Tim Richards

[Bluesky users: please follow @ap.brid.gy so I can read your replies.]

Travel writer living and working on Wurundjeri land in Melbourne, Australia. Rail travel expert, current books on sale include Heading South and Ultimate Train Journeys: World. I also have a novel out in ebook form, Mind the Gap. See my published writing at iwriter.com.au, and become a patron of my Patreon at patreon.com/timrichards.

Website: https://www.iwriter.com.au
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/timrichards
Heading South: https://www.fremantlepress.com.au/products/heading-south
Ultimate Train Journeys: World: https://www.hardiegrant.com/au/publishing/bookfinder/book/ultimate-train-journeys_-world-by-tim-richards/9781741177350

Last Notes

2025-09-11 07:04:35 UTC

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give us a yell next time you're down, there's a nice cafe or two out that way so we could have brunch and then drop into this interesting bakery. :)

2025-09-09 21:51:00 UTC

I can see why employers might require a video to prove you're not using AI, but jeez that's problematic. Imagine the potential to knock back a candidate based on race or accent or general appearance.
'Do you really need me to upload a cover letter, a resumé and reply to 12 key selection criteria for what is effectively an entry-level job? And then, once I’ve waxed lyrical about how I demonstrate your organisation’s totally banal and pointless values for 1000 words, you hit me with the next stage which is, and I quote, that I may be “required to complete a video assessment” which “will be a very helpful tool for you”.
'This is all before the real-life interview.
'I’m sorry, but how exactly is this “helpful” for me?'
#AI #work https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/my-job-search-has-become-an-awkward-threesome-me-the-employer-and-ai-20250902-p5mrv8.html

2025-09-03 22:41:52 UTC

Good argument for increasing the number of MPs in the lower house. The bigger the population of seats gets, the harder it is for politicians to serve their constituency. #auspol https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/past-the-knee-jerk-reaction-there-are-good-reasons-australia-needs-more-politicians-20250903-p5mrzr.html

2025-08-30 00:33:33 UTC

New at my Patreon... When I stepped out of Fairfield railway station, I couldn't resist taking a photo of the giant wooden dog which stands by the entrance. Later, I attended an event devoted to true crime:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/dateline-trojan-137672628
#Melbourne #art #StreetArt #Dog #dogs #crime #TrueCrime
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/114/906/428/217/420/original/7e1878fa92a84014.png

2025-08-23 00:22:28 UTC

New at my Patreon... On Friday we explored the newly gentrified streets of West Footscray - with breakfast and street art in mind:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/dateline-go-west-137129882
#Footscray #Melbourne #art #StreetArt #breakfast #brunch #cafe #cafes
https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/075/242/781/239/555/original/36f012e1f5fa5a16.png

2025-08-22 07:15:12 UTC

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Titally agree. IMO the Dems should gerrymander as hard as possible, but offer to withdraw on the agreed creation of a neutral national districting body.

2025-08-06 01:43:23 UTC

Time to consider proportional representation in the lower house. I'd suggest the Hare-Clark system with seats of five MPs each. #auspol https://mastodon.social/@IndyMediaAus/114979269092011281

2025-07-31 08:32:37 UTC

Sensible argument for expanding the House of Reps in order to decrease the number of voters per MP. The writer suggests 225 members; mind you, that'd probably mean increasing the Senate from the current 12 to 18 Senators per state. Makes sense in NSW or Victoria, but Tasmania? Hmmm.
#auspol https://mastodon.social/@IndyMediaAus/114946887695494603

2025-07-26 10:08:43 UTC

That was a fun afternoon, thanks for your company Mastodon. Many worthy songs, though I think we can all agree that the real winner was Music. ;)
#hottest100ofaustralia #hottest100

2025-06-09 05:14:49 UTC

Quite soon I should change search engines, I'm tired of the inaccurate AI bullshit popping up above Google results. What's a reliable AI-free replacement? Duck Duck Go?
#AI

2025-04-03 22:47:27 UTC

I wouldn't want to be a PR person promoting travel to the US right now. Very unappealing.
"Across the globe foreign visitors and their governments are now asking just how welcome travellers really are in the States these days. The land of the free could be morphing into a home for only the braver tourist."
#travel #USA https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/travel-news/an-australian-was-denied-us-entry-for-bizarre-reasons-he-s-not-alone-20250403-p5lov8.html

2025-01-17 00:09:46 UTC

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Big country town. ;) Which suburb?

2024-08-23 01:52:58 UTC

I loathe self-checkouts, avoid them like the plague. I'm generally having a tiring enough day without wrangling with extra non-work-related tech.
---
That unexpected item in bagging area is you doing all the work for your supermarket
https://www.smh.com.au/national/that-unexpected-item-in-bagging-area-is-you-doing-all-the-work-for-your-supermarket-20240821-p5k46w.html

2024-07-02 23:12:05 UTC

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Up to 2° (feels like -0.8°) here. Frosty.