There’s a cartoon doing the rounds online that stopped me mid-scroll the other day. It depicts what looks like a military tank, but decked out with solar panels and wind turbines — a kind of renewable-powered war machine. The comment sections are predictably chaotic, with people arguing about whether it’s satire, a serious policy proposal, or just someone having a laugh. Honestly, the ambiguity is kind of the point, and it got me thinking harder than most actual political commentary does.

Right, so I’ve been going down a rabbit hole this week that started with someone online asking a very simple question: how do you get the smell out of those old pressed wood salad bowls? You know the ones — dark brown, slightly shiny, vaguely basket-weave textured. Every grandmother on the planet seemed to own a set.

What followed in the comments was genuinely one of the most entertaining and unexpectedly educational threads I’ve read in a while. And it sent me spiralling into memories, material science, and the surprisingly contentious world of food-grade oils.

Something genuinely interesting has been happening on Melbourne’s trains and trams lately, and I’ve been watching it with a mix of pleasant surprise and the usual cynical “yeah but how long will this last?” that comes with being middle-aged and politically aware in this country.

If you haven’t heard, Victoria’s public transport has been free through April and May, and the Jacinta Allan government has now announced half-price fares through to the end of 2026. It’s a $400 million commitment, and predictably, people have opinions.