It is time Ben Sandilands took off the blinkers with regard to Virgin Blue. Strong management team! Try listing the expensive bad decisions of the last few years building in cost at each turn:
- Live TV
- Introducing the E Jets which are as costly to operate as the Boeing 737 but have a fraction of the capacity (per seat kilometre costs are approaching Boeing 737 numbers and way ahead of the Qantas Dash-8). The fleet now has 4 distinct types of aircraft as the 2 E Jet models do not even share common engines, wheels and brakes, the really costly on going costs.
- Launching V Australia into the teeth of an economic crisis (ego ahead of mind).
- Introducing costly and inefficent overtime provisions for pilots rather than efficent crewing arrangements.
- Saying farewell to the genuine low cost model.
When they talk of changing costs, take a look at the value of the AUD and fuel in 2000/2001 when they launched.
Telstra has begun suspending service on landlines plus broadband when they are only a matter of days overdue. I personally know of seven such cases, two of which involved users who had previously been in default on the previous bill but had fully paid up.
Ten have the rights to the Accenture Matchplay (first leg of the World Golf Championship) starting this week. Ten is only showing the tournament on its HD channel. To the best of my knowledge, it will only be shown on HD in the capital cities, meaning people in regional areas will miss out on the coverage. When asked why this was the case, Ten told me it had purchased the rights solely for its HD channel. Where does this leave golf fans in regional areas? This event is of particular interest as it marks the return of Tiger Woods (who, incidentally, takes on Australian Brendan Jones in the first round).
Now that Heath Ledger has won the Oscar, we are sure to be treated to another egregious outpouring of confected emotion and ocker patriotism. Can you offer a spotter’s badge for the first reader to see a news story that links Heath Ledger to the bushfires?
Heath & Fires
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25072848-2702,00.html
re channel 10 – totally agree hans.
i understand channel 10 has the rights to all “world golf tournament” coverage such as the ca championship (march 12-15) – geoff ogilvy is defending – and the bridgestone championship (august 6-9) to be held at firestone country club. from memory i think that in 2008 the ca championship and bridgestone were broadcast only through the hd network. to my frustration even though we get the hd feed in canberra, all we got was a lovely travelogue of the local region. very nice but i would have preferred to have watched geoff ogilvy’s win and later, stuart appleby battle it out with vijay singh (stuart lost by 1 shot)!! i also understand there is a number of world golf championships (such as another “world matchplay championship” usually played at the wentworth club in england) that will also be denied us because of the channel 10 hd policy – may their executives be forever cursed with an incurable slice and inability to have less than 4 putts on every green!
David “FO” Cohen: surely that story doesn’t count as it was published on 18 feb?
Snuff may get the medal from TWOP but surely it should go for an article published after the oscar award?
Re Channel 10 and the Accenture Matchplay Golf Tournament only being on HD.
This is appalling – how do these guys get away with this. I presume they outbid Fox Sport and/or just want to keep it to their greedy elite selves with HD. Maybe they would like to explain exactly how they justify this.
Come on Channel 10, give the rest of us a look, and/or show a replay on SD and/or allow Fox Sport to replay, and.
“OUR” Heath Ledger clearly was a good bloke, a fine actor and fully deserving of his best supporting actor recognition by the ‘Academy”. The acceptance speech by his family was very touching and heartfelt, however it and most media commentary on his death seemingly denied the simple fact that he was a drug addict and that is what killed him. From all reports and certainly the autopsy carried out on him – he was addicted to various ‘pills’ and a regular user of marijuana and perhaps other drugs. His use of drugs reflected the pressures of being in the film making industry – although I note many other actors are clean (when it comes to drugs). Why none of his peers or family (those who knew of his addiction) could manage to ‘rescue’ him in time is vexing. It may have been a better legacy to Heath for his family to acknowledge the drug issue and at least warn others (or set up a foundation/charity) to avoid this lifestyle trap. Is it political correctness or a misplaced ocker nationalism or just sensitivity to his family that prevented the mainstream media – and even crikey (from what I can see) – of highlighting the drug connection and dangers therein. Rest in Peace Heath.
IF THIS IS PUBLISHED PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE MY NAME OR DETAILS. THANKS