There is something in life that really get on my goat up my nose, and that is bank card fees.

There is another, a public holiday surcharge at cafes and restaurants when you visit on a public holiday. Yes, staff are paid higher on public holidays, but it is a known amount and should be part of the business owner's budget forecast and overall general pricing to what is sold to include the extra public holiday costs.

But let me focus on the first, card surcharges. They really took off during the Covid years, when people stopped using cash. The surcharge was generally 1.2% to 1.5%. Translating to now, a $5.00 cup of coffee will cost $5.07. Some business really tried to rip off customers with excessively high fees.

I argued with staff in a cheap Asian bakery in Balaclava, where she wanted to charge me $1.25 for a 90 cent bread roll because I refused to pay, and nor did I have any cash. Five years later, I've never been back, although I have wanted to. 

Worse is when you are charged the fee when there isn't a way to avoid paying, like paying cash. You can choose a cafe that doesn't add the card fee, but when booking a concert ticket or a plane flight, you really don't have a choice. 

I hate this extra fee. I don't care if they want to charge me $5.10 for my coffee, that includes the fee, but I don't want to see it as a surcharge added after I pay by card. It needs to be the listed price.

I remember being in New York City in 2015, I think, and what the price label or on a menu was not the price you paid. I think two compulsory taxes were added to the bill and there was an opt out environmental tax. I won't even mention tips, necessary because businesses are allowed to not pay a living wage. Tipping is a insidious disease. 

Finally in what I expect will be very popular, the Federal government is banning the card fees, as of October.

For that loss of seven cents on my cup of coffee, usurious banks are increasing account keeping fees (I don't pay any), and reducing flyer points, etc etc. That's fine with me. 

The price I see on a menu or a booking, or a label, is the price I expect to pay. And only a tip for something out of the ordinary, like if I spill my drink on myself and staff help to clean up. I don't think that is unreasonable.  

High Seas

This is an interesting video from our ABC. Note the mention of tide height. I've never seen the presenter before but he does a well enough job.

At 12 metres/49' I thought we had the highest tides in the world but no. For that you must visit the east coast of Canada, to the Bay of Fundy (thanks Jackie) with its shores being in both Nova Scotia and New Brunswick provinces where tides can be up to 17 metres/56'.

Check out this video with commentary and time lapse video.

Or this purely visual and luscious video. 

I don't know if I should continue to occasionally publish posts like this. They take time to get things right, and find the right clips, let alone that I am using the work others.  

Monday Mural

Last week's Monday Mural was well liked, and why not. Along with Sami and others, here is this week's, nothing too wonderful. I have to spread the great with the not so great.

An Australian football match is underway and nicely captured in this mural. Atop the building says A.D. 1879. By the team colours, it seems like the former South Melbourne football club, now Sydney Swans. But I cannot imagine a connection between the team and railway workers to be seen in the background. 

Sunday Selections

River and others participate in Sunday Selections and here is my contribution this week.

A surprise dinner for me arrived, and very tasty it was too. Note the label "Smokey inspired BBQ chicken", not a smoked barbeque chicken. 

The major shopping street of our poshest suburb has a cigar shop, and what a lovely exterior it has and I am sure the interior is very nice. It is pity it is all so dark. Just trust me.

There'd be dinosaurs.

Promoting a musical instrument shop.

What a grave mistake we made to interfere in what wasn't our business, but it certainly wasn't any reflection on those who fought and were conscripted and forced to fight.

You can just see the No Smoking sign inside the fence of the Smokin' Hut Cafe.

After using plastic coated light weight metal clothes airers for years, needing to use a second smaller one when Phyllis and Kosov moved in, the smaller one broke, so while this one was about $45 and I did hesitate, it is great and this single one is enough drying space. 

Is Phyllis trying to get rid of more of my stuff? No, just out for a wash in the dishwasher as they were getting dusty.

One of these remote control cars took ten AAA batteries to power it and the other four AA. I think they may have been returned to the store as I only saw them once.

How awkward. Given the traffic flow is in one direction, towards the top of the photo, how did this car get here.

The car driver is wearing an overcoat as details were exchanged. I always remove coats and jackets when driving. I feel they restrict my movements. 

A #47 win?

If you care to, can you check your Google Maps and see what Gulf of Mexico brings up for you, especially if you are in the Americas. Here is what I see in Australia. Place name changing is a bit topical in North America at the moment. If it is hard to see, my view says Gulf of Mexico and in brackets, Gulf of America.

Funny Friday

Head to Linda's, in Quebec City, blog to see her latest offering of Just for Laughs humour. It's a simple theme and well done, and immediately reminded me of a scene in I Love Lucy where she and Ethel (I thought she was called Viv) were working on a sweet production line. 

Not all the humour in I Love Lucy has held up, but while simple and silly, I think this clip has stood the test of time but oh god, how awful was canned laughter back then. 

Howl me down, at your pleasure.

 

In memory of Dolly

 Melbourne, Australia, 26th August 2026

By Explore Melbourne