Cablog

Update

Well the annual blog sabbatical is over and I return with an update of my new routine.

Whilst I haven’t been blogging the mammoth task of collating and editing some 600 Cablog stories is now well underway, so I haven’t been entirely lazy. Given I now have a dedicated office and the perfect environment for such a laborious task it was time to finally start the job.

The move to the North Coast is now well and truly bedded down and all is good, if somewhat dislocating. However relocating does not mean one automatically finds an equivalent wage in the country, hence my continuing to work in the city until something better eventuates.

As I explained to a passenger last night, I don't expect to live in paradise and demand the Government support me in lieu of work. It’s a simple matter of one must go where the money is.

To wit, the above passenger was a Sydney office jockey travelling to the Airport, returning home to Byron Bay for 24 hours to care for a sick wife. And with competitive air fares one can sometimes travel for the same price as a train ticket, so country living and city working is not uncommon these days.

Generally I work three consecutive shifts over the weekend interspersed with many breaks and a good sleep at my brother’s home. And being a relief driver I do extra shifts whilst other drivers take holidays.

In fact I’m presently working full weeks, despite having only three weeks remaining on my good behaviour period for loss of license points. To date I’ve kept out of trouble and last night calculated I have some 4,000 taxi kilometers left before recovering my full points, touch wood.

This current period has fortunately coincided with the Federal election campaign where once again I’m operating Cabpoll for ninemsn. The first video interview is up today and can be found here and will appear twice weekly. Otherwise I hope to return to normal blogging after the election campaign.

Finally, many thanks for the reader comments and emails with best wishes over my sabbatical.

Briefly

The current issue of Cosmopolitan magazine has an article on yours truly plus some edited Cablog pieces. Look for the lemon coloured cover promoting stories on Lingerie Superheroes and Best Orgasm Ever!

Also I'll be appearing this afternoon on FM radio's MMM drive program with Paul and Rach. I think it can be heard online at the link.

UPDATE: Didn't make the radio spot yesterday due to Rugby League's momentus meltdown.

Contentious

The well-regarded media and marketing blog, Mumbrella has questioned my use of certain passenger recordings, in relation to privacy. These have been published on five occasions, all in the past twelve months.

Whilst the tapes were primarily the result of concerns over passenger behaviour, rather than gratuitously captured for blogging purposes, I concede it's a grey area. So I’ve decided to pull this content from the public domain until obtaining a definitive legal clearance.

Furthermore there is also a brand and a trademark to consider, especially since Cablog has now accepted advertising.

And it was branding and marketing which I discussed in the cab last week with a senior McDonalds staffer. I inquired about a contentious rural billboard and showed him an image recently sent to my phone.

First he exploded in laughter and insisted he’d never seen it before, then explained how McDonalds have a standard template which is uniform across all their advertising mediums. Hence it’s continued use.

Yet, curiously, the previous version of this billboard was less conspicuous than the current adaption.

You've gotta laugh.

Media

There wouldn’t be many cabbies who regularly read The Australian’s weekly supplement, Media.This covers a profession I find endlessly fascinating, in particular regarding new media and the massive changes wrought upon the industry by the digital revolution.

In fact I enjoy the caper so much that blogging has largely been an unpaid hobby over the years. Until today, that is, with the introduction of (sidebar) advertising on Cablog. Yes, I’ve sold out!

This interest is also complemented by those closest to me - my son and his girlfriend plus my girlfriend and her daughter, all of whom work in either traditional or new media. Ours is a media mob.

Anyway on Tuesday night I was working my way through last week’s Media – always a week behind - when I read an interesting snippet in the Diary section. This reported how some young fellas created a YouTube video, Beached Az just for fun only to see the clip go viral with nearly 5 million views.

Now Beached Az has been commissioned by the ABC as an 11-part digital animation series and will appear on ABC2 next month, testament to the opportunities available to those with a passion for producing digital content. Start a hobby and who knows where it could lead when new media platforms are crying out for content.

On Wednesday I carried some illustrators working for Animal Logic on their next hit, Guardians of Ga’Hoole. This is being produced at Fox Studios and employs some 300 illustrators. My passengers were relative newcomers to digital animation but Animal Logic provides them with on the job training due to a skills shortage in Australia.

In related news a journalist this week asked how the blogging was going and I had to admit to not being very productive of late. Too many nice passengers, I joked, and who wants to hear about them? Hence this rather lame, substitute post. My apologies.

Fearless

One night recently after work I did an interview on ABC local radio. After the usual questions the host threw the spot open to listeners to call in with their own tales from the frontline.

One caller, John, a cabbie from Newcastle was notable for a rambling overview of troublesome passengers. Mercifully the host didn’t require a response from me as I simply didn’t have one.

This bloke holds some pretty controversial opinions which he expresses in a fearless, artless style via his website. He also posts monologues of his world view on YouTube.

Enter Bridgit Gread, an acerbic Melbourne blogger who takes aim at hapless John:

John’s endearing combination of outspokeness (sic), incoherence and ignorance is not so surprising once you learn that he’s a cab driver.

Nice.

Bridgit’s own fearless brand of invective is not so surprising once you learn that she’s anonymous. Bravo!

UPDATE: Fearless Bridgit bows out: "It’s been a rollercoaster few years. I’ve laughed and gasped and cringed; I’ve ridiculed all manner of fools and freaks; and above all I’ve had fun."

Decisions

At work I constantly employ a couple of mantras to get me safely through each shift.

Firstly, never ever, hit anyone or anything as the ramifications go far beyond the moment of impact, terrible as that may be. And secondly, avoid any situation which jeopardises the imperative to sleep in my own bed each night.

Now, as of next month, I’ll be adhering to a new mantra: no speeding; no illegal U-turns; no stopping at outlawed ranks; no rolling stops; no double parking; etc, etc, all due to losing my license points.

A letter from the RTA has arrived confirming 13 penalty points incurred from these four traffic offences. Sure, they were driver errors but I blame, ummm...global warming!

As a result I either accept a three month suspension or take 12 months good behaviour. As I’m inclined to take the latter, for who can afford three months lost wages, I can only incur one further point in that year. More than one point attracts a six month automatic suspension.

Well, at least six months on the dole would allow time to pursue other projects, like investigating whether the introduction of 40kph school speed zones has actually resulted in fewer children being hit. Or the compulsory wearing of bicycle helmets has reduced the amount of head injuries suffered in accidents. So many options.

Or maybe I’ll cop it sweet and take three months off in the hope that, by then, global warming induced swine flu will be under control and my workplace that much safer. What to do, what to do...

In the meantime, there’s a chance my balding pate, another global worming casualty, may be exposed via radio web cam this Saturday at 4:45pm when I join 2UE deejays, Murray and Clive for a short chat. 

James Hill

Remember James Hill, one of the Aussie applicants for The Best Job in the World ? Watch here as he receives news of being selected for the final 16 from a field of 35,000 candidates. Only problem is he's ensconsed in bleak London, alone, late at night. Congratulations also to Queensland's Hailey Turner.

(Aussies have their spray)

Ripped!

The final 50 for the Best Job in the World have now been shortlisted, viewed here.

And, and...I wuz robbed, ripped, cheated ! It's, it's...ageism, dat's wot it is, dud dude.

But seriously, I found the whole exercise incredibly exciting, inspirational and a wonderful learning experience. So good luck to all the candidates, in particular our five Aussie and nine Ninger finalists.

UPDATE: Top 50 breakdown.

UPDATE 2: Only bikini babes need apply

Paradise

What got the creative juices flowing again to enable my return to blogging has been producing a video application for The Best Job in the World. When I first saw the advertisement in the New Year I thought, mate, that's for me. Then just as quickly admitted, why would they choose a 55-year-old taxi driver? Hilarious!

However after further consideration and prompting from others I thought, why not? For a highly paid blogging job on the Great Barrier Reef - bugger it, I'd do it for free - one must have a go. Even though some 1500 applications are being received each day.

Finally I got the piece shot, edited and mixed on the 'ol camera/phone and uploaded. Then realised that not only had the compression failed but there was also a copyright issue involving four seconds of music. So I cleaned it up, re-submitted and now both videos have been posted ! No matter, I have two chances.

Feel free to view my application and give it a rating. You may just help this old fart win a wild Card finalist berth to a week on Hamilton Island. Also check out some of the varied and often superb applicants from around the world.

Cabpoll 08

Yesterday I chatted with Brendan, a Democrat Abroad volunteer living in Sydney. I started proceedings by giving 'ol John McCain a friendly back-hander before we moved onto the Democrats absentee voting campaign and Sydney's strong support for Obama.

Finally, at right, I attempted to entice Brendan into some premature triumphalism plus some gratuitous Hillary-bashing but he graciously defended her hard work and loyal supporters with a few well-made points.

(apologies for the variable technical quality in Part B due to the so-called 'Harbour Bridge road surface'. But really, it's a lame excuse so I've sacked my useless production team to ensure standards are maintained for next week's inaugural Cabpoll Face-Off

UPDATE: Brendan would also like to notify any American expats and others interested in US politics that Democrats Abroad offer a range of services, resources and contacts in addition to balloting and registration information. You're welcome to visit their website.