Don’t know what’s going on with the Rental Market, but when i heard Ju-Yuen and her partner were given notice – for the second time in a year – i sighed with despair.
Two weeks ago, David came into work looking depressed, and told us that with his partner and child he’d been given notice. Four years they’ve lived in this place, and they’re not looking forward to the idea of having to find somewhere else.
Rohan at work is telling stories of boarding houses in West Heidelberg that fit whole families into a room (for under $200 a week). The Four Corners episode on Debt – a month ago – was horribly depressing. Apparently the number of mortgage repossessions by banks in the last twelve months is higher than during the entire early nineties recession (in Australia i think).
So .. anyway.
Fingers crossed, eh ?!
i read today that Melbourne is growing at a furious rate. 1500 people moving here every week. Nice to be so popular.
(News check: “Supreme Court files show lenders claiming a record 57 homes a week, triple the level of five years ago.” from the Hun, feb ’08. )
This was hilarious. Saturday morning, Lou and i went out searching for real estate joy; and found the most bizarre setup in Coburg, just behind the train station .. minutes from the mall. Amazing house .. just really strange!
One of those weird houses that must have been built in bits .. an enormous garage, with room for six cars; a tunnel from the outdoor (covered and concreted) area to the garage; extra toilets and baths deposited here and there throughout this warren.
Two front-ish rooms with two doors each, ie thoroughfare; and with no hallway, so if you made these two rooms into bed-type areas, you’d always have to go through somebody’s room to get from the front door to the kitchen and back.
It was advertised as a three bedroom house, but everyone had to go and ask the agent, “Which rooms exactly are you claiming to be bedrooms?”
She said that the previous tenants had hooked up some kind of curtain arrangement around the covered / outdoor living area, and turned that into a bedroom.
Okay. But you’re renting this out without the curtain arrangement …?
It’s great the way you get to see inside all these insanely different houses. Great.
Via Sydney Indymedia, news of a plane crashing with 3-6 tonnes of cocaine. Several people seem to believe that this plane “belonged” to the CIA; and also that the same plane had been frequently used to transport enemy combatants to Guantanamera Bay.
(Whole story was reported in ‘daily Kos’)
Can you imagine what the CIA would be doing with that much coke? When you follow the discussion, you find that a number of people are taken by the idea that the US govt is actually in charge of the illegal drug market. And that major banks are laundering cash from the whole thing.
Bizarre! i’m aghast and flobbergosted. Who would believe such things. Does this mean we can’t trust our governments here in the West? But i thought we lived in a civil society, a democracy. Surely this is just paranoid ranting?
The government, that runs a war on drugs, supports a covert drug smuggling operation? But wouldn’t that be hippo-critical ..?
Well John was none too happy about it, but we received the proper documentation by registered mail, and now we’ve got until 26th May to find suitable dream house accommodation.
Which means probably a PaRTaY on the 2nd of May, and possibly a garage sale at some point too. Will keep you posted.
If you know of a dream house in East Brunswick – large, ramshackle, beautiful.. please let us know. Any leads much appreciated!
kind regards, michael
(image by minifig at flickr, thanks!)
i think this was my favourite Spheres gig ever.
Something about the Evelyn space and soundscape seemed to suit their soundscape of astounding crescendo. Ben’s visuals seemed stronger than ever ..
Jon’s thumping rhythms carried a more poignant and driving passion.
Compelling and enjoyable. So glad Am dragged me along.
it was funny .. we went to catch the tram, but just missed one that would have got us there in time.
So we decided to grab a taxi, and had a huge discussion about what the rooftop lights signify. The taxi driver told us all about it; One light on means .. maybe the driver hasn’t changed the bulb yet.
One of the lowlights of ‘007 was the “don’t tase me bro” incident, which was converted into a brilliant remix (check in video); and plenty of re-remixes on the tube. Some commentators said he was an attention-seeking git; i prefer the term performance artist.
If only that dead Canadian guy had heard the song, he might have been able to rap out a quick defensive beatbox.
You have to be ready when they come to get you. And you too could make the most memorable phrase of the year. So what’s your catchphrase gonna be? And what kind of incident would you like to make the news?
Well i took the latest letter down to John this morning. It’s fully legalese. He wasn’t so happy. “Oh you’re going the legal road are you? But we’ve always been friendly.”
Well until you gave us half the legal requirement for notice to vacate, yeah.
i hope things don’t get ugly.
Anyone got a spare 5br mansion for under $2000 a month?Tee hee.
Finally i’ve read a book that has nothing to do with terrorism or international politics. My very good friend Shanny lent me an extraordinary tale called “Marching Powder”, the true story of an Englishman inside a Bolivian prison.
Ooh yeah, a true story. We love it.
So Thomas McFadden became famous because he started giving tours, and became the unofficial tour guide of San Pedro prison, in La Paz; Lonely Planet had the prison listed as a must-see destination mainly because of this guy’s charming demeanour (and cocaine parties).
But it’s not only tourists who pay their way into the prison .. the prisoners themselves have to pay an entrance fee into San Pedro – after they are sentenced. They then have to buy their own cell through the internal real-estate system!
.. there are restaurants and shops set up so that people can survive;.. prisoners’ families stay inside the prison because they can’t live in the ruined outside economy without their breadwinner... And the best cocaine laboratories are hidden away inside the prison.
It’s plainly written, and very enjoyable, although painful and frightening in places. There’s a lot you find hard to believe, and corruption drips off the page. i’d give it a big 8 star rating.
Apparently Brad Pitt is producing the film, due this year.(more info:
Good news, everyone!
When we consulted the very wonderful Tenants Union o’ Victoria (tuv.org.au), they told us that the Notice to Vacate was legally invalid, and the minimum period is 60 days – even when you’re not on a fixed term lease (ie month-to-month).
So, technically you could just ignore the letter, the lawyer told us. but if you’re on good terms with your landlord you might want to tell them, so they can draft another letter. Give them a chance to get it right.
Hmm, let me think ..
Oh no, the day has come. We thought things were a bit strange when Bobby the new landlord started having his mail directed to our mailbox. I think i’m still in shock.
So John comes around yesterday evening and asks to see me. He’s got a letter, and he says, “i don’t think you’re going to like what’s in there.”
Sure enough, our remaining time in the beautiful house on the hill has shrunk dramatically. From “the foreseeable future”, to 31 days. Notice to vacate.
No, it didn’t say ‘vacation’.Ick. Now i’m upset. Don’t know exactly what’s going on in John’s family situation, but somebody wants to destroy their father’s vegetable garden as well as the best rental home in Melbourne.
Ouch. So if anyone has any leads on a new and marvellous place for michael or lou to stay, let me know. Thanks.Yes, i’d like two large well-lit rooms, gorgeous views of city or parkland, music room, polished floors, big kitchen, huge backyard, plenty of really good heating, good eco-design, close to northcote and city, lovely housemates and friendly landowners, all for under five centi per moon.
Yep, that’d be good.
