Do Not Pass Go

Here's work, by night.



Its a hustling place to be, and Im not afraid to admit it's somewhat intimidating when the lift dings and you have to strut through the honeycomb of cubicles, head held high. Past sport, past business, politics, courts, police, then finally the online desk right outside the editors office.

The editor refuses to meet me until I have been in the job at least three weeks as the last new recruit from the east coast left after just four weeks. That was immediately before I arrived. People are very burnt by that, it seems. 'Adelaide wasnt good enough for him,' they say, the bitterness gurgling like bile at the back of the throat.

Ding!



As I have already mentioned, one of my jobs is to sift through the readers comments and approve which ones will be posted on the site, and which ones will become cyber trash. There are a surprising number of people chucking in their two cents on every concievable issue. Really igniting public debate are the twin spheres of politics and sport. The passion is electric!

'I reckon Jonesy's bringing the team down with his under-par ball handling skills and what he did on the weekend against the Dockers at the 27th minute of the third quarter when the ball was bounced at the 50 and Macca went in for a speckie and the ref gave the penalty he proved he should NOT be wearing the number 56 and it made me ashamed to call myself a Port supporter and ashamed to be FROM ADELAIDE!!!! SOMETHING MUST BE DONE!!!!'

Basically anyone gets a guernsy so long as they arent racist, sexist, defamatory, homophobic or just plain illiterate. This obviously cuts a significant number of commenters out of the race. Some of the spelling permutations are quite hilarious, way beyond mere typos.

Last week it was announced that Monopoly are producing an updated Australian board, one with Ayers Rock and Flinders St Station and all that jazz. The deliniation of colours was decided by a national intenet vote. Blue, the classic Mayfair/Park Lane spot at the top of the walk was taken out by The Barossa Valley and Adelaide. Dubious to say the least. Darling Point, anyone?

So when an anonymous comment came through last week claiming it was all a hoax orchestrated by some proud (and geeky) Adelaideans who rigged the whole show with some nifty software, I raised the alarm. Outrageous!!!

It ended up being FRONT PAGE NEWS and although I was without byline, Ill be taking that one to the grave, thankyou. My first scoop!!

Look mum, no hands!!!