The recent revelation about Motorola’s ALPR systems leaking live video feeds and vehicle data has got me thinking about the surveillance state we’ve sleepwalked into. Sitting in traffic on Hoddle Street this morning, I found myself counting the number of cameras pointing at my car - traffic cameras, security cameras, and who knows what else.

Remember when we thought automatic number plate recognition was just about catching unregistered vehicles and toll dodgers? Those were simpler times. Now we’re learning that in just 20 minutes, one of these systems in Nashville captured data from nearly 1,000 vehicles. That’s not just license plates - we’re talking about detailed information about vehicle makes, models, and even photos.

Remember when flying cars were just around the corner? Or when fully autonomous vehicles were supposed to dominate our roads by 2020? The tech industry has a long history of overselling the immediate future, and now we’re seeing similar patterns with Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).

OpenAI’s Sam Altman recently made waves by stating they’re “confident” about knowing how to build AGI, with some vague implications about AI agents coming this year. The statement immediately reminded me of those countless tech presentations I’ve attended over the years, where speakers confidently declared revolutionary breakthroughs were just months away.

The rising cost of living has turned many of us into amateur fuel price analysts. Every few days, we’re scanning apps, comparing prices, and trying to squeeze the most value out of every dollar spent at the bowser. The 7-Eleven fuel lock app has been getting quite a bit of attention lately, and for good reason - people are reporting savings of up to $10 or more per tank.

Remember when we used to just pull into whatever servo was closest when the fuel light came on? Those simpler days are long gone. Now we’re juggling multiple apps, loyalty programs, and discount schemes just to avoid feeling ripped off at the pump. The 7-Eleven fuel lock feature seems clever - find the lowest price in your area, lock it in, and you’ve got seven days to fill up. But is it really worth the mental overhead?

The cricket world witnessed something remarkable today at the Sydney Cricket Ground, and it wasn’t just about the game itself. While many of us were focused on Scott Boland’s achievements, a fascinating tradition unfolded right before our eyes – the hand-painting of statistics on the iconic SCG honour board.

For years, watching cricket broadcasts, I’d always assumed these honour boards were created using modern printing techniques or at least stencils. The revelation that they’re hand-painted by a skilled artisan feels like discovering a secret passage in a familiar building. There’s something deeply satisfying about watching this craftsman at work, his brush strokes steady and precise, each letter perfectly formed without any digital assistance.

The internet can be a wild place, especially when it comes to cleaning hacks. Most of them are questionable at best, and dangerous at worst. Remember the TikTok trend of mixing bleach with vinegar? Yeah, let’s not go there. But occasionally, amidst all the dubious advice, something genuinely useful emerges.

Recently, a fascinating saga unfolded on social media about someone using Irish Spring 5-in-1 body wash to clean a stubborn bathtub stain. The original poster’s simple experiment - using $25 worth of body wash, plastic wrap, and a 48-hour soak - transformed a grimy tub into something that looked practically new. The before and after photos were genuinely impressive.

The mercury’s climbing, and the beaches are packed. Nothing beats cooling off at Port Melbourne or Brighton Beach on a scorching summer day. Well, almost nothing - except for that one person who thinks everyone within a 50-meter radius wants to hear their specially curated summer playlist blasting from a speaker the size of a small suitcase.

This peculiar breed of beachgoer seems to be multiplying faster than bin chickens at Federation Square. They arrive armed with portable speakers that could probably be heard from space, apparently operating under the delusion that they’re the designated DJs for the entire beach.

Remember when tech companies used to ask for permission before accessing our personal data? Those days seem increasingly distant, especially with Apple’s latest move to automatically opt everyone into AI-powered photo analysis.

The tech giant has quietly introduced a feature called “Enhanced Visual Search” that analyzes users’ photos using AI technology - and they’ve made it opt-out rather than opt-in. While they claim the system uses homomorphic encryption to protect privacy, the concerning part isn’t just about the technology itself - it’s about the principle of consent.

Remember when Netflix was the golden child of entertainment? For a measly eight bucks a month, we had access to virtually everything worth watching. Those days feel like ancient history now, replaced by a fragmented, overpriced mess that’s beginning to make the old cable monopolies look reasonable by comparison.

The recent news about Americans spending less on streaming services isn’t surprising – it’s the inevitable result of corporate greed destroying what was once a revolutionary service model. What started as a simple, user-friendly way to watch content has devolved into a byzantine maze of subscriptions, each demanding their pound of flesh while offering less and less value.

Remember installing a new game, gathering friends for a LAN party, and knowing that your purchase would last forever? Those days feel increasingly distant as modern gaming shifts towards “live service” models that can vanish at a publisher’s whim.

The “Stop Killing Games” movement has caught my attention lately, particularly as someone who still has a dusty collection of 90s PC games that work perfectly fine today. This European citizens’ initiative aims to protect consumer rights by requiring publishers to provide ways for players to keep their games running after official support ends.

The tech community never ceases to amaze me with their innovative projects. Recently, I came across a fascinating development that brought back memories of playing Portal in my study during those late-night gaming sessions - a fully offline implementation of GLaDOS running on a single board computer.

For those unfamiliar with Portal, GLaDOS is the passive-aggressive AI antagonist who promises cake but delivers deadly neurotoxin instead. While the original was purely fictional, someone has managed to create a working version that runs on minimal hardware, complete with voice recognition and text-to-speech capabilities.