Ten most expensive domain names

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Coffee seems to be a recession buster

Jack Dikian

November 2011

According to IBIS World, a market research organization specializing in long range forecasting of industries and the business environment, cafes and coffee shop revenues are expected to grow over 30 per cent over the next five years in Australia, proving to be one of the biggest "recession busters".

From humble beginnings, probably as early as the late 1800’s and early 1900’s when the Andronicus brothers drew on their wealth of European coffee-making experience; our Café’ culture is now going from strength to strength.

In the early 1950’s the family imported into the country Australia’s first espresso machine and suddenly Australians started enjoying espresso in the true European tradition. Today, even though we consume large quantise of tea at home, this is not reflected when we go out. In fact tea accounts for only 2.5% of total hot beverages ordered. Hot chocolate, a morning favourite for a close chum accounts for 5%.

Another interesting anecdote is that of the barista. Another friend thought she was going on a date with a barrister when she then realized he was a barista. The reason why I bothered committing this, otherwise piece of trivia to memory, let alone write about it is because the word ‘barista’ was unknown six or seven years ago in Australia.

Now this is part of the vernacular and some espresso bars pay well above the minimum wage for qualified baristas who make good coffee, make it consistently and make it quickly. This brings me to my next point. Looking quickly at Google trends (see illustration) – it seems we (Australians) are second to New Zealand in search volume for the word “barista”. India comes in third followed by Italy and the Philippines.

Australia-originated searches over Google seem to have largely commenced in 2007 around the time when news of Barista Training workshops became new worthy in mainstream News services. Also at about the same time international competitions (such as the Grand Barista Cup) were being held to find the best Barista.

The Gilded Age - A Darwinian Economy

Jack Dikian

November 2011

Through school and pretty much all my working life the work of Adam Smith and to some extend that of John Keynes has permeated the economies, commerce, and politics that I have lived and worked within.

In the last month or so, it seems more and more is written about linkages between Charles Darwin’s (remember Voyage of the Beagle and On the Origin of Species) work and economics. In September Robert Frank’s book “The Darwin Economy: Liberty, Competition, and the Common Good” was published (Princeton University Press) and deliberation has not seized.

Frank worries that Americans are headed toward a crisis greater than the one they find themselves in now. He expresses frustration with the state of political discussion and cites how important issues like infrastructure investment get bogged down in political squabble at the detriment of safety and long-tern needs.

Frank uses Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution to develop a more nuanced understanding of the role competition plays in the economy. On the one hand, competition has been an incredible driver of wealth for the U.S. However, he notes, economic competition frequently pits the needs of the group against the needs of the individual.

People, however, can address the dissonance between group and individual needs through policy. Frank suggests a progressive consumption tax can help us do just that. This tax would represent a fundamental departure from the current system, taking the place of current income tax. Instead, we would report our spending to the IRS and, minus a standard deduction, pay a rising tax rate on any additional spending. Importantly, this proposal stands to raise a great deal of revenue from those who consume the most – that is, the wealthy.

And here is why. Mark Twain coined the phrase “the Gilded Age” to describe that period of rapid growth, a time when the dazzling exterior of American life actually concealed mass unemployment, poverty and a society ripped in two.

Trends in the US indicate that the growing disparity between the rich and the poor is genuinely overwhelming. In fact, the 400 wealthiest Americans now own more than the “lower” 150 million Americans put together.

In 1980, American CEOs earned 42 times more than the average employee. Today, that figure has skyrocketed to more than 300 times. Last year, 25 of the country’s highest-paid CEOs earned more than their companies paid in taxes.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme

Jack Dikian

November 2011

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) could well be a transformational reform that would entitle all people with a disability in Australia to the support and services they need, regardless of how they acquire their disability.

The Scheme is gradually taking shape and like all large initiatives there are many questions facing its architects. How, for example, will it be funded, who will service the scheme, and from a clinical perspective – what kind of assessments will be used, etc.

At a lunch on November 9 hosted by Independence Australia, a panel including John Della Bosca of the NDIS, Alan Woodroffe from the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) and Kevin Andrews of the Liberal Party answered lingering questions such as will everyone on the waiting list now receive a funding package, and so forth.

John Della Bosca, the campaign director of the NDIS, noted that talk need to occur between different levels of government before the “NDIS becomes inevitable” and “It’s always inevitable that governments change and I’m heartened by the fact that there’s strong support for the scheme in the opposition as well as government.”

The very next day, at a conference (Australasian Society for Intellectual Disability) I attended and spoke at, John Della Bosca gave a keynote address discussing the Every Australian Counts Campaign for an NDIS. The Campaign calls for all Australians to stand up and say that people with a disability, their families and carers in this country deserve better and that it’s time for change.

The Every Australian Counts Campaign website asks us to join the campaign to make sure that the Federal Government implements the recommendations of the Productivity Commission and introduces the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The site provides ways we can all help – follow link below.

http://everyaustraliancounts.com.au/take_action/

Like a Noah's Ark wreck in Zanesville

Jack Dikian

October 2011

We all heard about how Sheriffs in, Zanesville Ohio had to hunt down and shoot 48 animals - including 18 rare Bengal tigers and 17 lions 6 black bears, 3 mountain lions, 2 grizzlies, one wolf and one baboon. This was after Terry Thompson, owner of a private Muskingum County Animal Farm threw their cages open and then committed suicide.

Officers were ordered to kill the animals instead of trying to bring them down with tranquilizers for fear that those hit with darts would escape in the darkness before they dropped and would later regain consciousness.

Jack Hanna, a TV personality and former director of the Columbus Zoo defended the sheriff's decision to kill the animals, calling deaths of the endangered Bengal tigers especially tragic. He went on to saying “It's like Noah's Ark wrecking right here in Zanesville, Ohio,"

And he’s not wrong. In the year 1900 there were approximately 50,000 tigers on the earth, but now there is only 4,000 left in the world. The population has decreased because due to poachers and other cruel or selfish acts. The Bengal tiger is protected in many places such as the Nagarahole National Park and the Ranthambhore National Park. It is estimated that there is less than 4000 Bengal tigers today.

Interestingly, as the hunt winded down on Wednesday, a photo showing the remains of tigers, bears and lions lined up and scattered in an open field went viral provoking visceral reactions among viewers, some of whom expressed their anger and sadness on social networking sites.

Antimony is incompatible with life

Jack Dikian

October 2011

Recently we learned of a toxic pollution from an old Antimony mine which appears to have killed fish for dozens of kilometres along the Macleay River in northern NSW. The state government said there was no increased health risk because the contamination, east of Armidale, was diluted, but nevertheless alerted residents along the river as a precaution.

Antimony is a semi-metallic chemical that can exist in the metallic form as a bright, silvery, hard and brittle element; and the non-metallic form as a grey powder making up about 0.00002% of the earth's crust.

Humans have made use of antimony compounds for millennia. The mineral stibnite (Sb₂S₃) was used in Egyptian cosmetics four or five thousand years ago as an eyeliner. In more recent times, it’s used to make certain types of semiconductor devices, such as diodes and infrared detectors.

Antimony alloys are also used in batteries, low friction metals, type metal and cable sheathing, among other products. Antimony compounds are used to make flame-proofing materials, paints, ceramic enamels, glass and pottery.

However, Antimony and many of its compounds are very toxic, and the effects of antimony poisoning are similar to arsenic poisoning. Inhalation of antimony dust is harmful and in certain cases may be fatal; in small doses, antimony causes headaches, dizziness, and possibly depression. Larger doses such as prolonged skin contact may cause dermatitis; otherwise it can damage the kidneys and the liver, causing violent and frequent vomiting, and will lead to death in a few days.

An identity crisis

Jack Dikian

October 2011

These days people don’t necessarily have to embarrassing monikers to change their names. You may not recognize the names Mr. Marion Morrison, aka John Wayne and Mr. Reginald Dwight, read Elton John.

It seems, in England at least changing one's name has become increasingly popular. According to the latest figures from the UK Deed Poll Service, 30% more applications were processed in September compared with the same month the previous year.

It is estimated that a record 58,000 people will change their name by the end of 2011 - an increase of 4,000 on the previous year. A decade ago, only 5,000 people changed their names.

There is a celebrity influence as the UK Deed Poll Service has confirmed 15 new Wayne Rooneys, 5 Amy Winehouses and 30 Michael Jacksons as well as nearly 200 people with "Danger" as their middle name.

Some seem to change their name for different reasons all together. Consider for example, 300 people opted for John Smith – a good, solid, albeit less inspired choice. Some change their name as an escape. US-born model and niece of Osama Bin Laden, Wafah Dufour, took her mother's maiden name after the events of 11 September 2001.