There’s something both predictable and oddly satisfying about watching certain parts of Melbourne turn into temporary waterways during a good storm. This week, Whiteman Street near Southbank became a rather impressive creek, complete with a tram dutifully ploughing through in the background like nothing was amiss. Someone cleverly watermarked their flood photo with “Murdoch Media” which gave me a proper chuckle – though I’ll admit it took me a moment to get the pun.

I stumbled across a discussion recently about Airport West—that oddly-named suburb wedged between three major freeways—and found myself genuinely intrigued. Not because I’m considering a move there, but because the conversation really challenged some assumptions I had about what makes a suburb liveable. The more I read, the more it struck me that Airport West represents something worth examining: a place that’s geographically isolated in a way that might actually be its greatest strength.

The tech industry’s latest revelation has been doing the rounds this week, and frankly, it’s both hilarious and deeply frustrating. Apparently, some AI experts visited China and returned “stunned” by the state of America’s power grid compared to China’s surplus capacity. The hot take? The U.S. might have already lost the AI race because their electricity infrastructure is, to put it mildly, absolute rubbish.

Now, I’m sitting here wondering: did these folks really need to travel halfway around the world to figure out that decades of underinvestment in basic infrastructure might come back to bite them? Anyone who’s lived through a Texas winter storm or a California heat wave could have saved them the airfare.

Been scrolling through some discussions online about thieves cutting fiber optic cables thinking they were going after copper, and honestly, it’s left me with a mix of amusement and genuine concern. The whole situation perfectly encapsulates something I’ve been thinking about lately – how desperation, lack of education, and the rising cost of living are creating these bizarre scenarios that would almost be funny if they weren’t so damaging.

The irony is almost too perfect. Here we have people so desperate for quick cash that they’re out in the middle of the night with wire cutters, targeting what they think is valuable copper cabling. Problem is, fiber optic cables contain… well, fiber optics. Glass strands thinner than human hair that carry light signals. No copper whatsoever. It’s like trying to milk a bicycle – the fundamental premise is completely wrong from the start.

The latest news about the Digital Equity Act being scrapped has hit close to home. Living in Melbourne’s tech bubble, it’s easy to forget that reliable internet access isn’t universal across our vast country. While I sit here with my gigabit fiber connection, many rural communities are still struggling with connections that barely qualify as broadband.

What’s particularly frustrating is watching political theatre take precedence over practical solutions. The claimed reasoning - objecting to the word “equity” - would be laughable if it weren’t so devastating to rural communities. This isn’t just about Netflix streaming or social media access. It’s about economic survival in the digital age.

The political theatre playing out in Noble Park today would be absolutely hilarious if it weren’t so emblematic of the current state of political discourse in our country. Picture this: a campaign truck plastered with negative slogans about “more debt” and “more crime” getting wedged under a piece of Skyrail infrastructure - the very same infrastructure project that has transformed Melbourne’s suburbs for the better.

Looking at the photos circulating online, there’s a delicious irony in seeing this mobile billboard stuck beneath one of the most successful infrastructure projects our state has delivered. The Skyrail program has eliminated dangerous level crossings, created new public spaces, and improved traffic flow. Yet here we have a campaign literally running headfirst into its success.

For anyone who’s experienced international arrivals at Melbourne Airport recently, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Last week’s return flight from Singapore reminded me yet again why our airport consistently ranks among the most frustrating entry points in the developed world.

The two-step immigration process seems deliberately designed to create chaos. Picture this: tired travelers shuffling through dimly lit corridors, searching for mysteriously hidden kiosks scattered about like some bizarre scavenger hunt. Then comes the real fun - joining a queue that snakes through a bottleneck so narrow it would make a sardine uncomfortable.

Reading about the US government’s recent approval of $3 billion to remove Chinese telecoms equipment brought back memories of conversations I had with colleagues years ago. Back in 2015, while working on a government contract, we were already discussing the potential risks of foreign-made networking equipment. Many dismissed these concerns as paranoid, but here we are.

The cybersecurity landscape has shifted dramatically over the past decade. Working in IT, I’ve watched the gradual evolution from “buy whatever’s cheapest” to implementing zero-trust architectures and carefully vetting hardware suppliers. It’s fascinating how what was once considered conspiracy theory territory has become mainstream security policy.