Last night’s real winner was the Melbourne TV audience and its passion for Two and a Half Men. How does the city’s cheer squad justify such an enduring love affair for one of the crassest programs on TV?
Melbourne 
Sydney/Melbourne by plane or bust: Airbus vision kills the fast train
The notion of a Very Fast Train for the Melbourne-Sydney corridor has been shot down by new plans from Airbus to fly Very Large Planes between the two cities, because the entire cost, and risk, is funded by the privately owned airlines and airports.
Guy Rundle: We don’t need new fast trains, Albo, we need new cities
When it comes to infrastructure, what we need first and foremost are not new rail lines. Not even fast rail lines. What we need are new cities.
Melbourne: a city of books or bogans?
Melbourne, the European capital of Australia, a recognised City of Literature, known for its coffee and elegance. Right? Wrong, says Tony Martin. Melbourne is a city of bogans, not books.
Shucks: Tarantino “thrilled” — thanks to Crikey
Crikey’s story from last week on Quentin Tarantino’s lost records has had a happy ending.
The ins and outs of underquoting
With residential property real estate bubble appearing to rapidly re-inflate, the focus has once again shifted to allegations of under-quoting.
Brick veneer has its own historical value
Why do we attempt to salvage drafty Victorian terraces, but not the homes of post-war migrants? Their architectural history is important, writes Chris Fotinopoulos.
Australian terror plot foiled
A group of Islamic extremists in Melbourne have been arrested over plans for a suicide attack on an Australian Army base, according to The Australian.
Melbourne’s protest against gay marriage
What really went down at Melbourne’s gay marriage protest on the weekend? An Onymous Lefty has the photos.
M is for Murder, Meth, Melbourne
Melbourne has a new logo, and the locals aren’t happy about either the price tag or the new look. Culture mulcher and graphic designer W. H. Chong weighs on the much maligned big M.
Branding Australian cities: pride of place or pointless PR?
Big news in Melbourne today: Mayor Robert Doyle has spent $240,000 on a new logo for the city. But is it any good? We compare and contrast with other city brands from around this wide brown land.
Art and politics boil over for the Melbourne Film Festival
The Melbourne International Film Festival is finding the politics of nationalism just a bit tricky right now. That’s a good thing, writes Ben Eltham.
Melbourne CBD’s newspaper black hole
News junkies wanting to locate hard copies of rural and interstate newspapers in Melbourne’s CBD are on a fool’s errand. Andrew Crook knows, he embarked on a fruitless search through the city.
Guy Rundle: Rundle: boomers were more violent than “generation brat”
Far from being a more violent generation, Gen Y has contributed far less to the increase in social violence than their parents.
The Hun’s multimedia fail
The Herald Sun beef out a story with some clips nicked from YouTube… they probably should have actually watched them first.
Melbourne bids a fond farewell to Connex
The Victorian Government’s decision to dump both Connex and Yarra Trams comes as something of a surprise. Letting Connex go was the only available course of action, but Yarra Trams’ grip on the more popular tram system was publicly considered to be far more secure.
Monocle’s 25 most livable cities
Monocle announce their 2009 list of the world’s most liveable cities with this lovely video. Melbourne and Sydney both make the cut — but where? And which is higher?
Feed the birds, tuppence a bag
What possible motive could the frail old woman have doing the things she is alleged to have done to the really nice Mr Tuppence? The Kooka Brothers are on the trail.
Melbourne’s whitest suburb
The author of Stuff White People Like tours North Fitzroy which ticks a lot of white hipsters’ boxes: queues for gourmet pizza, handmade toy retailers and working class touches.
Lessons in History: What we can learn from… bushrangers
As long as there has been a geographical protruberance referred to as “Australia”, the inhabitants have delighted in the exploits of thieves, thugs, standover men and murderers.
Street louts have got nothing on the policy hooligans
While concerns for personal safety may be one very good reason why Indian students have suddenly becoming mobilised, there are other factors operating behind the scenes, writes Peter Quiddington.
Crikey wrap: Indian press on Australia’s racism
The spotlight on Australia’s racist underbelly comes amid fears our reputation as a destination for Indian students is on the line.
The new culture wars: Melbourne vs Brisbane, pincers Sydney
Battle lines are drawn in the fight for domestic cultural tourism with Melbourne and Brisbane going mano a mano to attract visitors, writes Ned Keene.
Another feral ALP council set to test Brumby
A Melbourne council described by ALP insiders as the “new Brimbank” is being probed by the Victorian Ombudsman on at least three fronts.
Melbourne Victory to play Fulham
The A-League’s Melbourne Victory will play English Premier League club Fulham in a friendly match at Etihad Stadium in July.
