulness as a new political reality dawns.
Two questions that will shape our destiny in the next 25 years
In the 21st Century, Australia’s direction has been largely shaped by global events – take the GFC and the Covid pandemic. What would a regional conflict do to the nation?
The best movies ever made? I’ll kick things off…
The Third Man takes us from the top of Vienna’s ferris wheel to deep in its sewers. It has the finest final scene in cinema history – only one comes close.
‘It’s like liquid Viagra is flowing through the fuel lines’
For years I’ve pretended to dislike the Porsche 911, if only to wind up my Top Gear colleagues. But now I’m coming clean.
I love to seek out the roads less travelled
My favourite place to go is where I’ve never been. It’s a rule of thumb out bush, if we have the time, and it drives the tin lids bananas if they’re with me.
Remember when shopping meant cheery social interactions?
With all these developments in Australia’s retail landscape, I wonder if we haven’t lost something along the way.
It’s a pity this Christmas tradition has died out
I was raised by grandparents on a tiny farm where our daily fare was simple. Working-class tucker. Nanna was a crook cook, but to be fair, she had one pièce de résistance.
I’m all in favour of the policy keeping jerks out of the office
Are you a possibly quite unpleasant person on the road? In the supermarket queue? Boardroom? Office kitchen, or, perhaps, at a commercial TV station? This applies to you.
I’ve spent a lifetime in the news business. My, how it’s changed
Having been in the news business since the age of 12, I fear the end of the newspaper. Who now gets their news, if that’s what you call it, from the traditional chip-wrapper type?
Faith is declining — but could God make a comeback?
Godlessness has gained ground in the 21st century, it seems. But I wonder if this isn’t a temporary shift, a tidal flow, that will change in due course.
Independent book stores are a joy. But it’s tough out there
This holiday season, if you’re considering buying a book, think about supporting your local independent bookshop. They may well need it.
Dread public speaking? A solution is on its way
For some people the greatest dread of all is public speaking. Not even the prospect of death comes close. But there is hope.
Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/weekend-australian-magazine/columnists/page/2