Goodbye Connex Party

Melbourne Uni Post
Originally uploaded by shangyuan

Do they really think MTR is better than this one?

I love to see changes.

Last year I was a commuter from a nothern suburb (Preston). Everyday I took a train to uni and a train back. What annoyed me was that there was 20 min between to trains. I can remember the moments of seeing the gates of the train shutting with a bee-bee in front of my eyes while I was on the out side... Then I have to press the button again and agian hoping the next train is coming a little bit earlier which they never did....

And I also remember the days of track maintenance when we had to take a bus as a replacement. The bus was good when it was express to Bell station. Other than that, I don't like standing in the dark outside of Victoria Park Station with wind blowing under my pants, esp when I was alone.

But I don't think the new operator will prevent the aformentioned scenarios. Frankly, it's not connex fault. ( I am not sure to put a 's here or not)

However, if u hate connex performance and expect to 'give some colour' to the new operator. Or u simply just want to do it. Please clickk the following link for details.

www.resistance.org.au

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GOODBYE CONNEX PARTY!

Let's put public transport in public hands!

From December 1, Connex will no longer run Melbourne's trains
Here's our chance to say goodbye once and for all!
It's also an opportunity to put the new company on notice that we’re not giving up the fight for better public transport.

Theme: affordable, accessible, reliable, frequent public transport
Featuring: guest speakers, party food, bands and a giant goodbye card
Where: Flinders st station steps
When: Thursday December 3, 4pm (Connex apologises in advance for any possible delays)
BYO – public transport horror story!
RSVP: goodbyeconnex@gmail.com or call Resistance 9639 8622

(the above information is a result of Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V. The arthor is not responsible for any consequences.)

Do they NEED a job?

Today a guest speaker gave out a speech over the issues related to how government would deal with unemployment. He made comments about how the current policies and programs work and what improvements there would be. As usual, he started with why government needs to take unemployment seriously. He said unemployed people are more likely to suffer from un-well-being.

This is true perhaps. And for me, who have experienced a phase of jobless and desperately job hunting, I understand the feeling of being abandoned.

But as the speech went on, when he talked about the economical benefits and costs of government by implementing such programs, like when they were talking about health insurance, obesity, smoking and other policies, I suddenly wondered, why are you pushing people to have a job?

I read a book yesterday which has a very interesting statement. It said in modern society, working class are people who have boring jobs in order to pay their debts, and middle class are people who have boring jobs in order to pay their bigger debts. This is so true.

He said the basic concept of capitalism is to induce materialism, to encourage people consume the goods they do no really need. So people work hard just to buy the products being most advertised and overpriced. The sad thing is THINGS are born imperfect. This imperfect attracts people to consume more.

So if we wouldn’t have such desires toward THINGS, we could live happier and work less.

While I have to confess I am already becoming a victim of the massive capitalism brainwashing. I have to give up my favourite courses because they are ‘less profitable’ and have less possibility to afford my bills of my ‘dreamed life’. I am doing a job to get money to buy things which I don’t really need or which have cheaper substitutions.

And I am not likely to go back.

But some people can stay where they are and we should respect them.

I remembered a scene from Trainspotting in which the angry young lad was so annoyed of intensive mandatory job interviews that he ended up with attacking the interviewer. I would never do this. But I can feel his anger, in some way.

I know it seems childish to publish a blog like this but this is really what I think. Help people but respect their choices.